Personalised Feedback Sheet for IGCSE Section 1 Types and Components of Computers

Name: Olivia Pettitt

Target grade:
Score on this assessment: 37/58
Grade for this assessment: C

General feedback/class needs:
The majority of you in this class really nailed this test. You clearly knew the main components of a
computer and most of you could give a definition for RAM and ROM.
Software and Hardware didnt seem to pose any problems for you, most students achieved the full 8
marks on question 8.
Common problems seemed to be that you didnt know the reasons why components such as RAM
and ROM are needed in a computer system and that Backing Storage is NOT backup!
Next, most of you seemed to struggle on things that an operating system does. Many of you told me
it was software that controls the whole system but we were looking for more in depth answers such
as handles any program errors or crashes to prevent the whole computer freezing.
Finally, the weakest area for you all was types of computers and their uses. It was clear that many of
you didnt know what a mainframe was, for example, nor the types of situations it would be used in.
Your personal targets:
1. To learn the reasons why RAM,ROM and backing storage are needed in a computer system.
2. To learn who uses each type of computer.
3. To use different resources of revising rather than just being tested by family members.

Review:
How does the command line interface work? I got this right because I did extra research on the
CLI after the lesson.
Give one disadvantage of a laptop. I nearly got this right if I would of used more key words and
structured my answer in a more suitable way by using a few more words.
Give a reason why each of the following are needed in a computer system. ROM,RAM and backing
storage. I got this completely wrong because I failed to back up my reasons and I didnt know the
correct reasons in the first place.

Challenge/Extension
You will have been allocated an exam question to further your knowledge or help you to overcome a
misconception. Copy out the question here in full and answer it.

Explain why computer systems have both backing storage and ROM. (3 marks.)
Computer systems have backing storage so that users have a permanent copy of the work theyre
doing/when their computer is switched off and its a component of a computer system because it
wouldnt be able to run without it. Computer systems have ROM so that programs, coding, software
can be stored permanently.
Describe the four features of ROM.
Rom stands for read only memory, its not volatile, used in most computers to hold BIOs and
information is never lost.