Overview
The 10 units of study in the Generation TECH curriculum cover both technical and communication skills necessary to troubleshoot, fix, and maintain technology found in a school setting. These units are taught in coordination with the troubleshooting activities the students perform at the school. The 10 units contain over 52 activities which take various amounts of time, from a single period to multiple days. All students will be exposed to troubleshooting, time management, peer mentoring, resource development, problem solving and will have the opportunity to develop competency with numerous computer programs and procedures.

Depending on school hardware, students will have opportunity to support either Macintosh and/or IBM/PC compatible computers in a network environment.

Units of Study

Phased Units Offer Flexibility
Three phases of units and activities allows the teacher to tailor the curriculum to the situation. This course is often offered for repeat credit, with beginning, intermediate and advanced taking the course at the same time. The curriculum and online tools allow the teacher to direct and manage this dynamic class structure with ease.

The course is designed to allow beginning students to cover the first six units in one semester. Students entering the class with advanced technical skills can skip to more advanced units at the teacher's discretion. Students taking the class for repeat credit will be able to move through the intermediate and advanced curriculum at their own pace.

Units can be grouped and repeated as necessary to bring the students along at an individual pace, and the program develops the student leadership necessary for peer mentoring that can maintain separate teaching strands in one classroom. Students move through the units at their own level � teachers can control the pace and advancement criteria.

Intro: Introduction to Generation TECH
Students will be introduced to the structure of Generation TECH and will establish their online account. They will create a contract, design their work projects and plan for assessment requirements.

Beginning Units - Skill Development

Unit 1 - Working with Computers, Understanding Their Language
Students will examine the benefits of technical writing and basic journaling as a key element of unraveling the mystery of computing. They will be given a journal to keep during the course.

The class begins researching the history of computing, highlighting key individuals and breakthroughs in computer development. Next, the class defines and explores the relationship between hardware and software. Delving further into the language of computing, students learn how to work with binary math and hex numbering. The OSI model will be introduced along with exercises in information architecture. Demonstrating how human language and computer language commingle the class will learn the concepts behind spreadsheets and databases.

Unit 2 - Computer Construction and Component Identification
The class will examine computer safety issues. Students will perform exercises to identify computer components. Once they understand the computer components the class will detail their function and interrelationship. In the final part of this section students will actually deconstruct and rebuild a computer. An emphasis will be placed on journaling.

Unit 3 - Architecture of Modern Operating Systems
Students explore the elements of modern operating systems. They will then practice installing an operating system. Once installed they will practice executing basic commands especially, saving moving and deleting a file. Finally we will explore the basic elements of printing and accessing the Internet. Emphasis will be placed on understanding the background behind these procedures to aid in problem solving in the future.

Unit 4 - Architecture of Computer Applications, Creative Troubleshooting and Logical Process
The class will investigate computer application structure. Students will then navigate the help system of an application exploring its structure developing an understanding of how it works. Focusing on creating self-reliant learners, students will research application resources and share with the class how they found relevant application information.

The class will explore basic troubleshooting procedures, going through procedural steps, time keeping, on task focus and lab time vs. field time. Students will better understand the significance of documenting process.

Unit 5 - Architecture of Computer Networking (OSI)
The class will explore the history of computer networking. Students will perform exercises to better understand networking concepts and terminology.

Unit 6 - Introduction to Programming, Database Interactivity and Interactive Web Design
The class will explore the basics elements of some of the most common computer programming languages. Students will also work with basic database concepts and design.

The class will explore elements of interactive web design principles and online information access. With their new found understanding students will identify a technology challenge in the building and compose a proposal using web based information as a solution. Finally, students will create a web resource as a solution in action.

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Intermediate Units - Resource Development

Unit 7 - Technology Resources, Online Communities and Portfolio Building
The class will participate in exercises focusing on identify valuable technology learning resources. Once criteria is established for identifying valuable resources, students will practice develop their own resources.

The class will learn how to appropriately interact with and contribute to learning communities.

The class will learn portfolio building skills as well as developing their own portfolio or record of accomplishment including; a journal, troubleshooting documentation, contract, skills sheets, proficiency tests. Students will complete an online resume.

Unit 8 - How Can I Help?
The class will develop understanding of the art of the interview to gain the perspective of the needs of a staff member. As an exercise in initiative, students, working in teams, will interview a staff member to gain understanding of their technology needs. The student teams will then design and implement a technology solution. They will create support text for the staff member, based on their journaling. Finally, students will provide follow-up support for the staff member as well as perform a brief evaluation.

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Unit 9 - Field Work
Students, working in teams, will interview a staff member and fill out a work order for portfolio material & program reference. They will engineer a solution for the project and share it with the online community for feedback. The student team will implement the solutions and test it for success. They will document their process through a completed work order, journal entries and the online community. Students will solicit feedback from the staff member about the project success, their process and conduct for their portfolio. Finally, students will add to their portfolios a copy of the documentation.

Unit 10 - Getting Everyone Onboard: Outreach to Stakeholders
This program will not succeed without support from everyone affected, school board members, building and district administrators, building and district tech support personnel, teachers, parents and other students. Building the needed support should not rest solely upon the staff member who champions the program. This unit introduces solutions to common troubles experienced with amassing support for a program like Generation TECH. The students are the reason for this class they will be the best salespeople for it. They will be able to motivate each other and find ways to maintain the program for years to come.

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