Resources and links for Erdington 'Principles of IT' classes

Term 1 - Sept to Dec 2003

Week / date Subjects covered Relevant resources
Wk1
16/09/03

Induction
General introduction to course and resources.

This site for most literature and back-up materials

www.luvvit.com/college
Google, search engine www.google.com
City and Guilds e-quals - course details www.city-and-guilds.co.uk/e-quals
The history of computing project www.thocp.net
Wk2
23/09/03

Computers - what are they & how do they work?

  • What is a computer?
  • What is binary?
  • What are the components?
  • What can effect the components?
  • What is an operating system?
  • What is a Gooey / GUI?
  • A Binary Primer: Introduction

    Try Google / Altavista search:
    nibble bit byte word binary

    www.dnaco.net/~ivanjs/binprime.html
    C&G 7261 (old) glossary (appendix A) 212-apx_a.pdf
    C&G 7261 (old) appendices B - P 212-apx_btoend.pdf
    Wk3
    30/09/03
    System security and stability
    • Windows vs UNIX for security
    • viruses and trojans
    • hackers and Windows
    • network settings and firewalls
    • spyware
    • a few simple clean ups for Windows 4 (95,98 and ME)
    • making back-ups
    AVG antivirus by Grisoft www.grisoft.com
    Gibson Research, security issues www.grc.com
    MIcrosoft Corporation - Windows updates www.microsoft.com
    Regclean www.download.com
    Spyware list, Tom Cat www.tom-cat.com
    Ad-aware spyware remover www.lavasoftusa.com
    Zone-Alarm, free personal firewall www.zonelabs.com
    Sygate free personal firewall www.sygate.com
    Wk4
    07/10/03
    Class cancelled - internet down    
    Wk5
    14/10/03

    Searching for resources
    Using search engines to find resources for Windows:

    • Windows shortcuts
    • special characters
    • translations
    Google, uk search engine www.google.co.uk
    Altavista, uk search engine www.altavista.co.uk
    Ask Jeeves, uk search www.ask.co.uk
    Frameseach - multiple searches framesearch.net
    Babelfish translation babel.altavista.com
    Help with windows shortcuts support.microsoft.com
    Unicode www.unicode.org
    Wk6
    21/10/03

    Health and safety
    Research H&S issues and record any bits of interest in a Word document

    UK Health and Safety Executive www.hse.gov.uk
    Others

    safety.ngfl.gov.uk

    www.support4learning.co.uk

    www.healthycomputing.com

    www.healthandsafety.co.uk

    half term

     

       
    Wk7
    4 /11/03

    Recap

    • post-half-term IT Quiz-o-rama
    • look at this half term
    • general admin & stuff
    • start looking at peripherals and connecting up
    The quiz poit/it_quiz.pdf
    Wk8
    11 /11/03

    Okay then, lets hack one to bits & see what there is:

    • CPU
    • memory
    • primary storage
    • back-up storage
    • motherboard
    • cards

    Relevant City and Guilds tests

    212-tests.pdf
    Wk9
    18 /11/03

    Peripheral devices - printers, keyboards, mices & VDUs

    • input devices
    • output devices
    • shopping online & pricing it all up
    Fill-in-the-blanks exercise poit/hardware.pdf
    Wk10
    25/11/03
    Computer Hardware: finding and installing drivers    
    Wk11
    02 /12/03

    So, what exactly is a web server then?

    • comparison of PCs and servers
    • comparison of Windows vs Linux
    • join-up with Geocities
    De-mystifying the server - part 1 servers.html
    De-mystifying the server - part 2 servers2.html
    Sun Cobalt Linux servers Sun Cobalt RAQ
    Microsoft Windows 2003 servers Windows 2003 Server
    Wk12
    09 /12/03

    Integrated Applications

    • What are the are the pro's & con's?
    • a brief look at each application
    • Microsoft office - what does it do?
    • take notes, build a table of info in a spreadsheet
    • convert to a Word document
    A quick look at Microsoft Office www.microsoft.com/office
    IBM Lotus www.lotus.com/about
    KDE KOffice www.koffice.org
    Wk13
    16 /12/03

    Word Processing

    • typing a letter
    • checking spelling
    • formatting text
       


    Last updated 21/10/03

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