The Discussion Board (DB) is part of the core of online learning. Classroom discussion in an online environment requires the active participation of students and the instructor to create robust interaction and dialogue. Every student is expected to create an original response to the open-ended DB question as well as engage in dialogue by responding to posts created by others throughout the week. At the end of each unit, DB participation will be assessed based on both level of engagement and the quality of the contribution to the discussion.

At a minimum, each student will be expected to post an original and thoughtful response to the DB question and contribute to the weekly dialogue by responding to at least two other posts from students. The first contribution must be posted before midnight (Central Time) on Wednesday of each week. Two additional responses are required after Wednesday of each week. Students are highly encouraged to engage on the Discussion Board early and often, as that is the primary way the university tracks class attendance and participation.

The purpose of the Discussion Board is to allow students to learn through sharing ideas and experiences as they relate to course content and the DB question. Because it is not possible to engage in two-way dialogue after a conversation has ended, no posts to the DB will be accepted after the end of each unit.

Assignment Details

The Unit 3 Discussion Board assignment has 2 parts. Complete the following for this Discussion Board.

Part I: LabSim Description and Action Items

Please refer to the following for information about accessing and using LabSim:

Click here for the instructions for the Unit 3 Lab tasks.

Part II:

• Consider how computer hardware, operating systems and applications impact the IT professional. Provide your thoughts about how the computing environment contributes to an individual’s success or failure on the job. Use personal experiences if available. Specify which computer resource(s) you believe to be the most important (processor, memory, display, expansion slots, etc.) and explain why. Be sure to comment about the impacts of mobile devices.
• Share your thoughts about how you would choose between purchasing a desktop, laptop, notebook or mobile device. Identify criteria that you would use to choose one of these platforms.
• Review the posts of your classmates, and add your perspective of their situations and solutions.

In your own words, please post a response to the Discussion Board and comment on other postings. You will be graded on the quality of your postings.

For assistance with your assignment, please use your text, Web resources, and all course materials.