Information Technology Foundations

This course is a part of Introduction to Information Technology, a 3-course MicroBachelors series from edX.

Information technology (IT) can be viewed as a system, a combination of independent parts all working together to accomplish a certain goal. Systems are everywhere. For example, the respiratory, circulatory, nervous, and other subsystems of the body work together towards the common goal of keeping humans alive. IT is similar in that it consists of various subsystems all working towards a common goal. Information Technology Foundations will examine how the system called IT helps an organization advance its business goals and vision, resulting in improved growth, profits, and productivity.

The course will explore the different components of IT and how they work together as a system to support the different aspects of an organization. Specifically, the course will explore different categories of software such as operating systems, programming, and databases. The hardware components that will be examined are the structure of computers and their peripherals. The role of people will be an important focus of the course, describing which roles are necessary for the IT system to function efficiently and effectively. This focus includes the various administrative roles, the methodologies used by people tasked with developing new systems, and the ethical issues that must be considered by individuals involved with IT. In IT, as with many other systems, the independent parts must be integrated together to reach the common goal. This integration is accomplished by networking, which encompasses the core components of hardware, software, and users. IT supports and improves many aspects of an organization, including communication (both internal and external), resource sharing, cross-department integration, information management, security of organization and employee information, and organization adherence to ethical practices.

What you'll learn

• Information technology systems and their role in converting data to organizational knowledge
• The role of different types of software in a computing environment and the fundamentals of software development
• Functions of basic computer hardware components
• The structure, function, and security associated with networks
• Common software architectures, development techniques, and the relationship between software and its environment
• How data and information systems support collaboration and innovation to drive organizational success