Austin Community College
Department Of Computer Studies and Advanced Technology
 Personal Computing
Spring 2009 - Updat01/02/09
 Synonym Number  29023
 Syllabus And Schedule

Student Special Notice - ACC has assigned all of you your own ACC e-mail account as of September 15. Please contact me by e-mail if you cannot find or access your ACC gmail account

Syllabus Outline

Spring Online Orientation

 Instructor Information - office, hours, phone etc.

  Course Description

Textbook / Materials

Course Objectives / Learning Outcomes

Course Rationale

SCANS Competencies

Grade Policies

 Teaching Methods

Fall 2008 Orientation Survey

Course policies

Academic Dishonesty

 Posting of Grades

 Incomplete

 Withdrawal

 Freedom of Expression

 Attendance

  Students with Disabilities

 Course Schedule

 Instructor Information

Course Description

COSC 1301 PERSONAL COMPUTING (3-2-2). A hands-on course for the development of skills needed to use personal computer systems for business, individual, and educational applications.  Learn word processing, database management, spreadsheet development, and how to use the operating system.  Keyboarding skills are not required, but are helpful.  May not be applied toward a CSC degree.

For Early College Start students, this course will satisfy the technology requirement in most high schools. 

Textbook / Materials

Textbook Information: M/S Office 2007 Illustrated Intro, Windows XP Ed. by Beskeen et al Publisher: Course Technology ISBN: 1-4188-6047-6 Publishers Textbook Page
Student Data Files: If you purchase a new textbook, you will receive a CD that contains the student data files. There will also be a link on the Blackboard site to download the files.
Software: The software used in this class is Microsoft Office 2007. If you do not have access to this software outside of class, you can use the CIS Open labs.

Course Objectives/Learning Outcomes

This course helps you develop personal productivity skills with the use of microcomputers for the following applications:

You will learn how to integrate information across applications.  You will develop your computer literacy with an increased knowledge of computing concepts and terminology.  You also will develop skills in disk and file management using a graphical user interface (Microsoft Windows XP).

Course Rationale

The applications taught in this class are the current most popular software programs available.  However, the skills learned can be applied to other Windows-based programs.  In addition to teaching the use of the software, we also provide for group participation which is required in most work environments today.

SCANS Competencies

Competencies have been identified that are relevant to the level of instruction in the community college environment.  These competencies reflect the knowledge and skills employees need to succeed in any occupation.  This course will expose the student to the concepts and application of the following competencies:

• Uses computers to process information.
• Applies Technology to Task:  Understands overall intent and proper procedures for setup and operation of equipment.
• Listening:  Receives, attends to, interprets, and responds to verbal messages and other cues.
• Seeing Things in the Mind’s Eye:  Organizes and processes symbols, pictures, graphs, objects, and other information.
• Knowing How to Learn:  Uses efficient learning techniques to acquire and apply new knowledge and skills.
• Self-Management:  Assesses self accurately, sets personal goals, monitors progress, and exhibits self-control.

Grade Policies

The class grade will be based on your performance on the tests, completion of projects and exercises,  and class participation.

Orientation Quiz....(in Blackboard).................................. 10 points
Class Participation........................ ................................... 50 points
Labs............................................. 14 @ 10 points each..140 points
Exams........................................ 3 @ 100 points each..... 300 points
Total points Possible (Excluding Extra Credit)........ 500 points
 

There may be extra credit work assigned during the semester.  This work will be announced to the class through Blackboard.  Extra credit cannot be applied towards a missed lab or exam.  Only students who have turned in all the labs and taken all the exams will be eligible for the extra credit.

 The following grading scale will be used to assign the final grade:

450 and above........................................ A
400 – 449............................................... B
350 - 399................................................ C
300 - 349................................................ D
<300.........................................................F

THERE WILL BE NO MAKE UP EXAMS – NO EXCEPTIONS WILL BE MADE TO THIS RULE. ALL EXAMS MUST BE TAKEN BY THE DEADLINE LISTED IN THE SCHEDULE.  ASSIGNED PROJECTS AND EXERCISES ARE DUE BY THE DATES INDICATED ON THE SYLLABUS.

  The late policy is as follows:

a)   1 calendar day late........................................... 20% off
b)   2 - 5 calendar days late.................................... 50% off
c)   More than 5 calendar days late....................... 100% off

 Teaching Methods

This is a distance learning course taught in the PCM format. PCM courses require students to have access to a computer with an Internet connection and a personal email address to complete coursework online. Students may use computers from home or work, or they may use the ACC Computer Centers. In this course, assignments will be disseminated online and students will submit the assignments through Blackboard. As the assignment is graded, I will enter the grade in the Blackboard grade book. Students can access the grade book and view their grades online. Grades will not be sent through email for reasons of confidentiality.  Students will also participate in the online discussion board in Blackboard.  This will count towards your class participation points.  In order to log into Blackboard you will need your ACCeID.  Click here for more information about ACCeID if you have not activated your eID yet.

Click here to log into Blackboard AFTER you have your ACCeID.  Please bookmark the Blackboard login link in your browser as you will be visiting it often during this course.

All tests will be taken in the Computer Studies open labs.  You can view the open lab hours, room and phone numbers by clicking here.  In order to take the test, the student will go to the Computer Studies Open Lab during the hours it is open.  You will present your ACC student ID to the lab technician and they will hand the exam to you and guide you to a computer.  Please see the course FAQ for more information. 

Course Policies

Academic Dishonesty: Plagiarism and cheating are serious offenses and may be punished by failure on exam, paper or project; and/or failure in course.

Cheating is any of the following:

1.      Taking the work of another student and turning it in as your own.

2.      Giving your work to another student to turn in as their own.

3.      Getting information about the exam from another student.

4.      Giving information about the exam to another student.

5.      Copying material off the Internet and turning it in as your own.

6.      Copying material off the Internet without giving credit to the source.

7.      Getting someone else to do your labs for you.

I consider cheating to be a serious offense. The first incident will earn you a grade of 0 or F for that particular lab or exam.  A second offense will result in an F in the course.  The burden of proof rests on ALL  parties involved.

The ACC Student Handbook defines academic dishonesty as:  Acts prohibited by the College for which discipline may be administered include scholastic dishonesty, including but not limited to cheating on an exam or quiz, plagiarizing, and unauthorized collaboration with another in preparing outside work. Academic work submitted by students shall be the result of their thought, research or self-expression. Academic work is defined as, but not limited to tests, quizzes, whether taken electronically or on paper; projects, either individual or group; classroom presentations, and homework" (http://www.austincc.edu/handbook/)

Posting of Grades: Final course grades will not be posted.  The final course grade is mailed to the student by the ACC Admissions and Records office. Students may also log into their ACC Online account after the end of the semester and look at their grade.  A final letter grade will also be posted to the Blackboard grade book in the last week of class. 

Incomplete: An Incomplete may not be used as a shelter from a potentially low grade in the class.  A student may qualify for an “I” (Incomplete) at the end of the semester only if ALL of the following conditions are satisfied:

1.      The student is unable to complete the course during the semester due to documented extenuating circumstances.

2.      The student must have earned at least half of the grade points needed for a “C” by the end of the semester.

3.      The request for the grade must be made in person at the instructor’s office and necessary documents completed.

4.      To remove an “I”, the student must complete the stipulations of the Incomplete contract signed with the instructor no later than two weeks prior to the end of the next semester.  Failure to do so  will result in the grade automatically reverting to an “F”.

Withdrawal: It is the student’s responsibility to complete a Withdrawal Form in the Admissions Office or online if they wish to withdraw from this class.  The last date to withdraw for this semester is Monday, April 21, 2008.  If the withdrawal is not completed by 5 PM on April 21, the student will receive a performance grade (A, B, C, D, or F) that they have earned at the end of the semester.  Although I have the prerogative to withdraw the student based on a lack of progress, I am under no obligation to do so.

Freedom of Expression Policy:  Each student is strongly encouraged to participate in classroom discussions. In any classroom situation that includes discussion and critical thinking, there are bound to be many differing viewpoints. These differences enhance the learning experience and create an atmosphere where students and instructor alike will be encouraged to think and learn. On sensitive and volatile topics, students may sometimes disagree not only with each other but also with the instructor. It is expected that faculty and students will respect the views of others when expressed in classroom discussions.

 Attendance in an online class:  Students are expected to actively participate in the PCM class and will be held responsible for all material assigned in class.  Regular interaction with the instructor and with other students helps ensure satisfactorily progression towards completion of the course.  You must participate in all discussions posted on the discussion board.

 Students with Disabilities: Each ACC campus offers support services for students with documented physical or psychological disabilities. Students with disabilities must request reasonable accommodations through the Office for Students with Disabilities on the campus where they expect to take the majority of their classes. Students are encouraged to do this three weeks before the start of the semester (http://www.austincc.edu/handbook/).

Course Schedule

This is a preliminary course schedule and may be changed.  If there are any changes to this schedule, the class will be informed in writing. All assignments are due by midnight on the date listed.

An explanation:  The Textbook / Hands On column details the groundwork you should do in order to prepare for the lab.  The actual lab is listed in the Labs and Due Dates column.  This is a hands on course.  Thus all preparation for labs and exams and exams is also hands-on.