3Technology

• 3.1Fundamental Theory

  Learn how computers represent numbers with binary and base conversion, combine true/false values with logical operations (AND, OR, NOT, XOR), diagram relationships between ranges with sets and Venn diagrams, capture trends in data with basic probability and statistics (correlation, regression, the normal distribution), the units of information bit and byte, character encoding, and the basics of AI such as machine learning and neural networks.

• 3.2Algorithms and Programming

  Learn how to represent processing steps with flowcharts, ways of holding data (data structures) such as arrays, lists, last-in-first-out stacks, first-in-first-out queues, and hierarchical trees, search algorithms for finding data and sorting algorithms for ordering it, computational complexity as a measure of efficiency, and programming languages, markup languages (HTML, XML), APIs, and low-code development.

• 3.3Computer Components

  Learn about the processor (CPU)—the "brain" of a computer—and its clock speed, the cores that let it process work in parallel, main memory (RAM) as the working desk and read-only ROM, the cache that bridges the speed gap between the CPU and main memory, and input/output interfaces (USB, HDMI, Bluetooth) that connect external devices.

• 3.4System Configuration Elements

  Learn about ways of combining multiple computers—system configuration (centralized processing, distributed processing, client-server systems, virtualization, the cloud), performance metrics that describe speed (response time, throughput, benchmarks), and reliability metrics that describe how resistant a system is to failure (availability, RASIS, MTBF, MTTR, fault tolerance, dual systems, duplex systems).

• 3.5Software

  Learn the role of the OS (operating system) in managing the whole computer (task management, virtual memory), organizing files with file management (directories, absolute paths, relative paths, backups), everyday spreadsheet software (relative reference, absolute reference, functions), and OSS (open source software) that can be freely used and modified.

• 3.6Hardware

  Learn about types of computers (desktop, laptop, servers, embedded systems, etc.), input/output devices (keyboards, mice, displays, printers, etc.), long-term storage devices (HDD, SSD), the basics of electrical/electronic circuits, IoT devices that sense their surroundings with sensors and act on the world with actuators, and the idea of power saving.

• 3.7Information Design (Universal Design, Accessibility, and Interface Design)

  Learn about universal design, which aims to be usable by everyone regardless of age or disability; UX (user experience), which designs the overall experience, and UI (user interface), which designs the screen itself; web accessibility, which makes websites usable by everyone; structuring screens (sign-in, navigation) so users do not get lost; and pictograms that convey information with symbols, plus color universal design that accounts for differences in color vision.

• 3.8Information Media (Multimedia, Compression, and VR/AR)

  Learn about multimedia, which combines still images, video, and audio; compression—lossless compression and lossy compression—that encodes data to shrink file size, along with representative formats (JPEG, MPEG, MP3); VR (virtual reality), which creates a virtual space on a computer; AR (augmented reality), which overlays information on the real world; the metaverse that builds on both; and the basics of CG (computer graphics).

• 3.9Databases (Relational Databases, SQL Basics, and Transactions)

  Learn about relational databases, which manage data in tables (tables, rows, columns, primary keys, foreign keys); normalization, which reduces duplication and inconsistency; the basics of SQL for querying and manipulating data (SELECT, WHERE); transactions, which treat multiple operations as one unit (ACID properties, concurrency control, commit, rollback); and data warehouses, which accumulate large volumes of data for analysis, along with data mining, which discovers patterns in it.

• 3.10Networks (TCP/IP, IP Addresses, Wireless LAN, and Communication Speed)

  Learn about LAN, which connects a limited area, and WAN, which connects wide areas; TCP/IP, the standard protocol suite of the internet; IP addresses that identify devices; DNS for name resolution; DHCP, which automatically assigns IP addresses; communication devices such as routers and hubs; cable-free wireless LAN; SMTP/POP/IMAP used for sending and receiving email; and calculating communication speed.

• 3.11Security (The Three Elements of Information Security, Threats, Cryptography, Authentication, and Countermeasures)

  Learn about the three elements information security must protect—confidentiality, integrity, and availability; threats such as malware, phishing, targeted attacks, and social engineering; cryptography that protects data with keys (symmetric-key cryptography, public-key cryptography, digital signatures, PKI); identity verification via multi-factor authentication and biometric authentication; and organizational defenses such as firewalls, zero trust, ISMS, and risk management.