CSC 101 Introduction to Computers

Fall 2006

Syllabus

Home

Schedule & Assignments

Course Textbooks

Technology in Action, Third Edition
Alan Evans, Kendall Martin, and Mary Anne Poatsy
Prentice Hall, 2007
Companion Web Site: http://wps.prenhall.com/bp_evans_techinaction_2

Getting Started with Microsoft Windows XP - 2004 Edition
Robert T. Grauer and Maryann Barber
Prentice Hall, 2004
Go! Word 2003
Go! Excel 2003
Shelley Gaskin
Prentice Hall, 2004

Students must be prepared for each class and must bring all necessary materials and computer files. Students not prepared for the class will be asked to leave the class until they are prepared.

While this course is not an English class, all students are expected to be able to express themselves coherently and concisely with the written word. This means all written assignments are to be free of spelling and grammatical errors. All paragraphs should be well thought out and should include unity, coherence, a topic sentence, and adequate development.

A wealth of information on writing good paragraphs, research papers, and more can be found at: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/general/index.html with specifics for constructing a good paragraph at http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/general/gl_pgrph2.html

Always use a spelling-checker and grammar-checker!

The following links provide excellent information on how to read a textbook and other study guides:

P-R-R: How to Read Your Textbook More Efficiently - http://www.utexas.edu/student/utlc/lrnres/handouts/1422.html
Study Guides and Strategies - http://www.studygs.net/index.htm
Reading Your Textbooks - http://www.mtsu.edu/~studskl/Txtbook.html
Taking Lecture notes - http://www.people.virginia.edu/~rjh9u/lecnotes.html

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 Objectives

By the end of the semester, students will meet the following objectives:

increase familiarity with computers, their components and their operations
learn about the history of computers, networking, and software
consider the role of computers in our personal and professional lives
understand and use the Internet
demonstrate proficiency with productivity software
- Windows XP Operating System
- Word 2003
- Excel 2003

Course Requirements

Students are expected to attend all classes and to complete all course work in a timely manner. Course work will consist of reading and understanding course materials, taking self tests on reading material, writing short papers on computer related topics, preparing materials for the hands-on portion of the course, and completing assignments using the MS Office software. Students are expected to complete textbook readings and any preliminary assignments before attending class.

In addition, students are expected to read five current computer related article from a newspaper, a magazine, or an online source throughout the semester. A well crafted page, written in the student's own words, summarizing the article and expressing the student's opinion of the article must be turned in to the instructor at the start class when the articles are dues. Please see specifications for article summary for more information.

Academic Integrity & Classroom Behavior

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 lab, in the library or on the computer
Any improper use of a computer account meant to be used for this course.

The instructor is available via e-mail 24/7 to answer any questions students may have regarding any aspect of this course.

Gateway Community College statement on academic honesty & Classroom Behavior:
At Gateway Community College we expect the highest standards of academic honesty. Academic dishonesty is prohibited in accordance with the Board of Trustees' Proscribed Conduct Policy... This policy prohibits cheating on examinations, unauthorized collaboration on assignments, unauthorized access to examinations or course materials, plagiarism, zero tolerance for threatening, intimidating, and violent behavior, and other proscribed activities.
Plagiarism is defined as the use of another's idea(s) or phrase(s) and representing that/those idea(s) as your own, either intentionally or unintentionally.

Attendance, Assignments, & Exams

Students are expected to attend all classes and attendance will be taken at each class. If a student cannot attend class, he or she must contact the instructor either by phone or via e-mail. Students missing class are still responsible for any materials covered in that class. Homework is still due on the given date, even if the student is not physically present in class, and maybe submitted via e-mail. Students missing more than six classes may be asked to withdraw from the class.

Missing classes will result in a lower grade or failure of this class.

Assignments are due on the given date, unless arrangements are made in advanced with the instructor. A hard copy (print-out) of all assignments must be turned in during class. If a student cannot attend a class, the hard-copies of any missed assignments must be turned in at the next class the student attends. Late assignments will not be accepted unless arrangements have been made with the instructor. The leading cause of poor grades in this class is the lack of homework!!

There will be three tests and one cumulative final exam. All tests and exams are closed book. Requests to make-up a missed test or exam must be made, in writing or via e-mail, prior to but no more than twenty-four hours after the scheduled time for the exam.

Grading Standards

Please Note: Percentages may fluctuate slightly

Final grade for this class will be based on the following:

40% - Assignments and hands-on course work
- 10% - Five Article Summaries
- 10% - Written Homework & In Class Individual and Group Exercises
- 10% - Hands-on Software In Class Exercises
- 10% - Software Assignments
24% - Tests, 8% each
16% - Final Exam
10% - Software Proficiency Tests
10% - Attendance and Attitude - A & A

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.

Last Updated: 9/2/06