How Computers Work: Demystifying Computation

Understand computation, the basis of every computer system

On this course, you’ll gain an understanding of how computers work at a fundamental level.

You’ll explore system architecture, along with how computers use binary and logic. Once you’ve examined the von Neumann model of computer architecture and the Fetch-Execute cycle, you’ll learn to build a range of simple circuits for maths, and then simulate various logic gates.

Ultimately you’ll complete the course with an understanding of the processes that underpin every modern computer – from supercomputers to smartphones, and everything in between.

This course would suit teachers of KS3 and GCSE Computer Science - plus educators from other countries that teach at an equivalent level.

• What is a computer anyway?
• Introduction
• What is a computer?
• How computers count
• Logic Gates
• Welcome to Week 2
• NAND gates
• All the gates
• Combinational Logic Circuits
• Mathematics with circuits
• Binary mathematics
• Binary multiplication
• Maths with logic gates
• How Computers Work
• Welcome to Week 4
• Von Neumann architecture
• The Little Man Computer