Certified Information Technology Specialist
Program Summary
This course introduces students to technical skills needed to compete successfully within the IT career industry. Each lesson is structured to teach students critical analytic and assessment skills, along with interpersonal skills that are becoming more crucial for IT employees.
This program explores a wide range of career choices: network engineers, systems analysts and application/programming developers among them. Each of these career paths is expounded upon in detail; job duties are discussed in depth as well as licensing and educational requirements, job outlooks and working conditions.
Each of the lessons leads students along the path of evolution of the technology used, and toward career choices that they will learn about and have a role in future development. The program was developed with the knowledge that the most successful IT professionals have a combination of leadership ability and tech know-how. Students learn that their expertise comes with the responsibility of representing themselves and their company with top-notch ethical and legal standards.
Objectives
- Determine basic elements and makeup of computer systems and their use within a communications and networking system.
- Create and employ a basic network during introduction to many types of network systems.
- Apply industry standard security policies and ethics to networks.
- Discuss historical development and Internt use by society and business.
- Discuss the evolution of human-centered tech interaction.
- Use mobile technology capabilities for learning and business.
- Name a variety of laptop, desktop and mobile device operating systems.
- Understand architecture, deployment and marketing of mobile technology.
- Determine application skills for a range of IT systems ready for implementation.
- Design, create, and implement an information system.
- Maximize Internet use within homes and businesses.
- Determine the structure and mechanisms of wireless communication networks.
- Determine and create protocols for business Internet use.
- Create and develop information system libraries and information repositories.
- Develop object-oriented programming.
- Name the many programming languages used in mobile and Internet apps.
- Organize, create and employ an Internet or mobile application.
Requirements
- Each student needs access to a desktop or laptop computer.
- Students should also have access to a smart device.
Course Syllabus
(click on the module heading to reveal a lesson by lesson breakdown)
HARDWARE AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY INTRODUCTION
- Course Overview
- Computer Systems and Networks
- Network Ethics and Security
- Project: Benefit Analysis Study: Small Business Expansion
- Information Storage
- Project: Correspondence Between Stringer and Newspaper Editor: Media Preview
- Quiz 1: Computer Systems and Networks
- Internet in Business and Society
- Human-Centered Technology
- Project: Biometrics Report
- Mobile Computing
- Project: Geocache Treasure Hunt
- Quiz 2: Internet in Business and Society
- Project: Special Project
- Unit 1 Test
- Course Project Part 1: Capstone Project
- Glossary and Credits
OPERATING SYSTEMS, SYSTEM SOFTWARE, MOBILE APPLICATIONS
- Computer, Server, and Mobile Operating Systems
- Project: Similarities/Differences Chart: School Operating Systems
- Operating Systems vs. System Software
- Battle of the Operating Systems
- Project: PowerPoint Presentation: Smart Phone Preference Survey
- Quiz 1: Operating Systems and System Software
- Mobile Application Development and Implementation
- Project: Mobile App Development
- Applications vs. Software
- The Mobile Application Business
- Project: Market Research Comparison/Contrast Matrix – Free Mobile App
- Quiz 2: Mobile Application Development
- Project: Special Project
- Unit 2 Test
- Course Project Part 2: Capstone Project
- Glossary and Credits
INTRODUCTION TO INFORMATION SYSTEMS
- What is an Information System?
- Project: Building a Local GIS
- Types of Information Systems
- Jobs in Information Systems
- Project: Career Day Presentation
- Quiz 1: Introduction to Information Systems
- Planning Information Systems
- Project: Strategic Report
- Developing Information Systems
- Implementing Information Systems
- Project: On the Job: System Developer
- Quiz 2: Developing and Implementing Information Systems
- Project: Special Project
- Unit 3 Test
- Course Project Part 3: Capstone Project
- Glossary and Credits
INTERNET UTILIZATION AND INFORMATION LITERACY
- Internet Use in Home and Business
- Project: School Internet Policies Report
- Security on the Internet
- Project: Comparison Shopping Report
- Cloud Computing
- Quiz 1: Internet Use in Home and Business
- Internet Best Practices and Protocols
- Project: Search Strategy and Intelligent Agent Exercise
- Information Library Systems
- Jobs in Information Literacy
- Project: Digital Library Research
- Quiz 2: Internet Best Practices and Protocols
- Project: Special Project
- Unit 4 Test
- Course Project Part 4: Capstone Project
- Glossary and Credits
MOBILE APPLICATION PROGRAMMING AND PRODUCTIVITY
- Mobile Application Construction
- Project: Flowcharts for Free-to-Play and Pay-to-Play Versions of a Travel Game App
- Mobile Application Programming
- The Business of Mobile Application Development
- Project: Compare/Contrast Report: Contract Versus Salaried Mobile App Development Jobs
- Quiz 1: Mobile Application Construction and Programming
- Mobile Application Development Project Management
- Project: Compare/Contrast Report: Five Mobile Operating Platforms
- Tools of the Trade
- Outsourcing vs. In-House Development
- Project: Design a Work-Around; Role-Playing Panel
- Quiz 2: Mobile Application Development
- Project: Special Project
- Unit 5 Test
- Course Project Part 5: Capstone Project
- Glossary and Credits
COURSE PROJECT, REVIEW, AND EXAM
- Course Project Part 6: Capstone Project
- Review
- Exam