Understanding IT Hardware and System Components

• In this course, you will learn to:
• Define the basic principles of computer hardware, including the functions and roles of key components like the CPU, memory, storage devices, motherboard, and peripherals.
• Identify different hardware interfaces and connection standards, such as USB, HDMI, SATA, PCIe, and Ethernet, and understand their purposes in connecting various hardware devices.
• Describe the process of installing and assembling computer hardware components, including CPUs, memory modules, storage drives, expansion cards, and peripherals, while adhering to best practices for hardware installation and safety precautions.
• Explain how to configure hardware settings and parameters in the BIOS/UEFI firmware interface, covering aspects like boot order, CPU settings, memory timings, and peripheral configurations.
• Recognize different types of storage devices and technologies, such as hard disk drives (HDDs), solid-state drives (SSDs), optical drives, and RAID configurations, along with their respective advantages, disadvantages, and use cases.

• At the end of this course, learners will be able to:
• Analyze the function of various hardware components, including the CPU, motherboard, memory modules, storage devices (HDDs, SSDs), expansion cards, power supply unit (PSU), and peripherals (keyboard, mouse, monitor, etc.), to understand their roles in a computer system.
• Evaluate the process of assembling and disassembling computer systems, installing and configuring hardware components, and troubleshooting hardware compatibility issues to optimize system performance and functionality.
• Create maintenance plans for computer systems, including routine tasks such as cleaning, cooling system maintenance, firmware updates, and hardware upgrades, to ensure optimal performance and longevity of hardware components.
• Design installation and configuration procedures for printers on different operating systems (Windows, macOS, Linux), encompassing tasks such as connecting printers to networks, configuring printer settings, and installing device drivers, to facilitate efficient printing functionality across various platforms.
• Develop setup and configuration protocols for various hardware gadgets, including connecting them to networks, installing software/firmware updates, configuring settings, and troubleshooting connectivity issues, to ensure seamless integration and operation within network environments.

The Academic Approach of the course focuses on the “work centric” education i.e. begin with work (and not from a book !), derive knowledge from work and apply that knowledge to make the work more wholesome, useful and delightful. The ultimate objective is to empower the Learner to engage in socially useful and productive work. It aims at leading the learner to his/her rewarding career as well as development of the society.

Learning methodology

• Learners are given an overview of the course and its connection to life and work.
• Learners are then exposed to the specific tool(s) used in the course through the various real-life applications of the tool(s).
• Learners are then acquainted with the careers and the hierarchy of roles they can perform at workplaces after attaining increasing levels of mastery over the tool(s).
• Learners are then acquainted with the architecture of the tool or Tool Map so as to appreciate various parts of the tool, their functions and their inter-relations.
• Learners are then exposed to simple application development methodology by using the tool at the beginner’s level
• Learners then perform the differential skills related to the use of the tool to improve the given ready-made outputs.
• Learners are then engaged in appreciation of real-life case studies developed by the experts.
• Learners are then encouraged to proceed from appreciation to imitation of the experts.
• After imitation experience, they are required to improve the expert’s outputs so that they proceed from mere imitation to emulation.
• Finally, they develop the integral skills involving optimal methods and best practices to produce useful outputs right from scratch, publish them in their ePortfolio and thereby proceed from emulation to self-expression.

Evaluation Pattern of KLiC Courses consists of 4 Sections as per below table:

MKCL’s KLiC Certificate will be provided to the learner who will satisfy the below criteria:

1. Learners who have successfully completed above mentioned 3 Sections i.e. Section 1, Section 2 and Section 3
2. Additionally, learner should have completed Section 4 (i.e. Section 4 will comprise of SUPWs i.e. Socially Useful and Productive Work in form of Assignments)
   • Learner has to complete and upload minimum 2 out of 5 Assignments