A computer is more than a machine on a desk. It's a system — hardware, software, data, people and procedures working together to turn input into useful output. In this module you'll explore each part, follow data through the IPO cycle, and take apart a desktop computer piece by piece.
By the end of this session, you should be able to:
Explain what a computer system is.
Identify the major components of a computer system.
Describe how data flows using the IPO (Input–Process–Output) model.
Differentiate hardware, software, data, people & procedures.
Recognize the role of each component in daily computer operations.
Before we take a computer apart, let's agree on what it actually is — and why we call it a "system" rather than just a machine.
You use computer systems every day — your phone, an ATM, the cash register at a store, the enrolment system at school. Each one looks different, but they all share the same idea: they take in information, do something useful with it, and give back a result. That combination of parts working toward a goal is what makes it a system.
A computer system is a combination of hardware, software, data, people, and procedures that work together to accept data (input), process it, store it, and produce useful information (output). No single part is "the computer" — it's the parts working together that make the system.
No matter the size or brand, every computer does four things: Input (accept data), Process (work on the data), Storage (keep data for later), and Output (present the result). We'll follow this exact flow in Lesson 3 as the IPO cycle.
Identify at least five computer systems you interact with daily and explain the purpose of each (e.g. ATM, smartphone, POS at a store, school portal, online banking). Write at least 300 words.
A computer system has five parts. People often only think of the machine (hardware), but the other four matter just as much.
Hardware — the physical parts — is grouped by the job it does:
Data is raw, unorganized facts — like 28, 30, 26. Information is data that has been processed into something meaningful — like "the average class age is 28." Turning data into information is the whole point of a computer system.
Sort each item into the correct component. Pick a category for every row, then press Check answers.
The IPO model describes how every computer turns raw input into useful output — with storage and feedback along the way.
IPO stands for Input → Process → Output. Data comes in, the computer works on it, and a result comes out. Two more stages complete the picture: Storage (keeping data for later) and Feedback (the output influencing the next input). Understanding this cycle lets you analyse any system, from an ATM to an online store.
Choose a everyday activity and see how it breaks down into the IPO cycle:
Choose a real-life system (e.g. ATM withdrawal, online shopping, logging into a website, ordering food) and break it into Input, Process, Storage, and Output. Describe each stage clearly. Write at least 300 words.
Real information systems put everything together. Click a system to see its hardware, software, data, users, procedures and IPO — then, in class, your group presents one in 3–5 minutes.
Click any part of the computer to learn what it is and what it does. When you're ready, hit Test yourself to see if you can find each part by name.
Hover to highlight, click to learn what each component is and what it does. Try to explore all 11 parts!
The essential vocabulary of this module. Type to search for a term.
Five questions, two points each. Pick an answer for instant feedback, then enter your name and submit your results.
Choose one computer system used in everyday life and write a report of at least 600 words (≈ 2 pages). Pick your system below to see the required sections.
Every video from this module in one place — from Code.org, Crash Course Computer Science & Veritasium.