Prerequisite

No prerequisites. Open to beginners with basic computer literacy.

Course Description

This course offers a hands-on introduction to core IT tools and concepts. Learn document creation, spreadsheets, presentation design, programming logic, domain/DNS fundamentals, and Git version control — all skills essential for today’s digital careers.

What you will learn

• – Master Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Google Suite tools
• – Build logic and problem-solving skills through programming fundamentals
• – Understand networking basics like IP and domain configuration
• – Use Git and GitHub for version control and collaboration
• – Create a personal digital portfolio with documents, spreadsheets, slides, and code

Course Outline

• Week 1 Introduction to the IT World & Career Paths

  • What is Information Technology?
  • Overview of IT roles: developer, designer, analyst, sysadmin, QA, etc.
  • Exploring freelancing vs jobs vs entrepreneurship
  • Introduction to this course and tools used
  • Hands-on: Exploring online tech job portals & IT communities

• Week 2 Microsoft Word & Google Docs – Basics

  • Creating and formatting documents
  • Paragraphs, bulleting, line spacing, fonts
  • Inserting images, tables, headers/footers
  • Saving and exporting (PDF, Docx)
  • Hands-on: Create a sample resume document

• Week 3 Microsoft Word & Google Docs – Advanced

  • Styles and templates
  • Table of contents, references, and citations
  • Collaboration features in Google Docs
  • Page layout, section breaks, watermarking
  • Hands-on: Format a multi-page report document

• Week 4 Microsoft Excel / Google Sheets – Basics

  • Cells, rows, columns, formatting
  • Basic formulas: SUM, AVERAGE, MIN, MAX
  • Sorting and filtering data
  • Hands-on: Create a personal budget spreadsheet

• Week 5 Excel / Google Sheets – Intermediate

  • Charts and graphs (bar, pie, line)
  • Conditional formatting
  • Basic data validation and dropdowns
  • Hands-on: Build a sales dashboard or grade sheet

• Week 6 Excel – Advanced + Pivot Tables

  • Pivot tables introduction and creation
  • VLOOKUP and IF statements
  • Real-world data manipulation
  • Hands-on: Analyze dummy employee or product dataset

• Week 7 Microsoft PowerPoint / Google Slides

  • Slide design and layout best practices
  • Inserting media, charts, and transitions
  • Animation techniques and timing
  • Hands-on: Create a 5-slide pitch deck or IT career presentation

• Week 8 Logic Building for Programming – Basics

  • What is programming? Why logic matters
  • Variables, data types, and expressions
  • Simple conditions and loops
  • Hands-on: Logic puzzles via flowcharts or Scratch visual coding

• Week 9 Logic Building – Applied Programming

  • Writing simple algorithms (e.g., calculator, age checker)
  • Introduction to online code playgrounds (e.g., Replit or Google Colab with Python)
  • Hands-on: Solve 3–5 small logic challenges in Python or pseudocode

• Week 10 Networking Basics: IP & Domains

  • What is an IP address? DNS explained simply
  • What is a domain name and how it works?
  • Domain registration and hosting basics
  • Hands-on: Use tools like whois, nslookup, and explore DNS records

• Week 11 Introduction to Git & GitHub

  • What is version control?
  • Installing Git, understanding repositories and commits
  • Creating a GitHub account, pushing your first repo
  • Hands-on: Initialize and push a project to GitHub

• Week 12 Final Project & Review

  • Build a small portfolio combining:
  • A document (CV)
  • A spreadsheet (analysis)
  • A presentation
  • A GitHub repo with project files
  • Review and reflection
  • Career next steps: certifications, learning paths, freelancing tips

Grading Criteria