Course Content
1. Hardware and Software
This section will deal with computers (and other peripherals) and their components. It is imperative that we understand what constitutes a computer in order to understand how to work with them. Understanding the parts that make up a computer will lead to an understanding of how a computer works as a whole. In this section, we will "demystify" the inner workings of a computer, which we usually don't fully understand. Once you have deconstructed the inside of the computer in its entirety, you will feel more confident to continue your quest for digital skills because you will understand the so-called "tangible" parts of the machine and will be able to better locate the different operations on one's computer or other devices. This section will not deal with the inner workings of all the different electronic devices that exist (smartphones, tablets, games consoles etc.) as there are too many of them. However, they all have very similar components and functions to a computer. In this section, we will introduce the basics of hardware and software as well as the basics of connectivity.
2. The basics of problem-solving
This part deals with the basic tasks to be done with a computer to avoid issues or to solve basic problems we can encounter when using a computer: searching for space (disk) on the computer, making sure the computer's software is updated… These topics combined will enable you to use the computer independently and with confidence.
3. Business Tool: Microsoft Office
How can we talk about the basics of ICT without mentioning the Microsoft Office Suite! Microsoft Office is a set of office applications tools. It can be used on a computer, tablet or mobile. Among these tools, it offers several possibilities, each with its own use and particularities: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, One Note or Outlook. This software allows you to work faster and more efficiently on your business tasks and to improve your own documents. In the field of “office” tools, Microsoft Office is the must-have suite for most companies or home users, even if we have to pay for it. However, there are other free alternatives such as Open Office (including LibreOffice) which can also be a solution for beginners. But, later on, using this free option may create compatibility problems between certain document formats. In addition, the functions are limited compared to Microsoft Office. The Google collaborative tool (GoogleDoc, GoogleSheet…) is also one of those free alternatives that can be a good compromise between the two. By the way, if you want to know more about this last tool, it will be developed in another module!
Final Quiz
References
-
5.1
2.1 Storage Management
Storage management is another essential part of basic computer use, as we need to know exactly how much space on our storage/Hard disk we have left to, for example, download new applications or software, write documents and save them, update our software… For a computer, it is used to store data, information and instructions.
- Internal storage
We can compare the internal storage as a book or a notebook where everything that is written in it stays there and is ready for you to read or write on it. Unlike RAM, which was introduced above, the information will still be existing when the computer is turned off and accessible when turned back on. In a computer, the operating system itself for example is stored on the internal storage device.
There are two types of storage disks that allow you to store information inside your computer.
HDD or Hard drive is the most common storage device used in computers for decades which offers the largest amount of storage for an affordable price and SSD (Solid-State Drive) which is faster, more durable, much more energy-efficient, quieter but also more expensive!
(Optional lecture) If you want to know more about HDDs and SSDs, you can read this article which talks in detail about the different types of hard drives and their use, pros and cons.
- External storage
As an entrepreneur, you may need to use external storage devices. Indeed, by connecting it to your computer, it allows to increase its storage capacity but also to be used on several devices because it is portable. you can indeed disconnect it from your computer and move it around, everything that has been stored inside. They are easy to use and can also be very useful as backup storage for your important data if your computer crashes.
Using an external hard drive is simple: you plug them on your computer (most of the time on the USB port), they appear on your computer, and you can simply click and drag your files onto them to copy the files onto the hard drive. By files, we mean various forms of media (photos, videos, documents…) and software.
External Hard Disk
USB flash drive
- Cloud storage
Cloud storage is a model that stores data on the Internet through a cloud computing provider who manages and operates data storage as a service. This gives you agility, global scale and durability, with “anytime, anywhere” data access which can be very useful as an entrepreneur if you do not want to if you don’t want to take your external hard drive with you everywhere.
3 2 1 Basics of Cloud Storage (6 min)
Activity: Check on your storage space status (5 min)
To check the internal storage space on your system on Windows:
- Go to Windows settings, by clicking on the windows logo at the bottom left and then by clicking on the gear icon. →
- In the Windows settings interface click on “System” and then “Storage” on the left-side panel.
Source: https://www.isunshare.com/windows-10/how-to-check-what-is-taking-space-on-hard-drive-windows-10.html
To check the internal storage space on your system on macOs:
- From the Apple menu in the upper left corner of your screen, choose “About This Mac”.
- Then click on “Storage” to see the amount of storage space available.