• Using screwdrivers and my iPad for reference, I decided to reverse engineer a PC because I thought it would be a fascinating and educational project. I carefully took apart the computer piece by piece, examining each component to understand how it contributed to the system’s overall function. This hands-on approach helped me appreciate the complexity and design of modern computers while satisfying my curiosity about how all the parts work together.

• During this process, I gained a deeper understanding of what’s inside a PC and how each part works together. By exploring the internal components, I learned about the roles of the motherboard, processor, memory, and storage devices, as well as how they communicate to make the computer function. This experience helped me connect the theoretical knowledge I had about computers to real-world hardware, making the learning process much more engaging and hands-on.

• The seven standards of the class are Empowered Learner, Digital Citizen, Knowledge Constructor, Innovative Designer, Computational Thinker, Creative Communicator, and Global Collaborator. My project connects most strongly to the Empowered Learner standard because I took charge of my own learning experience. By independently taking apart a PC and exploring its components, I was able to understand how the system works through direct observation and experimentation. This hands-on process helped me learn through curiosity and self-motivation, which truly represents what it means to be an empowered learner.

• A challenge I faced during this project was figuring out what each part of the PC does. At first, some of the hardware components looked similar, and it was difficult to understand their specific roles in the computer’s operation. To overcome this, I used Google to research the functions of each part and also asked my teacher for guidance when I needed clarification. By combining what I found online with my teacher’s explanations, I was able to gain a clear understanding of how everything worked together inside the PC.

• If I had the chance to do this project again, I would change how many components I decided to take apart. The reason for this is that I found the process of disassembling the PC and discovering what each part does incredibly interesting. Taking things apart helped me learn in a more hands-on and engaging way, and I realized there was even more I could explore and understand. Next time, I would go deeper into the process to see how every detail connects to the computer’s overall system.

• Hastings High School’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) Program offers a wide range of pathways, including Agriculture, Business Management, Computer Programming, Construction Trades, Culinary Arts, Digital Multimedia, Engineering Design, Finance, Insurance, and Marketing. My project connects to the Engineering Design CTE program because it involves understanding how technology is built and how its components work together. By taking apart and examining a PC, I explored the design and structure of computer hardware, which directly relates to the problem-solving and technical thinking skills emphasized in Engineering Design.

• My project connects to careers in malware analysis because it involves taking something apart and closely examining how it works. In the same way that a malware analyst studies the inner workings of malicious software to understand its purpose and behavior, I disassembled a PC to analyze its components and functions. Both processes require careful observation, problem-solving, and analytical thinking to uncover how complex systems operate beneath the surface.

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