COMPUTER SKILLS

Fall 2022
 COURSE CONTENT

Theoretical
Chapter 1 Main parts of the Computer
Chapter 2 Input, Output and Storage Units
Chapter 3 Computer Software
Chapter 4 Data Communications & Computer Networks
Chapter 5 IT and Communications in our everyday life
Chapter 6 Privacy, Security and Ethics
Practical
• MS Word
• MS Power Point
• MS Excel
Project
 COURSE ASSESSMENTS

Assessment Percentage
Assignments/Quizzes 10%
Class Engagement and Participation 10%
Midterm Exam 20%
Final Exam 40%
Project 10%
 CLASS POLICIES

• No mobile phones are allowed to be used during the lecture

• No make-up exams. If you miss an exam, your grade will be
a zero (even if you have an excuse)
• No late attendance to the class. Attendance will be taken in
the first 10 minutes of the class
• You need to participate in the class. Participation is graded.
• There will be a practical exam
• Cheating or plagiarism could lead to a total dismissal of the
class.
CHAPTER 1:
MAIN PARTS OF THE
COMPUTER
 6

TEXTBOOK
• Dr. “Mohammad Bilal” AlZoubi, Dr. Ahmad Alshara’iah,
Suhair Abdallah , Computer Skills1, 2nd edition, Zamzam
publisher, 2016, Jordan.
 7

COMPUTERS
• Computers are information processing machines used in different
departments and organizations.
• Computers perform four operations:
1. Receiving input (Input Devices).
2. Processing the data (CPU).
3. Producing output (Output Devices).
4. Storing data (Storage Devices).

Computers inputs data and converts it into useful information

• Video: https://youtu.be/vG_qmtdBPTU
 8

COMPUTER SYSTEMS
• The components of a computer system are:
1. Hardware: Physical components like screens, keyboards, and
printers . The hardware is useless without software.
2. Software: A set of instructions that tell the computer what to do
and how to do it
3. Users : Persons who use the software on the computer to perform
some tasks
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INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY
• Information Technology (IT): set of tools that are used to:
receive, process, store, and transmit data in an electronic
form through computers.
• These tools include: hardware, software andconnectivity
(Network) .
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TYPES OF COMPUTERS
Computers are classified according to their capacity and performance
into the following categories:
Computers are classified according to their capacity and performance
into the following categories:
1. Super Computers: are high­capacity computers that cost millions of dollar. Often used for:
• Research.
• Weather forecasting
• Oil exploration
• Aircraft design.

2. Mainframes • are room-sized, expensive and high speed computers that are very powerful and with large storage
capacities. They occupy special air-conditioned rooms.
Computers: • Used in: Banks, government departments and large organizations.

• They are connected to a large number of terminals that could be: Dumb Terminal (cannot operate on
their own); or Intelligent Terminals (have a processing power themselves that can be used by the
user).

3. Mini Computers (Or • do the same jobs performed by a mainframes, but on a smaller scale.
Midrange Computers):
• Used by medium -sized companies for specific purposes, such as accounting, where personal
computers would be inadequate.

4. Micro-computers: are the most widely used and fastest­growing type of computers. They are relatively inexpensive and less
powerful than large computers. A more common term for microcomputer is Personal Computers or
PC. Microcomputers are designed for individual users.

There are four types of microcomputers:

1. Desktop: are small enough to fit on top of a desk in offices and at home.
2. Laptop (also called notebook): are briefcase-sized and portable .
3. Tablet: are simpler than Laptops
4. Handheld computers: are the smallest and are designed to fit into the palm of one's hand. Examples
include:
1. Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs): are small pen controlled and handheld computers
2. Smart Phones: is a mobile phone with PC-Like Functionality.
 12

TYPES OF COMPUTERS
1. Super Computers : are high­capacity computers that cost millions
of dollars and are often used for research. They are used in weather
forecasting, oil exploration, and aircraft design.
 13

TYPES OF COMPUTERS
2. Mainframes: are room-sized, expensive and high speed computers that are very
powerful and with large storage capacities. They occupy special air-conditioned rooms,
and are used in banks, government departments and large organizations.
• They are connected to a large number of terminals that could be:
• Dumb Terminal (cannot operate on their own); or
• Intelligent Terminals (have a processing power themselves that can be used by the user). See Figure (1-3).
 14

TYPES OF COMPUTERS
3. Mini Computers: (also known as midrange computers) do the same jobs
performed by a mainframes, but on a smaller scale. They are used by medium -
sized companies for specific purposes, such as accounting, where personal
computers would be inadequate.
 15

TYPES OF COMPUTERS
4. Microcomputers: are the most widely used and fastest­ growing type of computers. They are
relatively inexpensive and less powerful than large computers. A more common
term for microcomputer is Personal Computers or PC. Microcomputers are designed for
individual users.

• There are four types of microcomputers:

• desktop,
• laptop (also called notebook),
• Tablet, and
• handheld computers.
 16

TYPES OF MICRO
COMPUTERS

1. Desktops: are small enough to fit on top of a desk in offices and at

home.
2. Laptops (also called Notebooks):are briefcase-sized and portable .
3. Tablet Computers: are simpler than Laptops.
4. Handheld Computers : are the smallest and are designed to fit into
the palm of one's hand. Examples include: Personal Digital Assistants
(PDAs) and Smart Phones.
 17

HANDHELD
COMPUTERS
• Personal Digital Assistants (PDA): are small pen
controlled and handheld computers.

• A Smartphone: is a mobile phone with PC-Like

Functionality.
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MAIN PARTS OF PERSONAL COMPUTERS

1. The System Unit (also called chassis or case) is the

container which houses all electronic components in the computer
system, such as a CPU and RAM.
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MAIN PARTS OF PERSONAL

COMPUTERS
2. The System Board:(or Motherboard): is a flat circuit board that
controls communications for the entire computer system.
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MAIN PARTS OF PERSONAL

COMPUTERS
3. The Central Processing Unit (CPU), or Processor or Microprocessor, which
is the most important part in a PC because it converts data into meaningful
information. It performs all calculations and determines how fast your computer
will run. CPU is a microprocessor chip
• The CPU speed is measured by Gigahertz (GHz); the faster the speed is, the more
instructions the processor will perform. CPU determines how fast the computer will
run.
•
• The CPU has two units: the Control Unit and the Arithmetic Logic Unit.
1) The Control Unit, which is responsible for controlling all computer units.
2) The Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU), which performs arithmetic operations such
as addition and subtraction (calculations) operations, and logical operations like
comparison operations(>,<).
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MAIN PARTS OF
PERSONAL COMPUTERS
4. Bus Line: is a collection of wires responsible of transmitting
data from one part of a computer to another.
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MAIN PARTS OF PERSONAL

COMPUTERS
5. Sockets: which provide a connection point for small
electronic parts called chips, including the microprocessor.
6. Expansion Slots: which provide a connection point for specialized cards .

7. Ports: Any piece of hardware that is connected to a computer to perform a

special task is called a peripheral. Most peripherals connect through a port on the
back of the system unit.

8. The most important and known type of ports is the Universal Serial Bus (USB).
The USB port is designed to connect multiple peripherals. A printer is connected to
the computer using a USB port.
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MAIN PARTS OF PERSONAL COMPUTERS

• The Memory or Main Memory : is the part of the computer where data and
programs are stored (temporarily), until they are no longer needed .
• Example: Random Access Memory (RAM)