LESSON OUTLINE ON INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTERS

I. INFORMATION PROCESSING

A. Input Phase

B. Processing Phase

1. calculating

2. classifying

3. sorting

4. summarizing

C. Output Phase

1. feedback

2. interdependency

D. Storage

II. INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTERS (History of Computers)

A. Input Devices

Ergonomic Keyboard

1. keyboard and wireless infrared keyboard at W Hotels

a. function keys

b. numeric and cursor

c. alphanumeric keys

d. special-purpose keys

2. mouse

3. touch-screen

Touch Screen Panel PC

4. voice recognition and voice portals

Pen-based Systems

5. scanners, bar-code readers, pen-based systems, and handhelds or personal digital assistants

B. Central Processing Unit (CPU) (see Microprocessor Hall of Fame)

1. arithmetic/logic unit (ALU)

2. control unit

3. primary storage

Computer Memory

a. RAM and ROM

4. processing speed (MHz and MIPS)

C. Secondary Storage Devices

Hard Drive History

1. hard disks and removable disks (zip and jazz drives)

a. storage capacity and requirements (bytes)

2. magnetic tapes

a. primarily used as a backup medium

3. floppies

a. floppy type (3 1/2) & storage capacity

b. vulnerabilities and uses

4. optical storage

a. CD-ROM/CD-I and CD-RW, MO, and DVD

D. Output Devices

1. printers

a. print quality

b. fonts

c. paper handling

d. print speed

e. printer types (See Overview)

1. impact: dot matrix

2. non-impact: thermal, inkjet, an laser

f. common printer problems

g. print driver and emulation

2. monitors

a. resolution

b. dot pitch

c. refresh rate

d. color

1. monochrome: green-screen, amber, and white

2. color:CGA,VGA, and SVGA

e. type

1. cathode ray tube

Flat Panel Display

2.flat panel display (LCD and gas plasma)

f. preventing the burning of images onto monitor screens

3. multimedia devices (see authoring tools)

III. THE COMPUTER REVOLUTION

Send E-mail to Galen Collins
or call (928) 523-7333

Copyright 1998 Northern Arizona University
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED