1.4
Operating systems
Assessment objectives
0417 syllabus
1.3a
Identify different types of operating systems: CLI and GUI.
Identify and describe command line interfaces. Identify and describe graphical user interfaces. Describe the relative advantages and disadvantages of CLIs and GUIs.
1.3b 1.3c
Differentiated learning outcomes
Resources
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Student Book: pages 16-19
Worksheet: 1.10 Operating systems
PPT: 1.3
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All students must use the highlighted key words in context; be able to distinguish a CLI from a GUI; be able to state the function of an operating system (Grade E/D). Most students should confidently use the terminology in the session, describe the on-screen layout of a CLI and a GUI, and explain the purpose of an operating system (Grade D/C). Some students could confidently use the terminology in the session to describe how a CLI differs from a GUI, offering advantages of each type, and could explain the purpose of an operating system (Grade B/A).
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Key concepts
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Operating systems (OS) – the software that make a computer functional; the glue that binds hardware and applications software into a useable system. How the OS achieves that is not important – how the user interacts with OS is.
Starter suggestions This session outlines what an OS does and the two most common methods of interacting with it. Ask students to reflect on the previous session and list the tasks that they think are necessary for an application program to be loaded into RAM and work for them.
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What happens when there is an error? What happens when we issue a save command? What happens when we want to print?
All these tasks are controlled by the operating system.
Main lesson activities Making students familiar with the layout and terminology of a GUI should not prove difficult as terms such as desktop, icons, window, and shortcuts are in such common use. Student task: Ask students to create folders, create new documents, delete them and trash them. Ask for comments on how easy these things are to do, how little they need to know about how or where the computer stores folders and files. Demonstration with Q&A: Demonstrate the difference between clicking on an icon to show the contents of a folder and doing the same through the Command Prompt (or your equivalent CLI).
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With DOS type in dir x: (where x is the letter of the drive to list the contents) What about a subfolder? dir f:\ICTIGCSE\LessonPlans …would list the contents of the subfolder LESSONPLANS in the folder ICTGCSE of drive f Creating a new folder? mkdir f:\iCTGCSE\NewPlans
IGCSE ICT Teacher Guide
7
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