Help for getting started

Projects General Guidance
1

Hi
I am very new to Arduino and really need some help to get started.
I have no experience of using arduino or any microcontroller. However, I have a project I would like to carry out.

I would like to control four motors, electronic hand fans at 6v or 9v or 12v, which I haven't decide how powerful I need the fans to be, to turn them on and off in different timing and with designated amount of time, and loop this behavior. I've been read and watched tutorial online however I still can not really wrap my head around how to do the coding and what kind of hardware is needed. I now understand the basic idea of controlling LED or single motor to be on and off and in loop. But when I tried to do further research about controlling multiple motors with single arduino board, I am stuck at which direction I should go. Should I use relay or transistor? How should I program the arduino?

These are what I've bought and are on the way to be delivered.
I wonder if I am getting the correct hardware to get started?
http://www.miniinthebox.com/arduino-uno-r3-development-board-set-201211270080067_p478902.html
http://www.miniinthebox.com/4-channel-relay-module-with-optocoupler-5v_p903429.html

I know these question couldn't be more basic, but I would really appreciate if anyone can tell me what and where to start to make this project work.
Like what kind of topic I should look into, correct hardware, etc.

I really need to get this work as soon as I can. Any information will be great.

Million thanks!!

2

Relay or Transistor, your choice. Relay has the advantage of 0 voltage loss across the contacts. Transistor has the advantage of being able to use Arduino PWM output for speed control.
That relay module looks good - it uses the transistor output of the optpcoupler to turn on the relay. Arduino drives an LED in the optocoupler to control the transistor output.
Looks like it might have current limit resistors for the optocoupler LEDs already too, all you need to do is drive the input pin low. Be sure to connect Gnd to Arduino Gnd.

Blink without delay style coding will allow you to turn the fans off & on at different times.
There are also timer libraries to support that.