Free Online Course offered by Coursera on Operating Systems and You: Becoming a Power User

Coursera Platform is offering, in partnership with Google, a free online course on the theme of Operating Systems and You: Becoming a Power User.

Course background:

In this course -- through a combination of video lectures, demonstrations, and hands-on practice -- you’ll learn about the main components of an operating system and how to perform critical tasks like managing software and users, and configuring hardware. 

Course duration:

Approx. 34 hours to complete.

Course topics:

• WEEK 1: Navigating the System:

Welcome to the Operating Systems course of the IT Support Professional Certificate! In the first week of this course, we will cover the basics of Windows and Linux operating systems (OS). We will learn about how directories and files work in Windows and Linux OS. You will also learn practical ways to manipulate files and directories in the Windows graphical user interface (GUI), Windows command line interface (CLI), and Linux shell.

• WEEK 2: Users and Permissions:

In the second week of this course, we'll learn about configuring users and permissions in Windows and Linux OS. As an IT Support Specialist, it's important to know how to grant the appropriate permissions to users and groups for both Windows and Linux OS. By the end of this module, you will know how to add, modify, and remove users for a computer and for specific files and folders by using the Windows GUI, Windows CLI, and Linux shell.

• WEEK 3: Package and Software Management:

In the third week of this course, we'll learn about package and software management in Windows and Linux OS. It's important to know how package installs work and how devices and drivers are managed within these operating systems. We will also learn about different packaging and file compression methods. By the end of this module, you will know how to create, update, and remove software by using the Windows GUI, Windows CLI and Linux shell.

• WEEK 4: Filesystems:

In the fourth week of this course, we'll learn about how filesystems work for Windows and Linux OS. We'll learn about filesystem types and why they're different for certain OS. We'll learn about disk partitioning and virtual memory and why these are so important for an IT Support Specialist's role. We'll also cover ways mount and unmount filesystems, read disk usage, and repair filesystems. By the end of this module, you will partition and format a disk drive yourself in both Windows and Linux.

•  WEEK 5: Process Management:

In the fifth week of this course, we'll explore process management. As an IT Support Specialist, it is important to use system tools to read and understand process statuses of machines. We will cover ways to start and terminate a process in Windows and Linux. We will also apply troubleshooting tools to solve problems with processes and resources. By the end of this module, you will use Windows and Linux commands to do practical process maintenance.

•  WEEK 6: Operating Systems in Practice:

Congratulations, you've made it to the final week in the course! In the last week of this course, we will cover some of the practical aspects of operating systems that you'll use all the time in IT Support. We will cover remote access and how to troubleshoot a computer from afar. We'll explore virtualization tools to manage and remove virtual instances, use logs for system monitoring, and show you a few different techniques for OS deployment. By the end of this module, you will apply all the skills from this course to debug some issues within Windows and Linux OS. Good luck!

Course objectives:

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to: 

1. navigate the Windows and Linux filesystems using a graphical user interface and command line interpreter.
2. set up users, groups, and permissions for account access.
3. install, configure, and remove software on the Windows and Linux operating systems.
4. configure disk partitions and filesystems.
5. understand how system processes work and how to manage them.
6. work with system logs and remote connection tools.
7. utilize operating system knowledge to troubleshoot common issues in an IT Support Specialist role.

Course costs:

As this course is a part of larger Google IT Support Professional Certificate, learner can to enroll for free and gets:

• Unlimited access to all courses in the certificate including: Watching lectures, trying assignments, participating in discussion forums, and more.
• Canceling option at any time: No penalties - simply cancel before the trial ends if it's not right for you.
• $49 USD per month to continue learning after trial ends: Go as fast as you can - the faster you go, the more you save.
• Certificate when you complete, that you can share on your resume, LinkedIn, and CV.
• Learner who can’t afford to pay required fees is eligible to apply for financial aid, that allows him/her to get everything a fee-payer learner gets.

When completing the certificate:

• FREE career resources when you complete the Professional Certificate.
• Includes resume builder and mock interviews (a $948 USD value).

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