Information Technology is not about knowing the buttons. It is about knowing why the computer does what it does, and how to tell it what to do.The GOAT Notes™
Digital technologies are electronic tools that capture, store and send information as digital data: computers, smartphones, tablets and the networks that link them. ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) joins computer-based technologies (computers, smartphones) with communication technologies (telephones, cell phones, the internet).
A computer is an electronic device that follows stored instructions to accept input, process it, give output and store the result.
Every computer, from a phone to a server, does five jobs. Each has hardware (parts you can touch).
| Job | What it does | Hardware |
|---|---|---|
| Input | Gets data in | keyboard, mouse, touchscreen |
| Processing | Works on the data by following instructions | CPU (RAM holds the data in use) |
| Output | Shows or gives the result | monitor, printer, speakers |
| Storage | Keeps data for later | hard drive, flash drive |
| Communication | Links to other devices or a network | network interface card (NIC) |
Software is the programs that tell hardware what to do. System software, mainly the operating system (Windows, Android), runs the computer and manages its hardware. Application software does a job for the user: a word processor, a spreadsheet, a game.
The two are interdependent: hardware does nothing without software, and software cannot run without hardware.
| Licence | Cost and rights |
|---|---|
| Shareware | Free to try; you pay to keep using it or to unlock the full version |
| Freeware | Free to use, but the owner keeps the rights and the code stays closed |
| FOSS (free open-source software) | Free to use, and the source code is open so anyone may study, change and share it |
| Proprietary | Owned by a company; you buy a licence and the code is closed |
Computers are told apart by purpose, processing power, size and portability (how easily you carry them).
Data: 54, 67, 72, 48, 89 (five learners’ marks).
The numbers alone are data. Processing them gave a figure a teacher can act on.
Organisations use information to decide, plan and save time. A shop uses stock information to know what to reorder.
An office: (a) types a letter, (b) the CPU formats it, (c) prints it, (d) saves it, (e) emails it.
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
| Fast and accurate | Costly to buy and keep |
| Stores huge amounts of data | Health problems: back pain, eyestrain |
| Communicates instantly | Security risks such as malware |
| Repeats tasks without tiring | Distraction and addiction |
Which description fits ICT?
Which ONE is the best definition of Information Technology?
Which ONE is an example of a digital technology?
Sipho says: “ICT just means the hardware inside a computer.” Why is he wrong?
A clinic types patient letters on a computer, prints them and emails the same letters. Why is this ICT and not computing alone?
Which ONE is an input device?
Which hardware does the main processing in a computer?
A learner joins the school Wi-Fi. Which part of the computer model is this, and which hardware does it?
Which statement about RAM is correct?
A touchscreen shows a keyboard to tap and then shows the result of what was typed. Which statement is correct?
Which ONE is system software?
Software that you may try for free but must pay for to keep using is called…
Why can a brand-new computer with no software installed do no useful work?
A school wants a word processor whose code the teachers may study, change and share freely. Which licence fits?
Which pair is classified correctly?
Which type of computer is built into a washing machine to control one task?
A hospital needs one powerful computer that stores patient files and serves many staff at the same time. Which type fits?
Which ONE is not portable by design?
How does a tablet differ from a laptop?
A milking machine on a farm has a small controller that only does one dedicated job. Why is this an embedded computer?
Which ONE is information?
What is the difference between data and information?
A teacher has the marks 40, 55 and 70. Which statement is correct?
Which statement best describes an ICT system?
At a shop till, the card machine sends the payment details to the bank over the network. Which part of the cycle is this, and why?
A computer does five jobs. Name the FIVE parts of the computer model. (5)
Input. Processing. Output. Storage. Communication.
A teacher has the marks 54, 67, 72, 48 and 89. Using these marks, show the difference between data and information. (4)
Data is raw, unprocessed facts, such as the marks 54, 67, 72, 48 and 89. Information is data that has been processed so that it has meaning. 54 + 67 + 72 + 48 + 89 = 330 and 330 ÷ 5 = 66. The class average of 66 is the information; the marks are the data.
Explain to a Grade 8 learner how a computer turns a key you press into a message someone else reads. Use the five parts of the computer model.
Explain to a Grade 8 learner why a phone with no apps or operating system is useless, using the words hardware and software.
Explain to a Grade 8 learner the difference between data and information with an example from your own school marks.
This is a free preview of Topic 1. The full guide has every topic, the self-marking quizzes, mock exams, planner, journal and wellbeing tools.
Unlock the full guide on WhatsAppSee pricingYour journal is saved only on this device and browser (it does not sync across devices and is lost if you clear browser data). Use "Export" to keep a copy.
Exam stress is completely normal. Here are a few things that actually work. None of this replaces a doctor or a trusted adult.
Box breathing: 4 counts in, 4 hold, 4 out, 4 hold. Do it four times.
Look at the worked example below first, then make your own. Tick off each topic as you finish it.
Example (already filled in)
| Date | Subject | Topic | Done |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 8 Jul | Life Sciences | Your weakest topic, notes + summary | ✓ |
| Tue 9 Jul | Life Sciences | Next topic + 10 practice questions | ✓ |
| Wed 10 Jul | Life Sciences | A full past paper under time | – |
| Thu 11 Jul | Life Sciences | Mark the paper, revise weak spots | – |
Your plan
| Date | Subject | Topic | Done |
|---|---|---|---|
Your plan is saved only on this device. Use "Export plan" to keep a copy.
Every number you convert, every trace table you complete and every line of code you can read is a mark you have already banked. Go and collect them.