Living Online

Explore web browsers and how to navigate the internet, noting subtle differences among browser types. Learn to navigate consistently with your chosen browsers while doing your work online.

Understand how web browsers act as clients that fetch pages from servers via URLs and HTTP GET, then render HTML and scripts while managing hyperlinks, home pages, and privacy features.

Learn how a universal resource locator identifies web servers using fully qualified domain names and domain extensions like .com, .edu, and country codes, guiding browsers from the home page.

Learn to browse the internet with common browsers, enter web addresses, navigate back and forward, refresh pages, and customize home pages, favorites, history, and private browsing settings.

Learn to navigate the browser using the back arrow, manage favorites, and review history. Identify hyperlinks and verify urls by hovering to stay safe.

Learn how to search with different search engines, open links in new tabs to keep your original page, and download files safely with antivirus scanning and Save as options.

Watch a demonstration of search techniques on Google, including using minus for exclusions, quotes for exact phrases, and plus for mandatory terms, demonstrated with 'Red Sox' to find team-focused results.

Explore web browsers, comparing small differences, navigation, and what happens behind the scenes when using a browser as a client to a client-server application.

Explore networking terminology, discover different internet connection types and network types, and learn basic troubleshooting steps to fix common connectivity issues.

Compare dial-up to broadband speeds and explain bits, bytes, kilobytes, and megabits, then describe wired and wireless home networks with modems, routers, and wpa, wpa2, and wep.

Explore how home networks assign IP addresses with DHCP, the router as the default gateway, and DNS translating names to IP addresses, plus VPN encryption for remote access.

Explore how IP addresses are structured into network and host parts, diagnose DHCP and DNS issues with IP config and ping, and verify gateway and connectivity from home networks.

Explore basic network troubleshooting using the notification bar and control panel, and diagnose issues with ipconfig and ping for DNS, DHCP, and gateway settings.

Explore networking terminology, understand Internet connections across different networks, and identify the components that enable home access to the worldwide web, plus basic troubleshooting steps.

Explore email basics by examining login processes and email components, then compare typing messages with real-time communications such as live chat, voice, and video.

Understand how e-mail works from login to delivery, including composing messages with subject and body, cc/bcc, attachments, and signatures. Learn folder organization, spam handling, sent/deleted folders, and auto replies.

Navigate your inbox by using the folder pane and reading pane to view emails, preview content, and manage the message header, including from, subject, received date, and cc.

Learn how to create and send an email: open inbox, compose with recipients and cc, set a precise subject, address the message, and understand the send workflow and spam checks.

Learn to train your junk email filters and folders, use filters to classify messages, manage blocked senders and safe senders, and choose how junk items are saved or deleted.

Explore junk email management in Outlook: block senders, build a safe senders list, and set the junk protection level from none to high with automatic filtering and phishing protection.

Explore live chat and instant messengers including MSN Messenger, Gmail chat, Yahoo Messenger, and Facebook Messenger, covering chat history, emoticons, and privacy considerations with voice over IP services like Skype.

Understand how chat communications reveal good and bad behaviors, from spelling and abbreviations to avoid miscommunication, avoid yelling with caps, and steer clear of spam, bullying, flaming, libel and slander.

Compare chat programs such as Skype for text, voice, and video calls with encrypted communications, and learn contact management, privacy risks, and responsible online communication practices.

Explore real-time communications from texting and instant messaging to video calls and telepresence setups. Understand how bandwidth and latency shape voice and video quality and the impact of network traffic.

Understand how email servers store and forward messages using a simple message transfer protocol, and compare POP3 and IMAP in retrieving and storing emails, including login requirements and storage limits.

We review email basics, parts, signatures, and auto replies, and explore live chat options, including instant messaging, video, and voice, along with real-time issues and good versus bad online behavior.

Explore standards for communicating in the modern world and your legal, responsible use of content, programs, and other resources.

Develop professional online communication by considering audience, using correct spelling and capitalization, and avoiding defamation across blogs, tweets, and social media.

Learn legal and responsible use of information by understanding censorship, licensing—including EULA—and copyright, plus piracy risks and BitTorrent sharing of online media.

Learn to find help and information on Windows with help and support, perform tasks like file compression and changing settings in control panel, follow step-by-step guides, and explore TechNet resources.

Apply professional online communication standards by using clear formatting, capitalization, and acronyms, and understand licensing and legal requirements when duplicating photos, videos, or software.

Protect yourself online by understanding secure communications and data protection, and prevent physical strain by applying ergonomics when you spend long hours online.

Protect your online accounts by recognizing phishing and social engineering, using strong, unique passwords or passphrases, and verifying secure HTTPS connections with trusted certificates.

Understand data protection at rest by examining file systems, residual files, and how to wipe storage, then strengthen security with updates, firewalls, malware detection, and cookies.

Learn how to protect your computer from malware with real-time protection, up-to-date virus definitions, and effective scanning options like quick, full, and custom scans.

Adopt an ergonomic computer setup to prevent back, neck, and wrist strain by using curved keyboards for natural arm angles, chair and keyboard height, monitor distance, and lighting.

review this module's focus on safeguarding identity information, accounts, and passwords, while securing data and protecting your physical well-being through proper posture at a computer.

Explore web searching by using search engines, review examples of different search engines, and sift through results to determine credibility. Learn and apply advanced search options to refine your queries.

Learn to refine online searches with quotes for exact phrases, advanced search, and file type filters. Use site:, plus, and minus operators to tailor results while evaluating believability.

Evaluate online information by checking the source and reliability, beware of ads or sponsored links, and use knowledge bases like Kaybee articles or Cisco's site to verify results.

Use advanced search options to refine results by file types and extensions, media categories, and file size, and adjust safe search modes to balance content safety.

Explore advanced search options across major engines, refine queries with quotes and file type filters, and use site restrictions to locate specific word documents like Word and Excel.

Explore web searching with a demonstration of search engines, assess the believability of results, and use advanced search options to sift through the miscellaneous garbage to reach the desired results.

Navigate browsers, manage favorites, and understand home networks, dhcp and dns; compose emails with cc, subject, and body; master professional digital communication, advanced web searching, and information reliability.