How Computers Work: Demystifying Computation (FutureLearn)

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.

Syllabus

Week 1: What is a computer anyway?

Week 2: Logic Gates

Week 3: Mathematics with circuits

Week 4: How Computers Work

Learning on this course

You can take this self-guided course and learn at your own pace. On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you'll be able to...

- Explore how transistors can act as digital switches and be combined to create logic gates

- Produce truth tables for AND, NOT and OR gates, individually or combined

- Explore how computers use binary arithmetic

- Explore how logic gates can be combined to produce digital circuits that can perform a calculation

- Investigate Von Neuman Architecture and the Fetch-Execute cycle

Who is the course for?

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