(a) General requirements. This course is recommended for students in Grades 10-12. Recommended prerequisite: Principles of Information Technology. Corequisite: Computer Maintenance. This course must be taken concurrently with Computer Maintenance and may not be taken as a stand-alone course. Districts are encouraged to offer this course in a consecutive block with Computer Maintenance to allow students sufficient time to master the content of both courses. Students shall be awarded one credit for successful completion of this course.
(b) Introduction.
  (1) Career and technical education instruction provides content aligned with challenging academic standards and relevant technical knowledge and skills for students to further their education and succeed in current or emerging professions.
  (2) The Information Technology (IT) Career Cluster focuses on building linkages in IT occupations for entry level, technical, and professional careers related to the design, development, support, and management of hardware, software, multimedia, and systems integration services.
  (3) In Computer Maintenance Lab, students will acquire knowledge of computer maintenance and creating appropriate documentation. Students will analyze the social responsibility of business and industry regarding the significant issues relating to the environment, ethics, health, safety, and diversity in society and in the workplace as related to computer maintenance. Students will apply technical skills to address the IT industry and emerging technologies.
  (4) Students are encouraged to participate in extended learning experiences such as career and technical student organizations and other leadership or extracurricular organizations.
  (5) Statements that contain the word "including" reference content that must be mastered, while those containing the phrase "such as" are intended as possible illustrative examples.
(c) Knowledge and skills.
  (1) The student demonstrates professional standards/employability skills as required by business and industry. The student is expected to:
    (A) demonstrate work behaviors that enhance employability and job advancement such as regular attendance, promptness, attention to proper attire, maintenance of a clean and safe work environment, appropriate voice, and pride in work;
    (B) demonstrate positive personal qualities such as flexibility, open mindedness, initiative, listening attentively to speakers, and willingness to learn new skills;
    (C) employ effective reading and writing skills;
    (D) employ effective verbal and nonverbal communication skills;
    (E) solve problems and think critically;
    (F) demonstrate leadership skills and function effectively as a team member;
    (G) identify and implement proper safety procedures;
    (H) demonstrate an understanding of legal and ethical responsibilities in relation to the field of IT; and
    (I) demonstrate planning and time-management skills such as project management, including initiating, planning, executing, monitoring and controlling, and closing a project.
  (2) The student applies academic skills to the requirements of computer technologies. The student is expected to:
    (A) complete work orders for repair and installation;
    (B) estimate supplies, materials, and labor costs for installation, maintenance, and repair work orders; and
    (C) locate and interpret appropriate documentation such as schematics, drawings, charts, diagrams, technical manuals, and bulletins.
  (3) The student demonstrates the proper function and application of the tools, equipment, and materials used in computer technologies. The student is expected to:
    (A) demonstrate safe use of equipment in computer technologies such as hand and power tools;
    (B) employ available reference documentation such as tools, materials, and Internet sources to access information as needed;
    (C) demonstrate proper handling and disposal of environmentally hazardous materials used in computer technologies; and
    (D) research new and emerging technologies that may affect the field of computer technology.
  (4) The student applies the concepts and skills of the trade in simulated work situations. The student is expected to:
    (A) use electronic test equipment to measure current, voltage, power, and resistance;
    (B) describe digital circuits and bus design;
    (C) demonstrate the operational features and proper terminology related to computer systems;
    (D) demonstrate proper usage of the various components of a computer system such as the central processor, basic input and output system, read-only memory, and random access memory; and
    (E) troubleshoot computer peripheral devices.
  (5) The student uses hardware design, operation, and maintenance knowledge and skills to identify major computer components. The student is expected to:
    (A) assemble and install a basic computer system; and
    (B) install and configure computer components such as printers and other peripherals.
  (6) The student uses troubleshooting skills to solve client problems. The student is expected to:
    (A) diagnose error messages and symptoms of hardware failures;
    (B) research and identify interrupt sequences and beep codes;
    (C) identify priorities and interrupts at the system level;
    (D) test a system using diagnostic tools and software;
    (E) diagnose problems in operating systems;
    (F) differentiate between hardware and software failure;
    (G) update Basic Input/Output System (BIOS);
    (H) demonstrate hard drive maintenance procedures such as defrag scan and clear caches;
    (I) gather information from the user;
    (J) repair malfunctioning hardware systems;
    (K) reinstall software as needed;
    (L) demonstrate system backup and recovery;
    (M) restore a system to various states such as safe modes and previous;
    (N) demonstrate knowledge of operating system design such as operation and maintenance; and
    (O) apply knowledge of operating system design to perform information support and service tasks of different operating systems.
  (7) The student installs and configures software programs and updates IT systems. The student is expected to:
    (A) evaluate application software packages and test the functionality of a proposed software configuration;
    (B) verify software is properly licensed prior to installation;
    (C) install application and systems software using available resources as needed;
    (D) resolve problems with installation if any occur such as recovery from system error;
    (E) perform software customization as requested;
    (F) document all procedures; and
    (G) install and maintain security software.
  (8) The student installs, configures, and verifies active network connection. The student is expected to:
    (A) demonstrate an understanding of network connection and interface requirements;
    (B) install and configure a computer on a network; and
    (C) verify and troubleshoot network connectivity.
  (9) The student provides support to computer users to maintain service. The student is expected to:
    (A) develop a written disaster recovery plan; and
    (B) develop a written preventive maintenance plan.

Source Note: The provisions of this §130.304 adopted to be effective August 28, 2017, 40 TexReg 9123