Twelve Week Reading Plan 2021 Version 17
Twelve Week Reading Plan 2021 Version 17
Topics
1) ICT - Information and Communication Technologies – the “diverse set of technological tools and
resources used to communicate, and to create, disseminate, store, and manage information.”
Grade 12 Theory. Exploring IT: Theory. Second Edition 2021 (LU 1 is for PAT only)
Grade 11 Theory. Helicopter over the whole textbook. Exploring IT: Theory. Second Edition. 2020.
50% of the questions come from grade 11.
2) The scenario keywords – collaboration, communication, and productivity. Also privacy and
security. Synchronization – latest version overwrites older versions (regardless of the device).
3) Collaboration – sharing a file so that many people can work on it at the same time. Tracking –
comments, edits and deletions by multiples users can be seen by everybody.
6) A modern computer - motherboard, a CPU that fits into a socket (e.g. LGA 1150), primary
memory (volatile) (RAM), secondary memory (non-volatile), CMOS (volatile), BIOS or UEFI (non-
volatile), power supply, a casing and connectivity via WiFi or cable. The monitor, keyboard and
mouse are peripherals.
7) Modular design for upgrading (via expansion cards), flexibility and easy repair (replacement)
– desktop PC only, not laptop, tablet, smart phone or single board computers.
8) CPU - single core, dual core, quad core etc. with or without hyperthreading. Measured in clock
speed, cores and cache e.g. quad-core processor @ 4.2GHz
9) CPU – Control Unit (CU), the Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU) and the registers. The fast system
clock synchronizes the movement of data in the CPU (3 – 4.5 GHz). Most modern CPUs have a built-
in GPU (which you can disable with a GPU expansion card)
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12) Concept: A desktop computer in a casing (tower)
A CPU to process instructions + RAM to store current instructions and data; secondary storage for
the OS, permanent data and software, motherboard and internet connectivity via WiFi or LAN
cable.
13) The motherboard offers connectivity (on the board and via ports), facilitates power and
cooling. Motherboards offers flexibility and upgradability by offering expansion slots. Integrated
peripherals – graphic, network (wired and wireless), sound etc.
14) The chipset relays communications between the CPU and the many connected storage and
expansion devices. The chipset supports, or does not support, overclocking.
15) NOTES: Booting up is a process achieved by the BIOS/UEFI (firmware) using the settings
stored in the CMOS. CMOS memory keeps its settings when the power is off using a battery. Loads
the OS kernel into RAM. You can boot off a HDD, SSD, CD-ROM, USB thumb drive (flash drive) or an
external hard drive.
17) An i5 CPU with 2 cores that runs 4 threads is an example of hyperthreading – each core
simulates 2 execution units.
18) An i5 CPU with 4 cores that runs 4 threads is an example of multiprocessing.
Only i5 and higher for HD, videos, and animation in 4K hi- resolution, high performance 3D gaming.
23) Role of the system clock and overclocking. Overclocking increases performance. Increase in
heat and uses more power. Can lead to component failure.
24) Parallel processing – When a large program is divided into pieces and each piece is run in
parallel (at the same time). Generally, this means a single computer whose motherboard can
physically accommodate multiple CPUs that work in parallel.
25) Example: A CPU has 4 cores. All 4 offer hyperthreading i.e. 2 cores each. Therefore, the
computer is capable of both multiprocessing and hyperthreading.
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L1 and L2 cache memory, register size, bus size.
27) RAM (DRAM) – Capacitors must be refreshed many times per second. Improvements in speed
- DD2, DDR2, DDR3 DDR4 – motherboard memory slots can be different. Measured in size, type,
and access speed (16GB, DDR3 @ 1866 MHz).
28) Virtual memory (paging). When a computer runs out of RAM it moves data onto the slower
secondary memory – this secondary memory acts like additional primary memory. If this happens
too often it is better to buy more RAM.
29) Internal bus (Front side bus FSB or local bus) – the address bus, the data bus, and the
control bus link the CPU to RAM. The bus clock is slower than the system clock.
30) External buses. For external devices. PCI Express (PCIe. 1x, 4x, 8x, 16x, 32x) for graphics
cards, RAID cards, Wi-Fi cards, SSDs etc. SATA for mechanical HHD (relatively old and slow). USB
for peripherals (USB 1, 2 and 3).
31) NVMe for high-speed connection to SSD – the M.2 connector plugs into the PCIe bus.
32) Expansion cards versus Onboard controllers. Integrated, onboard controllers are built into
the motherboard and cannot be repaired, upgraded, or replaced e.g. The Raspberry Pi (System on
Chip – SOC) single-board computer is an example of a computer where all controllers are
integrated into a single board – this brings speed at a fraction of the cost.
33) Expansion cards – Graphics Processing Unit (GPU e.g. for additional monitors, video editing),
sound card (e.g. surround sound), network (e.g. to connect to more than one type of network),
Wireless LAN (WLAN for WiFi), RAID (to connect RAID 1, RAID5 etc), serial port card (e.g. to
connect to sensors), USB interface (e.g. for more and upgraded USB ports), cellular cards (e.g. to
connect to 4G or LTE), TV card (e.g. home theater PC), video capture card (e.g. to record and
stream videos onto the Internet)
34) A GPU expansion card has its own motherboard, processor, and memory (VRAM)
Ports
35) USB. USB 1.0, 2.0, 3.0 and 3.1 indicate the speed of the port. Type A, B, C indicate the size and
shape. Smaller USB ports were needed for portable devices like smart phones.
36) HDMI and Display ports for high-definition video and audio signals in a single cable.
Secondary storage.
38) Internal. HDD – slower, bigger, and cheaper. Great for storing big files and large folders. SSD –
faster and smaller that mechanical HDD, and more expensive. Great for resource hungry software.
39) External – HDD or SSD connected via USB 3, SD cards, flash drives
40) On the cloud – Google Drive, OneDrive etc
41) SSD – SATA versus PCIe. Also compact form factor “M.2”
Older solid-state drives (SSD) connect to the old SATA bus (slower). Then SSDs got smaller and
smaller. The tiny M.2 SSDs now connect to a small M.2 socket / connector on the motherboard
which connects to the fast PCIe bus (not the old SATA bus). This is called a NVMe drive. This super-
fast drive (which requires little power) should have your OS and other resource-hungry software
for maximum benefit. The M.2 slot can also be used for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth radios etc M.2 is useful for
mini-desktop computers where space is limited.
42) Devices: Pros and cons of desktops, laptops, tablets, smartphones - upgradability, ease of
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input, screen size, battery life, amount of memory, portability, the software it can run.
43) Convergence of devices and technologies, mobility (advantages and constraints), plug and
play technology
44) Shorter questions.
secondary storage (HHD, SATA, SSD, and hybrid), touch screen, virtual memory (using HDD as
RAM), buffering and streaming, dual booting PC, firmware v software, thunderbolt (I/O interface),
SSD [does not need defrag, no moving parts, very fast], wearables, interrupts (hardware and
software)
51) Upgrading PC performance – add RAM, replace HDD with SSD, overclock, add an NVMe
drive, with a hybrid ensure that the OS is on the SSD. Add GPU only if the re-draw times are slow.
52) Do housekeeping – delete (data, files, cookies etc), unload or uninstall unneeded applications.
(Cannot add cache memory, cannot always replace the CPU due to differences in socket designs on
the motherboard)
55) Virtualization is an entity that exists only in software i.e. a computer, a server, networks,
storage, a desk top, application – issue of ownership
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56) Computer management - file and folder management, updates, backups, defrag, archiving,
firewall, antivirus, temporary internet files, recycle bin, install and uninstall. Also software, OS and
security updates.
57) Backups – duplicate copies of current work, onsite + offsite, local + on the cloud, whole drive
or folders, different physical devices, scheduled, different versions, example of a cloud service.
58) Archiving – is to group old important project-based files together for future reference (and is
therefore not the same as a backup)
66) LAN – Traditionally interpreted as an Ethernet cabled network solution in one location.
67) WLAN – An Ethernet network in one location without cables – connection is via WiFi.
LANs and WLANs connect to the Internet via an ISP – Internet service provider. Offers access to
the Internet for a monthly fee.
68) Client server model versus a peer-to-peer model (P2P).
69) Bounded connection media – UTP and fibre-optic. Challenges are eavesdropping, attenuation,
crosstalk and Electromagnetic Interference (EMI)
70) Unbounded – is wireless - radio waves, microwaves – WiFi, Bluetooth use radio waves.
71) Topologies – star with a switch (Ethernet). Also bus, ring, mesh and hybrid.
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72) Addressing – IPv4 (216.27.61.137), MAC address (62:4D:EA:89:75:B3)
IPv6 (3668:cd38:7aed:11d3:437:f584:819:f1fd)
Networking protocols
73) ARP - (Address resolution protocol) Keeps a table that links the physical MAC address to the
allocated IP address.
74) DHCP – (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol). Allocates an unused IP address from a pool to
a new node. Once done updates the ARP table on the LAN.
75) DNS – (Domain Name Service). Links the domain name (of a website) to its IP address. Eg java-
teacher.com – IP address is 196.22.132.246
76) TCP/IP – A stack of communication protocols that makes the internet and email work.
o File transfer – FTP, HTTP, HTTPS (HTTP + SSL)
o Email – SMTP, IMAP, POP
77) UDP and TCP – (part of TCP/IP). Both are transportation protocols
78) UDP - - Used for streaming and voice. Packets of data may or may not arrive and may not
arrive in the right order. Will not request missing packets
79) TCP – Used for www, email. Will arrive, and the packets will be arranged into the right order.
Will request resend for missing packets.
80) WiFi -a stack of wireless network protocols, (IEEE 802.11). Local area networking of devices
and offers Internet access, allowing nearby digital devices to exchange data by radio waves.
81) Data is broken into frames (within an Ethernet LAN) and packets (on the internet – TCP/IP),
Both have error correction.
82) Frames – The frame contains the packet. The frame has the sender’s and the receiver’s MAC
address because the network is a local Ethernet LAN.
83) Packets – Header, Payload and trailer. Sender’s IP address. Receivers IP address.
84) WLAN – an Ethernet network that has no bounded media (always slower). A transceiver
broadcasts a signal within an area called a microcell (hotspot)
85) Wireless access point connects nodes to one another. Connects via WiFi (radio waves.)
86) Wireless router can connect the WLAN to the Internet.
87) Hotspot is a physical place where you can connect to the WLAN or internet via WiFi.
NOTE: Most WLANs connect to a wired LAN or backbone that can connect to other microcells or to
a wired router offering Internet access
88) Bluetooth – Communication protocol for short distances, offers data and voice. Is bi-
directional. Uses radio waves.
89) Thin clients (no hard drive) much cheaper but a powerful centralized server is needed
possibly with RAID 5. Centralized processing.
90) Fat clients (a fully featured computer with locally installed software). When part of a network
can also offer decentralized computing. Distributed processing.
91) P2P – every computer is a server, and every computer is potentially a client. (Cost saving,
reliable, scalable, move large files quickly).
92) BitTorrent is P2P. Many users form a swarm that all upload and download among themselves.
Large files are split into smaller packets. Once a user has a complete file it becomes a seed from
which others can download from.
93) FTP is a download/upload protocol that uses a client server model e.g. you download a file,
edit it and upload it and overwrite the original.
94) WebDav – also a download/upload protocol that allows a user to interact with the website e.g.
upload, edit or delete a blog entry without downloading and uploading the file/webpage.
95) Hub – joins nodes in a star topology. Uses broadcast (cheap)
96) Switch – as above. Reduces network traffic - does not broadcast but uses peer to peer
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communication.
97) Bridge – joins network segments together that are similar eg Ethernet LAN. Can be wireless.
98) Router joins networks that are not similar e.g. ethernet to the Internet. A router takes data
packets and directs them to the right place using IP addresses.
99) Gateway - Converts data from one protocol or format to another. A router may perform some
of the functions of a gateway.
100) SOHO Internet solutions (small office home office)
ADSL router allows fast connection to the internet via existing home office telephone
wires. Most routers today double up as switches, wireless access points, firewall.
Wireless router – Offers wireless connection to the Internet. Most these days also create a
WLAN functionality.
101) Firewall – Can be hardware or software or both. You program rules into a firewall to prevent
unauthorized access to your LAN from the Internet. A rule can also prevent a user going to
unauthorized websites.
102) VPN - Remote access from anywhere to a private network - your private LAN is extending
over the public network (internet). Your work is protected by encryption- location/identity is
protected.
103) Remote access – when you allow a repair technician to access your computer directly using
the Internet using a product like “Team Viewer”.
104) VOIP - Voice over Internet Protocol for the delivery of voice communications and multimedia
sessions over Internet Protocol (IP) networks, such as the Internet.
105) IoT – objects that are network enabled that can transfer data without human interaction.
These devices are SoC. (System on chip). Useful for monitoring, fault detection, remote control,
automation
106) LBS – (Location Based Services). Uses geographical position of a device to provide useful
local information e.g. ATMs, roadside assistance, fraud prevention etc, LBS mostly uses GPS
technology (Global Positioning System using a matrix of 24 satellites) but can also use cell phone
towers eg Google Maps.
107) Cloud based apps. Computing services—including servers, storage, databases, networking,
processing power, software, analytics, and intelligence—over the Internet (“the cloud”). You pay
monthly for the cloud services you use - cheaper.
Advantages – anywhere anytime access, synchronization of files between devices, easy file
sharing, secure and reliable if on a small budget, advanced protection against malware and
ransomware. Don’t need to buy expensive hardware and software or employ expensive IT
professionals as your business grows (scalability). Rights and permissions can be granted
on a need to have basis.
Disadvantage – good fast stable internet connection, stop paying you can no longer access
your files stored on the cloud server – download, then cancel.
108) Desktop apps – Here the full apps are installed on your local hard drive. You can pay for a
once off license or monthly (depending on the product). The fat client model.
Advantage – Can work offline. Fast if you have a high-performance PC.
Disadvantages – Saving and updates are done manually.
109) Web based apps. (e.g. G-Suite, Ms Office 365) You don’t have to install the software on your
local hard drive - you pay to use the software on the cloud via your browser – thin client model.
Advantages - always available, latest version, cheaper, shared access, bugs and security
patches are done on the server, uses the processing power of the server. OS independent.
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Autosave as you type.
Disadvantages - you must have a good fast stable internet connection. Must use an up-to-
date browser. Uses data. Slow on a poor internet connection. Stop paying, it stops working –
you must then download your emails and work before cancelling. Vendor lock-in.
110) Microsoft 365 – word processor, spreadsheet, email, database, presentation software, team
collaboration, digital notetaking and cloud storage)
111) Educational Licensing – Products like Google’s G Suite and Microsoft’s Office 365 are free to
use for registered members of an educational institution.
112) Mobile apps – Here the apps are downloaded and installed on the device. They are written
and designed specifically for mobile devices because of screen size, limited storage, and
processing.
Advantages – Convenient and portable. Native coded apps can interact with all the features
of the device (camera, sensors, address book, touch screen etc)
Disadvantages – LITE versions, limited processing, and storage. Must download the correct
version for your device and OS. Non-native coded apps have limited ability to interact with
all the features of the device.
113) RAID – with the thin client model reliability and performance is needed. RAID is a solution.
114) RAID 1 – offers redundancy by writing the same data on two drives ("mirroring,") If one
drive fails, the second drive is used, and the failed drive is manually replaced.
115) RAID 5 – a computer subsystem that stripes interleaving data across three or more drives,
increasing performance, and providing redundancy. Data on the failed drive can be automatically
rebuilt by the other working drives.
116) Two-step authentication - In banking you often must use your mobile app in conjunction
with the website (need password and your device)
117) Browser - extensions can customize and add additional features to the browser when using
web and mobile apps (while browser plug ins are depreciated (discouraged))
118) SEO – Search engine optimization. People search for a keyword(s). Your site comes up
because of the quality, quantity, and reputation of your sites content – your site matches the search
algorithm better than other websites. Good URL and description, share-worthy content, great user
experience, focus on keywords (one main keyword per page), website is fast and well designed.
119) Search – for text, for sound (Shazam), for images – Reverse Image Lookup)
120) Deepfake – Lies disguised as the truth. Can be an image, audio or video which have been
tampered with using editing and cloning software.
Longer questions
122) Web 1.0 – HTML, HTTP, CSS. Static read only. Authorative centralized content.
123) Web 2.0 – Above plus interaction, preferences. Cookies. About like-minded groups. Self-
publishing. Sharing news. Blogs and Wikis. Opinion based. Fake news. Interactive advertising.
124) Web 3.0 – Above, plus multimedia, animations. About the individual and personalization,
customization, interactive. Location based services (LBS). Behavioral advertising.
125) Web 4.0 – The mobile web. Customized to the person, the device and the surroundings.
126) Scripts – client-side and server-side. Webpages are tailored based on your log in credentials,
your browser history, cookies, behavioural history, the date (Black Friday, Valentine’s Day etc)
previous engagement with products and content, purchase history, click history e.g. Facebook
advertising for one person is completely different to another person (age, gender, demographic,
interests etc).
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from the websites they browse, providing additional security, redundancy, and privacy.
157) Software – regular security patches and software updates, audit trails, anti-malware
158) Backups – onsite, remote, on the cloud
159) Strong passwords – also with two-step authentication (password and phone
together)
160) User rights and permissions for all users as appropriate
161) Encryption – sensitive files
162) User education regarding social engineering and sharing passwords
163) Shorter questions
Artificial intelligence – AI, E-Waste, cyber bullying
168) SQL – highly structured relational database using related tables to avoid anomalies and
redundant data. Records individual transactions in real time. OLTP
169) NoSQL – unstructured data eg Facebook. Has data, images, text, hyperlinks on any and all
topics all mashed into one place
170) Datawarehouse combines historic data from different sources (often de-normalizing
databases into Big Data) so that it can be analyzed (data mined) using OLAP.
171) Class diagrams – create a class diagram from the given scenario including the access
modifiers, properties, and methods – constructor method (could be more than one), mutator
methods, accessor methods and toString method.
172) Also
Algorithms, pseudocode, sorting, arrays, Boolean logic with4 variable truth table, inheritance
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