Technician foundations & PC architecture

Monday, January 11, 2027 · 5:45–8:45 PM · America/Chicago

Identify hardware, apply ESD controls, and document a safe service workflow.

HOW THIS MODULE FITS COURSE 107

Computer Hardware, Networking & Device Support

Establish the technician's hardware vocabulary and safe service workflow. Identify the parts of a computer and explain how firmware begins the startup process.

Certification alignment: CompTIA A+ Core 1 · 220-1201.

PREPARATION / DUE BEFORE CLASS

Read the chapter. Complete the handout.

Due Monday, January 11 before 5:45 PM. Read the assigned material, review assigned slides and fill out every handout response before arriving. This preparation is required for the opening quiz; it is not work to postpone until the hybrid deadline.

Chapters 1–2. Read the chapter(s) and associated instructor chapter PowerPoints before class. Topic-to-chapter alignment must be checked against the licensed 12th-edition table of contents.

Reading map awaits verification

Preparation checklist

Read each assigned chapter actively: define unfamiliar terms and connect concepts to a support example.
Review the assigned slides, diagrams and procedures; identify prerequisites for each chapter lab.
Complete the handout in your own words with page or section references, a troubleshooting plan and two questions.
Submit the graded handout before 5:45 PM and arrive with access to the authorized lab environment.

Week 1 preparation handout

Week 1 / 107: Technician foundations & PC architecture
Chapter(s): 1–2
Complete before class; use chapter page/section references. These are original preparation prompts, not publisher handouts.
1. Define each of these terms and give a support example: hardware, firmware, BIOS, UEFI.
2. Explain the assigned learning outcome in your own words: Identify hardware, apply ESD controls, and document a safe service workflow.
3. List the tools, permissions, safety precautions and prerequisites for this week's lab work.
4. Draw or describe one relevant component, workflow or troubleshooting decision tree.
5. Answer the reading-check prompts with chapter references: Explain ESD protection; distinguish RAM from storage; describe a safe first step for a no-power ticket.
6. Write two questions to bring to class. Fill in every response before the opening quiz.

This is a graded assignment within the 5% preparation/documentation category. Submit your completed responses as “Handout” below and bring them to class. Record chapter page or section references and your own explanations.

HYBRID / OUTSIDE OF CLASS

Your independent work

Due Sunday, January 17, 2027 at midnight, end of day.
The submission window ends Monday, January 18 at 12:00 AM America/Chicago. Monday class → following Sunday deadline.

1. MeasureUP — every week

Complete at least one Core 1 · 220-1201 practice with at least 45 questions. Submit the question count, results and corrections or explanations for three weak concepts. Each course has its own weekly practice requirement.

2. NETLAB — graded assignments

Your weekly remote-lab portfolio is graded within the 20% lab category. The instructor assesses the work and evidence for each assigned lab; completion alone is not full credit.

Complete every approved remote-lab title assigned to this week. More than one lab may be required when several titles match the chapter material. Plan the assigned NETLAB work for the weekend after class. Reserve lab time early and allow time to troubleshoot, repeat steps and document results. Submit a remote-lab portfolio with a separate section and completion evidence for each assigned title.

Chapter/topic matching keywords: hardware firmware BIOS UEFI. Only instructor-approved title matches below are assigned. If none are listed, the catalog match is pending; do not assume that an unrelated lab satisfies the requirement.

3. Reinforcement and reflection

After the 107 class, revisit the chapter concepts used in Technician foundations & PC architecture. Complete at least one MeasureUP practice for this core with a minimum of 45 questions; submit question count, results and corrections for three weak concepts. Complete every instructor-approved NETLAB assignment listed for this module; one or several may be assigned when installed lab titles match the chapter topics (hardware firmware BIOS UEFI). Reserve access early, perform the lab individually, and submit a report for EACH assigned title with its exact name, completion evidence, interpreted results and troubleshooting notes. A lack of an approved link means catalog matching is pending, not that a specific vendor lab has been assigned. Submit the weekly reflection with one decision, supporting evidence and a professional handoff. All of this hybrid work is due at the end of the displayed Sunday for 107 or Tuesday for 108. Reading and handouts have the earlier before-class deadline; quizzes and classroom labs are completed in class only.

Time and dedication

Hybrid means that a substantial part of this college course is completed independently outside the classroom. An eight-week block compresses preparation and practice into a short term; it does not reduce the course's learning requirements. Budget 6–9 hours outside class per course each week, in addition to the three-hour meeting. Taking 107 and 108 concurrently means approximately 12–18 hours of independent work plus six scheduled classroom hours each week (18–24 total). These are planning estimates, not credit-hour guarantees; unfamiliar topics and troubleshooting may take longer. Read early, complete handouts before class, reserve NETLAB time in advance, allow time for failed attempts and repeat practice, and check deadlines separately for each course. This format requires sustained time, reliable technology access, weekly attendance and personal dedication; postponing work until the due date is unlikely to be successful.

IN CLASS ONLY / 5:45–8:45 PM

Prepare → Quiz → Chapter labs → Closeout

5:45–6:00 · Start-of-class quiz

Take the reading quiz at the beginning of class. Answer each prompt with a technical explanation; prompts are equally weighted.

Explain ESD protection; distinguish RAM from storage; describe a safe first step for a no-power ticket.

Use your preparation to explain the answer and the reason for it. Review missed concepts during closeout and add corrections to your study notes.

6:00–8:10 · Chapter-based lab workshop

This module currently has 4 lab activities, approximately 30 minutes each, excluding the 7:00–7:10 break. The instructor may scope the tasks and demonstrations to fit the session. Weeks may use one extended lab, two standard labs, or three to four short chapter activities.

Lab 1

Inventory a powered-off workstation. Identify board, CPU, memory, storage and connectors; photograph and label ten components.

Identify the support request, required outcome, authorized environment and safety or rollback precautions.
Record the starting configuration and symptoms. Predict the expected result before changing anything.
Perform the assigned procedure, capture relevant commands or settings, and troubleshoot unexpected results.
Verify the outcome with a repeatable test. Submit your observations, evidence, explanation and a concise service handoff.

Lab 2

Inspect firmware settings in a lab VM; record boot order and virtualization support without changing production devices.

Identify the support request, required outcome, authorized environment and safety or rollback precautions.
Record the starting configuration and symptoms. Predict the expected result before changing anything.
Perform the assigned procedure, capture relevant commands or settings, and troubleshoot unexpected results.
Verify the outcome with a repeatable test. Submit your observations, evidence, explanation and a concise service handoff.

Lab 3

Map component connections and boot flow on a labeled diagram; explain the purpose of each connection.

Identify the support request, required outcome, authorized environment and safety or rollback precautions.
Record the starting configuration and symptoms. Predict the expected result before changing anything.
Perform the assigned procedure, capture relevant commands or settings, and troubleshoot unexpected results.
Verify the outcome with a repeatable test. Submit your observations, evidence, explanation and a concise service handoff.

Lab 4

Conduct a service-intake role-play, apply ESD precautions and produce an equipment inventory handoff.

Identify the support request, required outcome, authorized environment and safety or rollback precautions.
Record the starting configuration and symptoms. Predict the expected result before changing anything.
Perform the assigned procedure, capture relevant commands or settings, and troubleshoot unexpected results.
Verify the outcome with a repeatable test. Submit your observations, evidence, explanation and a concise service handoff.

This is an original provisional sequence. Confirm chapter alignment and lab scope against the licensed text; the exact textbook lab sequence has not been extracted. In-class lab work and its evidence are completed in the supervised class period, not assigned as weekend hybrid work.

8:10–8:45 · Closeout lecture, Q&A and announcements

Safety, customer interviewing, evidence collection and component compatibility.

Connect lab results to certification concepts, resolve questions, review common errors, and confirm announcements, next week's reading and the hybrid deadline. Any make-up arrangements require instructor approval.

Assigned chapter slides and external resources

Licensed chapter PowerPoints and verified provider links are awaiting instructor setup. Sign in to access approved materials. Preparation prompts and original class activities are shown above.

Your submissions

Handout: before class. Quiz and classroom labs: in class only. Weekly practice, assigned remote-lab portfolio and reflection: the hybrid deadline shown above. These are separate requirements.