ICT Systems and Applications

What this page covers

The resources here follow ICT in everyday use: how systems are put together, and how organisations, homes and schools rely on them. Most are mind maps, with flashcard decks, quizzes, notes and a few slide sets alongside. Many are written with GCSE ICT in mind, and some mention IGCSE ICT, A-level ICT, BTEC IT and other courses.

Where to start

Begin with the basics of systems. The flashcard deck Unit 2 Flashcards asks what ICT is, what a system is, and what the six components of an ICT system are. The mind map Components of ICT systems then lays out people, data, hardware and software in one view. After that, the mind map Unit 2: Technology Systems looks at how components work together and how data flows inside a computer.

Devices, business and everyday uses

Next, move to applications. Personal Digital Devices (GCSE ICT Unit 1) covers games, cameras, navigation, mobile phones and personal computers. There are also maps and cards on home entertainment, satellite navigation and bar codes, RFID tags and near field communications. For wider uses, try The Uses of ICT, Topic 8 - Management Information Systems (MIS) and Cloud Computing, which covers SaaS, IaaS and PaaS along with advantages and disadvantages.

Using quizzes and maps together

1. Read a mind map and note the branches you can't explain.
2. Test yourself with the GCSE ICT Exam Revision Quiz, which asks about DTP features and software, or the quiz on uses of ICT in education.
3. Return to the flashcards, such as GCSE ICT Glossary of terms, for the words you missed.
4. Finish with the notes on a past exam question, which show a worked answer about a tablet's sensor.

Where it sits

This unit belongs to the strand ICT in Use: Communication, Business and Education, within Computing and ICT. Choose one topic today and work through its map, cards and quiz in turn.