TED 501 Computer Hardware, Operating Systems, and Networking for Educators

Course Description

The TED 501 goal is to provide an easy to understand introduction to the basic fundamentals of how a computer works with the hope that you will acquire the skills and understanding necessary to meet the demands of the ETS -- to be able to upgrade, repair, maintain, and troubleshoot computers for the purpose of providing positive learning environments and experiences for a diverse array of end users (including yourself!). (3 credits)

Objectives

Students will:

• Examine different hardware components that are inside and connected to a computer
• Evaluate the use of Device Manager and System Information to examine the system
• Create a basic procedure for building a computer
• Compare the different kinds of physical memory (RAM) used on the motherboard
• Analyze how hard drives work and organize data
• Examine how to connect peripherals using ports, wireless connections, and expansion slots
• Examine how to install printers and share them over a local area network
• Identify how to maintain printers and troubleshoot printer problems
• Integrate procedures to protect against viruses, Trojan horses, and worms
• Outline the use of networks, network protocols, and network architectures

Curriculum Design & Time Requirements

Forum discussion will be a deciding factor in whether a course grade should be rounded up to the higher letter or down to the lower letter. The online course weeks begin on Tuesdays and end on Monday night at midnight. This is an online three credit graduate level course that is completed over a thirteen-week period.

Hardware & Computer Skill Requirements

Students may use either a Macintosh computer or a PC with Windows 2000 or higher. Students should possess basic word processing skills and have internet access with an active e-mail account. Students also are expected to have a basic knowledge of how to use a Web browser, such as Microsoft Internet Explorer, Safari, Mozilla Firefox etc.

Course Materials

The required texts for this course are:

• Understanding and Troubleshooting Your PC, Gary B. Shelly, Thomas J. Cashman, Jean Andrews, Lisa Jedlicka
  Cengage Learning (Thomson) Course Technology, 2004
• The School Network Handbook, EDC (Education Development Center), ISTE, 2002

The recommended text for this course is:

PC Technician Street Smarts, James Pyles, Wiley Publishing, Inc., 2007
ISBN-13: 9780470486511, ISBN: 0470486511, Edition Number: 2

Session Outline

Session 1: Introductions and Orientation to How Computers Work
Contents:

1. Introduce yourself to your colleagues.
2. Labeling the motherboard
3. Input and output devices
4. Ports and cables

Session 2: The Operating System
Contents:

1. Mastering the mouse
2. Folder trees
3. File extensions
4. Drivers

Session 3: Motherboard, CPU, Boot and BIOS
Contents:

1. Observing the boot process
2. Troubleshooting Questions

Session 4: Memory
Contents:

1. Installing memory
2. Types of memory
3. Upgrading memory

Session 5: Hard Drives, Storage Media and Devices
Contents:

1. Installing storage devices
2. Optical storage devices
3. Hard drive and storage media capacity

Session 6: Input, Output, and Multimedia Devices (Peripherals)
Contents:

1. 5 ways to increase your computer speed
2. Connecting peripherals using ports, wireless connections, and expansion slots
3. Multimedia technologies

Session 7: Printers
Contents:

1. Troubleshooting
2. Ink Jets vs. Laser printers

Session 8: Maintenance and Troubleshooting
Contents:

1. Maintaining your PC
2. Backups
3. Virus Protection

Session 9: Connecting PCs to a Network
Contents:

1. Networks
2. Network protocols
3. Network architectures
4. Internet technologies

Session 10: Networks Part 1
Contents:

1. Bandwidth
2. Network topology
3. Logical network architecture

Session 11: Networking Part 2
Contents:

1. What is a router?
2. What is a hub?
3. Wireless LANS
4. Firewalls

Session 12: The Role and Responsibilities of the ETS
Contents:

1. Translating jargon

Grading

		Assignment	Points
		Weekly Class Activities	44
		Discussion Forums	20
		Individual KB Project	25
		Two Article Summaries	10
		Final Reflection	1
		Total Points	100

Student Academic Integrity

Participants guarantee that all academic class work is original. Any academic dishonesty or plagiarism (to take ideas, writings, etc. from another and offer them as one's own), is a violation of student academic behavior standards as outlined by our partnering colleges and universities and is subject to academic disciplinary action.