1.1 Staying Safe Online

The internet is an amazing tool for learning, communicating, and having fun. However, just like in the real world, there are risks you need to be aware of. Staying safe online is one of the most important digital skills you will ever learn.

Your Digital Footprint

Everything you do online leaves a trail called your digital footprint. This includes:

• Posts and comments on social media
• Photos and videos you share
• Websites you visit
• Online purchases you make
• Messages you send

Your digital footprint can be seen by others — including future employers and universities. Always think before you post!

Protecting Your Online Identity

Your online identity is how you appear to others on the internet. Here are essential tips for protecting it:

1.2 The Three C's of Online Risk

Online risks can be grouped into three categories, known as the Three C's:

How to Report Concerns

If you ever feel unsafe online, it's important to know what to do:

1.3 The Internet vs The World Wide Web

Many people use the words "Internet" and "World Wide Web" to mean the same thing — but they are actually different things!

1.4 Creating Presentations

Presentation software (like Microsoft PowerPoint or Google Slides) lets you share information with an audience using slides. Good presentations use a combination of text, images, and multimedia.

Key Presentation Skills

Feature	What It Does
Hyperlinks	Clickable links that take you to a website or another slide
Buttons	Interactive elements that perform actions when clicked
Animation effects	Make objects appear, move or disappear on a slide
Transition effects	Visual effects when moving from one slide to the next
Embedded content	Videos or content from other websites placed into your slides
House style	A consistent design (colours, fonts, layout) used across all slides

2.1 The Legal Impact of Using Technology

When you use technology, there are laws you must follow. Breaking these laws can result in serious consequences, including fines or even imprisonment.

Digital Piracy

Examples of digital piracy include:

• Downloading a movie from an illegal streaming site
• Copying a video game and sharing it with friends
• Using software without a valid licence
• Sharing copyrighted music files online

Copyright

Copyright protects many types of work:

Plagiarism

How to avoid plagiarism:

• Always put information in your own words
• Use quotation marks when using someone else's exact words
• Include a reference or citation to show where you found information
• Create a bibliography listing all your sources

2.2 Document Layout Skills

Creating professional-looking documents is an important skill. Whether you're writing a report, creating a newsletter or designing a poster, understanding page layout features will make your work look polished.

Essential Page Layout Features

Feature	Description	When to Use It
Headings & Subheadings	Titles that organise content into sections	Reports, essays, articles
Headers & Footers	Text that appears at the top/bottom of every page	Page numbers, document titles, dates
Bullet/Numbered Lists	Organised lists of items or steps	Instructions, key points, ingredients
Page Orientation	Portrait (tall) or Landscape (wide)	Landscape for certificates, posters
Page Breaks	Forces content to start on a new page	Starting new chapters or sections
Columns	Divides text into multiple columns	Newsletters, magazines
Text Boxes	Containers for text that can be positioned freely	Callouts, labels, pull quotes
Templates	Pre-designed document layouts	Letters, reports, CVs

Integrating Assets

A professional document often combines many different types of content, called assets:

• Images — photographs, illustrations, diagrams
• Charts and graphs — bar charts, pie charts, line graphs
• Tables — organised data in rows and columns
• Text from other files — copying content from other documents
• Shapes and callouts — arrows, speech bubbles, labels

When you place objects on top of each other, you can layer them using "Bring to Front" or "Send to Back". You can also group multiple objects together so they move as one.

2.3 Cloud-Based Technologies

Key Cloud Skills

3.1 Wired Connectivity

Wired connectivity means devices are physically connected using cables. There are two main types of cable used in networks:

3.2 Wireless Connectivity

Wireless connectivity uses radio waves to transmit data without physical cables. The two main types you'll use are:

Satellite Communication

Some digital devices communicate using satellite broadcast. Satellites orbit the Earth in space and can send and receive signals across huge distances.

Common uses of satellite communication include:

• Satellite TV — TV signals are sent to a satellite and broadcast back to satellite dishes on homes
• Satellite radio — Radio signals transmitted via satellite for wider coverage
• GPS navigation — Satellites help your phone or car's sat-nav calculate your location

3.3 Wired vs Wireless — The Comparison

Factor	Wired 🔌	Wireless 📶
Speed	Generally faster (higher bandwidth)	Can be slower, depends on signal
Reliability	Very reliable, consistent connection	Can be affected by walls, distance, interference
Latency	Lower latency (less delay)	Higher latency
Portability	Devices are "tethered" — can't move freely	Freedom to move around
Setup Cost	Can be expensive (running cables)	Generally cheaper to set up
Security	More secure (physical connection needed)	Can be intercepted if not encrypted

3.4 Web Browsers, Search Engines & Filter Software

These three tools are essential for using the Internet, but many people confuse them. Let's clear up these common misconceptions!

3.5 Different Document Types

The same information can be presented in different document formats depending on the purpose and audience:

Document Type	Purpose	Features
Report	Presents findings or information formally	Headings, numbered sections, charts, formal language
Newsletter	Shares news and updates with a group	Columns, images, headlines, informal tone
Memo	Short internal communication within an organisation	To/From/Date/Subject fields, brief and direct

4.1 What is Binary?

Why Do Computers Use Binary?

Inside every computer processor, there are billions of tiny electronic switches called transistors. These transistors can only be in one of two states:

A single binary digit (0 or 1) is called a bit (short for binary digit). Eight bits grouped together make one byte.

4.2 Binary and Denary Number Systems

Place Values

In denary, each column is worth 10 times more than the one to its right (powers of 10):

Ten Thousands	Thousands	Hundreds	Tens	Units
10,000	1,000	100	10	1

In binary, each column is worth 2 times more than the one to its right (powers of 2):

128	64	32	16	8	4	2	1
2⁷	2⁶	2⁵	2⁴	2³	2²	2¹	2⁰

4.3 Converting Binary to Denary

To convert a binary number to denary, write the binary digits under the place values and add up all the columns that contain a 1.

Example: Convert 00101010 to denary

4.4 Representing Text: ASCII and Unicode

Here are some common ASCII values:

Character	Denary Value	Binary Value
A	65	01000001
B	66	01000010
Z	90	01011010
a	97	01100001
0	48	00110000
Space	32	00100000

4.5 IP Addresses and Data Packets

How Data Travels: Packets

When you send data across the Internet (like loading a web page), the data is broken up into small chunks called packets. Each packet takes its own route to the destination, where they are reassembled in the correct order.

Network Speeds

5.1 What is Programming?

Programming (also called coding) is the process of writing instructions that a computer can follow to complete a task. These instructions are written in a programming language.

5.2 Variables

5.3 Arithmetic Operators

Arithmetic operators let you perform mathematical calculations in your programs:

Operator	Symbol	Example	Result
Addition	+	5 + 3	8
Subtraction	-	10 - 4	6
Multiplication	*	6 * 7	42
Division	/	15 / 4	3.75
Integer Division	//	15 // 4	3 (whole number only)
Modulus (remainder)	%	15 % 4	3 (the remainder)
Exponent (power)	**	2 ** 3	8 (2³)

5.4 Relational Operators

Relational operators compare two values and return either True or False:

Operator	Symbol	Example	Result
Equal to	==	5 == 5	True
Not equal to	!=	5 != 3	True
Less than	<	3 < 5	True
Greater than	>	5 > 3	True

5.5 Sequence, Selection and Iteration

All programs are built from three basic building blocks, called programming constructs:

1. Sequence

Sequence means instructions are carried out one after another, in order, from top to bottom.

2. Selection (if/else)

Selection means the program makes a decision. Different code runs depending on whether a condition is True or False.

3. Iteration (Loops)

Iteration means repeating a set of instructions. There are two types:

6.1 Integrated Development Environments (IDEs)

Helpful IDE Features

Feature	What It Does	Why It Helps
Syntax Highlighting	Uses different colours for different code elements	Makes code easier to read and spot mistakes
Auto-indentation	Automatically indents code inside loops	Keeps code properly structured
Bracket Matching	Highlights matching opening and closing brackets	Prevents missing bracket errors
Autocomplete	Suggests completions as you type	Speeds up coding and reduces typos

6.2 Working with Strings

String Methods

Strings come with built-in methods (actions you can perform on them):

Method	What It Does	Example	Result
.upper()	Converts all letters to UPPERCASE	"computer".upper()	"COMPUTER"
.lower()	Converts all letters to lowercase	"My Name".lower()	"my name"
len()	Returns the number of characters	len("computer")	8

6.3 String Slicing

String slicing lets you extract parts of a string. Each character has an index (position number), starting from 0:

6.4 Concatenation

Term	Definition
Algorithm	A step-by-step set of instructions to solve a problem
ASCII	A character encoding system that assigns numbers (0–127) to characters
Bandwidth	The maximum amount of data that can be transmitted in a given time
Binary	A base-2 number system using only 0 and 1
Bit	A single binary digit (0 or 1) — the smallest unit of data
Bug	An error in a computer program
Byte	A group of 8 bits
Cloud Computing	Storing and accessing data over the Internet
Concatenation	Joining strings together
Copyright	Legal protection for creators of original work
Digital Footprint	The trail of data you leave behind online
IDE	Integrated Development Environment — software for writing code
Internet	A global network of interconnected computers
IP Address	A unique number assigned to a device on a network
Iteration	Repeating a set of instructions (loops)
Packet	A small chunk of data sent across a network
Plagiarism	Presenting someone else's work as your own
Selection	A programming construct that makes decisions (if/else)
String	A data type consisting of a sequence of characters
Variable	A named storage location in memory that holds a value