Path 11 · Modern technology
Modern Technology
Understand artificial intelligence, cloud computing and automation well enough to use them wisely and safely.
By the end you will be able to
- Explain what AI can and cannot do and verify its output.
- Describe cloud computing and service models.
- Automate a repetitive task safely.
Before you start
- Recommended first: Internet and Communication
Module 42: Artificial intelligence literacy
What AI tools really are, how they learn from examples, where they go wrong, and how to use them honestly, privately and with checking.
- What AI is and how it learns
Learn the difference between AI, machine learning and generative AI, how a large language model produces text without understanding it like a person, and where these tools are genuinely useful.
25 min · beginner
- Hallucinations, bias, privacy and responsible use
Learn why AI tools make confident mistakes, how bias and privacy risks arise, and the habits that keep you honest and safe at school, at work and at home.
30 min · beginner
- Writing prompts and checking what AI tells you
Learn a simple pattern for writing clear prompts, how to improve a reply by iterating, and a repeatable way to verify claims against real sources.
30 min · elementary
Module 43: Cloud computing and digital services
What the cloud really is, how it differs from working on your own computer, and how web apps and the SaaS, PaaS and IaaS service models fit together, in plain language.
- Local vs cloud computing
Understand that the cloud means other people's computers reached over the internet, and weigh what that gives you and what it costs compared with working on your own machine.
25 min · elementary
- Web applications and service models
Tell web apps from installed apps, understand how data stays in step across devices, and use SaaS, PaaS and IaaS as plain-language labels for who runs what.
25 min · elementary
Module 44: Automation and productivity
How to spot repetitive work, let shortcuts, spreadsheets and simple scripts do it for you, and test every automation on copies before it touches real files.
- Automating repetitive tasks safely
Learn to notice work you repeat, choose the simplest tool that removes it, and follow a test-first routine so that an automation never changes real files by accident.
25 min · elementary
- Your first simple shell scripts
Write and run a small shell script on Ubuntu, and the matching PowerShell commands on Windows, that renames practice files only after a preview, so you learn automation with a safety net.
35 min · intermediate · Ubuntu/Linux · Windows