Visualizing Technology, Introductory / Edition 2

by Debra Geoghan, Author Supplements

Overview

This book is unlike anything you've seen before. You won't find long paragraphs of text that go on forever; instead you will find a highly visual layout with bite-sized chunks of texts, images used to represent concepts, making them easy to remember, chapters organized as articles with catchy headlines, and a Facebook page to stimulate and foster discussion.

What is a computer? Hardware. File Management. Digital Devices and Multimedia. Application Software. System Software. The Internet and World Wide Web. Communicating and Sharing: The Social Web. Networks and Communication. Security and Privacy. Databases. Software and Application Development. Blogger. Mind Maps. Google Docs.

With an innovative and easy to read writing style, Visualizing Technology teaches readers the basics of using a computer, from File Management to Hardware and Software and the Internet.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780133110685
Publisher:	Pearson
Publication date:	01/23/2013
Pages:	464
Product dimensions:	9.90(w) x 9.80(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Debra Geoghan is currently an associate professor of computer and information science at Bucks County Community College, teaching computer classes ranging from basic computer literacy to cybercrime, computer forensics, and networking. She has earned certifications from Microsoft, CompTIA, Apple, and others. Deb has taught at the college level since 1996 and also spent 11 years in the high school classroom. She holds a B.S. in Secondary Science Education from Temple University and an M.A. in Computer Science Education from Arcadia University.

Throughout her teaching career, Deb has worked with other educators to integrate technology across the curriculum. At BCCC, she serves on many technology committees, presents technology workshops for BCCC faculty, and runs a summer workshop for K-12 teachers interested in using technology in their classrooms. Deb is an avid user of technology which has earned her the nickname “gadget lady”.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 What Is a Computer?

WHAT DOES A COMPUTER DO?

Objective 1. Explain the Functions of a Computer

· Necessity Is the Mother of Invention

· The Information Processing Cycle

· How To Use QR Codes (Android and iOS)

A BRIEF HISTORY OF COMPUTERS

Objective 2. Describe the Evolution of Computer Hardware

·	Histor	y of Computers
	o	First-generation computers
	o	Second-generation computers
	o	Third-generation computers
·	o Moore	Fourth-generation computers ’s Law

BITS AND BYTES

Objective 3. Describe How Computers Represent Data Using Binary Codes

· Binary Code

· Measuring data

LET’S GET PERSONAL

Objective 4. List the Various Types and Characteristics of Personal Computers

· Desktop Computers

· Notebook Computers

· MAC OR PC?

· Ergonomics

BEYOND THE DESKTOP

Objective 5. Give Examples of Other Personal Computing Devices

· Mobile Devices

o Smartphones and tablets

o Gps and wearables

· Video Game Systems

· How to Capture a Screenshot of Your Desktop

MULTIUSER COMPUTERS

Objective 6. List the Various Types and Characteristics of Multiuser Computers

· Servers

· Supercomputers

· Distributed and Grid Computing

COMPUTERS ARE EVERYWHERE — UBIQUITOUS COMPUTING

Objective 7. Explain Ubiquitous Computing and Convergence

· Embedded Computers

· Convergence

G REEN COMPUTING: Smart Homes

C AREER SPOTLIGHT: Bioinformatics

M i ndMap , Summary, EOC Exercises and Application Projects

Chapter 2 Application Software

MAKING BUSINESS WORK

Objective 1. Identify Types and Uses of Business Productivity Software

· Office Suites

o Word processing

o Spreadsheet software o Presentation software o Database software

o Personal information manager

· Other Types Of Business Software

o Financial

o Document management

o Project management

MAKING IT PERSONAL

Objective 2. Identify Types and Uses of Personal Software

· Office Applications

· Finance and Tax Preparation Software

· Entertainment and Multimedia Software

o Media management

o Video and photo editing

o Games

· Educational and Reference Software

o Trip planning

o Genealogy

o Home and landscape design

· Portable Apps

· How To Create a Document Using WordPad or TextEdit

WILL IT RUN?

Objective 3. Assess a Computer System for Software Compatibility

· Your System Specs

· System Requirements

WHERE TO GET IT

Objective 4. Compare Various Ways of Obtaining Software

· Licensing

· Free or Fee

· Sources of Software

o Retail brick-and-mortar stores

o Retail websites

o Publisher websites

o Software download websites

YOUR HEAD IN THE CLOUD

Objective 5. Discuss the Importance of Cloud Computing

· Cloud Computing

o Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS)

o Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS)

o Software-as-a-Service (SaaS)

· How To Edit Photos with Photoshop Express Editor Online

MANAGING SOFTWARE ON YOUR SYSTEM

Objective 6. Install, Uninstall, and Update Software

· Installing Software

· Updating and Uninstalling Software

G REEN COMPUTING: Online and Downloaded Programs vs. Store-Bought Software

C AREER SPOTLIGHT: Software Trainers

M i ndMap , Summary, EOC Exercises and Application Projects

Chapter 3 File Management

A PLACE FOR EVERYTHING

Objective 1. Create Folders to Organize Files

· Navigating Your Computer

o File Explorer

o The Windows user folder

o Windows libraries

o Apple OS X Finder and folders

o Mobile devices and file storage

· Creating and Using Folders

· How To Organize Your Files

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

Objective 2. Explain the Importance of File Extensions

· File Names and Extensions

· File Properties

BACK IT UP

Objective 3. Explain the Importance of Backing Up Files

· Windows Backup

· OS X Time Machine

· Other Backup Software

· Backup to the Cloud

· Cloud Storage

SHRINK IT

Objective 4. Demonstrate How To Compress Files

· Types of File Compression

· Working with File Compression

· How To Create a Compressed (Zipped) Folder

IT’S ALWAYS IN THE LAST PLACE YOU LOOK

Objective 5. Use Advanced Search Options to Locate Files

· Using Windows to Search For Files

· Searching In OS X

· Using Boolean Logic to Refine Searches

THAT’S NOT THE PROGRAM I WANT TO OPEN THIS FILE TYPE

Objective 6. Change the Default Program Associated With a File Type

· Setting Program Defaults

· Managing File Type Associations

G REEN COMPUTING: The Paperless Office

C AREER SPOTLIGHT: Certification of Federal Records Management

M i ndMap , Summary, EOC Exercises and Application Projects

Chapter 4 Hardware

THE CPU: THE BRAINS OF THE OPERATION

· Instruction Cycle

· CPU Performance

o Parallel processing

o Pipelining

· Cooling System: Air Conditioning for the Processor

Objective 1. Explain the Function of a CPU

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR SYSTEM UNIT AND MOTHERBOARD

Ob j e c t iv e 2. Identify the Parts of a System Unit and Motherboard

· The Motherboard

o Expansion cards

o Data buses

o Ports and connectors

o BIOS

· Memory

o Random access memory

o Cache memory

A PLACE FOR EVERYTHING

Objective 3. Compare Storage Devices

· Optical Discs

o CDs

o DVDs

o Blu-ray

· Solid-State Storage

o Flash drives, SSDs

o Memory cards

· Hard Drives

· How To Assess Your Computer Hardware

WHAT GOES IN…

Objective 4. List and Describe Common Input Devices

· Keyboards

· The Mouse and Other Pointing Devices

o Mouse

o Touchpad

o Touch input

· Digital Cameras and Webcams

· Scanners

o Optical scanners

o RFID scanners, magnetic strip readers, and near field communication

o Biometric scanners

· Microphones and Game Controllers

…MUST COME OUT

Objective 5. List and Describe Essential Video and Audio Output Devices

· Video Output Devices

o Monitors

o Projectors

o Video cards

· Audio Output Devices

o Speakers

o Headphones

o Sound cards

PICK A PRINTER

Objective 6. Compare Various Types of Printers

· Inkjet Printers

· Photo Printers

· Dye-Sublimation Printers

· Thermal Printers

· Laser Printers

· Multifunction Devices

· Plotters and 3d Printers

· How To Manage Printing on Your Computer

ADAPTATION: MAKING TECHNOLOGY WORK FOR YOU

Objective 7. Explain and Provide Examples of Adaptive Technology

· Adaptive Input Devices

· Adaptive Output Devices

COMMUNICATE, COMMUNICATE, COMMUNICATE

Objective 8. Discuss Important Communication Devices

· Network Adapters

· Modems

· Fax Devices

G REEN COMPUTING: Shop Smart

C AREER SPOTLIGHT: Computer Sales

M i ndMap , Summary, EOC Exercises and Application Projects

Chapter 5 System Software

Objective

WHO’S THE BOSS?

Objective 1. Explain What an Operating System Does

· Provides User Interface

· Manages Resources

· Manages and Controls Hardware

· Interacts With Software

· How To Examine and Update Your Printer Driver

RUNNING THE SHOW ON PERSONAL COMPUTERS

Objective 2. Compare Desktop Operating Systems

· Windows

· Mac

· Linux

MAKE YOUR OS WORK FOR YOU

Objective 3. Configure a Desktop Operating System

· Configuring Your OS

· How To Keep Your Desktop OS Up To Date

SOMETHING SPECIAL FOR YOU

Objective 4. Compare Specialized Operating Systems

· Embedded Operating Systems

THE NOS KNOWS

Objective 5. Compare the Most Common Network Operating Systems

· Comparing Modern Network Operating Systems

UTILITIES YOU SHOULD USE

Objective 6. List and Explain Important Disk Utility Software

· Why Use Utilities?

· Utilities for Disk Health

o Disk Checking

o Optimize Drives

o Disk Cleanup

G REEN COMPUTING: Power Management

C AREER SPOTLIGHT: Help Desk

M i ndMap , Summary, EOC Exercises and Application Projects

Chapter 6 Digital Devices and Multimedia

DIGITAL CAMERA BASICS

Objective 1. Explain the Features of Digital Cameras

· Key Features

o Resolution

o Storage

o Lenses

· Types of Digital Cameras

o Point-and-shoot

o Compact system cameras

o Digital single lens reflex (DSLR)

BRIDGING THE GAP: TRANSFERRING PHOTOS

Objective 2. Compare Methods for Transferring Images from a Digital Camera

· Memory Cards

· USB or FireWire Cable

· Wireless Transfer

· Transferring To the Cloud

A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS: EDITING, PRINTING, AND SHARING PHOTOS

Objective 3. Identify Several Ways to Edit and Print Photos

· Editing Photos

o Editing software

o Online editing

· Printing and Sharing Photos

o Image file formats

o Pictbridge

o Kiosks

o Online printing and sharing

· How To Edit a Photo

MAKING SENSE OF SOUND

Objective 4. Recognize Important Audio File Types

· Audio File Types

· Media Software

· Speech Recognition

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION

Objective 5. Describe Several Ways to Create Videos

· Screen Capture

· Webcams and Video Conferencing

· Webcasting and Streaming Video

· Video Cameras

· Sharing Video

o Video editing

o YouTube

· How To Edit Videos Using the YouTube Video Editor

ON THE MOVE WITH TECHNOLOGY

Objective 6. Compare Portable Media Players, Tablets, and Smartphones

· Portable Media Players

· Smartphones

· Tablets

o E-readers GREEN COMPUTING: E-Waste CAREER SPOTLIGHT: Health Care

M i ndMap , Summary, EOC Exercises and Application Projects

Chapter 7 The Internet

INTERNET TIMELINE

Objective 1. Recognize the Importance of the Internet

· How It All Got Started

· World Wide Web

· Internet2

GET CONNECTED

Objective 2. Compare Types of Internet Connections

· How Do You Get Connected?

o Dial-up

o Broadband

o Wireless

· Connecting Without a Computer?

SURF’S UP

Objective 3. Compare Popular Web Browsers

· Browsers

o Internet Explorer

o Firefox

o Chrome

o Safari

o Mobile browsers

· Configuring Your Web Browser

o Setting the home page

o Setting the search providers

· Add-Ons, Plug-Ins, and Toolbars

· How To Manage Browser Home page, Favorites, and Search

NAVIGATING THE NET

Objective 4. Demonstrate How to Navigate the Web

o Web Addresses

o Smart Searching

o How To Use Google Drive

WOULD I LIE TO YOU?

Objective 5. Discuss How to Evaluate the Credibility of Information Found On the Web

o Who Wrote It?

o What About the Design?

G REEN COMPUTING: Telecommuting To Save

C AREER SPOTLIGHT: Web Designer

M i ndMap , Summary, EOC Exercises and Application Projects

Chapter 8 Communicating and Sharing: The Social Web

TALK TO ME

Objectives 1. Compare Different Forms of Synchronous Online Communication

· Chat and IM

· VoIP

LEAVE A MESSAGE

Objectives 2. Compare Different Forms of Asynchronous Online Communication

· How Do You Read and Send Email?

· Text and Multimedia Messaging

· Forums and Discussion Boards

THERE’S A PLACE FOR EVERYONE . . .

Objectives 3. Discuss the Impact of Social Media in Society

· Social Network Sites

o Facebook

o Business social networks

o Virtual worlds

· Social Video, Image, and Music Sites

· How To Create a LinkedIn Profile

GET YOUR WORD OUT

· Objectives 4. Locate User-Generated Content in the Form of a Blog or Podcast

· Blogs

· Podcasts

· RSS

· How To Create a Blog with Blogger

THE WISDOM OF THE CROWD

Objectives 5. Discuss How Wikis and Other Social Media Sites Rely on the Wisdom of the Crowd

· Wikis

· Social Review Sites

· Social Bookmarking and News Sites

E-COMMERCE

Objectives 6. Explain the Influence of Social Media on E-Commerce

· Types of E-Commerce

· How Safe Is My Credit Card?

G REEN COMPUTING: Raising Social Awareness

C AREER SPOTLIGHT: Blogger

M i ndMap , Summary, EOC Exercises and Application Projects

Chapter 9 Networks and Communication

FROM SNEAKERNET TO HOTSPOTS

Objective 1. Discuss the Importance of Computer Networks

· Peer-To-Peer Networks

· Client-Server Networks

· How To Share Files and Printers Using a Windows Homegroup

LANS AND WANS

Objective 2. Compare Different Types of LANS and WANS

· Small Networks

· LAN topologies

· Large Networks

HARDWARE

Objective 3. List and Describe the Hardware Used In both Wired and Wireless Networks

· Network Adapters

· Network Hardware

SOFTWARE AND PROTOCOLS

Objective 4. List and Describe Network Software and Protocols

· Peer-To-Peer Network Software

· Client-Server Network Software

· Network Protocols

· How To Examine Network and Sharing Settings

PROTECTING YOUR NETWORK

· Objective 5. Explain How to Protect a Network

· Layer 1: The Fence

· Layer 2: Door Locks

· Layer 3: Alarm Systems

· Layer 4: Guard Dogs

G REEN COMPUTING: Server Virtualization

C AREER SPOTLIGHT: Network Administrator

MindMap, Summary, EOC Exercises and Application Projects