← Years 5–6 Digital Systems

Input devices

A piece of hardware, like a keyboard, mouse, microphone, camera, scanner, sensor or touchscreen, that sends data into a digital system.

Part of: 5-6 Digital Technologies Vic Curric - Digital Systems & Security — Module 6, IGCSE Computer Science 0478 — 3.2 Input and Output Devices — Module 2, ACARA Digital Technologies Years 5–6 — Inside Digital Systems — Module 10, QCE Digital Solutions Unit 3 — Interactions Between Users, Data and Digital Systems — Module 83

Understanding Input devices in Years 5–6 Digital Systems

What it does: A mouse is an input device because it sends pointer movements and button clicks into the computer as data. Input devices send data in. Output devices like screens and speakers show or play data to the user. A microphone captures sound and a camera captures images. Monitors and headphones send data out.

Common mistakes: A speaker is an output device, not an input device. The program is about pressing keys, so line 1 should be device = 'keyboard'. Input devices send data INTO a digital system, not out of it. The line should say 'Data goes in'.

Class: _____________________  ·  Name: _____________________  ·  Date: _________

Free printable worksheet with full answer key — or add this module to a class and your students practise it interactively.

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This module's key terms are also in a printable crossword (Modules 1–10) and word search (Modules 1–20).

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Learning
Duo
Which one is an input device?
A speakerA keyboard
Matches
A scanner is an output device because it prints pages
↓
A scanner is an input device, not an output device. It reads a paper page or image and sends it into the system as data. A printer is the output device.
Applying
Meanings
Term
input device
Meaning
A piece of hardware, like a keyboard, mouse, microphone, camera, scanner, sensor or touchscreen, that sends data into a digital system.
Practice
keyboard: sends typed letters and numbers
Testing
Gaps
-> data -> computer
Check Answer
Spots
1device = 'speaker'
2action = 'press a key'

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Quick Questions

1. Which one is an input device?
A. A keyboard ✓
B. A speaker
A keyboard sends the letters you type into the computer. A speaker is an output device because it sends sound out.
2. What does an input device do?
A. Shows data to the user
B. Sends data into a digital system ✓
Input devices send data in. Output devices like screens and speakers show or play data to the user.
3. A mouse is used to move a pointer and click. What kind of device is it?
A. An input device ✓
B. An output device
A mouse sends your movements and clicks into the computer, so it is an input device.
4. Which pair of devices sends sound and pictures into a computer?
A. Monitor and headphones
B. Microphone and camera ✓
A microphone captures sound and a camera captures images. Monitors and headphones send data out.
5. A scanner turns a paper photo into a digital file. Is this input or output?
A. Input ✓
B. Output
A scanner reads the paper and sends the image data into the computer, so it is input.

Match the Pairs

keyboard → An input device that sends typed letters, numbers and symbols into a digital system
microphone → An input device that sends sound, such as your voice, into a digital system
A mouse sends data about movement and clicks into a digital system → mouse
A touchscreen is an input device when it sends your taps and swipes into a digital system → touchscreen
A scanner is an output device because it prints pages → A scanner is an input device, not an output device. It reads a paper page or image and sends it into the system as data. A printer is the output device.
A camera is an input device because it shows pictures from the system → A camera is an input device because it captures pictures or video and sends them into the system. Showing pictures is the job of an output device such as a screen.

Key Term

input device
A piece of hardware, like a keyboard, mouse, microphone, camera, scanner, sensor or touchscreen, that sends data into a digital system.

Fill in the Blanks

1. keyboard -> data -> computer
Hint: Type the input device used to enter letters and numbers.
2. mouse sends data into the digital system
Hint: Type what an input device sends into the system.
3. microphone captures sound as input
Hint: Type the kind of data a microphone captures.
4. touchscreen = output + input
Hint: Type the role a touchscreen has as well as showing a display.
5. scanner is an input device
Hint: Type the two-word term for hardware that sends data into a digital system.

Spot the Error

Question 1
A device = 'speaker'
B action = 'press a key'
C print(device, 'is an input')
Line A — A speaker is an output device, not an input device. The program is about pressing keys, so line 1 should be device = 'keyboard'.
Question 2
A inputs = ['mouse', 'camera']
B for d in inputs:
C print(d)
D print('Data goes out')
Line D — Input devices send data INTO a digital system, not out of it. The line should say 'Data goes in'.
Question 3
A inputs = ['mouse', 'printer']
B for d in inputs:
C print(d, 'sends data')
Line A — A printer is an output device, so it does not belong in a list of input devices. The list should hold the mouse and scanner.
Question 4
A device = 'touchscreen'
B print(device, 'is an input'
C print('Data goes to the CPU')
Line B — The print statement is missing its closing bracket. It should end with ) like this: print(device, 'is an input').
Question 5
A device = 'scanner'
B data = 'a digital image'
C print(device, 'receives', data)
Line C — An input device sends data into the system, so a scanner sends its image. It does not receive it. The line should use 'sends'.

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