This unit of the course contains the explanations about the basics of the architecture on computers. Computer Architecture is one of the most difficult units in the IGCSE course due to its abstract contents. The unit contains 32 pages divided into three sections: 1. Computer Architecture and 2. Embedded Systems. This unit contains the following contents: an historical approach to the most important events in Computer Science before Von Neumann a wide explanation of the Von Neumann model (also called Stored Program Concept) including the most important parts of a computer system the explanation of the parts that compound a CPU including the Arithmetic and Logic Unit (ALU), the Control Unit (CU) and Registers. an introduction of the different types of memory that are included in the Memory Unit of a computer an explanation of the System Bus, their importance and the other buses included on it (Data bus, Control bus, Address bus) a deep explanation of the factors that affect the performance of a CPU an introduction of the concept of an Instruction Set included in every CPU a wide explanation of the concept of the Fetch-Decode-Execute Cycle with a lot of schemas and examples for better understanding an introduction to the concept of Embedded Systems, including the difference between microcontrollers, microprocessors and systems on chip (SOC) the advantages, disadvantages and applications of embedded systems Syllabus objectives, schemes and graphics are provided for better understanding.

The second unit of the course contains a PDF document you can use directly in your lessons. Includes a 27-page document divided into three sections: 1. Introduction to databases 2. Data validation 3. Structured Query Language, SQL This unit contains the following contents: explanations of the basic concepts regarding databases: flat-file databases, table, record, field, key, data types, primary key, … etcetera. introduction to the need of databases and the disadvantages of flat-file databases definition of data validation and their importance in databases explanation of the most used validation checks in databases, such as length check, range check and format check introduction to Structured Query Language, SQL and its syntax explanation of how produce queries using the command SELECT use of the most common commands and functions in SQL such as SUM and COUNT. Syllabus objectives, schemes and graphics are provided for better understanding.

This first unit of the course contains the explanations about how integer numbers, text, sound and images are stored in a computer system. Also, an introduction to compression is explained including the types of compression, the most used formats and the explanation of why compression is needed in Computer Science. The unit contains 72 pages divided into three sections: 1. Number systems 2. Text, sound and images and 3. Data Storage and Compression. This unit contains the following contents: a revision of how numbers are represented using symbols a revision of how decimal system works explanation of binary and hexadecimal number systems and the symbols used examples of conversions of numbers between number systems explanation of the binary addition understanding of what is an overflow and in which cases it may occur explanations of logical right and left shifts with examples representations of positive and negative integers using two’s complement a wide explanation of what is a character set incluing ASCII and Unicode definitions and an explanation of the process of converting analogue sound into digital definitions about images and explanations of how bitmap images are stored on a computer system an introduction of the storage measurement units such as the multiples of the bit and byte and how to convert between them explanation and examples of why is compresion needed explanation of the two types of compression, including lossless and lossy, their advantages/disadvantages and their current use in Computer Science Syllabus objectives, schemes and graphics are provided for better understanding.

The CIE Computer Science IGCSE course is very wide and extense. This first unit is an overview of the IGCSE course including an introduction of what is a computer and the units of the course following the 0478 CIE Computer Science syllabus. This resource contains a 20-page document (in PDF ready to be used) that you can use to teach the students the contents of the course before beginning your lessons.