Syllabus for CIS-107

COMPUTER CONCEPTS AND APPLICATIONS

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Computer Concepts and Applications provides an overview of computers, focusing on historical development; hardware; application software; communications; Internet use; how to purchase, install, and maintain a computer; information systems; system analysis and design; programming; careers in the computer field; security, ethics, and privacy issues; and multimedia. The "laboratory" portion of the course features the use of Microsoft Office and Windows.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

After completing this course, you should be able to:

1. Demonstrate basic competency using Microsoft Office 2010 applications and Windows 7.
2. Evaluate how computers are used.
3. Distinguish between application and system software.
4. Evaluate communication networks and databases.
5. Appraise the uses of the Internet.
6. Differentiate between system development and program development.
7. Judge security, privacy and ethical issues related to information technology.
8. Contrast input and output devices.

COURSE MATERIALS

You will need the following materials to do the work of the course. The required textbook is available from the College's textbook supplier, MBS Direct.

Required Textbooks

1. Gary B. Shelly and Misty E. Vermaat, Discovering Computers, Complete: Your Interactive Guide to the Digital World (Boston: Course Technology, Cengage Learning, 2012).
   
   ISBN-13: 978-1-111-53032-7

1. Gary B. Shelly and Misty E. Vermaat, Microsoft Office 2010: Essential Concepts and Techniques (Boston: Cengage Learning, 2011).

ISBN-13: 978-0-538-74870-4

Software

1. Microsoft Office 2010, with MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

COURSE STRUCTURE

Computer Concepts and Applications is a three-credit online course consisting of six modules. It relies on both reading and practical applications for its content. Modules include objectives, study materials, and activities.

Study materials include studying chapters in the textbook Discovering Computers and completing "In the Lab" exercises from the text Microsoft Office 2010. The course also has six (6) class discussion forums, a proctored midterm, and a final project.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

For your formal work in the course, you are required to participate in online discussion forums, complete laboratory assignments, take a proctored online midterm examination, and produce a Final Project. See below for more details.

Consult the course Calendar for assignment due dates.

Discussion Forums

In addition to an ungraded but required Introductions Forum in Module 1, Computer Concepts and Applications has six (6) graded online discussion forums. The discussion topics cover a wide range of issues concerning computers in contemporary society.

Communication among fellow students and with the mentor is a critical component of online learning. Participation in online discussions involves two distinct assignments: an initial response to a posted question (discussion thread) and at least two subsequent comments on classmates' responses.

Meaningful participation is relevant to the content, adds value, and advances the discussion. Comments such as "I agree" and "ditto" are not considered value-adding participation. Therefore, when you agree or disagree with a classmate, the reading, or your mentor, state and support your agreement or disagreement. You will be evaluated on the quality and quantity of your participation. Responses and comments should be properly proofread and edited, professional, and respectful.

Laboratory Assignments

The laboratory assignments in this course draw on chapters and "In the Lab" exercises from the text Microsoft Office 2010. These chapters and "In the Lab" exercises correspond to the four computer applications covered in the course:

1. Lab 1: Microsoft Office 2010 and Windows 7 essentials
2. Lab 2: Microsoft Word 2010
3. Lab 3: Microsoft PowerPoint 2010
4. Lab 4: Microsoft Excel 2010

Final Project

At the end of the semester you are required to submit a Final Project designed to test your ability to apply the knowledge you have gained by doing your coursework. Your Final Project will be in the form of a written recommendation to a medium-sized manufacturing company for a complete information system and will count for 30% of your final grade for the course.  

Midterm Examination

You are required to take a proctored a midterm which is delivered online.

For the midterm, you are required to use the College's Online Proctor Service (OPS). Please refer to the "Examinations and Proctors" section of the Online Student Handbook (see General Information area of the course Web site) for further information about scheduling and taking online exams and for all exam policies and procedures. You are strongly advised to schedule your exam within the first week of the semester.

The midterm is a closed-book, proctored online exam. It is two hours long and covers all reading and assignments from Modules 1–3 of the course. The exam consists of multiple-choice questions based directly on the reading assignments and laboratory material. A good way to review and prepare for the exam is to go over your assignments and use the "Chapter Review" and "Key Terms" sections at the end of each chapter of Discovering Computers, Complete 2012.

Online exams are administered through the course Web site. Consult the course Calendar for the official dates of exam weeks.

Statement about Cheating

You are on your honor not to cheat during an exam. Cheating means:

1. Looking up any answer or part of an answer in an unauthorized textbook or on the Internet, or using any other source to find an answer.
2. Copying and pasting or, in any way copying responses or parts of responses from any other source into your exams. This includes but is not limited to copying and pasting from other documents or spreadsheets, whether written by yourself or anyone else.
3. Plagiarizing answers.
4. Asking anyone else to assist you by whatever means available while you take an exam.
5. Copying any part of an exam to share with other students.
6. Telling your mentor that you need another attempt at an exam because your connection to the Internet was interrupted when that is not true.

If there is evidence that you have cheated or plagiarized in an exam, the exam will be declared invalid, and you will fail the course.

GRADING AND EVALUATION

Your grade in the course will be determined as follows:

1. Discussion forums (6)—24%
2. Laboratory assignments (4)—16%
3. Midterm exam (proctored online, modules 1-3)—30%
4. Final project (Parts 1, 2, and 3)—30%

1. Part 1: Written Report (20%)
2. Part 2: Excel Spreadsheet (5%)
3. Part 3: PowerPoint Presentation (5%)

All activities will receive a numerical grade of 0–100. You will receive a score of 0 for any work not submitted. Your final grade in the course will be a letter grade. Letter grade equivalents for numerical grades are as follows:

To receive credit for the course, you must earn a letter grade of C or better (for an area of study course) or D or better (for a nonarea of study course), based on the weighted average of all assigned course work (e.g., exams, assignments, discussion postings, etc.).

STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS

First Steps to Success

To succeed in this course, take the following first steps:

1. Read carefully the entire Syllabus, making sure that all aspects of the course are clear to you and that you have all the materials required for the course.

2. Take the time to read the entire Online Student Handbook. The Handbook answers many questions about how to proceed through the course, how to schedule exams, and how to get the most from your educational experience at Thomas Edison State College.

3. Arrange to take your examination(s) by following the instructions in this Syllabus and the Online Student Handbook.

4. Familiarize yourself with the learning management systems environment—how to navigate it and what the various course areas contain. If you know what to expect as you navigate the course, you can better pace yourself and complete the work on time.

5. If you are not familiar with Web-based learning be sure to review the processes for posting responses online and submitting assignments before class begins.

Study Tips

Consider the following study tips for success:

1. To stay on track throughout the course, begin each week by consulting the course Calendar. The Calendar provides an overview of the course and indicates due dates for submitting assignments, posting discussions, and scheduling and taking examinations.

2. Check Announcements regularly for new course information.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

Students at Thomas Edison State College are expected to exhibit the highest level of academic citizenship. In particular, students are expected to read and follow all policies, procedures, and program information guidelines contained in publications; pursue their learning goals with honesty and integrity; demonstrate that they are progressing satisfactorily and in a timely fashion by meeting course deadlines and following outlined procedures; observe a code of mutual respect in dealing with mentors, staff, and other students; behave in a manner consistent with the standards and codes of the profession in which they are practicing; keep official records updated regarding changes in name, address, telephone number, or e-mail address; and meet financial obligations in a timely manner. Students not practicing good academic citizenship may be subject to disciplinary action including suspension, dismissal, or financial holds on records.

Academic Dishonesty

Thomas Edison State College expects all of its students to approach their education with academic integrity—the pursuit of scholarly activity free from fraud and deception. All mentors and administrative staff members at the College insist on strict standards of academic honesty in all courses. Academic dishonesty undermines this objective. Academic dishonesty takes the following forms:

1. Cheating
2. Plagiarizing (including copying and pasting from the Internet without using quotation marks and without acknowledging sources)
3. Fabricating information or citations
4. Facilitating acts of dishonesty by others
5. Unauthorized access to examinations or the use of unauthorized materials during exam administration
6. Submitting the work of another person or work previously used without informing the mentor
7. Tampering with the academic work of other students

Academic dishonesty will result in disciplinary action and possible dismissal from the College. Students who submit papers that are found to be plagiarized will receive an F on the plagiarized assignment, may receive a grade of F for the course, and may face dismissal from the College.

A student who is charged with academic dishonesty will be given oral or written notice of the charge. If a mentor or College official believes the infraction is serious enough to warrant referral of the case to the academic dean, or if the mentor awards a final grade of F in the course because of the infraction, the student and the mentor will be afforded formal due process.

If a student is found cheating or using unauthorized materials on an examination, he or she will automatically receive a grade of F on that examination. Students who believe they have been falsely accused of academic dishonesty should seek redress through informal discussions with the mentor, through the office of the dean, or through an executive officer of Thomas Edison State College.

Plagiarism

Using someone else's work as your own is plagiarism. Although it may seem like simple dishonesty, plagiarism is against the law. Thomas Edison State College takes a strong stance against plagiarism, and students found to be plagiarizing will be severely penalized. If you copy phrases, sentences, paragraphs, or whole documents word-for-word—or if you paraphrase by changing a word here and there—without identifying the author, then you are plagiarizing. Please keep in mind that this type of identification applies to Internet sources as well as to print-based sources. Copying and pasting from the Internet, without using quotation marks and without acknowledging sources, constitutes plagiarism. (For information about how to cite Internet sources, see Online Student Handbook > Academic Standards > "Citing Sources.")

Accidentally copying the words and ideas of another writer does not excuse the charge of plagiarism. It is easy to jot down notes and ideas from many sources and then write your own paper without knowing which words are your own and which are someone else's. It is more difficult to keep track of each and every source. However, the conscientious writer who wishes to avoid plagiarizing never fails to keep careful track of sources.

Always be aware that if you write without acknowledging the sources of your ideas, you run the risk of being charged with plagiarism.

Clearly, plagiarism, no matter the degree of intent to deceive, defeats the purpose of education. If you plagiarize deliberately, you are not educating yourself, and you are wasting your time on courses meant to improve your skills. If you plagiarize through carelessness, you are deceiving yourself.