AQA GCSE Computer Science 8525 © 2020 PG Online Ltd 1

Copyright
© 2020 PG Online Limited

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AQA GCSE Computer Science 8525 © 2020 PG Online Ltd 2

Teacher’s Guide
Introduction
This teacher’s guide contains a detailed lesson plan to accompany the set of PowerPoint slides
and worksheets for each topic.

The lesson plans are designed to form a basis for ideas for the teacher and should be adapted
to suit the teaching style and preferences of the individual teacher, and the resources and
nature of the individual school or Computer Science department.

The material supplied for this unit includes:

 4 PowerPoint presentations, each designed to cover one topic, which may take more
than one lesson
 4 worksheets
 4 homework sheets
 An end-of-unit test for assessment purposes

Summary
The unit is subdivided into four topics and an end-of-unit assessment. Each topic is designed to
give enough materials for approximately 1 hour of teaching time, however, this will differ
depending on how much depth is considered and whether homeworks are reviewed in the
following lesson. The unit covers Section 3.5 of the AQA GCSE Computer Science 8525
specification.
It builds on the fundamentals covered in the Key Stage 3 National Curriculum and then extends
this knowledge to a level sufficient for examination purposes. The lessons begin by comparing
wired and wireless networks, including PANs, LANs, WANs and network topologies.
Subsequent lessons cover a wide range of common networking and Internet protocols with
reference to the TCP/IP protocol stack and the concept of layers. One topic also looks at
network security including encryption and MAC address filtering. Activities to develop and
consolidate understanding of each concept are provided in the worksheets and examination-
style homework with every lesson.

AQA GCSE Computer Science 8525 © 2020 PG Online Ltd 3

Learning Outcomes for the unit
At the end of this Unit all students should be able to:
 Define what a computer network is
 Understand the concept of packet switching
 Understand that networks can be wired or wireless
 Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of wireless networks as opposed to wired
networks
 Describe the star and bus network topologies
 Explain the need for network security
 Describe the different types of security measures:
‒ Authentication
‒ Encryption
 Describe the purpose and uses of communications protocols including:
‒ HTTP, HTTPS
Most students will be able to:
 Describe a Wide Area Network
 Explain the use and function of routers, switches and Network Interface Cards
 Discuss the benefits and risks of computer networks
 Describe Local and Personal Area Networks
(LAN / PAN)
 Explain the advantages and disadvantages of various transmission media
 Explain the use of Ethernet standards to transmit data over a wired network
 Describe the different types of security measures:
‒ Firewall
 Describe the purpose and uses of communications protocols including:
‒ FTP
‒ Email protocols including SMTP, IMAP

AQA GCSE Computer Science 8525 © 2020 PG Online Ltd 4

Some students will be able to:
 Understand the use of MAC addressing
 Describe the purpose and uses of communications protocols including:
‒ TCP/IP and UDP
 Describe the different types of security measures:
‒ MAC address filtering
 Explain the four layers of the TCP/IP protocol stack
‒ Application layer
‒ Transport layer
‒ Internet layer
‒ Link layer

Previous Learning
No prior knowledge is essential with this unit. However, students should have a basic
understanding of computer systems from lessons delivered as part of the Key Stage 3 national
curriculum.

Suggested Resources
No specific software is required for this unit. It is primarily a theoretical unit that can be taught
entirely without computers, but there are some exercises where computers could be used in
order to support understanding through practical discovery.

AQA GCSE Computer Science 8525 © 2020 PG Online Ltd 5

Recommended textbooks
These books are published by PG Online both in printed editions and in electronic format.
Please refer to www.pgonline.co.uk for ordering and pricing details, to request a free printed
copy or to download a free digital inspection copy.

AQA GCSE Computer Science, Robson & Heathcote, ISBN:978-1-910523-22-3

Approved by AQA, this textbook provides comprehensive yet concise coverage of all the topics
in the new AQA 8525 GCSE Computer Science specification. Each of the nine chapters in the
book corresponds to one of the teaching units in this series and will be invaluable as a course
textbook. Practice questions, including some from past examination papers, are included at the
end of each chapter. Answers to all exercises are provided in a teacher’s pack which can be
downloaded from www.pgonline.co.uk.

ClearRevise AQA GCSE 8525 Computer Science ISBN: 978-1-910523-25-4

Experience + revision science + beautiful design = better results

A new generation of revision book to capture students’ attention and make revision more
effective and more enjoyable.
 Over 500 marks worth of examination style questions
 Answers provided for all questions within the book
 Illustrated topics to improve memory and recall
 Specification references for every topic
 Examination tips and techniques
 Free Python solutions pack

AQA GCSE Computer Science 8525 © 2020 PG Online Ltd 6

Vocabulary
Vocabulary associated with this unit, such as:

Network, personal area network, PAN, local area network, LAN, wide area network, WAN,
Internet, geographic area, wired, wireless, fibre optic cable, copper cable, coaxial cable,
topology, star network / star topology, bus network / bus topology, protocol, Ethernet, Wi-Fi,
TCP, Transmission Control Protocol, UDP, User Datagram Protocol, IP, Internet Protocol,
HTTP, Hypertext Transfer Protocol, HTTPS, Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure, FTP, File
Transfer Protocol, SMTP, Simple Mail Transfer Protocol, IMAP, Internet Message Access
Protocol, Wi-Fi, Wireless LAN, WLAN, authentication, encryption, firewall, MAC address
filtering, MAC address, network traffic, packets, block, security rules, physical address.

Assessment
Homework is given for each lesson. These consist of a mixture of short, factual questions
assessing knowledge in isolation and longer questions in which students are asked to analyse a
situation or justify their answer to questions.

The final assessment given assesses student’s knowledge of the current unit. In the actual
examination, questions may integrate various topics into one question. As such, we strongly
encourage teachers to use past papers and specimen papers to assess students and predict
outcomes.

AQA GCSE Computer Science 8525 © 2020 PG Online Ltd 7

Lesson plan
Topic 2 Network topologies
Objectives:
 Discuss the benefits and risks of computer networks
 Describe Local and Personal Area Networks
(LAN / PAN)
 Explain the advantages and disadvantages of various transmission media
 Describe the star and bus network topologies
 Explain the use of Ethernet standards to transmit data over a wired network

Content

Starter
PowerPoint Guide: Topic 2 Network topologies

There are many devices that will connect to a school network. Ask students to ask how these
are all connected together. This should give an understanding to their level of knowledge of
networks before the lesson is begun. There is no exact answer as each school may be
different – but it is suggested that a classroom of computers is probably connected in a star
network to a switch. This will then connect to the router for the Internet.

Main
What is a LAN?
Define a LAN as a network operating on a single site with its own cabling infrastructure. A
LAN does not involve a third-party carrier such as BT, which owns the telephone lines. No
telephone lines are involved: the computers are connected simply by cables, or even
wirelessly. How does this compare with a WAN?

Networked computers
Make the comparison between WANs and LANs and ask students to consider the
advantages and disadvantages of both. Take students through the Answers slide.
Network topologies
Go over the two topologies with the aid of the slides, and their relative advantages and
disadvantages.
Students are most likely to be aware of the star topology. Emphasise with students that a
topology is not looking at where the computers or cables are located, but how they are
connected together. So in a classroom, all the machines may be in a row, but they still each
have one connection and cable to a central switch. By contrast, the computers in a bus, could
be positioned in a circle, but have just one central cable.
Hand out Worksheet 2 and ask students to complete Task 1.

Topic 2 Worksheet 2

Network hardware
Explain the difference between a router and a switch. The switch will move data between two
computers in a star topology based on their MAC address. The router will route packets to the
next router on the network. In a home network, the switch is used for the internal network and

AQA GCSE Computer Science 8525 © 2020 PG Online Ltd 8

 the router sends packets to the Internet.

Ethernet protocols and transmission

Explain to students that protocols are a set of rules. Ethernet is a family of rules for
networking. For instance, the cable that connects most computers in schools is likely to be an
Ethernet cable. All manufacturers know the rules, so you can buy any Ethernet cable and it
will plug into a different manufacturer’s NIC, switch or router. Take students through the
Ethernet transmission slide. In a bus network or when a hub is used the frames will be
broadcast to all nodes. When a switch is used, it will inspect the Ethernet frame to decide
which MAC address to send the frame to.

Ethernet cables
In the UK, ISPs are allowed to sell many home connections to the Internet as Fibre, even
they are not fibre connections. Most homes have a telephone copper cable connection. This
then connects to a green cabinet. From here, if a fibre connection is used, then it will be
referred to as Fibre. This is called Fibre To The Cabinet (FTTC). Some businesses may have
Fibre To The Premises (FTTP) which is a full fibre connection. Virgin Media sell Fibre, which
again is FTTC. The connection from the cabinet to the house is a coaxial cable, which has a
larger bandwidth than phone cables – hence Virgin Media’s Internet connections can be
faster.
Students are most likely to have seen the twisted pair copper cables connecting computers
on a school LAN. It is likely that your school will be using a Fibre cable for their Internet
access. Now is a good opportunity to ask an IT technician to show students the school’s
central switches and how they fit together. A coaxial cable is shown as this was often used in
the 90s to create bus networks. A fibre cable is also shown. The features of copper cable and
fibre optic cable are specifically focused on as these are the only cables mentioned in the
specification.
Ask students to complete Task 2 on Worksheet 2.

Personal Area Network (PAN)

Take students through the slides on personal area networks. They are most likely to have set
one or more of these up. The most obvious examples are with Bluetooth speakers and
headphones or car stereos. However, there are many more devices such as keyboards and
mice that use the same technology.

Bluetooth and pairing

Students only need to know about Bluetooth as the method of creating a personal area
network. There are other standards. For instance, USB can be used to create a wired PAN
and Zigbee is an alternative low power protocol to create wireless PANs.

Plenary
The plenary again asks students to define the words given. This unit has a large amount of
vocabulary and terminology. Constantly reviewing this is the key to students remembering it.
Ask students for answers either as a class or in pairs. Answers are given on the following
slide.
Hand out Homework 2.
Topic 2 Homework 2

Topic 2 Homework 2 Answers

AQA GCSE Computer Science 8525 © 2020 PG Online Ltd 9

Acknowledgements
The authors and publisher would like to thank all contributors for their kind permission to
reproduce their photographs or images, screenshots of their websites or other copyright
material in the PowerPoint Guides.

Photographic images copyright © Shutterstock

Diagrams and illustrations © PG Online
Internet usage statistics compiled from www.internetworldstats.com/emarketing.htm
Internet cabling map © TeleGeography
iconography © icons8.com
The Bluetooth® word mark and logos are registered trademarks owned by Bluetooth SIG,Inc.
Every effort has been made to trace the copyright holders and we apologise in advance for any
unintentional omissions. We would be pleased to insert the appropriate acknowledgement in
any subsequent edition of this publication.
This material contains links to relevant websites featured in the teacher’s guide. Every effort has
been made to ensure that at the time of distribution, the links remain unbroken, the material
remains up-to-date and that links are not inadvertently linked to sites that could be considered
offensive. PG Online cannot be held responsible for the content of any website mentioned in
this material. It is sometimes possible to find relocated sites by typing the original URL into a
browser. Any errors should be reported directly to [email protected] and changes will be
made in any subsequent editions of the material.

Artwork

Market Day
© 2017 Karen Stamper
Paper collage and acrylic on wooden panel 30 × 30 cm
www.karenstampercollage.com

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