Catalog Course Description This course is an introduction to computers that reviews computer hardware and software concepts such as equipment, operations, communications, programming and their past, present and future impact on society. Topics include computer hardware, various types of computer software, communication technologies and program development using computers to execute software packages and/or to write simple programs. Upon completion, students should be able to describe and use the major components of selected computer software and hardware.
Prerequisite None.
Textbooks These textbooks are required. If you cannot purchase the textbooks within a reasonable amount of time from the beginning of the semester, you will not succeed in the course. Pay careful attention to instructions as to which textbook you need in class on a given day. In-class textbook sharing is prohibited.
Discovering Computers Fundamentals: Your Interactive Guide to the Digital World, 8th Edition (2012), by Gary B. Shelly and Misty E. Vermaat. ISBN-10: 1-111-53045-9; ISBN-13: 978-1-111-53045-7. The 2010 and 2011 editions of this textbook should also suffice for this course.
New Perspectives on Microsoft® Office 2010: Brief, published by Cengage Course Technology. ISBN-10: 0-538-74308-5; ISBN-13: 978-0-538-74308-2. Do not purchase the Office 2007 textbook in this series, as the content will differ significantly.
These textbooks may be available in different bindings and / or with different ISBNs. Please consult with your instructor should you wish to buy such a variation on the textbook.
Software This course focuses on using Microsoft Windows 7 and three programs from Microsoft Office 2010 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) in the Windows 7 environment. This software is installed in your CIS 130 classroom as well as the open computer laboratory (room 451). Students enrolled in CIS courses at Jefferson State may obtain some Microsoft software titles free-of-charge through the MSDN Academic Alliance; be looking for an e-mail message in your Pipeline account with your login information. For this course, Windows 7 is available through this program; Word, Excel, and PowerPoint are not. Microsoft Office 2010 is available at a discounted price for currently-enrolled students. Microsoft Office 2007 and Office for Mac 2008 and 2011 may suffice for portions of assignments in this course, but these software packages may be missing some features needed to complete the assignments. Students are discouraged from attempting these assignments using earlier versions of Microsoft Office or any other office application suite.
Course Content The course will be divided between conceptual information on computers in general and practical work with specific applications. The three main application areas are as follows:
Grades Refer to the following table for the contributions of each course item to your grade.
| Item | Number / Points | Total Pts. |
|---|---|---|
| Assignments | 25 @ 10 to 40 pts. each | 400 |
| Exams | 4 @ 100 pts. each | 400 |
| Final Exam | 2 portions @ 100 pts. each | 200 |
| Total Points | 1000 | |
Assignments As you learn about computer concepts in the Discovering Computers textbook, you will reply to discussion board topics with your own perspective on various facets of hardware, software, and the Internet. Additionally, your New Perspectives textbook contains several exercises to introduce you to the Windows 7 environment and to the applications in Microsoft Office 2010. Your instructor will assign a subset of these exercises for you to complete. You will be able to complete some of these in class, but you may have to spend some time outside of class to finish them. Although you are encouraged to complete every assignment, the total points for the assignments will be greater than the total shown above, allowing for bonus opportunities to make up for lost points. No late assignment submissions are accepted.
Examinations There are two types of examinations in this course. One covers specific chapters from the Discovering Computers textbook, testing your knowledge of terminology, history, and general functionality. The other focuses more on your ability to complete specific tasks with one of the three applications; you may be required to create a document from scratch, or you may be given a "draft" document to modify in specific ways. The final examination will include both types of examinations. Unless otherwise specified, examinations are closed-book and closed-note.
In the event of an excused absence, you may make up one exam provided that the make-up occurs within one week of the scheduled exam date. If logistics prevent the scheduling of a make-up within one week, your instructor may choose to substitute your final exam grade in place of that exam grade. If you miss more than one examination, you must contact your instructor to determine if, and how, you will be able to recover the points for the other missed examination(s).