Example coursework · Independent teaching demonstrations
← All syllabiCOURSE 108 / EIGHT-WEEK HYBRID / Core 2 · 220-1202
Operating Systems, Security & IT Support syllabus
Learn how operating systems and applications are installed, administered, secured and supported. This course develops practical skills in Windows and cross-platform tools, endpoint security, software troubleshooting, backup/recovery and professional support operations.
Course overview and resources · Instructor: justinfreres@gmail.com
Course outcomes and preparation
- Install, configure and administer operating systems and user access.
- Apply endpoint security controls and troubleshoot software and security symptoms.
- Recover data, review scripts and deliver documented, professional technical support.
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.
Class meets Wednesdays, January 13–March 3, 2027, 5:45–8:45 PM Central. These sample offerings share a calendar; only 107 and 108 are arranged as a concurrent pair.
Prepare → Quiz → Chapter labs → Closeout
Read assigned material, review authorized slides and submit the completed graded handout before class at 5:45 PM. Include reading references, original explanations, lab planning and two questions. Opening quiz: 5:45–6:00. Supervised labs: 6:00–8:10, including a 7:00–7:10 break. Closeout: 8:10–8:45 lecture, corrections, Q&A and announcements.
Outside class, complete at least 45 exam-matching MeasureUP practice questions each week, submit results and remediate three weak concepts. Complete every approved matching NETLAB or licensed remote-lab title with a separately documented section in the graded weekly portfolio. Submit a reflection and professional handoff.
Hybrid deadlines are the following Tuesday at midnight, end of day, Central (12:00 AM the next day). Preparation and supervised classwork retain their earlier deadlines. Eight-week study requires substantial dedicated outside time, reliable lab access and attendance.
Unique weekly reading and lab plan
Week 1 · Operating system foundations & installation
January 13 · Hybrid due January 19
Read before class: Chapters 11–12. 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.
Outcome: Establish operating-system concepts and deployment skills. Choose an appropriate installation approach and verify that a newly installed system is ready for use.
- Prepare a Windows VM installation plan including edition, licensing, firmware, partitions and accessibility needs.
- Install an authorized OS image in a disposable VM; verify updates, drivers and activation requirements.
- Compare two OS deployment options against user requirements; document prerequisites and rollback planning.
- Verify the installed lab system's devices, updates and access settings using a post-installation checklist.
Closeout: OS editions, installation paths, filesystems and recovery preparation.
Full handout, quiz scope and hybrid assignments →Week 2 · Windows administration & tools
January 20 · Hybrid due January 26
Read before class: Chapters 13–14. 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.
Outcome: Administer Windows accounts, permissions, services and diagnostic tools. Explain how access and system evidence affect support decisions.
- Create standard and administrative lab accounts; configure permissions and prove effective access with test cases.
- Use Task Manager, Event Viewer and Services to diagnose a seeded performance issue; preserve event evidence.
- Audit effective access for two lab accounts and explain one permissions inheritance result.
- Interpret an event log and resource snapshot; recommend a justified next troubleshooting action.
Closeout: Windows settings, management consoles, storage maintenance and service management.
Full handout, quiz scope and hybrid assignments →Week 3 · Command line, macOS & Linux
January 27 · Hybrid due February 2
Read before class: Chapters 15–16. 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.
Outcome: Use command-line tools and compare support workflows across Windows, Linux and macOS. Interpret permissions and diagnostic output before taking action.
- In a lab shell, navigate files, inspect permissions and diagnose networking; submit commands and interpreted output.
- Compare equivalent account, filesystem, update and backup tasks across three operating systems using a support matrix.
- Interpret a Linux permissions and package-maintenance case; document safe commands and expected results.
- Prepare a cross-platform support handoff comparing backup, update and account administration workflows.
Closeout: Command syntax, permissions, package management and cross-platform support.
Full handout, quiz scope and hybrid assignments →Week 4 · Endpoint & network security
February 3 · Hybrid due February 9
Read before class: Chapters 17. 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.
Outcome: Secure the operating environment through least privilege, authentication, updates and endpoint controls. Recognize threats and justify a layered response.
- Harden a disposable endpoint using updates, firewall, screen lock and least privilege; record before/after checks.
- Analyze phishing and unauthorized-access scenarios; propose MFA, escalation and evidence-preservation actions.
Closeout: Threats, social engineering, authentication and layered defenses.
Full handout, quiz scope and hybrid assignments →Week 5 · Malware & software troubleshooting
February 10 · Hybrid due February 16
Read before class: Chapters 18. 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.
Outcome: Use evidence to distinguish operating-system, application and simulated malware symptoms. Select a safe remediation or recovery approach and verify normal operation.
- Analyze benign simulated malware indicators; document isolation, escalation and recovery without using live malware.
- Resolve a seeded startup or application error in a disposable VM and validate normal user workflow.
Closeout: Malware symptoms, OS recovery, browser problems and mobile software faults.
Full handout, quiz scope and hybrid assignments →Week 6 · Operations, backup & recovery
February 17 · Hybrid due February 23
Read before class: Chapters 19. 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.
Outcome: Protect and recover user data while following documented service procedures. Demonstrate a tested restore, change control and incident communication.
- Back up lab files, delete only disposable test copies and restore them; verify contents and record recovery time.
- Write a change request and incident ticket with impact, rollback, communication and responsible handling of data.
Closeout: Backup strategies, disaster recovery, documentation and change control.
Full handout, quiz scope and hybrid assignments →Week 7 · Remote support, scripting & professional practice
February 24 · Hybrid due March 2
Read before class: Chapters 20. 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.
Outcome: Provide authorized remote support and explain basic scripting decisions. Evaluate tool output and communicate safe, professional support actions.
- Conduct a consent-based remote support role-play in the lab; document identity verification, scope and session termination.
- Review a short inventory script before running it in a lab; identify variables, conditions and potential destructive actions.
Closeout: Remote tools, scripting concepts, AI output verification and professional communication.
Full handout, quiz scope and hybrid assignments →Week 8 · Core 2 practical & readiness review
March 3 · Hybrid due March 9
Read before class: Chapters 11–20 review. 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.
Outcome: Integrate operating-system, security and support operations skills in independent practical incidents. Demonstrate recovery, functional verification and professional documentation.
- Practical: diagnose an OS or access issue, apply an approved fix and demonstrate functional and security verification.
- Restore a disposable file set, complete a professional ticket and explain escalation boundaries in an oral handoff.
Closeout: Core 2 domain review and a written remediation plan from MeasureUP evidence.
Full handout, quiz scope and hybrid assignments →
Assessment and grading
| Category | Weight |
|---|
| Eight opening quizzes | 7.5% |
| Eight weekly practices, minimum 45 questions each | 7.5% |
| Eight graded preparation handouts and eight reflections | 5% |
| Weeks 1–7 classroom labs and eight graded remote-lab portfolios | 20% |
| Week 8 comprehensive practical, assigned stations equally weighted | 30% |
| Actual official certification exam | 30% |
Items share their category equally. A 90–100; B 80–89.99; C 70–79.99; D 60–69.99; F below 60. Missing/ungraded items count zero provisionally. Pre-final coursework is normalized over the combined 70%. At least 70% pre-final coursework and a passing final guarantee at least 70% overall, or the higher weighted result.
Lab rubric: correct result/procedure 40%, reasoning/evidence 30%, permissions/safety/data handling 20%, documentation 10%. Handouts: accuracy 50%, completeness/references 30%, explanations/questions 20%. Practice: verified minimum count 50%, result evidence 25%, remediation 25%. Reflection: technical reasoning 50%, evidence 30%, handoff 20%. Quiz prompts share credit equally.
College policies govern accommodations, integrity, late work, absences, withdrawal and final grade approval. Arrange supervised make-ups and any extensions with the instructor. Use only authorized environments and submit original work. Do not upload exam questions, dumps, live credentials or private customer data. Exact licensed chapter/page assignments, slides and installed remote-lab titles must be approved before delivery; this portal does not provide vendor licenses.
COURSE FINALE / TWO SEPARATE ASSESSMENTS
Comprehensive lab → Official certification exam
1. Comprehensive lab day — 30% of the course
The week 8 meeting is the comprehensive lab day: Wednesday, March 3, 2027, 5:45–8:45 PM. After the opening readiness quiz, complete one integrated practical with the assigned lab activities as its stations. All stations share the 30% equally. Work independently in the supervised, authorized lab environment; the instructor supplies the fault scenario and permitted tools.
Resolve an operating-system and security support incident: inspect system and account evidence, diagnose an assigned software or access problem, apply an authorized fix, demonstrate recovery or restore validation, and verify normal operation and least-privilege access.
Submit a single organized service portfolio across the assigned station submissions: intake and baseline, diagnosis and alternatives, procedure log, before/after evidence, validation tests, rollback or recovery plan, and a customer handoff. Rubric: correct procedure/result 40%; reasoning/evidence 30%; safety, permissions and data handling 20%; documentation 10%. Closeout includes a short explanation of your diagnosis, questions and exam-readiness announcements.
2. Actual certification exam — 30% of the course
After the lab day, take the official CompTIA A+ Core 2 · 220-1202 through an authorized testing provider. Schedule a separate appointment after the comprehensive lab and submit result evidence by Tuesday, March 9, 2027 at midnight, end of day, America/Chicago. Arrange voucher/payment, identification and testing requirements in advance; this portal does not deliver or book the official exam. MeasureUP is practice and does not replace it. The instructor must announce any approved deadline extension or retake arrangement.
Submit the exam code, date, official scaled score and pass/fail result through the private CertificationExam submission. Provide the official score report through the instructor-approved private method for verification; do not share exam questions or answers. The instructor verifies the result and records the scaled score in administration.
The published passing score for this exam is 700 on a 100–900 scale. For this course only, 100 maps to 0%, the passing score maps to 70%, and 900 maps to 100%, using linear interpolation below and above passing. This is the college course conversion, not CompTIA's percentage score. See the official certification exam information. Passing both required cores is necessary to earn A+ certification.
C-or-better course guarantee
If your pre-exam coursework average is at least 70% and you pass this course's official exam, your final course grade will be at least 70% (C). Pre-exam coursework includes the comprehensive lab and all other non-exam work, normalized over its combined 70% weight. Higher weighted results earn the corresponding higher grade. Missing or unverified exam results remain ungraded and count as zero until verified; they do not trigger the guarantee.