A new session of each course opens each month, allowing you to enroll whenever your busy schedule permits!
How does it work? Once a session starts, two lessons will be released each week, for the six-week duration of your course. You will have access to all previously released lessons until the course ends.
Keep in mind that the interactive discussion area for each lesson automatically closes 2 weeks after each lesson is released, so you’re encouraged to complete each lesson within two weeks of its release.
The Final Exam will be released on the same day as the last lesson. Once the Final Exam has been released, you will have 2 weeks plus 10 days to complete the Final and finish any remaining lessons in your course. No further extensions can be provided beyond these 10 days.
Week One
Lesson 01 - The Art of the Tech
Wednesday
This lesson will introduce you to the course and to the CompTIA A+ certification, and then move right into essential information for every tech. You'll get the scoop on how the many components of the personal computer work together. The lesson will discuss how professional techs behave and interact with clients. It will then finish off by teaching you a tried-and-true troubleshooting methodology that will apply to all tech situations.
Lesson 02 - Desktop PC Basics
Friday
In this lesson, you'll take a tour of a desktop PC, starting with the exterior connectors. You'll explore the details of the interior devices as well. The goal is for you to begin learning proper tech terminology and become familiar with standard computer components. You'll also learn about some common computer roles so that you can better understand why desktop PCs are used in both homes and businesses.
Week Two
Lesson 03 - Laptop PC Basics
Wednesday
This lesson looks at the ways laptops differ from desktops. You'll learn about laptop hardware, including a variety of support devices such as docking stations and port replicators. You'll find out how to manage laptop power and battery life and how to protect, maintain, and troubleshoot laptops.
Lesson 04 - Maintenance and Safety Precautions
Friday
In this lesson we dive into the important safety techniques that every good tech absolutely needs to know. These range from how to clean a computer to methods to avoid tech-induced damage to how to dispose of old parts safely.
Week Three
Lesson 05 - Central Processing Units and RAM
Wednesday
In this lesson, we'll deliver the goods on central processing units, the core processing component in every PC. We'll explain variations in technology and then give practical information and advice on installing and troubleshooting CPUs. Plus, we'll dig into the details of one of the foundations of the computer: RAM. With RAM, the CPU can make magic happen. Without it? Literally nothing can happen. You'll learn about the different varieties of RAM and proper techniques for installing it. Then, we'll wrap up the lesson with troubleshooting RAM and memory problems.
Lesson 06 - Motherboards and Cases
Friday
In this lesson, we'll teach you about the essential programming that makes computers function, what's called the BIOS or UEFI. Plus, you'll learn about the special tools we use for storing configuration options for BIOS and UEFI. It's awesome stuff! We'll also teach you all about motherboards, the bedrock of every PC. You'll learn form factors, types of expansion slots, and installation steps for expansion cards. In this lesson, we'll also cover upgrading, installing, and troubleshooting motherboards.
Week Four
Lesson 07 - Powering the PC
Wednesday
Today, we'll introduce you to power supplies and the basics of powering a PC. You'll learn about how electricity gets from your wall outlet into your PC, along with how to test that electricity. We'll teach you about the many power supply standards and how to install one inside your PC. Finally, we'll discuss how to troubleshoot a power supply with problems.
Lesson 08 - Input Devices
Friday
In this lesson, you'll learn about devices that enable you to input data into your computer. We'll discuss standard input devices (like keyboards and mice) and multimedia devices (like digital cameras and webcams). We'll also teach you about connecting those devices to your computers using connectors like USB and Thunderbolt.
Week Five
Lesson 09 - Storage Technologies
Wednesday
Today, we'll dig into storage technologies, including traditional hard disk drives and modern solid-state drives. You'll also learn how to install storage devices of several interface types, including SATA and M.2. We'll also explain the fundamentals of troubleshooting storage devices.
Lesson 10 - Working with Storage Devices
Friday
In this lesson, you'll learn how to prepare a storage device such as a hard disk drive or solid-state drive for use by an operating system. You'll also learn about partitioning and formatting and how to maintain your data using several included Windows utilities.
Week Six
Lesson 11 - Removable Media and RAID
Wednesday
In this lesson, you'll explore various forms of mass storage that you can take with you, such as USB flash media, memory cards, optical drives, and external drives. You'll also discover how RAID arrays improve storage performance and/or reliability.
Lesson 12 - Operational Procedures
Friday
As we wrap up the course, you'll learn about all the other stuff that goes into making IT work, such as documentation, change management, ticketing systems, and disaster prevention and recovery.