Introducing computing and IT

Course Descriptions

 

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.

 

Course learning outcomes

 

After studying this course, you should be able to:

  • understand the idea of a ‘digital world’
  • explain the role of computing and information technology (IT) in a digital world
  • understand the importance of keeping safe online
  • understand how the use of online search engines can influence your beliefs and actions
  • describe how data are stored on and deleted from a hard disk drive (HDD)
  • describe how data are stored on and deleted from a solid state drive (SSD).

You can start this course right now without signing-up. Click on any of the course content sections below to start at any point in this course.
If you want to be able to track your progress, earn a free Statement of Participation, and access all course quizzes and activities, sign-up.

Visited 2 times, 1 visit(s) today

Related Article

Real Madrid legend expecting to leave the club at the end of the season

2 A long-time member of the defensive ranks at La Liga giants Real Madrid sees his future as increasingly likely to be away from Spain’s capital beyond the coming summer. This comes amid confirmation that Dani Carvajal is inching towards becoming a free agent. Defender Carvajal is for his part fresh off another difficult outing

10 February 2026

The World Needs China’s Climate Tech. That’s the Dilemma

There’s a Chinese expression—zuò shan guan hǔ dòu—which roughly translates to “Sit on the mountain and watch tigers fight.” For attendees at this year’s World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, this image was on full display. Inside WEF’s Congress Center, wealthy nations circled and lunged. U.S. President Donald Trump’s Greenland theatrics made

10 February 2026

Michigan school classroom cell phone ban signed, takes effect in fall

Updated Feb. 10, 2026, 12:23 p.m. ET Michigan will implement a statewide policy banning smartphone use in classrooms starting in the 2026-27 school year. The new law requires school districts to create policies prohibiting phone use during instructional time, with some exceptions. Exceptions include use for medical needs, specific lessons, special education, and emergencies. Starting

10 February 2026
Senior management from Las Vegas Sands and Sands China, together with team members and Sands China Cares Ambassadors — around 300 participants in total —take part in the “Sands Cares Spring Celebrations with the Community” volunteer activity Feb. 3. (PRNewsfoto/Sands China Ltd.)

Sands China Unites for Chinese New Year Community Care Initiative

Senior management joins hands with team members to serve the Macao community through “Sands Cares” spirit MACAO, Feb. 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Chinese New Year is one of the most cherished festivals across Chinese communities worldwide. Each year, as Sands China joins global visitors in celebrating the season, it is the company’s tradition to turn festive

10 February 2026
Mainland China’s investors pour into Hong Kong-listed drug stocks, riding licensing wave

Mainland China’s investors pour into Hong Kong-listed drug stocks, riding licensing wave

Investors in mainland China raised their stakes in Hong Kong-listed drug makers through the cross-border trading link over the past week, as a wave of out-licensing deals between the country’s pharmaceutical firms and global partners rolls on. The Hang Seng Southbound Connect Hong Kong Innovative Drug Index, which tracks around 40 of the largest Hong

10 February 2026
A yellow processor on logic board.

Prediction: This Overlooked AI Chip Stock Could Be the Surprise Winner of 2026

Micron Technology is benefiting from surging artificial intelligence spending. While Micron Technology (MU 2.54%) stock has become popular with some tech enthusiasts, the company is not as widely known among investors as many other tech giants. Certainly it doesn’t have the name recognition of other leading artificial intelligence (AI) chip stocks like Nvidia. But Micron

10 February 2026

New face spotted in Barcelona training before Atlético clash

2 An up-and-coming member of the midfield ranks at La Liga giants Barcelona was on Tuesday spotted in first-team training alongside Hansi Flick’s star-studded squad. The player in question? Brian Fariñas. Fariñas, for his part, is a 20-year-old midfielder, capable of lining out in a number of roles in the middle of the park. He

10 February 2026

Marvel’s Kevin Feige Explains Why Ryan Coogler’s Sinners Should Win Best Picture

Kevin Feige, the president of Marvel Studios, recently shared why Ryan Coogler‘s Sinners should win Best Picture. What did Marvel’s Kevin Feige say about Sinners? Feige is no stranger to Coogler’s directorial efforts. Feige produced Coogler’s two Marvel movies, 2018’s Black Panther and 2022’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Feige earned a Best Picture nomination for

10 February 2026
People queue up to enter West Kowloon Court building hoping to secure seats in the public gallery for Jimmy Lai’s trial on February 9. Photo: Sam Tsang

Opinion | Collusion is a serious offence. Let Jimmy Lai’s case be an example

After 156 days of hearings, Jimmy Lai Chee-ying’s case finally came to a close with the former media boss sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment. Western media and critics will no doubt say, what a harsh sentence for a “democracy advocate” and “freedom fighter”. However, Lai was not accused of fighting for freedom or demanding

10 February 2026
I'm 58 With $1.8 Million Saved. Here's How I Stress-Tested My Tax Plan Before Retiring

I’m 58 With $1.8 Million Saved. Here’s How I Stress-Tested My Tax Plan Before Retiring

I’m 58 With $1.8 Million Saved. Here’s How I Stress-Tested My Tax Plan Before Retiring Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below. Quick Summary A 58-year-old with $1.8 million saved looked financially secure, but small tax and timing mistakes could still derail retirement. Before retiring,

10 February 2026
Youtube preview

Smart money levels, liquidity and trade ideas

This is a weekly trading outlook for forex, gold, and indices, focused on institutional price action, liquidity, and smart money positioning. In this video, I break down US30, NAS100, GBPUSD, EURUSD, GBPJPY, USDJPY, XAUUSD (gold), and XAGUSD (silver) using pure price action, identifying key supply and demand zones, liquidity pools, and high-probability trade ideas for

10 February 2026

Woman Transforms Health with Support of Intermountain Health Healthy Lifestyles Program

Michelle Wash After watching her mother battle and pass away from Parkinson’s disease at an early age, Michelle Wash, vowed not to let health issues overwhelm her own life in a negative way. In 2011, when she was diagnosed with a serious chronic kidney condition, she committed to playing an active role in determining the impacts of her diagnosis.   After living for 20 years in Nevada, she

10 February 2026
Hong Kong residential plot fetches US$230 million as Chinese developer outbids city rivals

Hong Kong residential plot fetches US$230 million as Chinese developer outbids city rivals

Hong Kong-listed mainland Chinese developer China Overseas Land & Investment won a bid for a 3,132-square-metre (33,712 sq ft) residential plot in Kowloon East, beating some of the city’s largest developers with a higher-than-expected tender. The state-backed developer beat eight rivals to secure a 50-year grant for the parcel in Ngau Tau Kok with its

10 February 2026

Trump Threatens to Block Bridge Between U.S. and Canada

President Donald Trump has threatened to block the opening of a $4.7 billion bridge connecting Detroit, Michigan, to Windsor, Ontario, in the latest display of frayed relations between the U.S. and Canada. In a lengthy social media post, Trump raised a number of issues against his northern neighbor and doubled down on his often-cited claim

10 February 2026
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x