Operating computer hardware

What you'll be able to do:

From the official document (ICAU2005A Operate computer hardware): "Completion of this unit will enable you to select and operate basic computer hardware."

That means that once you've learned and practiced the relevant tasks for this unit, you'll be able to demonstrate all the basic skills you need to identify internal hardware and use external computer hardware! You'll be able to point out various external and internal peripherals and describe their functions and OH&S hazards. You will also identify the functions of a computer operating system.

Some of the more advanced things include: analyzing the boot process which is so important in troubleshooting, and stating the differences between computer platforms (such as Macintosh, IBM-compatible) and computer operating systems. For more details about what you'll be able to demonstrate, you can read the official ICAU2005A Operate computer hardware document online.

How you can learn the required skills for this unit:

Your class facilitator will provide plenty of activities and class challenges to help you learn the skills required for this unit.

There are also plenty of textbooks that go through the basics of operating computer hardware, such as Client Support Essentials from the Tertiary Press Information Technology series.

Another book you may wish to see is the graphical How computers work by Ron White and Timothy Edward Downs.

Ideas for how you can demonstrate this unit:

The easiest way for you to demonstrate the required skills for this unit is to sit down with your facilitator and work through a number of scenarios that require you to do the required skills for your assessor to see! Your facilitator may also have tests and/or assignments that you can use to demonstrate your skills for this unit, but you will always be required to demonstrate that it is your work and that you can demonstrate the skills not just once, but on an on-going basis. For this reason, your facilitator will collect evidence (whether it is you demonstrating your skills, or a test or assignment) over a period of time.