Introduction to computer systems architecture and programming

168 Introduction to computer systems architecture and programming
• develop an understanding of the underlying structure and theories of
computers and programming
• provide the skills needed to develop algorithms for programming
solutions
• provide the skills needed to write simple programs in Java.
Learning outcomes
At the end of the course, and having completed the Essential reading and
activities, you should be able to:
• identify the basic elements of hardware and explain their functions and
how they fit together to form an architecture
• explain how data is represented, manipulated and stored within a
computer system
• identify and explain the functions of operating systems
• explain how computers interact through local and wide area networks
• identify various different types of programming languages and
appreciate how they have evolved since the early days of computer
programming
• design algorithms to solve basic programming problems
• explain common data types and structures
• explain basic programming structures
• explain the underlying concepts of object-oriented programming
• write simple but effective programs in Java.
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How to use this subject guide
The aim of this subject guide is to help you to interpret the syllabus. It
outlines what you are expected to know for each area of the syllabus and
suggests relevant readings to help you to understand the material.
Throughout this guide I will point you towards reading in two main
textbooks. I would recommend that you work through the guide in chapter
order, reading the essential texts in parallel. You will find that much of
the information you need to learn and understand can also be found on
the internet and in other texts, some of which are listed below. I find that
different students prefer different writing styles and understand certain
texts better than others. Although you must read the Essential reading, I
would encourage you to look at other sources, too, where you might find a
slightly different explanation/discussion of the same topic helpful.
Each chapter of this subject guide also provides you with examples and
activities. It is important that you go through the examples carefully and
make sure you have understood them fully. The activities are also an
important part of this course. They ensure that you practise the material
covered and help you to check whether you have understood important
parts of the topic. The examination paper will be set based on the
assumption that you have completed all of the activities in this guide.
Having said this, it is important that you appreciate that different topics
are not self-contained. There is a degree of overlap between them and
you are guided in this respect by the cross-referencing between different
chapters. In terms of studying this subject, the chapters of this guide are
designed as self-contained courses of study, but for examination purposes
you need to have an understanding of the subject as a whole.