Team Research Project

Information Technology Team Research Project

Rationale: The Cisco curriculum covers a lot of detail. This introductory group project will allow you all to have an overview of the material to come and familiarize yourself with some basic concepts and ideas relating to computer hardware before you see it again in the CISCO course.

Details

Starting today you will be working with a partner to complete a 5-7 minute Power Point or Prezi presentation on one aspect of computer technology.

You will have a full 6 school days to research and complete your work. 

Work days: Monday Feb 6 - Weds Feb 15
Presentation Days: Weds Feb 15-Monday Feb 20

The order will be drawn randomly so all team's need to be prepared to present on the first day.


Your team will be creating a 5-7 minute (yes, you will be timed) slide show that should feature interesting graphics taken from the internet, impressive layouts, clean design, attractive fonts, and organized presentation (see criteria below)

You will be graded on:

  • your research - thoughtful, well documented
  • your organization - careful spelling, clean layout, ease of comprehension
  • the information provided - did you cover all the key areas?
  • creativity - use of appropriate images, graphics, etc.
  • the length of your presentation. You do not want to go longer than 7 minutes, or less than 5. 

You are expected to provided references and links to your information sources at the end of the presentation  

Your topics and key areas that need to be covered:


Team 1 - Computer Maintenance Shao Bin , Anthony 

  1. what are the types of maintenance that the average computer owner should be doing?
  2. how to clean out fans, get rid of dust, and dirt safely
  3. how to run a Virus Scan and get rid of SpyWare / Malware / Cookies / Registry entries
  4. identify some useful software tools to cleanup drives (i.e. CCleaner)
  5. how do you keep your computer running smoothly? ex. defrag, registry cleaning, deleting cache files, etc.
  6. how can you clean up your hard drive effectively? Suggest some software that a user can install to identify where the largest folders are on your computer.

Team 2 - Operating Systems Ethan , Fateh

  1. what are operating systems?
  2. what do they do? can a computer run without one?
  3. describe operating system history and evolution 
  4. list various operating systems and their pro's and con's
  5. What is Linux and why is it important?
  6. how does Android (Google) operating system differ from iOS (Apple)
  7. research the Google Chrome / Chromium OS, what is the huge shift that Google is leading? (hint - it's all in the clouds)

Networking - Team 3 &Team 4  Kyron , Marco  /  Leo Y , Nancy 

  1. what is a network?
  2. different between internet, intranet
  3. describe differences between these types of networks: star, tree, ring, bus. What kind do we likely have in this classroom? 
  4. what is an ip address?
  5. Describe what is a LAN, WAN, WLAN, 3G, LTE, Ethernet, Server, Router, Modem, Switch, Wifi Repeater
  6. What do numbers like this mean when describing wireless networks: EEE 802.11
  7. how do fibre optics work?
  8. how does the internet get to your home / school / work?
  9. differences between wireless and wired networks?
  10. how can network speeds be reduced?
  11. what are packets and how do they work?
  12. describe packet tracing.
  13. how can you speed up a network?
  14. discuss the first types of computer networks and their uses
  15. Discuss Google Fiber and explain how it's changing the cities it is available in.
  16. Discuss the spread of 3G networks in under developed countries, how does this network affect people and economies?

Team 5 - Motherboards and CPU's  Ian , Sean 

  1. what are they and what do they do?
  2. what different types are there?
  3. who make better chips, AMD or Intel?
  4. How have CPUs changed over the past 10 years?
  5. explain what a 'core' is and what it does. why are more better?
  6. Explain the difference between 32bit and 64bit processors.
  7. how do cpu's keep getting more powerful but also getting smaller?
  8. what is the difference between an i3, i5, and i7 cpu?
  9. Describe and explain Moore's Law.

Team 6 - Storage Devices  Ryan , Jason 

  • Describe the following devices and how they work.
  1. DVD's / CD's / Blu Ray
  2. Hard Drives / Mechanical Drives vs. Solid State (SSD) 
  3. Flash Memory (memory cards, sticks, chips)
  4. Describe what is different between a Flash Memory hard drive and an SSD
  5. Fusion Drives (Apple)
  6. Raid Drives
  7. Cloud Storage: Describe this and the pro's and con's of using this.
  8. Describe Amazon.Com's web services and what they are. Why do they matter?
  9. Describe the next 5 years of storage technology and any changes coming.
  10. Describe what a Server Farm is and who would use such a thing?

Team 7 - Memory (ram) / Video Cards / Audio Cards  Daniel , Zak 

  1. what are they and what do they do?
  2. describe differences between RAM types (DDR3, etc)
  3. How does upgrading RAM cause such a big difference in computer performance?
  4. describe different types of ram/video cards/audio cards?
  5. why should people upgrade video cards?
  6. why would you purchase an external sound card?
  7. describe bit rates in audio - how does this affect sound quality?
  8. what would a typical upgrade like this cost?

Team 8 - Power Supplies / Cases / Cooling  Charlie , Pedram 

  1. what are they and what do they do?
  2. what different types of power supplies are available?
  3. describe why cooling is important and various types of cooling options available?
  4. what different types of cases are available? What would make one better than another?
  5. why would you need to upgrade these things?
  6. show pictures and describe different examples.
  7. what types of liquids are best for cooling?
  8. how does Apple create CPUs without fans in them?

Team 9 - Input & Output Devices Leo L , Andrew 

  1. describe and define the following: mice, keyboards, game controllers, tablets, midi keyboards and more.
  2. show a pictures of different types of each, describe features and benefits.
  3. discuss special input devices for people with physical challenges and disabilities.
  4. describe multi-touch input and the video game console motion controllers (what are accelerometers?)
  5. describe different types of printers (3D, Laser, Plotters, etc.)
  6. describe the huge variety of uses for 3D printing (medical, construction, prototyping, design use, etc)

Team 10 - Piracy / Copyright / Legal Issues  Aleksandr , Eugene 

  1. warez / torrents / the pirate bay (describe the legal battle that is occurring with this site, why can't they be shut down?)
  2. music downloads
  3. creative commons licensing
  4. Peer 2 Peer 
  5. Usenet
  6. impacts of downloading on the music / movie / newspaper industry.
  7. Describe what FOIPA  & FIPPA are.
  8. Describe The Deep (Dark) Web and what is it used for.

Team 11 - Internet Security Henry , Zhareena 

  1. discuss and describe: data encryption, SSL, ICP, secure servers, e-commerce, and more.
  2. define: worms, trojans, virus, malware, man-in-the-middle attacks, and other types of computer attacks. Describe 2 recent hacker exploits that have made the news (think of social networking hacks like Facebook and Twitter)
  3. Tell us about the NSA and how they are monitoring the internet. Who is Edward Snowden and why does he matter?
  4. What is TOR? Why does it matter?
  5. Explain Australia's proposed "Data Retention Legislation" and why does it have so many people concerned?
  6. Describe and explain Canada's bill C-51
  7. Describe the U.S. "internet privacy bill or rights"
  8. Describe the role of internet security as it relates to global warfare and security.

Team 12 - Internet  Alijavid , Aryan 

  1. discuss its origins, history and development.
  2. show a appropriate pictures and mention key people that were involved.
  3. which countries are the most connected? which are the least?
  4. what kind of projections are there about the Internets use in the years to come?
  5. describe the evolution of web browsers and how they work
  6. why do people think Internet Explorer is so bad?
  7. use this resource: http://www.20thingsilearned.com/ (open in Google Chrome) to help answer your questions
  8. You must mention and describe who Vinton Cerf and Tim Berners Lee are.
  9. Describe Net Neutrality and why is it becoming such a big issue of concern in the USA.

Team 13 - BIOS & PCI Buses  Pudam , Robert 

Team Members: 

  • what are they and what does they do?
  • how do you access a BIOS?
  • why is it important?
  • define: AGP, ISA, EISA, FireWire, USB, PCI, Hyper Transport, VLB, Thunderbolt
  • Describe USB 2.0 vs. USB 3.0 vs. USB-C
  • Describe the variations of Bluetooth technology and how it works.
  • Describe near field chips (NFC)

Team 14 - Mobile Computing Matin , Jinho 

  • describe the shift towards mobile computing in recent years
  • how are computer users moving away from the traditional desk work environment?
  • describe 3 mobile devices that have been at the forefront of this movement
  • find stats and figures to show how many people are accessing the internet from mobile devices
  • What are some implications for the future? What will become of the desktop computer?
  • Describe mobile payment solutions for small businesses. (Google a company called "Square", Apple Pay, and Google Wallet)
  • Describe the One Laptop Per Child initiative and how it works.
  • Describe Raspberry Pi's and Arduino's - how have these affected computing accessibility around the world?

Team 15 - Computer History Pavel, Bridgette 
 create a visual timeline with descriptions of the 25 most important events in Computer History. Provide images and brief descriptions of each event.



Tips for Slide Presentations

Whether you are using Powerpoint or Prezi, consider these useful tips when working on your presentation.

1.Write a Script.

Put some preparation into your presentation to make sure you cover all the key details.


2. Focus on one thing at a time.

Keep each slide on one topic.

3. No paragraphs.

Nobody wants to read a block of text on a screen. Use text sparingly. Instead, use an image and speak about that from your notes.

4. Pay Attention to Design

Avoid decorative, hard to read fonts. Choose colours wisely (i.e. dark text against light background), Avoid clutter

5.Choose images carefully. 

Is the resolution high enough to look crisp on a projector? Do they effectively show what you are talking about?

6. Ask questions.

Don't be afraid to engage the audience.

7. Think outside the screen.


Remember there is a lot more to a good presentation than what is on the screen. How you speak, how you present yourself, your body language, etc. all play a key role in how your presentation is perceived.



Marking Rubric


ICT 11/12 – Computer Hardware Power Point

 

Score

Total Possible

Group Members Names

 

 

 

Content

 Have you covered all of the key areas outlined in your category?

 

10

Organization

 Is your presentation organized and easy to follow?

 

10

Presentation

Does the presentation follow the style guidelines outlined in class? Do you speak clearly and engage the class?

 

10

Critical Thinking

 Have you put thought and attention into your work? Are you simply reading from a website or are you using your own words?

 

10

Time

 Do you fall within the 5-7 minute window?

 

10

Total

50


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