
Discover the importance of information technology and its basics for everyday life and work. See how information technology informs device choices, medical imaging, accounting, and career paths including freelancing.
Cloud computing provides on-demand access to data storage and computing power via internet-based data centers, with providers managing servers, networks, and storage so you can focus on your applications.
Explore cpu brands and families from Intel and AMD, including core, Ryzen, Xeon, Epyc, and Celeron, and learn which processors fit home, office, or server workloads.
Discover how a hard disk drive stores and retrieves data with magnetic platters, spinning disks, read/write heads, and tracks and sectors, serving as long-term memory alongside RAM.
The motherboard acts as the computer's backbone, a main circuit board that connects the CPU, RAM, hard drive, optical drive, video card, sound card, and distributes power.
Explore the fundamentals of computer operating systems in IT fundamentals, and learn how operating systems enable hardware and software to work together.
Explore how the operating system ensures security with password protection, manages memory and processes, coordinates devices, and organizes files to optimize performance.
Explore the basics of computer software within IT fundamentals in this introduction to how software fits into computing.
When the computer's operating system requires an action from an attached device, the request must go through the computer's BIOS (Basic Input-Output System)
Learn software management from a system administration perspective across five stages: download, install, configure, run, and support, while noting the pre administration development, testing, and deployment to production.
Explore networking as part of IT fundamentals to understand how networks connect devices and support computing environments.
Explore the fundamentals of IP addresses, including IPv4 and IPv6, private versus public IPs, and how static and DHCP assignments shape device connectivity and DNS translation.
Compare OSI and TCP/IP architectures, highlighting OSI's seven layers versus TCP/IP's four, with mappings such as physical and data link to the internet layer, and ISO versus ARPANET origins.
Sql, or structured query language, is a command line language used to access data in relational database tables. Its syntax mirrors English with keywords like select and join.
Explore how computers translate text into eight bits per byte and scale storage from kilobytes to petabytes using 1024-based units.
Explore Ram, swap, virtual memory, and cache as short-term computer memory, and learn their distinct roles and performance differences.
Explore the difference between SATA and SAS, two serial storage interfaces, including serial communication, speed, reliability, cost, and typical desktop versus server use.
Compare hardware raid and software raid to weigh control, cost, and reliability; hardware raid uses a vendor controller for fault tolerance, while software raid uses OS resources and mirrors disks.
Identify top data storage vendors such as Dell EMC, HP, NetApp, Hitachi Data Systems, and IBM, and note market shifts from acquisitions, partnerships, cloud data services, and nvme storage initiatives.
Create virtual machines with VMware Player or Oracle VirtualBox, configure hardware like memory and disk, set up network bridging, and prepare for installing Windows or Linux.
Explore the major security threats facing computers and networks, including hacking, malware, phishing, ransomware, spam, spoofing, spyware, trojan horses, viruses, worms, DDoS, farming, and wi-fi eavesdropping, with practical prevention insights.
Explore how house security concepts map to computer security, focusing on the operating system, accounts, and permissions to protect a Linux-based system.
Whether you are new to the computers or just want to brush up on your skills, this course provides information technology literacy and basic skills training for learners with limited experience. Course learning outcomes focus on skill development related to basic computer operations and information technology. This course is highly recommended to those who are entering into IT field and for those who want to improve their computer skills in order to enhance their work productivity.
In this course, each numbered section covers related computer skills divided into Learning Activities
Here is the list of topic that will be covered in the course:
Section 1 - Introduction to IT
True meaning of IT
Importance of IT
What is a computer?
Computer language (0 and 1 concept)
Quiz and handouts
Section 2 - Computer Components
Hardware
Software or operating system
Application software
Networking
Database
Storage
Virtualization and Cloud
Security
Quiz, handouts and homework
Section 3 – Hardware
Different types of computers
RAM and installing RAM
CPU, CPU cores and sockets
Installing CPU
32 vs. 64-bit processing
Hard disk drive
Motherboard
Other internal parts of a computer (Fan, power supply, CDROM etc.
External components of a computer (Keyboard, monitor, mouse, printer etc.)
Hardware manufacturers
Computer comparison with human body
Quiz, handouts and homework
Section 4 - Operating System
Types of operating systems
Function of OS
Building OS
CLI vs. GUI operating systems
Computer boot process
OS file systems management
Quiz, handouts and homework
Section 5 - Software
Software and types of software
System software
Application software
Freeware and shareware
Open-source software
BIOS and Accessing
Program and services
Quiz and handouts
Section 6 – Networking
How computers communicate
IP address (Static vs. DHCP)
TCP/IP
Gateway
Subnet mask
Computer MAC address
OSI layer
OSI vs. TCP/IP
Protocols and Ports
Types of Network Devices (Hub, Switch, Modem, Router, Access point)
How internet works
Quiz and handouts
Section 7 – Database
Database introduction
What is RDBMS?
What is SQL?
Top 5 RDBMS using SQL
Quiz and handouts
Section 8 – Storage
Computer storage introduction
How storage is calculated (KB, MB, GB etc.)
Types of computer storage
Difference between RAM, SWAP, Virtual Memory, Cache etc.
Hard Disk and Solid-State drives
RAID
Hardware RAID vs. software RAID
Top data storage vendors
Quiz and handouts
Section 9 - Virtualization and Cloud
Introduction to virtualization
How virtualization works?
Basic virtualization terms
Benefits of virtualization
Difference between virtualization and cloud
Virtualization technology companies
VMWare workstation player installation
Oracle VirtualBox installation
Setting up virtual machines (VM)
Quiz and handouts
Section 10 – Security
Types of security breach
Types of security threat
Comparing house security with computer security
Securing all Operating Systems
Security implementation tools
Physical server security
Application and DB encryption
Quiz and handouts
Section 11 - Windows Operating Systems Management
Version of Windows OS
Download and install Windows
Windows system access
File system and description
User account management
System resource monitoring
Windows event logs
Server manager dashboard
Check system hardware through device manager
Roles and features
Active directory and domain controller
Quiz and handouts
Section 12 - Linux Operating Systems Management
Linux distributions
Download and install Linux (CentOS)
Accessing Linux
Download and install Putty client
Access Linux VM via Putty
File system structure and description
File system navigation commands
Directory listing overview
Creating files and directories
System utility commands
System monitoring commands
System maintenance commands
Quiz and handouts
Section 13 - Troubleshooting Concepts
Follow policies and standards
Documentation or ticking process
Patience to work with user and groups
Get Online Help
Understand the Issue Before Making a Decision
Tracing System Logs
Involve vendors
Congratulations
Don't give up
Quiz and handouts
Section 14 - Introduction to AI and ChatGPT
What is AI
History of AI
Features of AI
What is ChatGPT
Difference Between ChatGPT and Search Engines
Difference Between AI and Robots
Benefits of AI
Limitation and Challenges of AI
Quiz
Section 15 - Introduction to DevOps
What is DevOps
History of DevOps
Pre-DevOps Challenges
Collaboration of teams
Benefits of DevOps
Importance of DevOps
Quiz
Section 16 - Additional Resource
Bonus