From Hardware to Cyber

Final Reflection Looking back at everything I’ve learned in TEC101, I can see how much my understanding of technology has grown. At the start, programming in Scratch felt like a puzzle game, and now I can see how those same problem-solving skills connect to real languages like Python. I also learned how apps are designed and how important usability and security are in the tools we use every day, like the ChatGPT app I reviewed. Working through assignments like Documenting a Day and Traveling Through a Network helped me understand the everyday side of technology. Word processors, spreadsheets, presentations, and databases each have their place, and they all come together to make school, work, and even personal life more organized. Ping and traceroute showed me that something as simple as loading a website is actually a detailed process, and those same tools are what IT professionals use to figure out where problems happen online. The posts on Computers in the Workplace and Network Secur...

Network Security One of the biggest things I’ve learned in this course is how important it is to keep information and systems secure. Whether it’s personal data or military operations, one small security issue can cause huge problems. Two of the most common threats today are computer viruses and malware/ransomware . Ping as an Attack Before I get into the bigger threats, I also learned that even simple tools like the ping command can be misused. Hackers can send so many ping requests at once that it overwhelms a system, slowing it down or shutting it off. This shows how even basic commands can turn dangerous if used the wrong way. Computer Viruses A computer virus is a program that spreads by attaching itself to files or software. Once it’s inside a system, it can slow down performance, delete data, or even steal information. What makes viruses tricky is that they can spread quickly just by opening an infected file or plugging in the wrong USB drive. The damage can range from an...

 Computers in the Workplace Working in the Air Force has shown me just how important computers are in today’s workplace. They’re not just for emails or reports; they’re at the heart of everything from operations to security. How Computers Are Used In the military, computers are used for planning missions, running simulations, maintaining medical and personnel records, and protecting classified information. In Cybersecurity, which is the career path I’m working toward, computers are essential for monitoring networks, spotting threats, and stopping attacks before they cause damage. Without them, operations would slow down or even come to a complete stop. Why Computer Literacy Matters Every Airman, no matter their job, needs at least some level of computer literacy. Whether it’s logging into secure systems, updating records, or following online training, being able to use technology is part of the job. For Cybersecurity specifically, it’s not just about using computers but also u...

 Traveling Through a Network For one of my assignments, I used the p ing and traceroute commands to see how data travels across the Internet. It was pretty cool to watch the process and realize how much happens in just a few seconds when we click on a link. What Ping Does The ping command sends a small packet of data to a website and measures how long it takes to come back. It’s kind of like shouting “hello” into a canyon and timing how long the echo takes. I noticed that websites closer to me, like ones in the U.S., had faster response times than sites farther away. What Traceroute Does Traceroute shows the path those packets take to reach a website. Instead of just showing the time, it lists each “hop” the packet makes along the way. When I compared two different websites, I saw that one went through just a few stops, while another had a longer, slower path. It really showed how geography and network routes affect speed. Why This Matters Ping and traceroute aren’t just f...

  Documenting a Day When I think about how much technology helps me stay organized, I realize I use different software tools almost every day. Word processors, spreadsheets, presentation tools, and databases each do something different, but together they make life a lot easier. Word Processors Word processors, like Microsoft Word or Google Docs, are my go-to when I need to write papers or take notes. They’re easy to use, and I like that I can fix mistakes quickly. The downside is they don’t handle numbers or data very well; it’s not the tool I’d use for calculations. Spreadsheets Spreadsheets, like Excel or Google Sheets, are great when I need to work with numbers. I’ve used them to calculate percentages and even track my budget. They can feel overwhelming at first with all the formulas, but once you figure it out, they’re powerful. Presentations Presentation tools, like PowerPoint, are perfect when I need to share ideas in a visual way. I’ve made slides for class projects, ...

Web/Mobile App Critique: ChatGPT One of the apps I use the most right now is the ChatGPT app . As a student, parent, and someone working toward a career in Cybersecurity, this app has become a daily tool for me. I use it for homework help, brainstorming, and even quick answers when I don’t have time to dig through Google. Usability and Design The app is simple and clean. When you open it, the chat screen is front and center, which makes it easy to jump right in. I like that my past conversations are saved so I can go back and look at old homework help or notes I’ve asked it to make. It syncs well between my phone and desktop, which is a big deal when I switch between being at home with my kids and using my laptop for classwork.  The design is very minimal, which keeps it distraction-free. Still, sometimes I wish it had a few more customization options, like being able to pin certain conversations at the top, or color-code them by subject. Functionality The best part about the ...

Programming Languages My first real taste of programming came through Scratch . For my project, I built a simple interactive program. At first, I didn’t know what to expect; most of my tech experience has been hands-on in the Air Force or through my Cybersecurity degree program, not programming. But Scratch surprised me. It was colorful, visual, and actually kind of fun, almost like building with Lego blocks on a screen. Learning Through Trial and Error The hardest part was getting my program to run the way I imagined. I thought I had everything lined up, but then the character wouldn’t move or an animation looped forever. It reminded me a little of troubleshooting in IT, you think you’ve set everything up correctly, but then you have to go back and figure out where the process broke. The trial-and-error part frustrated me at first, but it also helped me understand how coding is really just problem-solving one small step at a time. Comparing Languages After using Scratch, I learned abo...