Resources by Craig 'n' Dave

Algorithms

Abstraction is the representation of essential features without including unnecessary details.  It is used to reduce the complexity of systems for users, hiding how things actually work, applying algorithms to different contexts and producing suitable user interfaces.  The first video explains the concept at a...

Computational Logic

The first video explains why data is represented in binary using examples of RAM, a hard disk, optical disks and solid state memory.

The second video illustrates simple circuits built using components to create AND, OR and NOT logic gates.  GCSE students need to be able to combine gates to create more...

Data Representation

The first video explains why computers use binary to store data.  The difference between a bit, nibble, byte, kilobyte, megabyte, gigabyte, terabyte and petabyte is explained.  These are known as measurements of capacity, or how much data can be stored either in memory or on secondary storage devices.

The...

Ethical, Legal, Cultural and Environmental Concerns

The first video introduces a range of concerns surrounding computing technologies.  The idea that new technologies bring with them new social and ethical issues, and that the law is often slow to catch-up to guard people against these issues.  Some of the benefits of new technologies are briefly introduced,...

Memory

The first video explores the purpose of both RAM and ROM in a typical computer system.  The differences between the two memory types are outlined.

The second video considers what happens when a modern multi-tasking operating system runs out of physical RAM.  Does it output a “memory full” message and refuse...

Network Topologies – Protocols and Layers

The first video examines the topology of modern networks – how the computers are arranged and connected together.  The history of network topologies is outlined briefly, before considering star networks in more detail.  The need for, and the advantages of a central switch, together with the concept of mesh and...

Producing Robust Programs

The first video is about defensive design considerations.  Data is not always entered in ways that a program might expect.  If this can be easily rectified without asking the user to re-input the data, it is known as input sanitation.  In addition, to prevent invalid data crashing a program, validation techniques...

Programming Techniques

The basics of programming are explored through a “beat that dice” game.  It is assumed that students already have some knowledge and experience of programming before watching the first video, and the purpose of this video is to marry the theory of programming to the established practical experience in preparation...

Storage

The first video explains why a computer needs secondary storage, and explains what is meant by primary and tertiary storage.

The second video explains what is meant by the term “capacity” of storage devices.  The relative size of different types of files is introduced.  (More detailed explanations of this...