Computer Science 401 – Introduction to Computers and their Uses ...

Computer Science 401 – Introduction to Computers and their Uses Spring 2010 – Online Syllabus Class Name: Meets: Instructor: Phone:

Co Sci 401 - Introduction to Computers Online (no on campus class meetings) Carlos R. Garcia (818) 364-7600 ext 4413

Semester: Section: Email: Office:

Spring 2010 0188 [email protected] By Appointment/Email preferred

Course Description: This course presents an introduction to computer terminology, concepts, applications, and programming. Topics include the impact of computers on society, ethical issues, operating systems, The Internet, and hardware/software applications, including word processors, spreadsheets, and presentation software. Student Learning Outcomes: Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to: 1. demonstrate an understanding of the role and function of computers and the use of computer hardware and software to solve problems. 2. identify the basic components of computers and computer equipment. 3. perform fundamental windows operations on a computer. 4. learn common applications/programs such as Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint and Word. 5. write and understand simple program code and/or scripting language. 6. recommend the type of computer equipment and software to a given business user. Required Textbooks: 1. Primary Textbook:  Shelley & Vermaat; “Discovering Computers 2010, Living in a Digital World, Complete” Shelly Cashman Series, ISBN-13: 978-0-324-78645-3; ISBN-10: 0-324-78645-X 2. Lab Textbook:  Shelly, Cashman, & Vermaat; “Microsoft Office 2007, Essential Concepts and Techniques” Shelly Cashman Series, ISBN-13: 978-1-4188-4374-8; ISBN-10: 1-4188-4374-1 Materials: This course requires students to have access to a computer with the Microsoft Windows operating system (Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows 7), the Microsoft Office 2007 suite of application programs (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint), high-speed Internet access, and an e-mail account. Previous versions of Microsoft Office (2003 and earlier) will not provide the required functionality to complete some of the lab assignments. Policies: This is a full on line class. There will be no on-campus class meetings. Students are expected to login to the class website at least 3 times per week and participate actively in weekly readings, class discussions, group projects, written assignments and assigned online activities. Weekly assignments will be available every Sunday and will be due by 11:55 pm the following Sunday. Be sure to give yourself enough time to complete your assignments. The assignment submission links will close at 11:55 pm on the assignment due date. A Co Sci 401 – Spring 2010, Garcia, Page 1

weekly quiz on assigned readings will be due Sunday each week. Please manage your time accordingly as late assignments and quizzes will not be accepted. Discussion Forum Participation: Because of the nature of online courses, students are expected to participate actively in class discussion forums. Think of the forums as your class attendance and participation. There will be one weekly discussion forum for each chapter in your Discovering Computers textbook, and one discussion forum for each application lab (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.). You are responsible to contribute one posting in the weekly chapter forum by Wednesday (11:55 pm), and respond to at least two of your classmate postings by Sunday (11:55 pm). Your first contribution will earn 10 points if submitted by Wednesday (11:55 pm). Your additional contributions will earn 5 points each if submitted by Sunday (11:55 pm). Contributions made after the deadline will not earn points. Students are also responsible for one weekly contribution in the application lab forums (5 points per week). Contribution means that the student must add to the discussion. Students are welcomed to post their own questions, but please check that the question has not been previously posted in the forum. Postings that do not add to the discussion, repeat content, and postings such as “I agree,” “this was helpful,” or “I will try this” will not earn participation points. Use the lab forums to help each other with the lab assignments. This class works well when all students participate. Keep in mind that participation will total 20% of your final grade. Students who lack participation will notice their overall grade decreasing. Office Hours/Instructor Contact: I maintain office hours by appointment. Please contact me via email at [email protected] or via Moodle instant messenger. You may also call me at (818) 364-7600, extension 4413. I try to respond within 36 hours. Email Rules: I would like to reserve email for personal questions. Please post any questions about the course material in the Help! Questions? forum. This way the rest of the class can see both the question and responses. Send me an email or Moodle instant message if you have a personal question (example: grades). Please do not contact me to request an extension on a missed assignment or quiz. Late assignments will not be accepted. If you will be unable to access the class web site please let me know ahead so that we can have an alternate plan. Please respect the privacy of other class members. Student email addresses are for class use only! Grading Policy: 1. Online Quizzes: 2. Online Assignments: 3. Online Participation  Discussion/Forums 4. Final Written Project 5. Lab Assignments  Windows Lab  Word Labs  Excel Labs  PowerPoint Labs  Visual Basic Labs

Grading Scale: 20% 20% 20% 15% 25%

A B C D Fail

90% – 100% 80% – 89.99% 70% – 79.99% 60% – 69.99% Below 60%

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Course Schedule: Subject Column: Bold subjects are topics from your Discovering Computers textbook; Italic subjects are lab activities from your Microsoft Office textbook and Visual Basic material.

Week

Subject

Week 1 2/08 – 2/13

Getting Started/Exploring Moodle Introduction to Microsoft Windows XP/ Windows Vista and Microsoft Office

Week 2 2/14 – 2/20

Introduction to Computers Introduction to Microsoft Windows XP/ Windows Vista and Microsoft Office

Week 3 2/21 – 2/27

The Internet and World Wide Web Creating and Editing a Word Document

Week 4 2/28 – 3/06

Application Software Creating and Editing a Word Document

Week 5 3/07 – 3/13

The Components of the System Unit Creating and Editing a Word Document

Assignments and Lab Projects Reading Material:  Student Guide for Using Moodle  Class Syllabus, How This Class Works  Windows (WIN) section – Microsoft Office Assignments Due:  Introduction Quiz due 2/14  Update Your Profile due 2/14  Upload a Single File due 2/14 Reading Material:  Chapter 1 – Discovering Computers  Windows (WIN) section – Microsoft Office  Word (WD) section – Microsoft Office Assignments Due:  Chapter 1 Quiz due 2/21  Case Study due 2/21  Find Out About Your Computer due 2/21  Windows Lab due 2/21 Reading Material:  Chapter 2 – Discovering Computers  Word (WD) section – Microsoft Office Assignments Due:  Chapter 2 Quiz due 2/28  Internet Protocol (IP) Address due 2/28  Microsoft Word Lab 1 due 2/28 Reading Material:  Chapter 3 – Discovering Computers  Word (WD) section – Microsoft Office Assignments Due:  Chapter 3 Quiz due 3/07  Microsoft Word Lab 2 due 3/07 Reading Material:  Chapter 4 – Discovering Computers  Word (WD) section – Microsoft Office  Excel (EX) section – Microsoft Office Assignments Due:  Chapter 4 Quiz due 3/14  Application Software due 3/14  Microsoft Word Lab 3 due 3/14

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Week

Subject

Week 6 3/14 – 3/20

Input Creating a Worksheet and an Embedded Chart

Week 7 3/21 – 3/27

Output Creating a Worksheet and an Embedded Chart

Week 8 3/28 – 4/03

Spring Break

Week 9 4/04 – 4/10

Storage Creating a Worksheet and an Embedded Chart

Week 10 4/11 – 4/17

Operating Systems and Utility Programs Using a Design Template and Text Slide Layout to Create a Presentation

Week 11 4/18 – 4/24

Programming Languages and Program Development Using a Design Template and Text Slide Layout to Create a Presentation

Week 12 4/25 – 5/01

Communications and Networks Using a Design Template and Text Slide Layout to Create a Presentation

Assignments and Lab Projects Reading Material:  Chapter 5 – Discovering Computers  Excel (EX) section – Microsoft Office Assignments Due:  Chapter 5 Quiz due 3/21  Computer Purchase 3/21  Microsoft Excel Lab 1 due 3/21 Reading Material:  Chapter 6 – Discovering Computers  Excel (EX) section – Microsoft Office Assignments Due:  Chapter 6 Quiz due 3/28  File Names & File Extensions  Microsoft Excel Lab 2 due 3/28 No Coursework Reading Material:  Chapter 7 – Discovering Computers  Excel (EX) section – Microsoft Office  PowerPoint (PPT) section – Microsoft Office Assignments Due:  Chapter 7 Quiz due 4/11  Printer Purchase due 4/11  Microsoft Excel Lab 3 due 4/11 Reading Material:  Chapter 8 – Discovering Computers  PowerPoint (PPT) section – Microsoft Office Assignments Due:  Chapter 8 Quiz due 4/18  Backup Strategies due 4/18  Microsoft PowerPoint Lab 1 due 4/18 Reading Material:  Chapter 13 – Discovering Computers  PowerPoint (PPT) section – Microsoft Office Assignments Due:  Chapter 13 Quiz due 4/25  Microsoft PowerPoint Lab 2 due 4/25 Reading Material:  Chapter 9 – Discovering Computers  PPT section t – Microsoft Office Assignments Due:  Chapter 9 Quiz due 5/02  Microsoft PowerPoint Lab 3 due 5/02 Co Sci 401 – Spring 2010, Garcia, Page 4

Week

Subject

Week 13 5/02 – 5/08

Database Management Visual Basic

Week 14 5/09 – 5/15

Computer Security, Ethics, and Privacy Visual Basic

Week 15 5/16 – 5/22

Information System Development Visual Basic

Week 16 5/23 – 5/29

Enterprise Computing Written Project

Week 17 5/30 – 6/05

Computer Careers and Certification

Assignments and Lab Projects Reading Material:  Chapter 10 – Discovering Computers  PPT section – Microsoft Office Assignments Due:  Chapter 10 Quiz due 5/09  Network Components due 5/09  Visual Basic Lab 1 due 5/09 Reading Material:  Chapter 11 – Discovering Computers  Visual Basic material Assignments Due:  Chapter 11 Quiz due 5/16  Visual Basic Lab 2 due 5/16 Reading Material:  Chapter 12 – Discovering Computers  Visual Basic material Assignments Due:  Chapter 12 Quiz due 5/23  Visual Basic Lab 3 due 5/23 Reading Material:  Chapter 14 – Discovering Computers Assignments Due:  Chapter 14 Quiz due 5/30  Written Project due 5/30 Reading Material:  Chapter 15 – Discovering Computers Assignments Due  Chapter 15 Quiz due 6/05

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