Understanding Computer Systems

CO212 Online course

Understand how the components of a computer system interact with each other on this online course for computing teachers.

Computer systems Computing Key stage 3 Key stage 4 CS Accelerator

Free online course Approximately 8 hours of self-study

Understanding how a computer works after you press the power button is key to working with technology effectively. On this course, you will explore what happens inside the machine and learn how computers turn inputs into outputs.

You will learn what the computer operating system does and why you need it. You will also compare software and hardware, understand the importance of the central processing unit (CPU), and address factors that affect computer performance.

Outcomes

You will be able to:

• Describe the difference between hardware and software
• Assess the importance of operating systems and virtual memory
• Describe and compare storage, input, and output device
• Discuss factors affecting the performance of a system
• Identify the functions of the hardware in a computer system
• Explore different types of software such as application, system, and utility Investigate how devices interact with the operating system and other software

This course is part of the Subject knowledge certificate

Subject knowledge certificate

Our professional development programme, Computer Science Accelerator, is designed to help you develop or refresh your subject knowledge and leads to a nationally recognised certificate.

Find out more

Join this course

You need to be logged in to start the course.

Not got a STEM Learning account?
Create an account

This course is from Teach Computing and delivered by Raspberry Pi Foundation

Adapted teaching and effective learning interventions in secondary computing

Develop an evidence-informed approach to education recovery over a sustained period, securing the computing education of young people following a period of great disruption.

Live remote training course

An Introduction to algorithms, programming and data in computer science - remote

Create some simple block-based computer programs and discover how to implement them in the text based language Python.

Live remote training course

An introduction to algorithms, programming and data in GCSE computer science - face to face

Create some simple block-based computer programs and discover how to implement them in the text based language Python.

Face to face course