Caveat Academy course · Grades 7 to 12

Computer Hardware and Systems: how computers really work

Follow data all the way down: convert binary by hand, work out why a 1 TB drive shows 931 GiB, wire a half adder from two logic gates, trace one instruction through the CPU, time a download in megabits, check a parts list for a socket or memory mismatch, size a power supply, follow a computer from power button to login screen and fix a dead screen step by step. Six modules at your own pace.

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$19one-time · every device you sign in on
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Included with the Caveat Academy pass and Whole-school licenses. Or get it in the High school electives library, $119 for 66 items.

6 modules · 18 lessonsabout 13 hours$19

Six modules, eighteen lessons

Each module ends with a practice set that tracks mastery, an explain-it-back prompt, a short written response and a module exam. The final opens when every module is proficient; passing it earns a certificate with a verification code.

  1. Module 1: How computers represent information

    Convert between binary and decimal, compare decimal and binary storage units and compute how much data text, images and sound need.

    • What a computer is
    • Binary: bits and bytes
    • Text, images and sound as numbers
    about 2.1 h

  2. Module 2: Logic and the processor

    Build truth tables for logic gates, explain the fetch-decode-execute cycle and add binary numbers as a half adder does.

    • Transistors and logic gates
    • The central processing unit
    • From gates to chips
    about 2.1 h

  3. Module 3: Memory and storage

    Compare levels of the memory hierarchy and storage devices, and compute compressed sizes and transfer times in bits and bytes.

    • The memory hierarchy
    • Storage devices
    • Files, compression and transfer time
    about 2.1 h

  4. Module 4: Inside the computer

    Identify motherboard components, check compatibility, size a power supply and explain cooling, displays and drivers.

    • The motherboard and its parts
    • Power, heat and cooling
    • Displays and peripherals
    about 2.1 h

  5. Module 5: Operating systems, firmware and devices

    Explain how an operating system, firmware and the boot process work, and how embedded systems sense and respond.

    • What an operating system does
    • Layers of software
    • Embedded systems and mobile devices
    about 2.1 h

  6. Module 6: Building, troubleshooting and careers

    Plan a compatible build, troubleshoot with a step-by-step method and evaluate maintenance, backup and recycling practices.

    • Choosing parts and assembling a PC
    • Troubleshooting step by step
    • Maintenance, e-waste and careers
    about 2.1 h

Try it before you start

This is how every lesson works: step through a worked example at your own pace, then answer a check and get the reason right away. Nothing here is saved; the course keeps your progress.

Module 6 · Troubleshooting step by step

Worked example: a laptop that will not charge

  1. Identify: the charging light is off, and the laptop shuts down when the battery runs out. Nothing changed except a move to a new desk.

A lesson check from each module

The checks need JavaScript turned on. The course itself works the same way.

What you get

Academics · High SchoolAlso for Academics · Middle School$19 · included with the Academy pass and Whole-school licenses

What you finish with
A finished course in computer hardware and systems: you can convert binary and decimal, compare decimal and binary units, compute the size of text, images and sound, build truth tables, explain the fetch-decode-execute cycle and add binary as a half adder does, compare the memory hierarchy and storage devices, compute compressed sizes and transfer times, identify motherboard parts, check compatibility, size a power supply, explain cooling, displays and drivers, trace the boot process and how embedded systems sense and respond, troubleshoot step by step and keep data safe with 3-2-1 backups. Passing the final earns a Caveat certificate of completion.
Who it is for
Students in grades 7 to 12 who want to know what is inside their devices, students thinking about IT support, computer engineering or cybersecurity, students taking or about to take a computer hardware, technology or computer science course, and homeschool families who want a practical technology course. Younger students can take it as the Computer Hardware and How It Works course. No purchase is needed.
Format
An online self-paced course: 6 modules and 18 lessons with worked examples you reveal step by step, 144 practice and exam items (multiple choice, numeric, fill-in and ordering), an explain-it-back prompt and a rubric-checked short response in every module, module exams with one retake, a 24-question final and a certificate with a verification code. About 13 hours in all; works on a phone or a computer.
Access
$19 one-time, yours on every device you sign in on; the course opens once you are signed in with it. Included with the Caveat Academy pass and Whole-school licenses. Also in the High school electives library ($119) and the Academics Suite pass ($149), and 1 more bundle. Progress is saved in this browser on this device, and the certificate page lets you download your record.
Where it lives
The High School space in Caveat Academics; also listed for the Middle School space in Caveat Academics (the same course serves the middle school Computer Hardware & How It Works title).
Support
Access, a receipt, a refund or a correction to the course: team@caveatacademic.com.

How it works

  1. Open the course and start Module 1. Each lesson takes about 25 to 35 minutes; two or three a week finishes the course in about a semester.
  2. Answer the checks as you read. Every answer shows the reason, and a miss links you back to the lesson that covers it.
  3. Finish each module with its practice set and exam. Proficient on every module opens the final; 70 percent passes it.
  4. Print or download your certificate and record from the certificate page.

Start the course

Sources and accuracy

The lessons are original writing by Caveat Academic Services. Facts were checked against these free, open references, which are also good places to read further.

  1. Computer History Museum, timelines of computing, the transistor and the integrated circuit: computerhistory.org
  2. NIST, prefixes for binary multiples (kibi, mebi, gibi): physics.nist.gov
  3. The Unicode Consortium, about the Unicode Standard and UTF-8: unicode.org
  4. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, guidance on software updates and data backups: cisa.gov
  5. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, electronics donation and recycling: epa.gov

Computer Hardware and Systems is a self-paced course from Caveat Academic Services. It follows the sequence of a typical middle or high school computer hardware course but does not replace a school course or hands-on lab, and awards no credit. Open a computer only with an adult present and the power cord unplugged, discharge static first, and never open a power supply, monitor or charger, which can hold a dangerous charge. Support: team@caveatacademic.com.