Digital & technology foundations 

In unit one, we explore technology and how we use it every day. 

It focuses on the parts that make up a computer, how AI tools work, our digital footprint, and how the web is organized. 

Main Topics

• Digital Footprint

• Computer Hardwar

• Artificial Intelligence (AI)

• Web & Internet

Key Points 

• Our digital presence can affect academic and professional opportunities.

• Understanding hardware helps us understand how a complete computer system works.

• Artificial intelligence depends on good prompts and critical thinking.

• The Web works through URLs, domains, and browsers that connect users with information. 

 Terms 

• What are the 7 competencies of digital literacy?  Digital Literacy is the ability to use digital technologies to find, calculate, create, and communicate informatively.  

• Seach Query:  A Query is a question or request for information.  

• Natural Language Query: Natural language Query a search with the language people normally use to communicate. 

• Spider (World Wide Wed): A wed crawler (spider) is a program that automatically searches and indexes web pages.  

• Digital footprint: A digital footprint is the information left online from a person’s internet activity. 

• What are the 5 basic computer components? 

1. Motherboard the main circuit board that connects everything and lets the parts communicate.   

2. CPU (Central Processing Unit) The “brain” that runs instructions and handles most of the actual processing.  

3. RAM (Random Access Memory) Short-term memory your computer uses to keep active tasks fast and accessible. 

4. Storage (Hard Drive or SSD) Long-term memory where your files, programs, and operating system are saved.  

5. Power Supply Converts electricity from the wall into usable power for the computer.  

• File:  A file is a collection of data stored as a single unit.  

• File Extension:  A file extension identifies the type of a file.  

• Zip file:  A Zip file is a compressed file.  

• SaaS (Software as a service): Software that is accessed over the internet.  

• Digital Bubble:  A filter bubble limits the information a person seen online.  

• Generative AI: Generative AI is an artificial intelligence that creates content.  

• Prompt (AI): A prompt is an instruction or input given to a system. 

• What is the difference between the internet and the www? The internet is a network the web is the website. 

• Browser: A Browser is a program used to access the world wide web.