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Computing |
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What is Computing at A-Level about? In essence Computing is about understanding in detail, how computer systems actually work. Computers pervade every aspect of modern life. The microprocessor which lies at the heart of every computing system is found absolutely everywhere, from the PC on your desk to laptops, PDAs, mobile phones, cars and microwave ovens. Modern society simply could not function without computers, but few people really understand how it all works. Computing at A-Level will give you a deep insight and understanding into how it all fits together, from the microprocessor, which you will study in some detail, to memory, storage, operating systems and network architectures. At the end of the course you will have an excellent understanding of how it all works. The AS
In the first year, there are two theory papers, each of which is worth 50% of the AS exam. The first paper covers the fundamentals of computers, i.e. hardware, software, operating systems, system life cycles, data and other similar topics. The second paper covers more practical problems which will assume that the student has, over the course of the year developed some solid programming skills. If you have programmed before, you’ll have a head start, and you can move on and learn other languages. The A2 If you decide to progress from the AS to the full A level, the second year introduces a major coursework element which will account for 40% of the A2, i.e. 20% of the overall A-Level. The remaining 60% (30% A-Level) is by theory examination. The project is a substantial piece of work in which you plan, develop and test a computer system. Ideally you should produce a system to meet the needs of a real person (perhaps a parent, a relative who works in a local business, someone who helps run a club or society with which you’re involved etc.). You can use a software package or any programming language to produce your project (or a combination of the two). In the second year, the theory work builds on what you learnt in the first year. You will study topics such as operating systems, computer architecture, data representation, databases and networking in more detail. You will also learn more about systems development, implementation and management. Course overview The grid below shows the components of the AS and A level. Our examination board is OCR.
For further details and a full specification, see the OCR Computing Page on the OCR website:http://www.ocr.org.uk Who does it suit? If you enjoy using computers and you want to know more about how they work and how they can be used, you should probably think about studying Computing. What will it be like studying Computing at d’Overbroecks? In one word - interesting. Computing at d’Overbroecks is focused on helping you get the best possible examination result, but in addition, our intention is that you leave the course understanding far more than is simply required by the exam specification. To help in that process, we provide you with the opportunity to study more than one computing language, use more than one operating system and generally develop an awareness of how a microprocessor in conjunction with some memory and storage can be used to fly you to Mars, cook your dinner, play world of warcraft, call your friend in China and watch a video on your iPod. The group of students you’ll study with will bring a variety of skills with them; some will have programmed before, others won’t, but all will all be highly motivated, intelligent and eager to learn. What books can I read to get a sense of the subject? Read New Scientist and/or any other good popular science journal. There are literally thousands of books on various aspects of computing, and quite understandably, much of what you need to know is available on the internet. As a resource the internet is quite breath-taking. As you might expect given the nature of the subject computer scientists, having developed the internet, use it exhaustively to provide information on all aspects of the subject. As an introduction to computer science generally, I suggest that you take a look at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_science and follow some of the links. You won’t live long enough to follow them all, but if you have time, spend a few hours following some of the more interesting topics. Who will teach me? You will be taught by a highly experienced mathematician and computer scientist who has written software used by NASA in its development of the space shuttle and mars lander and whose experimental software almost led to multi-car pile-up on the M4 – actually, not my fault – erroneous algorithms supplied by the client, but still – could have been nasty. Take a look at the New York Times article from 1999 to see how mathematics and computer science can come together to do something very interesting. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D07E2D61630F936A3575BC0A96F958260 Results
The results are usually excellent with no-one having achieved below a C in the last five years. What can I study with this subject at school and at university? Students studying Computing at d’Overbroecks have in the past taken it with a variety of other subjects. Mathematics and/or Further Mathematics clearly works well especially for those students who intend to go on to study Computer Science at university. Other common combinations are Computing, Maths and/or Further Maths, Economics (for Economists) or Computing, Maths, Physics (popular amongst engineers) or Computing, Business Studies, Communication Studies for budding entrepreneurs. Other combinations are equally possible, for example, one of our students now at
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