Know and understand impact of emerging technologies on everyday life including Artificial Intelligence (AI), extended reality (virtual and augmented)

1. Types and Components of Computer Systems

1.1 Types of Computer Systems

Computer systems are classified by size, processing power, purpose and typical users. The table follows the Cambridge IGCSE ICT 0417 syllabus and adds the main advantages and disadvantages of each type.

1.2 Core Hardware Components

• Central Processing Unit (CPU) – the “brain” that executes program instructions.
• Motherboard – main circuit board that interconnects CPU, memory, storage and I/O devices.
• Memory

  • Random‑Access Memory (RAM) – volatile, stores data currently being processed.
  • Read‑Only Memory (ROM) – non‑volatile, holds firmware such as the BIOS/UEFI.

• Storage

  • Internal storage – HDD (magnetic), SSD (solid‑state), NVMe drives.
  • External storage – USB flash drives, external hard disks, cloud storage services.

• Power Supply Unit (PSU) – converts mains AC to the low‑voltage DC required by components.
• Input Devices – keyboard, mouse, touch screen, microphone, scanner, digital camera, sensors (accelerometer, gyroscope, GPS).
• Output Devices – monitor, printer, speakers, projector, haptic‑feedback devices.
• Analogue vs Digital Data

  • Analogue signals vary continuously (e.g., sound waves, light intensity).
  • Digital signals use discrete binary values (0/1).
  • Conversion is required: ADC (Analogue‑to‑Digital Converter) for input, DAC (Digital‑to‑Analogue Converter) for output.

1.3 Input and Output Devices – Characteristics

• Direct‑Data‑Entry Devices – barcode scanners, magnetic‑stripe readers, RFID readers; provide fast, accurate data capture with minimal manual typing.
• Output Device Characteristics

  • Resolution (e.g., 300 dpi for printers, 1920×1080 pixels for monitors).
  • Speed (pages per minute for printers, refresh rate for displays).
  • Colour capability (monochrome vs colour).

1.4 Storage Media – Types & Characteristics

1.5 Operating Systems and User Interfaces

• Command‑Line Interface (CLI) – text‑based commands (e.g., MS‑DOS, Linux terminal).

  • Advantages: low resource use, powerful scripting, precise control.
  • Disadvantages: steep learning curve, less intuitive for beginners.

• Graphical User Interface (GUI) – windows, icons, menus, pointer (e.g., Windows, macOS, GNOME).

  • Advantages: easy to learn, visual feedback, multitasking support.
  • Disadvantages: higher resource consumption, can be slower for batch tasks.

• Touch / Gesture‑Based Interface – tablets, smartphones and many XR devices.

  • Advantages: natural interaction, portable devices.
  • Disadvantages: limited precision; UI elements must be larger.

• Mobile Operating Systems – Android, iOS.

  • Optimised for power efficiency, app ecosystems, built‑in sandbox security.

1.6 Networking – Hardware, Types & Security

• Hardware

  • Network Interface Card (NIC) – wired or wireless connection to a network.
  • Router – directs traffic between different networks (e.g., home broadband router).
  • Switch – connects multiple devices within the same LAN, forwarding frames by MAC address.
  • Hub – repeats incoming signals to all ports (now largely obsolete).
  • Modem – converts digital data to analogue signals for transmission over telephone or cable lines.
  • Wi‑Fi Access Point – provides wireless connectivity.
  • Bluetooth – short‑range wireless link for peripherals and IoT sensors.

• Network Types

  • LAN (Local Area Network) – confined to a single building or campus.
  • WLAN (Wireless LAN) – Wi‑Fi version of a LAN.
  • WAN (Wide Area Network) – spans cities, countries or the globe (e.g., the Internet).
  • Intranet – private network using Internet protocols within an organisation.
  • Extranet – controlled access to part of an intranet for external partners.

• Security Measures

  • Firewalls – filter incoming/outgoing traffic.
  • Encryption (WPA2/WPA3 for Wi‑Fi, HTTPS for web traffic).
  • Strong passwords, two‑factor authentication, regular firmware updates.

1.7 E‑Safety, Data‑Protection Legislation & Ethical Considerations

• Physical safety – avoid overheating, electrical shocks, ergonomic injuries.
• Data‑protection legislation – GDPR (EU), Data Protection Act (UK), COPPA (US). Key principles: lawfulness, purpose limitation, data minimisation, accuracy, storage limitation, integrity & confidentiality.
• Privacy – understand what personal data apps collect; use privacy settings.
• Ethical AI – algorithmic bias, transparency, accountability, impact on employment.
• Digital wellbeing – limit screen time, manage motion‑sickness risk in XR, take regular breaks.

1.8 Systems Development Life‑Cycle (SDLC)

1. Analysis – identify user needs, define functional and non‑functional requirements.
2. Design – plan hardware, software architecture, data structures, UI mock‑ups.
3. Development / Coding – write and compile source code, create database tables, develop forms.
4. Testing – unit testing, integration testing, user‑acceptance testing; check functionality, performance and security.
5. Implementation – install the system, migrate data, train users, go‑live.
6. Documentation – user manuals, technical guides, maintenance procedures.
7. Evaluation & Maintenance – monitor performance, collect feedback, apply updates, fix bugs.

1.9 File‑Management Basics

• Hierarchical folder structure – organise files in directories and sub‑directories (e.g., School/ICT/Assignments/2025/).
• File formats

  • Text: .docx, .txt, .pdf
  • Images: .png (lossless), .jpg (lossy), .svg (vector)
  • Audio/Video: .mp3, .mp4
  • Data: .csv, .xlsx, .sql

• Compression – zip or archive files to reduce size and simplify transfer.
• Naming conventions – no spaces, use underscores or camelCase, include dates (YYYYMMDD) and version numbers (v1, v2).

2. Working with Digital Content

2.1 Images – Raster vs Vector

• Raster images – pixel‑based (e.g., photographs). Formats: .jpg, .png, .bmp. Resolution measured in DPI; quality degrades when scaled up.
• Vector images – defined by mathematical paths (e.g., logos). Formats: .svg, .eps. Scale without loss of quality.
• Basic editing tasks (crop, resize, colour correction) are common in both types.

2.2 Layout – Page Design Fundamentals

• Use margins, columns, guides and gridlines to create balanced pages.
• Common layout tools: ruler, snap‑to‑grid, paragraph and character spacing.
• Typical output: newsletters, flyers, brochures.

2.3 Styles – Consistency in Documents

• Paragraph styles – control alignment, line spacing, indentation.
• Character styles – set font, size, colour, bold/italic.
• Apply a style once; updating the style automatically updates all linked text.

2.4 Proofreading – Ensuring Quality

• Spell‑check and grammar‑check tools.
• Readability checks (e.g., Flesch‑Kincaid score).
• Manual proofread: look for homonyms, proper nouns, punctuation errors.

2.5 Graphs & Charts – Creation and Labelling

2.6 Document Production (Word Processor)

• Headers & footers – include document title, page numbers, date.
• Tables – create, merge/split cells, apply table styles.
• Mail merge – combine a data source (CSV) with a template for personalised letters.
• Track changes & comments – collaborative editing.

2.7 Databases – Relational Concepts & Practical Skills

• Key concepts

  • Primary key – unique identifier for each record.
  • Foreign key – links a record to a primary key in another table.
  • Normalization – organise data to reduce redundancy.

• Practical tasks

  • Create tables, define field types (text, number, date, auto‑number).
  • Design a simple form for data entry (e.g., student registration).
  • Run queries: SELECT, WHERE, JOIN to retrieve specific information.
  • Generate reports with headers, footers, grouping and totals.

2.8 Presentations – Effective Slide Design

• Master slide – set consistent background, logo, font, colour scheme.
• Use bullet points (max 6 per slide) and high‑contrast visuals.
• Animations – apply sparingly; use “appear” or “fade” for emphasis.
• Speaker notes – add cues for oral presentation.
• Handouts – print slides with notes or create a PDF summary.

2.9 Spreadsheets – Modelling & Functions

• Cell referencing

  • Relative (A1) – changes when copied.
  • Absolute (\$A\$1) – stays fixed.

• Common functions (must‑know for the exam)

  • SUM(range) – total of numbers.
  • AVERAGE(range) – mean value.
  • IF(logicaltest, valueiftrue, valueif_false) – conditional result.
  • VLOOKUP(lookupvalue, tablearray, colindex, [rangelookup]) – vertical lookup.
  • COUNTIF(range, criteria) – count cells meeting a condition.

• Charts – create from data ranges; format axes, titles, data labels.
• Conditional formatting – colour‑code cells based on values (e.g., highlight > 80%).
• Data validation – restrict input to a list, date range, or numeric limits.

2.10 Website Authoring – HTML & CSS Basics

• HTML structure

  <!DOCTYPE html>
  <html>
  <head>
  <title>My Page</title>
  <meta charset="UTF-8">
  <meta name="description" content="Brief description">
  </head>
  <body>
  <h1>Heading</h1>
  <p>Paragraph text.</p>
  <img src="images/photo.jpg" alt="Photo description">
  <a href="contact.html">Contact</a>
  </body>
  </html>
  

• Common HTML tags – <h1>–<h6>, <p>, <ul>/<ol>, <table>, <form>, <video>, <audio>.
• CSS selectors – element, class (.nav), ID (#header); basic properties: color, font-family, margin, padding, display.
• Relative paths – src="images/photo.jpg" (same folder) vs src="../assets/photo.jpg" (parent folder).
• Accessibility & SEO basics – use alt attributes, descriptive titles, heading hierarchy.

3. Emerging Technologies and Their Everyday Impact

3.1 Artificial Intelligence (AI)

AI systems mimic human intelligence by learning from data, recognising patterns and making decisions.

• Everyday applications

  • Voice assistants (Siri, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa)
  • Personalised recommendations on Netflix, YouTube, Spotify
  • Smart‑home automation (lighting, thermostats, security cameras)
  • Fraud detection in online banking and credit‑card transactions
  • Real‑time language translation (Google Translate, Microsoft Translator)
  • Image recognition in photo apps and social‑media filters
  • Chatbots for customer service

• Impact on society

  • Efficiency & productivity – automates routine tasks, speeds up data analysis.
  • Job market changes – new roles (AI ethics officer, data scientist) alongside displacement of repetitive jobs.
  • Ethical issues – algorithmic bias, lack of transparency, privacy of training data.
  • Decision‑making – need for human oversight where AI influences health, legal or financial outcomes.

3.2 Extended Reality (XR) – Virtual Reality (VR) & Augmented Reality (AR)

XR blends the physical and digital worlds, creating immersive experiences.

• Virtual Reality (VR) – completely simulated environments viewed through head‑mounted displays.

  • Examples: immersive gaming (Beat Saber), virtual concerts, flight‑simulator training.

• Augmented Reality (AR) – digital information overlaid on the real world via smartphones, tablets or AR glasses.

  • Examples: Pokémon GO, IKEA Place (visualise furniture), medical overlays during surgery.

3.3 Positive & Negative Impacts of Emerging Technologies

• Positive

  • Enhanced learning – virtual labs, 3‑D anatomy models, interactive history tours.
  • Retail convenience – virtual try‑on of clothing, AR product visualisation before purchase.
  • Remote collaboration – virtual meeting rooms, shared 3‑D design spaces.
  • Healthcare benefits – VR pain‑management, AR guidance for physiotherapy.

• Negative

  • Motion sickness, eye strain and other health concerns from prolonged XR use.
  • Increased screen time and potential reduction in face‑to‑face interaction.
  • Privacy risks from cameras, microphones and location sensors.
  • Job displacement without adequate retraining programmes.

4. Revision Checklist (AO1–AO3)

1. Identify at least four different types of computer systems, describing typical users, key characteristics, advantages and disadvantages.
2. List and explain the function of core hardware components, including CPU, motherboard, RAM, ROM, internal & external storage, PSU, input & output devices, and analogue‑to‑digital conversion.
3. Describe the characteristics of direct‑data‑entry input devices and key output device attributes (resolution, speed, colour).
4. Compare storage media (magnetic, solid‑state, optical, cloud) – capacity, advantages and disadvantages.
5. Explain the main operating‑system types (CLI, GUI, touch/gesture, mobile) and give one advantage and one disadvantage of each.
6. Define LAN, WLAN, WAN, intranet and extranet; name the purpose of routers, switches, hubs, modems, Wi‑Fi APs and Bluetooth.
7. State three e‑safety practices, two data‑protection legislation points and two ethical considerations related to AI.
8. Outline the seven SDLC stages, highlighting the purpose of each stage.
9. Summarise good file‑management practices (hierarchical folders, naming conventions, appropriate formats, compression).
10. Distinguish raster and vector images; name three common file formats for each.
11. Explain layout fundamentals – margins, columns, guides – and give an example of a document that uses them.
12. Describe how to create and apply paragraph and character styles in a word processor.
13. List two proofreading tools and one manual technique to improve document quality.
14. Identify four chart types, the data situations they suit, and the key steps to produce a labelled chart.
15. State three features of word‑processor document production (headers/footers, tables, mail merge).
16. Define primary key and foreign key; sketch a simple two‑table relational database and describe a basic query.
17. List three presentation design principles (consistent master slide, limited text, appropriate animation).
18. Write the syntax for the spreadsheet functions SUM, IF and VLOOKUP; explain relative vs absolute cell references.
19. Give an example of a simple HTML page structure and two CSS selectors with their purpose.
20. Discuss one positive and one negative impact of AI or XR on everyday life, linking back to ethical or health considerations.