This free course, Introducing computing and IT, provides a general overview of how digital technologies have come to dominate virtually every aspect of the modern world and some guidance on how to prepare for this digital life. It raises awareness of the importance of data security and online safety. It also provides an explanation of the internal structure and workings of a typical computer and describes hard and solid state drives in some detail.
Overview
Syllabus
- Introduction
- Learning outcomes
- 1 Computers: from rarity to ubiquity
- 1 Computers: from rarity to ubiquity
- 1.1 The telephone
- 1.2 The computer
- 1.3 The information society
- The rise of texting and messaging
- 1.4 Summary of Section 1
- 2 Some aspects of our information society
- 2 Some aspects of our information society
- 2.1 Business
- Commerce
- Work
- 2.2 Communities
- 2.3 Information
- 2.4 Entertainment
- 2.5 Public information and services
- Changing internet use over time
- Security and risk
- 2.6 Communicating on the move
- 2.7 Summary of Section 2
- 3 Participating in a digital world
- 3 Participating in a digital world
- 3.1 Netiquette: respecting other people online
- Other cues
- Moderation
- Some other advice
- 3.2 Ethical and legal considerations
- 3.3 Copyright
- 3.4 Good academic practice
- 3.5 Summary of Section 3
- 4 Are search engines bad for your health?
- 4 Are search engines bad for your health?
- 4.1 Childhood vaccinations
- 4.2 The number of myths
- 4.3 Countering myths
- 4.4 Explicit recommendations
- 4.5 Summary of Section 4
- 5 Hard disk drives: a conversation
- 5 Hard disk drives: a conversation
- 5.1 The structure of a hard disk drive
- 5.2 Storing files on a hard drive
- 5.3 Formatting a hard disk
- 5.4 Deleting data from an HDD
- How to permanently delete data from an HDD
- 5.5 Fragmentation
- 5.6 Summary of Section 5
- 6 Solid-state drives: The conversation continued
- 6 Solid-state drives: The conversation continued
- 6.1 Comparing SSDs and HDDs
- 6.2 How flash memory works
- 6.3 Writing data to an SSD
- 6.4 Deleting data from an SSD
- 6.5 Summary of Section 6
- Conclusion
- Glossary
- References
- Acknowledgements
