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Students with Disabilities
Students with physical or learning disabilities who may require accommodations are encouraged to contact the Counseling Office. After disclosing the nature of the disability, students are urged to discuss their needs with individual instructors. This should be done at the beginning of each semester. Instructors, in conjunction with appropriate college officials, will provide assistance and/or accommodations only to those students who have completed this process
Course Description
CSC* 101 Introduction to Computers (CSC 101) 3 S.H.
Introduces the fundamental components common to all computer systems, including a comprehensive overview of contemporary computer terminology and concepts. Utilizes the Colleges computer resources for solving problems. Topics studied include the use of word processing, electronic spreadsheets, Microsoft Windows, the Internet, and other popular software packages.
Course Objectives
By the end of the semester, students will meet the following objectives:
- Increase familiarity with computers, their components and their operations
- Understand what a computer network is and what are the advantages and disadvantages of networking computers
- Understand computer security and how it effects individuals
- Know what the Internet is and be able to use the Internet effectively
- Demonstrate proficiency with productivity software:
- Windows Operating System
- Microsoft Word 2007
- Microsoft Excel 2007
- Microsoft Powerpoint 2007
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Reality Check
In high school classes meet 50 minutes x 180 days for a total of 9,000 minutes
In college classes meet 80 minutes x 30 days for a total of 2,400 minutes
College class time is only slightly more than 25% of the time spent for a high school class.
In College, the student accepts the responsibility for learning the course material. The reality is that you will have to spend much more time studying for classes in college than you did in high school.
Studying the material means understanding the material. This goes beyond just reading the text and completing the exercises. If you do not understand something, it is up to you to ask me for further clarification and assistance.
Roughly 40% of all students starting college drop out.
How to avoid being a statistic
Be realistic about the time you will have to set aside for the work required in this class. Make a schedule and follow it faithfully.
Attend all the classes.
Ask for help as soon as you need it.
My e-mail: sue@ttsw.com
Office Hours: I do not have an official office, but I am available both before and after class
Other times can be arranged by appointment. Do not hesitate to ask for help
Course Textbook
Introduction to Computers and Software Applications
Pearson Learning Systems, 2010
My IT Lab Training and Assessment Software
Pearson Education Inc.
Please note that the textbook we are using has been specially designed for introductory computer classes at Gateway Community College. The book is available through the Gateway bookstore - http://www.bkstr.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/booklookServlet?bookstore_id-1=809&term_id-1=110309&crn-1=3541
In addition to the course textbook, students must have a USB drive to save work and a valid e-mail account.
Academic Integrity
Open discussion of ideas among students is encouraged, but each student is expected to do his or her own work. Plagiarism, turning in work derived from someone else's work without full attribution of anyone else's work, will result in a failing grade. Two students turning in the same assignment will both receive a failing grade on the assignment. It is the responsibility to each student to protect his or her own work.
For purposes of this course, academic dishonesty will include, but not be limited to the following:
- Allowing another person access to your work,
- Any misrepresentation of another person's work as your own,
- Any falsified excuse for late or missing assignments/exams,
- Any theft or destruction of course materials whether in the classroom, in the library or on the computer
- Any improper use of a computer account meant to be used for this course.
I am available via e-mail (sue@ttsw.com) 24/7 to answer any questions you may have regarding any aspect of this course.
Making the Grade
Your grade in this class will depend upon how you do on the ten different units we will be working on throughout the semester. Each unit is worth 10% or 10 points toward your final grade for a total of 100% or 100 total points possible. Each unit is independent from all the other units, so your grade on one unit will have no effect on your grade for any other unit. You will be demonstrating to me your mastery of the subject matter covered in the different topics in various ways, through quizzes, written exercises, research projects, and other exercises. There will be no final exam in this class.
Final grades will be based on the total number of points you earn on all ten topics. Grades will be awarded accordingly:
| Points |
Grade |
| 93+ |
A |
| 90-92 |
A- |
| 87-89 |
B+ |
| 83-86 |
B |
| 80-82 |
B- |
| 77-79 |
C+ |
| 73-76 |
C |
| 71-73 |
C- |
| 67-69 |
D+ |
| 63-66 |
D |
| 60-62 |
D- |
| Less than 60 |
F |
What is a Unit?
Each unit is a study of a computer related topic that will take anywhere from one class to several weeks to complete. Eight topics we will work on together in class. One topic will be an independent project on an approved subject of the student's choice. One unit will be done outside of class. Each unit will have its own set of requirements that will be used to measure a students success with the unit material. The units we will complete are as follows:
- Computer Hardware & Processing
- Computer Networks
- The Internet
- Computer Security
- Operating Systems
- Word Processing - Microsoft Word
- Spreadsheets - Microsoft Excel
- Presentations - Microsoft Powerpoint
- Computer Article Reviews
- Independent Project
Computer Article Summaries
During the course of the semester, each student is required to read a total of five current computer related articles and write a one-page summary for each article. These are to be done outside of class and may be turned in at any time throughout the semester. Computer related articles may come from newspapers, magazines, journals, or online sources. Articles may be of any length, but the article must be long enough for the student to write at least two paragraphs of summary. Each article must be no more than one month old at the time the one-page summary is submitted to the instructor. A list of current articles will be maintained on the course website, http;//ttsw.com/csc101, but students should feel free to select appropriate articles from any source they may chose.
The article summary must be a minimum of one page, double-spaced, using a font no larger than 12 points, one inch margins on the page. All summaries must be done using a word-processing program and must include a header with the students name, the date, and topic. Handwritten work will be returned un-graded. The summary should start with the title of the article and the source of the article centered on the top of the page. The title should then be followed by two to three paragraphs summarizing the main points of the article in the students own words. The summary should then conclude with one to two paragraphs expressing the students personal opinion of the article.
A printout of the article summary with a copy of the original article attached should be submitted to the instructor. Summaries submitted without a copy of the original article will be returned un-graded. Any article summary that does not receive full credit can be corrected and resubmitted as long as time permits. Check with the instructor if you are unsure about the suitability of an article. The five article summaries will be counted as one of the ten units of study that will be completed in this class.
Academic Skills
Besides accomplishing the course objectives, students in this class will work on several general academic skills not limited to computers and computer technology. In this class students will work to develop the skills of critical thinking, reading and understanding written materials such as textbooks and technological articles, self expression both orally and in writing, and the ability to research a topic on the internet and correctly cite internet sources in a research paper.
Good Writing Skills
Good communication skills are essential in todays job market. You will have the opportunity in this class to practice your writing skills in most of the units we will be working on in this class. Good writing means that your work contains no spelling or grammar errors. It also means that you construct your sentences and paragraphs clearly and logically to get your ideas across to your reader. I will be helping you with your written communication skills as well as your computer skills throughout the semester.
Independent Project
Each student is required to complete a unit of independent study on a pre-approved topic of the students choice. Each student will be required to present their completed work to the instructor on the last day of class, which is normally the date of the final exam. The form of the presentation will be decided on in advance with the instructor and may take the form of a written research paper, a PowerPoint presentation, a computer program, a webpage created by the student, a computer game written by the student, or some other project. The topic the student chooses should reflect the students program of study or some area of personal interest of the student. This project counts as one of the ten units that will be completed in this class.
Cellular Phones & Pagers in the Classroom
Students are hereby notified that cellular phones and beepers are allowed in the class only if they are turned off or turned to silent mode. Under no circumstances are telephones of be answered in class. Students who ignore this policy may be asked to leave class. When there are extenuating circumstances that require a student to be available by phone or beeper, the student should speak to the instructor prior to class, so that together they can arrive at an agreement concerning the devices.
Students must also refrain from sending text messages and visiting social networking web sites during class. Students who cannot do so will be asked to leave.
