The Challengers

Content Outline

In Introduction to Technology, students will be introduced  to Business Systems, Operating Systems,   Software Applications, Web design, , and the Information Technology Industry.  At the end of the yearlong course, students will understand the basic fundamentals of computers and communication skills for the 21st century.  They will collaborate with peers and work independently to familiarize them with technology. Students will be able to complete these course objectives: 

Learning Objectives

The student will:

• Demonstrate comprehension and communication skills
• Use technology to enhance communication
• Develop an awareness  of management and organizational structures
• Practice quality assurance
• Incorporate leadership, customer service and standards of personal ethics to enhance workplace performance
• Apply mathematical and financial planning strategies  to common business situations
• Assess personal strengths as they relate to career goal
• Develop a career portfolio
• Participate in work based learning experience
• Perform email activities
• Demonstrate knowledge of operating systems
• Demonstrate proficiency in HTML
• Demonstrate proficiency in page design for the web
• Demonstrate proficiency in web design software
• Develop an awareness of the Information Technology Industry
• Develop and awareness of computers and processors
• Develop an awareness of programming languages
• Develop an awareness of emerging technologies
• Demonstrate and understanding  of the layers of Open Systems Interface Model
• Demonstrate proficiency in Software Applications

Students will spend the first quarter learning about the Internet and the basic functions of the computer including the seven layers of the Open Systems Interface Model.  Students will have tasks that they need to complete.  This is comparable to a scavenger hunt, where the students will explore the computer and all of its aspects.  Some of the basic components for this module will involve: sending and receiving an email, locating valid websites for information, multitasking simultaneous programs, and becoming familiar with technology lingo such as network, server, home page, URL, and search engine.

Next, students will advance to other facets of computers.  In the second quarter, students will utilize the multitude of tools on Microsoft Word and Excel 2007.  Students will demonstrate awareness of the keyboard and its features such as the alt key and F1 through F12 buttons; create a chart; implement mastery of inserting hyperlinks, bookmarks, headers, and footers; change margins, spacing, and indentation; cite a reference and insert a table of contents; and review and edit with a thesaurus and comment box.  In Excel, student will create spreadsheets and learn the formulas to perform mathematical functions. 

In addition to Microsoft Word, students will experience Publisher and PowerPoint.  They will complete three modules in the third quarter on these two programs.  Custom animation will be a key role in the PowerPoint section this quarter.  Students will insert various charts, graphs, and pictures, and they will implement animation to swoop in and out those elements.  In Publisher, students will create resumes and brochures based on a student-selected topic.  This will incorporate researching the Internet skills from the first quarter with the implementation of Microsoft Office programs.   PowerPoint presentations and brochures or fliers created on Publisher will be the main projects.

The fourth quarter will require that students have a vast knowledge of fundamental hardware, such as digital camera, scanner, web cam, etc. Students will integrate research and Microsoft Office skills to create a website with HTML coding, which will include pictures taken and uploaded from the digital camera, a video from a web cam, or an image uploaded from a scanner.  Throughout each quarter, students will write a blog and interact with other students taking the course.  The instructor, who will also leave feedback for the students, will monitor this.