IA119-3-FY-CO:
Computers and Electronics
2018/19
Essex Pathways
Colchester Campus
Full Year
Foundation/Year Zero: Level 3
Current
Thursday 04 October 2018
Friday 28 June 2019
30
-
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
BSC G403 Computer Science (Including Foundation Year),
BENGGH46 Computers with Electronics (Including Foundation Year),
BENGH61P Electronic Engineering (Including Foundation Year),
BENGHP41 Communications Engineering (Including Foundation Year),
BSC I1GF Data Science and Analytics (Including Foundation Year)
This module considers on a coherent basis two fundamental areas of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering. This module provides an introduction to the fundamental principles in Computer Science: basic architecture and general components of digital computer systems. This module looks at general operating system functionality and gives some hands-on experience with a modern Unix/Linux based operating system. Computer and communication networks are also studied as part of this module, as well as an overview of computer and network security.
This module also covers material for Electronic Engineering: starting with digital systems design - digital logic, logic gates, and Boolean algebra. This module then provides an introduction to fundamental electronics: a study of basic electronic circuits, and the common circuit laws and theorems. A computer based electronics simulator will be used for building and testing digital logic circuits and simple electronic circuits.
Module Aims
- To introduce students to the fundamental knowledge of computer science and electronic engineering.
- To familiarise students with computer system architectures and components, and the general concepts of operating systems and operating system functions.
- To introduce students to the subject of digital logic using Boolean algebra and Truth tables.
- To introduce students to some of the fundamental principles of electronics and simple electronic circuits.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this module a student will be expected to be able to:
1. Describe the basic architecture, components, and operating system functionality of a modern digital computer system.
2. Demonstrate correct usage of Unix commands through a command line interface.
3. Explain various computer network concepts and terminologies; for example, topology, connection mechanisms, and the OSI protocol stack.
4. Demonstrate an ability to work with different number representations and perform conversions between decimal, binary, octal, and hexadecimal.
5. State the output from the standard logic gates, and design simple digital logic circuits through the use of Truth Tables, and Boolean Algebra simplifications.
6. Identify electronic circuit components and analyse schematic diagrams; define the common circuit laws and theorems (in particular Ohm's Law and Kirchhoff's Laws), and apply these to a given problem.
Syllabus
1. General computer technology, Computer history, and Computer architecture (Topics include: Computing from the mechanical era, through the early electronic era, and up to the current modern era of computing. An overview of computer components. Computer and CPU architectures.)
2. Input / Output (Topics include: How I/O devices communicate with the CPU and main memory. A study of a serial I/O protocol: RS-232).
3. Operating Systems (Topics include: Definitions and descriptions of different OS's. The high and low level responsibilities of OS's. Some examples of current modern OS's.)
4. Unix/Linux (Topics include: A beginner's introduction to Unix and Linux. A hands-on exercise with a Linux OS. A Tutorial in Unix scripting.)
5. Computer and Communication networks (Topics include: Types of networks - topologies and connection mechanisms. Network protocols and the OSI protocol stack, focussing mainly on IP and TCP.)
6. Data Compression (Topics include: Run-length encoding. Lossless and Lossy compression methods on different data types.)
7. Computer Security and Encryption (Topics include: An overview of general computer and network security. Methods of access control and authentication. Ensuring data integrity. Single key and dual key encryption.)
8. Number representation (Topics include: Working in Binary, Octal, and Hexadecimal. Converting numbers between Decimal, Binary, Octal, and Hexadecimal. Handling negative numbers in binary - One's and Two's complement.)
9. Digital logic (Topics include: Boolean algebra and simplification of Boolean algebra expressions. Logic gates and schematic diagrams.
10. Computer Simulation (Topics include: A tutorial of NI Multisim - a powerful computer software package for designing, creating, testing, and analysing, analogue and digital electronic circuits.)
11. Fundamental SI Units (Topics include: A historical perspective of electricity and electronics. The International Standard of Units. The metric system.)
12. Circuit components (Topics include: Symbols and basic schematic diagrams. Resistance, Current, and Voltage. Ohm's Law. Kirchhoff's Laws. Resistors in series and in parallel.)
13. Capacitors (Topics include: Capacitance. Capacitors in DC circuits in series and in parallel. Resistor-Capacitor circuits).
Assessment
50% coursework and 50% exam
Pass mark: 40%
Coursework is comprised of one progress test and two lab reports:
- Computing Progress Test (30%) - Takes place during Week 10
- Lab Report 1 (30%) - submitted in Week 20
- Lab Report 2 (40%) - submitted in Week 26
3:00 hour exam during Summer Examination period.
Non-assessed coursework
In addition to various class exercises throughout the term there will be:
- A practise progress test in Week 9
- Unix file and directory structure manipulation exercise in the first term
- Computer networks experiment in the first term
- Number representation and conversion exercises in the first term
- Digital logic circuit simplification exercises using Boolean algebra in the second term
No information available.
No information available.
This module is compulsory for IA students who wish to study an undergraduate degree in the School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering.
The module is delivered by 4 hours of lectures and laboratory sessions per week, usually split 2-hour lecture and 2-hour laboratory, delivered in two 2-hour sessions.
Lectures are delivered with the assistance of computerised presentation slides and example programs to demonstrate the topics each week. Laboratory sessions will consist of exercises and tasks closely related to the lecture topics each week. Laboratory sessions will take place in the School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering to make use of the Unix based operating system and electronics simulation software.
Students can access all of the module material using the University online Moodle site.
This module does not appear to have a published bibliography.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
| Coursework |
IA119 Lab Report 1 |
|
30% |
| Coursework |
IA119 Lab Report 2 |
|
40% |
| Written Exam |
IA119 Progress Test |
|
30% |
| Exam |
Main exam: 180 minutes during Summer (Main Period)
|
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Dr Ian Mothersole, email: imothe@essex.ac.uk.
Dr Ian Mothersole
Helen Hearn, hhearn@essex.ac.uk
No
No
No
No external examiner information available for this module.
Available via Moodle
Of 268 hours, 40 (14.9%) hours available to students:
228 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s).
Essex Pathways
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