CIS 146 • Microcomputer Applications

Jefferson State Community College • Shelby-Hoover Campus • Fall 2009

Catalog Course DescriptionThis course is an introduction to the most common microcomputer software applications. These software packages should include typical features of applications, such as word processing, spreadsheets, database management, and presentation software. Upon completion, students will be able to utilize selected features of these packages.

TextbooksI highly recommend that you bring your textbook to each class meeting, as I will likely integrate material from the text into the lectures each day. In-class textbook sharing is prohibited.

Microsoft Office 2007: Introductory Concepts and Techniques, Windows Vista Edition, by Gary B. Shelly, Thomas J. Cashman, and Misty E. Vermaat.
ISBN-10: 1-4239-1228-4; ISBN-13: 978-1-4239-1228-6.

This textbook may be available in different bindings and / or with different ISBNs. There is also a Premium Video Edition (ISBN-10: 0-324-82684-2; ISBN-13: 978-0-324-82684-5). Please consult with your instructor should you wish to buy a variation on the textbook other than those listed above.

SoftwareStudents 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. This program only includes one of the four Microsoft Office programs we will be using in this course (Access 2007); however, you may be able to purchase the full suite at a discount (see the course home page for details).

Other MaterialsUSB flash drive for saving documents between classes. Lab computers are used for various classes throughout each day, so you are not guaranteed that any files saved on a given computer will remain there in the future. Additionally, you are not guaranteed to be sitting at the same computer during each class meeting. Having your files on a flash drive protects your files from loss and from academic misconduct. Under no circumstances should you share your flash drive with another student.

PrerequisiteNone (keyboarding skills recommended).

Course ContentThis course will deal with general terminology of computers and specific application areas as well as the tools provided in Microsoft Office 2007 for each area. Assignments and examinations may emphasize concepts and / or the ability to accomplish specific tasks with an application. Because the prior knowledge each student has coming into the class will vary, a portion of almost every class meeting will be open for students to complete assignments and obtain individualized assistance.

AttendanceAttending class will be one of the key factors in determining your success in this course. Although the textbook will provide most of the information you need to perform well on assignments and examinations, your instructor will hold you responsible for additional information provided in class. Attendance will be taken promptly at the beginning of each class.

Official Policy: Students are expected to attend all classes for which they are registered. Students who are unable to attend class regularly, regardless of the reason or circumstance, should withdraw from that class before poor attendance interferes with the student's ability to achieve the objectives required in the course. Withdrawal from class can affect eligibility for federal financial aid.

Course WithdrawalA student who wishes to withdraw from a course after the official Schedule Adjustment period and prior to the official start of final exams may do so by completing a "Withdrawal from Course" form. Students who withdraw before the beginning of the twelfth (12th) week of the fall or spring semester or seventh (7th) week of the summer term will receive a grade of "W" for any course withdrawn. After this time, the student will receive a grade of "WP" if doing satisfactory work at the time of withdrawal or "WF" if doing unsatisfactory work at the time of withdrawal.

The deadline for withdrawal with an automatic "W" for the Fall Semester 2009 is November 14. After this date, your instructor will assign a "WP" only if your performance through the date of withdrawal was satisfactory or if extreme unforeseen circumstances hampered your ability to perform satisfactorily. Students with excessive absences, especially those who miss exams or project deadlines, will not be assigned a "WP" and should withdraw before the automatic "W" deadline.

Make-Up WorkAssignment deadlines are generally predictable enough that you should be able to submit an assignment on time even if you miss the day it was announced. If you are unable to attend class or complete work for an extended period of time due to illness or family emergency, you should request an amended timetable for completing assignments from your instructor. Make-up examinations must be scheduled with your instructor within one week of a missed examination and will only be offered for those with significant grounds for missing the exam (illness, family emergency, an automobile accident that occurs on the way to class, etc.). Do not allow a significant amount of time to pass without notifying me of extenuating circumstances -- the earlier you inform me of your situations, the more likely I will be able to help you keep from falling behind.

WorkThe requirements for this course are non-negotiable. You are expected to complete all assignments and examinations on time regardless of other obligations. You are responsible for ensuring that your schedule allows enough time to satisfy the course requirements. Work scheduling is not considered sufficient grounds for failing to submit assignments on time or being absent during an examination.

AssistanceYour instructor is available in his office at set times for student assistance and can be reached promptly during these office hours. Additionally, you may send an e-mail message (preferably via Blackboard) or leave a message on voicemail should you have any questions. You will receive a better response if you seek assistance as soon as you experience trouble with an assignment. Your instructor does not guarantee an expedient response to e-mail or telephone messages outside of office hours. You are discouraged from seeking assistance from or giving notice to your instructor between classes -- it is much better to do so when your instructor can focus on you without distraction.

Your instructor is happy to assist you during his office hours, but he must divide his time fairly between students seeking assistance, class preparation, and grading. Please use the other resources available to you (textbook, notes) before coming to see your instructor!

Americans with DisabilitiesThe Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504) and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 state that qualified students with disabilities who meet the essential function and academic requirements are entitled to reasonable accommodations. It is the student's responsibility to provide appropriate disability documentation to the College.

Please note that requests for accommodations must be placed with the ADA Office on campus. Additionally, accommodations should be brought up with the instructor on a case-by-case basis (that is, as each assignment or examination requiring accommodations arises during the semester). Receiving ADA accommodations does not relieve a student of the responsibility to attend class on a regular basis and to meet deadlines given by the instructor.

From the ADA Student Handbook: An instructor is not obliged to provide accommodations to a student with a disability until he/she receives the ADA Office accommodation letter from the student. In addition, it is the student's responsibility to discuss scheduling and details of the requested accommodations with his/her instructor(s). If a student delivers an accommodation letter to an instructor within a few days of an assignment or exam, the instructor may not be able to provide the optimal accommodation requested.

GradesRefer to the following table for the contributions of each course item to your grade.

Grade ranges will follow the traditional pattern (≥ 90% for an A, 80 to 89% for a B, 70 to 79% for a C, 60 to 69% for a D, < 60% for an F) unless the distribution of grades calls for a more generous assignment.

Grades will be released via Blackboard (see below). A description of the deductions taken will accompany each grade. Grade disputes must be submitted via e-mail within one week of a grade's release. Your instructor will not respond to general inquiries about grades -- you must consult the instructor's comments on Blackboard and ask specific questions about the point deductions. Please let me know if you have difficulties accessing grades via Blackboard -- it is very easy for me to overlook a setting required for you to be able to see your grades.

My priorities in grading your assignments will be (1) providing valuable feedback to aid you in understanding concepts, and (2) releasing grades in a timely manner. I will make every effort to satisfy both of these priorities, but occasionally one of these priorities may suffer in favor of the other.

AssignmentsEarly assignments will focus on computer terminology and the elements of Windows Vista. Later assignments will require you to use tools from Microsoft Office to complete exercises from the textbook and / or instructions posted on Blackboard. Your grades on these assignments will be based on how closely you follow the instructions, with more important instructions weighted more highly than those that are trivial.

ExaminationsThe first examination will require knowledge of computer terminology and the ability to complete tasks in Windows Vista; questions may be multiple-choice, true / false, and / or matching. The latter three examinations will focus on specific programs in Microsoft Office and the ability to generate documents according to specific instructions. Unless otherwise specified, examinations are closed-book and closed-note.

Submitting AssignmentsYou will use Blackboard as the primary means for submitting assignments. You may access Blackboard from the link in Campus Pipeline. Your instructor will demonstrate the use of Blackboard during the first week of class; should you have additional questions, contact him during his office hours or via e-mail.

Deadlines are strictly enforced by Blackboard, so be sure to take into account any clock differences that might occur between your computer and the Blackboard server. Submissions will not be accepted via any means other than that specified for the assignment: you must use the submission tool set up for the particular assignment you are submitting. You are responsible for sending the correct file; you will not have the opportunity to resubmit an assignment should you discover that you submitted the wrong file.

Although assignments are available via Blackboard and can be submitted from any computer, your instructor cannot guarantee the ability to complete and / or submit assignments on any computer other than those on campus. If your computer lacks the software or functionality to complete a given assignment, you are expected to complete it in a campus computer lab. There are open labs in the General Studies Building on the first floor as well as in room 451 of the Health Sciences Building; these should be available at any time when the building is open (with some exceptions). You should check ahead of time to be sure that the computer from which you plan to work has the software you need to complete the assignments. Deadlines will not be extended for computer malfunction unless the problem is related to a campus computer (Blackboard / campus network outage, lab computer issues, etc.).

CorrespondenceYour instructor will communicate course requirements, grades, and other important information via Blackboard. You should check the course home page on Blackboard frequently to ensure that you receive this information in a timely manner. Your instructor is not responsible for miscommunication caused by your failure to consult Blackboard on a regular basis.

The Lab EnvironmentThe computers in this classroom are used throughout the week for two sections of this course and for other activities. Thus it is important that you are careful not to leave any files containing, or related to, assignments on any lab computer once you leave the classroom. Use alternate means (e.g., e-mail attachments or USB flash drives) to store your files between class periods. Assignments found on lab computers after class ends are subject to an automatic zero due to the potential for academic misconduct.

In order to protect classroom equipment from vandalism and theft, all classrooms will be locked when not in use. If you need to use a computer beyond class time, please use the open computer lab (HSB 451).

HonorStudents are expected to complete their own work regardless of circumstances. Peer assistance should be limited in scope; consult with your instructor if there is a question of how much assistance can be offered. Any student involved in cheating on an assignment or examination will receive a zero for the assignment and may be subject to additional penalties, such as being assigned an F with notation of the academic misconduct on your permanent transcript.

RespectWhile in the classroom you are expected to show respect both to your instructor and to your classmates. Harassing, threatening, or otherwise disrespectful behavior will not be tolerated. Students who engage in such behavior will be asked to leave the classroom and may suffer grade penalties. We all have different perspectives on what is "in good fun" and what "crosses the line", so keep in mind the diverse makeup of the class as you make comments.

Statement on Discrimination / Harassment: The college and the Alabama State Board of Education are committed to provide both employment and educational environments free of harassment or discrimination related to an individual's race, color, gender, religion, national origin, age, or disability. Such harassment is a violation of State Board of Education policy. Any practice or behavior that constitutes harassment or discrimination will not be tolerated.

DisturbancesDuring lectures, students are expected to remain silent unless recognized by the instructor for a question or comment. When completing in-class exercises, conversations that relate to an assignment are allowed so long as they do not reach a disruptive volume. However, students should not carry on loud and / or personal conversations in the classroom during class time. Lab computers should be used for the completion of assignments, not for personal entertainment that may distract adjacent students. Cell phones and pagers should be placed in silent / vibrate mode or turned off, and calls should be answered outside the classroom. In addition to sound, students should avoid causing sight-based (clothing) or smell-based (cologne, perfume, etc.) distractions. Causing a disturbance shall be considered disrespectful behavior and will be treated as such.

PrintingThe Department of Business and Information Systems maintains the lab printers, including the addition of paper and toner when necessary. The department has a limited budget with which to purchase additional toner and paper. When students abuse the privilege of unrestricted printing, supplies may run out before the department is able to order replacements. Please use our print supplies in a responsible manner. If you would like assistance in reducing the number of pages required to print a document (especially PowerPoint slides), please let an instructor or lab assistant know.

ScheduleA tentative schedule is available on Blackboard. Changes to this schedule will also be communicated on Blackboard. Reasons for schedule changes may include, but are not limited to, instructor illness, inclement weather, or classroom unavailability.

Overall, my advice to you is to do your best! If something unforeseen comes up during the semester, I'm much more likely to work with you if you've proven to be a trustworthy student. Don't hesitate to ask questions on any topic relevant to the course.