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Abstraction
The process by which data and programs are defined with a representation similar in form to its meaning while hiding away the implementation details. Abstraction tries to temporarily ignore details so that the programmer can focus on a few concepts at a time. Algorithms must ultimately be broken down into simple instructions for a digital system to execute.
Example: A subway map shows stations and lines, but leaves out the street layout and exact distances. Leaving those details out makes the map easier to use.
Access control
Rules that decide who can see, change or use data or a system.
Example: Only office staff can change student contact details. Students can only view their own.
Accessibility
Designing products so that people with disability can use them, for example with captions, large text or clear colours.
Example: Adding captions to a video, so that students who are Deaf or hard of hearing can follow it.
Actuator
A device that does something in response to a signal, such as moving, turning or switching on. A motor is a common actuator.
Example: A servo motor that turns a robot’s arm when the microcontroller sends it a signal.
Age classification (age rating)
A label that says which age group a game or media is suitable for, based on its content.
Example: A game labelled for players 15 and over may include themes that younger players should not see.
Agile
A way of managing a project in short cycles. The team plans a small piece of work, builds it, shows it to users, then plans the next piece.
Example: A team builds the first level of a game in one week, shows it to the class, then decides what the second level needs.
Algorithm
A step-by-step procedure required to solve a problem. Algorithms may be presented in many ways, e.g. written instructions, flow charts or using a computer programming language.
Example: A recipe for toast: put the bread in, press the lever, wait for it to pop up, then take it out.
Alt text
A short written description of an image. A screen reader reads it aloud for people who cannot see the picture.
Example: The alt text for a photo of the hall reads: “Year 7 students stacking chairs after assembly”.
App
A software program designed for a specific purpose to run on mobile devices or on a personal computer. An abbreviation of the word ‘application’.
Example: A weather app on your phone that shows tomorrow’s forecast for your suburb.
Arithmetic operator
A symbol for a calculation, such as + (add), - (subtract), * (multiply) or / (divide).
Example: cost = price * 2 works out the cost of two items.
Array
A list of values stored under one name. Each value has a position number, called an index.
Example: An array called scores holds five test marks in order, so one name keeps all five values together.
ASCII
A code that gives each letter, digit and common symbol its own number, so that computers can store and share text.
Example: In ASCII, the capital letter A is stored as the number 65.
Attribute
A property that describes an entity or an object, such as its name, colour or size.
Example: A Student entity has attributes such as name, year level and house.
Augmented Reality (AR)
A technology that replicates, enhances or overlays extra information about the real-world environment, using computer-generated data such as global positioning systems (GPS), sound, videos and images. Common examples include a car windshield with a heads-up display (HUD) that projects three-dimensional navigation information and virtual lanes, or a swimming telecast using a line to indicate the position of the record holder in relation to the actual swimmers in the race.
Example: A phone camera shows a virtual dinosaur standing on the floor of your classroom.
Automate
The process of transforming and manipulating data that does not require user intervention. For example, through the use of formulae in a spreadsheet, new sets of data can be processed and the results recalculated automatically, or a webcam can be turned on as a result of movement sensor input.
Example: A spreadsheet formula totals each week’s sales as soon as new numbers are typed in, so nobody adds them by hand.
Automated system
A system that does a task with little or no human control once it has been set up.
Example: A garage door that opens when its remote sends a signal, without anyone pressing a button at the door.
Avatar
A character or picture that stands for a player or user in a game or online space.
Example: Choosing a cartoon fox as your avatar in a class game, rather than using a photo of yourself.
AVERAGE function
A spreadsheet function that works out the mean: the total of the values, divided by how many values there are.
Example: =AVERAGE(C2:C6) gives the mean of five test marks.
Bandwidth
How much data a connection can carry in a set time. More bandwidth means more data can move at once.
Example: When several people stream videos at the same time, they share the bandwidth of the home internet connection.
Binary
A number system that uses only the digits 0 and 1. Computers use binary to store data.
Example: The number 5 is written as 101 in binary, because 4 + 1 = 5.
Biometric
A term that describes the source of data being human or biological.
Example: Unlocking a phone with a fingerprint or a face scan uses a biometric feature.
Bitmap
A picture stored as a grid of dots, called pixels. Each pixel has a colour value.
Example: A 4 by 4 pixel smiley face is stored as 16 colour values, one for each pixel.
Block-based coding
A type of programming that uses colourful, draggable shapes that represent code. Blocks are arranged and connected to write programs.
Example: Dragging a ‘repeat 4 times’ block around a ‘move forward’ and a ‘turn right’ block draws a square on the screen.
Boolean
A data type with only two values, true or false. It is used for yes-or-no questions.
Example: The question “Is the door locked?” can be stored as true or false.
Branching
An instruction in a computer program or algorithm that causes different actions to be performed depending on specified conditions.
Example: In a game: IF the player has the key THEN open the door, ELSE show a ‘locked’ message.
Class (object-oriented)
A blueprint that describes the data and actions that each object made from it will have.
Example: A class called Enemy says that every enemy has a health value and a speed. Each enemy in a game is an object made from that class.
Cloud computing
Distributing computing over a network where storage of files, processing of data and/or access to software occurs automatically on interconnected server computers to which the user’s device is connected. The term refers to accessing files, software and services over the internet.
Example: Saving your homework to an online drive, so you can open it on a school laptop and at home.
Code module
A separate part of a program that does one job. A module can be reused in other programs, or called from many places in the same program.
Example: A sound module plays every sound effect in a game, so the main code only has to ask it to play one.
Cognitive load
How much thinking a person must do to use something. Less cognitive load means a product is easier to use.
Example: A sign-up form with ten questions on one screen has a higher cognitive load than the same questions split across three screens.
Collaborate
Working with others towards a shared goal, through a variety of modes of communication. This may be achieved using a range of technologies, tools and processes.
Example: Four students share a class poster: one writes, one designs, one checks the facts and one builds the slides. They share their progress every lesson.
Colour contrast
How different the text colour is from the background colour. Strong contrast makes text easier to read.
Example: Dark blue text on white is easier to read than light grey text on white.
Compression
Making a file smaller so that it takes less storage or sends faster. Compression can be lossless or lossy.
Example: A zipped folder of school photos is smaller than the original folder of photos.
Computational thinking
A way of solving problems by breaking them down, spotting patterns, ignoring details that do not matter, and writing clear step-by-step instructions.
Example: Planning a route through a town: list the stops, choose the shortest order, then write down each turn.
Computer aided design (CAD)
Software that lets you draw and change a design on a computer, often in 2D or 3D, before anything is made.
Example: Drawing a 3D case for a robot on a computer, then checking its size before anything is built.
Conditional formatting
A spreadsheet rule that changes how a cell looks, such as its colour, when its value meets a condition.
Example: Test marks below 50 turn red automatically, so the weak results stand out.
Control system
A set of parts and instructions that watches a system and changes its outputs to reach a goal.
Example: A thermostat reads the room temperature, and switches the heater on or off to keep the room steady.
Copyright
A legal right that protects an original work, such as a photo, song, text or code, from being copied or used without permission.
Example: Using someone else’s song in your game without permission can breach copyright. The Copyright Act 1968 (Cth) sets out these rights in Australia.
COUNTIF function
A spreadsheet function that counts only the cells in a range that meet a condition you set.
Example: =COUNTIF(D2:D31,"Yes") counts how many of the 30 cells say Yes.
CSS (Cascading Style Sheets)
A language that controls how a web page looks, such as its colours, fonts and layout. It keeps the look separate from the content.
Example: h1 { color: navy; } makes every main heading navy.
Cyber safety
A term that refers to behaviour and the precautions that may be exercised when providing personal information in an online or digital environment.
Example: Not sharing your home address or school name with strangers in an online game chat.
Cyberbullying
Repeated, deliberate use of technology to hurt, threaten or embarrass someone.
Example: Sending mean messages about someone’s looks in a group chat is cyberbullying. Save the evidence and tell a trusted adult.
Cybersecurity
The protection of information technology elements, including hardware and software, data or network services.
Example: Using a strong password and two-factor authentication to protect your email account.
Data
A discrete representation of information using number codes. Data may include characters (e.g. alphabetic letters, numbers and symbols), images, sounds and/or instructions that, when represented by number codes, can be manipulated, stored and communicated by digital systems. For example, characters may be represented using ASCII code or images may be represented by a bitmap of numbers representing each ‘dot’ or pixel.
Example: The letter A is stored as the number 65 in ASCII, so a computer can store it and send it.
Data breach
When private or protected data is seen, copied or changed by people who are not allowed to access it.
Example: If someone copies a school’s list of student names without permission, that is a data breach.
Data dashboard
A single page that shows the key numbers and charts from a data set, so that people can see the main results at a glance.
Example: A tuckshop dashboard with total sales, the best-selling item, and a chart of sales each week.
Data integrity
The quality of data being correct, complete and unchanged, from when it is collected to when it is used.
Example: A typo in a student ID can link someone’s marks to the wrong student, which harms the integrity of the data.
Data type
The kind of value that a piece of data holds, such as a whole number, some text, or true or false. Each data type has its own limits.
Example: A student number such as 0412 is best stored as text, because a computer would drop the leading zero if it stored the number.
Data validation
Checking that data is sensible and in the right form before it is used. For example, checking that an age is a whole number.
Example: A form that will not accept “twelve” in the age box, and asks for a number instead.
Data verification
Checking that data or a result is correct, often by working it out a second way or comparing it with another source.
Example: Adding up a column of totals on a calculator to check the spreadsheet’s total.
Database
A collection of data organised by records and fields that can be easily stored, accessed, managed and updated.
Example: A school library catalogue with one record for each book, and fields for the title, author and shelf number.
Database field
One piece of information in each record, such as a name or a postcode. Every record in a table has the same fields.
Example: In a library database, the fields are title, author and shelf number.
Database query
A question asked of a database that returns only the records that match.
Example: A query that shows only Year 8 students, sorted by surname.
Database record
One complete row of information about one item in a database. It is made up of several fields.
Example: One record in a class list holds one student’s name, form class and house.
Database relationship
A link between two entities in a database, such as a student and a book they have borrowed.
Example: A loan record links a student and a book, so the database knows which student has which book.
Dataset
A collection of data combined for a specific purpose.
Example: A table of the times each student took to run 100 metres, collected for a Year 8 fitness project.
Debugging
Finding and fixing errors in a program. You might read the code again, test it with different inputs, or print values to see what is happening.
Example: Adding a line that prints the score after each step shows it jumping by 10 when it should go up by 1.
Decision tree
A diagram that starts with one question and branches out to show each possible answer, and then the result of each path.
Example: A tree that asks “Is it raining?”. For YES, the next box says “Take an umbrella”. For NO, it says “Wear a hat”.
Decompose
To break a complex problem or solution into parts that are easier to understand, design and implement.
Example: Planning a school fete: split it into the food stall, the games, the prizes and a clean-up plan.
Decomposition
Breaking a large problem into smaller parts that are easier to understand, solve and test.
Example: A “build a website” project is split into the home page, the contact page, the photo gallery and testing.
Design and production
A process that typically involves identifying and defining, researching and planning, producing and implementing, and testing and evaluating to create a designed solution that considers social, cultural and environmental factors.
Example: A class designing a board game works through identifying the problem, planning, making, testing and improving the game.
Design specification
A written list of what a solution must do, and how it must look and perform. It is made before the solution is built.
Example: A game design specification says: runs on a school laptop, has three levels, and shows the score on every screen.
Desk check
A method used by a human to check the logic of a computer program's algorithm to reduce the likelihood of errors occurring. This may be done on paper, using a diagram, or mentally trying a sample of typical inputs to see what the outputs would be.
Example: Before running a program that adds two numbers, you read each line on paper and try the inputs 2 and 3 to check you get 5.
Digital citizenship
An acceptance and upholding of the norms of appropriate, responsible behaviour with regard to the use of digital technologies.
Example: Giving credit when you use someone else’s photo in a project, and asking before you post a photo of a friend.
Digital footprint
Traces of data left behind by a person using a digital system. A person’s digital footprint includes all information actively provided by that person, such as interactions on social networks, online purchases, emails and instant messages. It also includes passive information, such as logs of software installed and used on a computer, metadata associated with files, a user’s internet protocol (IP) address, a device being used to access a webpage, and a user’s browsing history stored as cookies or by internet service providers.
Example: Posts, photos and comments on a club’s online page can stay visible for years, even after you have forgotten them.
Encryption
Turning data into scrambled form using mathematical rules, so that only someone with the right key can turn it back into readable data.
Example: A message sent through a secure messaging app looks like scrambled characters to anyone who intercepts it, but the person it is for can read it.
Enterprise
An activity that produces goods and/or services. Enterprises are run for the benefit of an individual or a group of individuals. They can range in scale from a transnational corporation to home-based economic activities.
Example: A tuckshop run by students, which sells snacks to the school community, is a small enterprise.
Entity
Something that data is kept about, such as a person, a place or an item.
Example: In a school library database, Student, Book and Teacher are entities.
Event loop
A loop that keeps checking for events, such as key presses or clicks, and runs the matching code when one happens.
Example: A game’s event loop waits for each key press, then moves the player or pauses the game.
Event-driven programming
Writing a program that waits for things to happen, such as a click or a key press, and responds to each one.
Example: A quiz app waits until the player presses “Submit” before it checks the answer.
Feedback
Information that shows a user or a system how things are going. For example, a sound when a button is pressed, or a sensor reading that changes a motor.
Example: A game plays a “ding” when you collect a coin, so you know that it counted.
Filter bubble
When online feeds and search results mostly show you what you already like, so you see fewer different views.
Example: A video app keeps suggesting the same type of game, so you rarely see anything different.
Firewall
A program or device that checks network traffic and blocks anything that its rules do not allow.
Example: A school firewall blocks connection attempts from outside that the school has not allowed.
Fishbone diagram
A diagram that shows a problem at the head of a fish, with the possible causes drawn as bones. It helps you find what went wrong.
Example: A “website will not load” problem, with bones for the network, the device, the software and the user.
Flat-file database
A database that keeps all of its data in one table.
Example: A single spreadsheet of class results, with one row for each student.
Flowchart
A diagram that shows the steps of an algorithm, using standard shapes. An oval marks START and END, a rectangle is a step, a diamond is a question with YES and NO paths, and a parallelogram is input or output.
Example: A flowchart for a school locker: START, then a diamond asking “Is the code right?”. YES leads to “Open locker”, and NO leads back to “Enter code”.
Function
A term used in programming to describe a self-contained sequence of instructions that performs a specific task or tasks and is designed to be able to be reused throughout the program. Functions often accept some kind of input, perform some process on that input, and return a result that can be used by other parts of a program. Most programming languages allow for user-defined functions, but will also provide pre-defined functions.
Example: A function called area takes a length and a width, multiplies them and gives back the answer.
Functional requirement
Something that a product must do, such as a feature or an action it performs.
Example: A quiz app must let the player see their score after each question.
Game state
All the information a game needs at one moment, such as the player’s position, the score and the lives left.
Example: Position (3, 5), a score of 40 and 2 lives together make up the game state at one moment.
Gantt chart
A chart that shows the tasks of a project as bars along a timeline. You can see when each task starts, how long it takes and when it ends.
Example: Research runs from Week 1 to Week 2, and building the website runs from Week 3 to Week 5, so the two bars do not overlap.
General-purpose programming language
A coding or programming language used to write computer software. It uses letters, numbers and symbols arranged in a prescribed format (language) to instruct a computer how to carry out specific tasks. Also known as text-based programming.
Example: Python can be used for a quiz game, a data report or a small web app, which is why it is called general purpose.
Graph theory
The study of graphs: drawings of nodes (dots) joined by links (lines) to show how things are connected.
Example: A drawing with one dot per student and one line per friendship is a graph.
Haptic
Refers to the sense of touch. Often used to describe a method of output from a device that can be measured by feel or touch.
Example: A phone that gives a short buzz when you press a virtual button is giving haptic feedback.
Hardware
The collection of physical components that constitute a computer system, all of which are tangible objects. Hardware includes both internal and external components of the system, as well as any peripheral devices that can be connected.
Example: The keyboard, the router and the motor in a robot arm are all hardware.
HTML (Hypertext Mark-up Language)
Hypertext mark-up language (html) is one of the first coding systems (or languages) designed to be used for webpage files so that an internet browser can efficiently display a page and elements for that page such as text, links and media in the intended position.
Example: <h1>My Club</h1> tells the browser to show ‘My Club’ as a large heading.
HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol)
Hypertext transfer protocol (http) is a set of rules or standards for transferring files and messages on the World Wide Web, specifically to allow linking of files and text (see file transfer protocol). It provides a standard for web browsers to render pages (that is, to present them in an intended form) and servers to communicate.
Example: When you type a web address, your browser sends an HTTP request, and the server replies with the page.
IF statement
An instruction that chooses which steps to run, depending on whether a condition is true or false.
Example: IF age is 13 or more, THEN show the full game, ELSE show the junior game.
Immersion
The feeling of being fully caught up in a game or an experience, so that the outside world fades into the background.
Example: Realistic sound and a detailed 3D world help a racing game feel immersive.
In-game purchase
Something a player can buy inside a game, such as extra lives, items or add-ons. Some of these are paid for with real money.
Example: Buying coins with real money to unlock a character is an in-game purchase. Check with a parent or carer before spending.
Information
The presentation of data in a manner that is readily understood.
Example: The number 31 stored in a database is data. ‘The high today is 31 degrees’ is information that people can understand.
Information architecture
How the content of a product is organised, labelled and linked, so that users can find what they need.
Example: A school website with clear menus: Years, Subjects, Events and Contact.
Information system
The combination of digital systems, people and processes that collect, manage and analyse data.
Example: A school library system that uses computers, staff and borrowing rules to track which books are out.
Input
Data or a signal that goes into a system, such as a key press, a mouse click or a sensor reading.
Example: Tapping a note on a music app is an input.
Integer
A whole number with no decimal point, such as 7, 0 or -3.
Example: The number of goals scored in a netball match is an integer.
Internet of Things (IoT)
Everyday objects, such as fridges, watches and sensors, that connect to a network and share data.
Example: A smart watch that sends your step count to an app on your phone is part of the Internet of Things.
IP address
A number that identifies a device on a network, so that data can be sent to the right place.
Example: Each device on a home network has its own IP address, so the router knows where to send replies.
IPO chart (Input Process Output)
A table that plans part of a program. It lists the inputs, the processes that happen to them, and the outputs, in three columns.
Example: For a tip calculator: input is the bill amount, process is multiply the bill by 0.1, and output is the tip.
Iteration
A repetition of a process in computer programming where each repeated cycle builds towards a desired result.
Example: A loop that adds 1 to a score ten times, so the score grows one step at a time.
Iterative design
A way of working that repeats the cycle of plan, make, test and improve, so that each version is better than the last.
Example: Three classmates test a quiz app. The team changes the buttons, then tests again before the final version.
JavaScript
A programming language that makes web pages respond to users, such as a button that shows an answer when it is pressed.
Example: Clicking a “Show answer” button runs JavaScript, which reveals the answer on the page.
Kanban board
A board with columns such as To Do, Doing and Done. Each task is a card that moves across the columns as the work progresses.
Example: Sticky notes on a whiteboard move from “To do” to “Done” as each screen of an app is finished.
Logic error
A mistake in the plan. The program runs without crashing, but it gives the wrong result.
Example: A score goes down when a coin is collected, because the code subtracts the points instead of adding them.
Logical operator
A word such as AND, OR or NOT that combines or changes true and false values.
Example: IF has key AND door is locked, THEN open the door. Both conditions must be true for the door to open.
Lookup function
A spreadsheet function that finds a value in one list by matching it with a value in another list.
Example: Typing a student’s name into a cell and getting back that student’s house from a second table.
Loop
A part of a program that repeats the same instructions until a condition says to stop.
Example: A loop that prints “Hello” five times repeats one line of code five times.
Lossless compression
A type of compression algorithm that retains sufficient information to allow the original data to be perfectly reconstructed from the compressed data. It is used when it is important for the original data to be accurately preserved, e.g. in text documents, programming source code, application files or for archival purposes.
Example: Zipping a text file makes it smaller. Unzipping it gives back exactly the same words.
Lossy compression
A type of compression algorithm that compresses data by discarding information that is not necessary to reproduce the original data with sufficient detail for the user not to notice the difference. It is used primarily for reducing the size of multimedia assets such as video, audio and photographs, especially when streaming or transmitting the data over the internet.
Example: A photo sent by a messaging app is made smaller, so a few tiny details are lost that most people will not notice.
Mains power
Electricity from the power outlets in a building. It can cause serious injury, so school projects use batteries or simulations instead. Never open or work on mains wiring.
Example: A battery-powered robot car is a suitable school project. A project wired straight into a wall outlet is not.
Malware
Malicious software designed to interfere with the regular operation of a computer system. Often used to gain access to computers, it is usually hidden in other software to avoid user detection.
Example: A fake ‘free game’ download that secretly installs software to collect passwords.
Mechatronic system
A system that combines mechanical parts, electronics, sensors and a computer program to do a job.
Example: A line-following robot with wheels, a motor, a light sensor and a short program.
Microcontroller
A small computer built for the purpose of dealing with specific tasks, such as managing the engine in a car, displaying information in a microwave control panel or receiving information from a television remote control. Microcontrollers process data inputted by users (e.g. keypad) or sensors (e.g. light).
Example: The small chip inside a microwave oven that reads the buttons you press and controls the display.
Model
A mathematical, conceptual or physical representation that describes, simplifies, clarifies or provides an explanation of the structure, workings or relationships within an object, system or idea. Models can provide a means of testing and predicting behaviour within limited conditions. Models may be physical or exist in digital form.
Example: A paper map of the school grounds, or a spreadsheet that predicts canteen sales, is a model.
Motor
A device that turns electrical energy into movement, such as spinning a wheel.
Example: The motor that turns the wheels of a battery-powered robot car.
Multimedia
The use of digital technologies to present combinations of text, graphics, video, animation and/or sound in an integrated way. Where there is facility for a user to interact with multimedia, the term ‘interactive multimedia’ may be used. Examples include interactive games, media-rich websites, electronic books (eBooks) and animated films.
Example: A web page with a short video, a sound clip, an animated diagram and text that explains how a volcano erupts.
Network
A system of interconnected digital devices and/or people.
Example: The laptops, printers and the Wi-Fi router in a school library form a network.
Network link
A connection between two nodes. In a network map, a link is drawn as a line. A link can be wired or wireless.
Example: The cable from a printer to a router is a link between two nodes.
Network node
Any device or point in a network, such as a computer, a phone, a printer or a router. In a network map, a node is drawn as a dot or a circle.
Example: In a map of the school network, each laptop, printer and router is a node.
Network path
A route that follows links from one node to another, passing through any nodes in between.
Example: Maya to Ben, then Ben to Chen, is a path of two links from Maya to Chen.
Node degree
The number of links joined to one node. A node with three links has a degree of 3.
Example: In a friendship graph, a student with five lines to other students has a degree of 5.
Non-functional requirement
A rule about how well a product works, such as how fast it is, how easy it is to use, or how safe it is.
Example: The app must load its home screen in under three seconds on a school tablet.
Object
A thing in a program that holds its own data, called attributes, and can carry out its own actions.
Example: A Player object has its own name, 3 lives and a jump action. A second Player object can have different values.
Object-oriented programming (OOP)
A paradigm based on the concept of ‘objects’ that can contain data and code in the form of procedures. OOP language is a language based on the principles of ‘C’.
Example: A game can create many enemy objects, each with its own health and speed, all from one blueprint.
Object-oriented programming language
A type of programming language that organises code around data, or objects, rather than functions and logic. An object is a data field that has unique attributes and behaviour.
Example: Python and Java can both be used to write object-oriented code.
Open licence
A licence that lets others use, change or share a creator’s work, usually with conditions such as giving credit.
Example: A free sound effect with an open licence may ask you to credit its creator in your game’s credits.
Open Systems Interconnection (OSI)
This conceptual model standardises communications between all of the elements within an information or computer system.
Example: The OSI model is a map of seven layers that shows how a message travels from an app down to a network cable.
Outlier
A value that is much bigger or much smaller than most of the others in a data set.
Example: In heights of 150, 152, 155, 153 and 210 cm, the 210 cm value is an outlier.
Output
Data or a signal that comes out of a system, such as sound, a picture or a motor turning.
Example: The “ding” from the speaker when a game collects a coin is an output.
Packet
A small piece of data with an address label, which travels across a network separately from the other pieces.
Example: A large photo is sent as many packets, and the receiving device puts them back in order.
Password
A secret combination of characters that proves who you are when you log in. Never share it with anyone.
Example: A passphrase of three unrelated words is harder to guess than a short word.
Pattern recognition
Spotting things that repeat or follow the same rule. Once you see a pattern, you can reuse one solution instead of solving each case from scratch.
Example: Every level of a game has a door, a key and an enemy, so one set of code can handle all of them.
Persona
A made-up user with a name, an age, goals and needs. Designers use a persona to think about who a product is for.
Example: Sam, 13, plays games on a tablet at home and wants big buttons and short levels.
Personally identifying information (PII)
Information that can be used to identify a person, such as a full name, a home address, a phone number or a student ID.
Example: A school survey should not ask for a student’s full name and home address together.
Phishing
A scam that uses a fake message, email or website to trick someone into giving away a password or personal details.
Example: A text says your account is locked and asks you to sign in through a link. Check the sender, and go to the official site yourself instead of using the link.
Pivot table
A table in a spreadsheet that summarises a long list of data, such as totals for each group, without changing the original list.
Example: A pivot table that counts how many students chose each sport in a survey list.
Pixel
The smallest dot in a digital picture or on a screen. Each pixel shows one colour.
Example: Zoom in close on a photo on your phone, and you can see the individual pixels.
Primary key
A field whose value is different for every record, so that each record can be found on its own.
Example: A student ID number is a good primary key, because each student has a different one.
Privacy
The right to decide what personal information you share, and who can see it.
Example: Setting a social profile to private, so that only approved friends can see your photos.
Procedural generation
Making parts of a game world by following rules or formulas, instead of drawing each part by hand.
Example: A maze that is different every time you play, because the program builds it from a set of rules.
Product
The tangible end results of natural, human, mechanical, manufacturing, electronic or digital production and processes.
Example: A finished app, a poster or a robot built in class are all products.
Project
An individual or collaborative problem-solving activity undertaken by students that is planned to achieve an articulated aim.
Example: Designing a mini golf course for the Year 8 fair, with a plan, a deadline and a list of jobs, is a project.
Project management
The process of planning, organising, controlling resources, monitoring timelines and activities, and completing a project to achieve a goal that meets identified criteria.
Example: A group sets a due date, splits the jobs along a timeline and checks each week whether they are on track.
Project notebook
A record of a project’s decisions, research, designs, tests and changes, written down as the work happens.
Example: A dated entry that says: “Changed the button colour to blue, because three testers found the grey one hard to see.”
Protocols
A set of generally accepted standards or 'rules' that govern relationships and interactions between and within information systems. In communication systems including the internet, specific protocols allow for the successful transmission of data.
Example: Two phones use the same Bluetooth protocol so that they can pair with each other.
Prototype
A trial product or model built to test an idea or process to inform further design development. Its purpose is to see if and how well the design works and is tested by users and systems analysts. A prototype can be either a physical object or exist in digital form.
Example: A paper sketch of a phone app’s home screen that you show to friends before writing any code.
Pseudocode (structured English)
An informal high-level description of a computer program, process or algorithm. It is intended for humans to understand the flow of operations without necessarily needing to understand a programming language.
Example: IF score is 10 or more, THEN show ‘Winner’. It is written in plain words, so it shows the steps without needing exact code.
Qualitative data
Data that describes qualities or opinions in words, such as comments, reasons or descriptions.
Example: Students’ written comments about the new canteen menu.
Quantitative data
Data that is counted or measured with numbers, such as heights, times or totals.
Example: The time each student took to run 100 metres.
Relational database
A database made of several linked tables. A key in one table matches a key in another table, so the data can be joined together.
Example: A Students table and a Sports table, linked by student ID, show which sport each student plays.
Relational operator
A symbol that compares two values, such as = (equal to), > (greater than) or < (less than).
Example: score >= 50 is true when the score is 50 or more.
Responsive web design
Designing a web page so that its layout adjusts to fit different screen sizes, such as a phone or a laptop.
Example: A menu that shows as a single column on a phone, and as a row of links on a laptop.
Robot
A machine that senses its surroundings, processes that information and acts on it, often using motors and sensors.
Example: A small robot car that stops when its distance sensor sees a wall.
Router
A device that directs data between networks, such as between a home network and the internet.
Example: The box that connects a home network to the internet is often a router.
Run-time error
An error that happens while the program is running, such as dividing by zero or opening a file that does not exist. It can stop the program.
Example: A calculator app stops working when someone asks it to divide by zero.
Sampling bias
When the people chosen for a survey do not fairly represent the whole group, so the results lean one way.
Example: Surveying only the netball team about the school’s sport choices gives a biased result.
Scaffold
A template or checklist that gives a task a clear structure, so you know what to do next and in what order.
Example: A planning sheet with boxes for the goal, the steps, the due dates, and who will help with each step.
Screen reader
A program that reads the text and labels on a screen out loud, for people who are blind or have low vision.
Example: A screen reader says “Search button” when the cursor moves onto a search icon.
Sensor
A device that detects and responds to some type of input from the physical environment.
Example: A light sensor on a robot tells the microcontroller when the room gets dark.
Server
A computer that stores files or web pages and sends them to other computers when they ask for them.
Example: The school website is stored on a server, and it is sent to your browser when you type its address.
Simulation
A model that runs over time to show how something behaves, such as traffic, weather or a robot moving.
Example: A program that shows how a crowd leaves a stadium after a match, using simple rules for each person.
Social network
A structure that describes the relationships that exist between individuals and/or organisations. Social networking services and tools provide a mechanism for people who share common interests or personal ties to communicate, share and interact using a range of media such as text, images and video.
Example: A friend group that chats and shares photos in one online group is a social network.
Sociogram
A diagram that describes the social links or relationships that one person has with other people.
Example: A diagram with a circle for each student, and a line between any two students who are friends.
Software
The programs and instructions that tell a computer or device what to do.
Example: The apps on your tablet are software. So is the program that runs a robot.
Spreadsheet function
A built-in formula in a spreadsheet that does a job, such as adding, averaging or counting.
Example: SUM, AVERAGE and COUNTIF are spreadsheet functions. Each one works on a range of cells.
Sprite
A small picture or shape in a game that can be moved and changed on the screen.
Example: The player’s character in a platform game is a sprite.
Stakeholder
Anyone who is affected by a project, or who has an interest in how it turns out. Stakeholders include the users, the people who asked for the project and the people who build it.
Example: For a canteen ordering app, the stakeholders are students, canteen staff and the school office.
Storage
Keeping data so that it can be used later, such as on a hard drive, a memory card or a cloud server.
Example: Your saved high score is kept in storage, so it is still there the next time you play.
Storyboard
A set of drawn frames, with short notes, that shows in order what each screen or scene will look like before anything is built.
Example: Six sketched boxes for a game: title screen, menu, level one, coin pickup, score, and the game-over screen.
String
A row of letters, numbers and symbols that a program stores and uses as text.
Example: The name “Maya” and the message “Well done!” are both strings.
Structured Query Language (SQL)
Specialist programming language used to manage data and access data in relational database management systems.
Example: SELECT name FROM students WHERE year = 8 ORDER BY name lists the Year 8 students in alphabetical order.
Success criteria
The measures you will use to decide whether a solution has worked well.
Example: For a quiz app: every question shows the right answer, and the score is saved after each game.
SUM function
A spreadsheet function that adds together all the numbers in a range of cells.
Example: =SUM(B2:B6) adds the five sales figures in cells B2 to B6.
Syntax error
A mistake in how code is written, such as a missing bracket or a misspelt keyword. The program will not run until it is fixed.
Example: Leaving out the closing bracket in print('Hello' causes a syntax error.
Target audience
The group of people that a product is designed for.
Example: The target audience for a Year 7 maths game is Year 7 students who find times tables tricky.
TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol)
Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) is the basic communication language or protocol of the internet.
Example: TCP/IP breaks a file into small pieces called packets, and makes sure they all arrive, even if some are lost on the way.
Test case
A plan for one test. It states the input you will enter, the output you expect, and the result you actually get.
Example: Type 101 as a quiz score. The expected output is “Score too high”. If the app shows that message, the test case passes.
Three Vs (3Vs) of big data
Three ways to describe big data: how much there is (volume), how many kinds of data there are (variety), and how fast it arrives (velocity).
Example: Video clips, text messages and sensor readings from a smart farm, arriving every second.
Trace
Following an algorithm to check its logic and correctness. This may be done on paper, using a diagram, or mentally trying a sample of typical inputs to see what the outputs would be.
Example: Writing down each variable’s value after every line of a short program, to see where the answer goes wrong.
Trace table
A table with a column for each variable and a row for each step of a program. You fill it in by hand to record how the values change.
Example: A trace table for a loop that adds 1 to a total three times shows the total as 0, 1, 2 and 3 down the rows.
Transmission media
The means through which data is sent from one system to another on a network.
Example: Copper cables, fibre-optic cables and radio waves are all transmission media.
Trend
A general rise, fall or change in data over time.
Example: Canteen sales that go up a little each week across a term show an upward trend.
Trusted adult
An adult you can talk to about anything that worries you online, such as a parent, a carer, a teacher or a school counsellor.
Example: If a stranger asks you for a photo of yourself, tell a trusted adult straight away.
Two-factor authentication
A login that needs two different kinds of proof, such as a password and a one-time code sent to your phone.
Example: After you type your password, the app sends a one-time code to your phone, and you must type that code as well.
Usability
How easily and quickly people can use a product to reach their goal.
Example: A quiz app where the Next button is always in the same place is more usable.
Use case
A short description of one thing a user wants to do with a product, and the steps they take to do it.
Example: A student wants to join the library book club. They open the sign-up page, type their name and press “Join”.
User Datagram Protocol (UDP)
An alternative to TCP/IP, UDP is a method governing connections of some applications on the internet.
Example: A live video stream can use UDP so that the picture keeps moving, even if a few small pieces are lost.
User Experience (UX)
The usability, ease of use, and enjoyment provided in the interaction between the customer and the product.
Example: A game that is easy to start, with clear buttons and a quick tutorial, has a good user experience.
User feedback
Comments and reactions from the people who use a product. Designers use feedback to decide what to change.
Example: Three classmates say the button labels are too small to read, so the team makes the text bigger.
User Interface (UI)
The means by which users interact with computer hardware or software. In software, this usually comprises fields for text and number entry, mouse pointers, buttons and other graphical elements. In hardware, switches, dials and light-emitting diodes (LEDs) provide information about the interactions between a user and a machine.
Example: The buttons, menus and text boxes on a sign-in screen make up its user interface.
User journey
The steps a user takes through a product to reach a goal, such as signing up or buying a ticket.
Example: Finding the shop, adding a ticket to the cart, paying, and then seeing a confirmation screen.
Variable
A named place in memory that stores a value. The value can change while the program runs.
Example: A variable called score starts at 0 and goes up by 1 each time the player collects a coin.
Virtual Private Network (VPN)
A secure connection, usually over the internet, that encrypts the data sent between your device and another network.
Example: On public Wi-Fi, a VPN makes your data hard for other people on that network to read.
Virtual Reality (VR)
The use of computing technology to create a simulated environment. Unlike traditional user interfaces, VR places the user inside an experience. Instead of viewing a screen in front of them, users are immersed and able to interact with three-dimensional worlds.
Example: A headset shows a 3D world that you can look around in and move through.
Visualisation
The presentation of data or information through pictures or graphics to help the intended audience understand its significance.
Example: A bar graph of how many books each Year 8 class read this term shows the winner at a glance.
Web browser
A program that asks servers for web pages and shows them on your screen.
Example: When you open a school’s home page on a tablet, the browser asks the school’s server for it.
Website
A group of linked web pages that share one address and are usually stored on the same server.
Example: A sports club website with a home page, a fixtures page and a contact page.
Wired and wireless networks
A wired network joins devices with cables. A wireless network joins them with radio signals, so devices can move around.
Example: A desktop computer on an Ethernet cable and a tablet on Wi-Fi can both be on the same network.
Wireframe
A plain outline of a screen that shows where the buttons, text and pictures will go. It has no colours or final design.
Example: A grey box for the logo at the top, a row of three buttons, and a list of text below, sketched for a school app.