Cameroon GCE A Level ICT study plan

Define the core concepts of ICT - data, information, knowledge, hardware, software, and the components of a computer system - and write your own one-line definition of each in a personal glossary.

Classify the five generations of computers and the main categories (supercomputer, mainframe, minicomputer, microcomputer) with one real example per category, checking each example against a textbook or reputable source.

Label the internal and external parts of a desktop computer from memory on a blank diagram you draw yourself, including CPU, ALU, control unit, registers, RAM, ROM, cache, buses, and secondary storage.

Distinguish input, output, and storage devices and state the selection criteria (speed, cost, capacity, portability) for each of five scenarios such as a school lab, a bank, and a hospital.

Explain the information processing cycle (input, processing, storage, output) and trace how a single keystroke travels through it, naming each hardware component involved.

Compare the main types of software - system software, application software, utility programs, and firmware - and give two examples of each with the job it performs.

Describe the functions of an operating system (process management, memory management, file management, device management, user interface) and distinguish GUI from CLI with one advantage of each.

Differentiate the main number systems (binary, octal, decimal, hexadecimal) and convert at least ten numbers between them by hand without a calculator.

Explain how data is represented in a computer using bits, bytes, and character codes (ASCII, Unicode), and state why Unicode matters for African languages and symbols.

Trace the stages of the data processing cycle from data capture to output, and explain the difference between batch processing, real-time processing, and online processing with one example of each.

Describe the main types of information systems - transaction processing, management information, decision support, and expert systems - and match each to a level of management that uses it.

Explain what a database is, name the components of a database management system, and distinguish a flat file from a relational database.

Define the key relational terms - entity, attribute, record, field, primary key, foreign key - and draw a simple two-table design for a school records system.

Explain data validation and verification and give three validation rules (range check, format check, presence check) with a realistic example of each.

Describe the main types of computer networks (LAN, WAN, MAN, PAN) and state the geographic scope, ownership, and typical hardware of each.

Explain network topologies (bus, star, ring, mesh) and compare them on cost, reliability, and ease of fault-finding, drawing each topology from memory.

Identify the hardware needed to build a small network - NIC, switch, hub, router, modem, access point, cabling - and state the function of each.

Explain the role of IP addresses, MAC addresses, and DNS in getting a request from a browser to a web server, in plain language.

Describe the main transmission media (twisted pair, coaxial, fibre optic, wireless) and compare bandwidth, cost, and susceptibility to interference.

Define the main internet services - World Wide Web, email, file transfer, instant messaging, VoIP, and cloud storage - and state one practical use of each in a Cameroonian school or business context.

Explain how a URL is structured and describe the roles of HTTP, HTTPS, HTML, and a web browser in displaying a page.

Distinguish search engines from web directories and describe three techniques for narrowing a search (exact phrase, site restriction, file type).

Explain email structure (To, Cc, Bcc, Subject, attachment) and list four rules of acceptable use and netiquette.

Describe the main threats to data on a network - malware, phishing, spam, interception - and match each to one countermeasure.

Explain the concept of computer security and distinguish confidentiality, integrity, and availability with one threat to each.

Describe authentication methods (passwords, biometrics, two-factor authentication, digital certificates) and state the strengths and weaknesses of each.

Explain encryption, firewalls, antivirus software, and backups, and say which threat each one addresses.

Distinguish a virus, worm, Trojan, ransomware, and spyware by how each spreads and what each does.

Outline the main provisions of a data protection law in general terms - lawful processing, purpose limitation, data subject rights - and explain why an organisation needs a security policy.

Explain the social and economic effects of ICT on employment, education, health, banking, and government, giving one benefit and one drawback for each sector.

Describe the digital divide and identify three factors that create it in a developing-country context, such as cost, electricity, and literacy.

Discuss the health and safety issues of prolonged computer use (repetitive strain injury, eye strain, back pain) and the ergonomic measures that reduce them.

Explain intellectual property, software piracy, and software licensing types (proprietary, open source, freeware, shareware), and state the legal and ethical issues around copying software.

Explain the environmental impact of ICT - e-waste, energy use, and disposal - and describe two responsible practices.

Assemble a one-page formula and definition sheet covering hardware, software, number systems, networks, the internet, and security, and use it for a closed-book recall session.

Complete at least two full past-paper-style papers under timed conditions, then mark them against the marking scheme and list every lost mark by topic.

Re-teach your three weakest topics from memory in writing, then check each explanation against your notes and correct the gaps.

Practise structured exam technique - reading the command word, allocating marks to points, and writing answers in numbered points - on five long-answer questions.

Review your glossary and formula sheet one final time and identify the five facts you are most likely to forget on exam day.