AUSTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE

DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER STUDIES AND ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY

SYLLABUS

 

COSC 1301 Personal Computing – Section 11020 (16 week syllabus)

January 14, 2008 – May 11, 2008

Mondays and Wednesdays 4:00 pm – 5:40 pm

Northridge Campus Room 4230

                               

Instructor:  Gerard (Jerry) Nugent

Office Telephone:  (512) 223-1795 (Mailbox # 23575)

Office Hours: Tuesday  6:00 pm – 7:00 pm NRG 4232

                        Wednesday 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm NRG 4232

                        Other: By Appointment

E-mail:  gnugent@austincc.edu

 

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. Pre-requisite: Reading-R.

 

In this course, you will learn the most important topics of Microsoft Office 2003. You will first learn about essential computer concepts. Next, you will be presented with a quick Rev. of the Office Suite, Windows, and Internet Explorer. Next, you will learn more advanced skills for Word, Excel, Access and PowerPoint; each application is covered in four units. You will learn how to integrate Office documents in four units that follow the Excel, Access, Word, and PowerPoint sections.

 

Course Materials:

 

Text: Beskeen/Cram/Duffy/Friedrichsen/Reding, Pinard, Microsoft Office® 2003—Illustrated Introductory, Premium Edition, Course Technology, 2006. ISBN 1-4188-6047-6
Project files: Instructor will provide instructions for obtaining the Project files.
Software: Microsoft Office 2003, Internet Explorer 6, and Windows XP will be used.

 

Instructional Methodology: This course will have a lecture and a lab component. Students are expected to access Blackboard for supplemental instructional information.

 

Course Rationale: 

 

The applications taught in this class are the 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.

 

Grade Policy:

 

With good cause and adequate notice, you may take an exam early if you must be away from class on the day it is scheduled. If you do not make prior arrangements and miss an exam, then a make-up exam must be scheduled as soon as possible within the next week.  However, the maximum exam score will be reduced to 80 for late exams. The final Integration project will NOT be accepted late for any reason.

 

Lab work is due at the end of the lab period on the due date. Lab work is checked and graded in class. A late penalty will be assessed of 5 points for each class day late. Lab work more than 2 class days late (one week) will not be accepted.

 

The three integration units will be done as group projects in groups assigned by the instructor. There is no class time assigned to group projects. They must be completed on your own time and turned on the scheduled date. A late penalty will be assessed of 5 points for each class day late. The last group project, Integration C, will not be accepted after the final exam date. A comprehensive power point presentation will also be a group assignment.

 

The Concept Reviews (homework) are graded and must be turned in as a group at the beginning of class on the day of the Exam. No late homework assignments will be graded.

 

The grade will be calculated as follows:

 

Exams 4 @ 100ach                  = 400

Labs 20    20 each                    = 400

Homework 20 @ 5 each          = 100

Group projects 3 @ 20each     =   60

Group Presentation                   =   40

Total Points                              1000

 

Grades:

                        Points               Grade

                        900  - 1000         A

      800  -  890          B

      700  -  790          C

      600  -  690          D

      0      -  590          F

 

 

Course/Class Policies

 

  • Academic Integrity: 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 or classroom work. Academic work submitted by students should 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 (Student Handbook 2002-2003, p.32).

 

  • Class Participation: Each student is strongly encouraged to participate in class. In any classroom situation that includes discussion and critical thinking, there are bound to be differing viewpoints. These differences enhance the learning experience and create an atmosphere where students and instructors 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.

 

  • Student with Disabilities: Each ACC campus offers support services for students with documented physical or psychological disabilities. Student 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 (Student Handbook 2002-2003, p. 14).

 

  • Attendance / Withdrawal: It is the student’s responsibility to complete a Withdrawal Form in the Admissions Office if they wish to withdraw from this class.  The last date to withdraw for this semester is  April 21, 2008. The instructor may drop a student who has more than four unexcused absences; however, it is the student’s responsibility to initiate the withdrawal. The student is expected to participate in every class meeting (both lecture and lab). A student who fails to complete the work in this course and does not withdraw from the course will receive a grade of A, B, C, D, or F in accordance with the work that has been completed (a zero grade will be given for all work not submitted). Generally those students who simply stop coming to class without properly withdrawing will receive an F grade.

 

  • Incomplete: A student may receive a temporary grade of “I” (Incomplete) at the end of the semester only if ALL of the following conditions are satisfied:
    • The student is unable to complete the course during the semester due to circumstances beyond their control.
    • The student must have earned at least half of the grade points needed for a “C” by the end of the semester.
    • The request for the grade must be made in person at the instructor’s office and necessary documents completed.
    • To remove an “I”, the student must complete the course by two weeks before the end of the following semester.  Failure to do so will result in the grade automatically reverting to an “F”.

 

  •  Internet Use Policy: The Internet contains Web pages with text, graphic, animation, audio, and video content that is of an adult nature.  Some Web pages contain nudity, sexually-oriented text information, and profanity.  I will NOT direct you to any information on the Internet that contains such material and I hereby advise you NOT to view any Internet material that may be offensive to you or those around you.  If you accidentally, or with intention, locate such material, you must clear the screen immediately.

 

 

 

 

COURSE SCHEDULE

COSC 1301 Section 06216 – NRG 4230

MW 4:00 pm -5:40 pm

 

Date

Monday

Wednesday

 Date

1/4

Syllabus; Lab Orientation

Lab: Windows XP A  p 29-47 & IC-3

Homework: Concepts Rev. p 26-27

Homework: Concepts Rev. p 48-49

1/16

1/21

MLK DAY NO CLASS

Lab: Windows XP B  p 53-71 & IC-1

Homework: Concepts Rev. p 72-73

1/23

1/28

Lab: Internet A  p. 81-99 & IC-1

Homework: Concepts Rev. p100-101

 

Lab: Word Unit A  p 121-137 & Skills Review p139-140

Homework: Concepts Rev. p 138-139

1/30

2/4

Lab: Word Unit B  p 145-163 & IC-1

Homework: Concepts Rev. p 164-165

Lab: Word Unit C  p. 171-187 &

IC-1

Homework: Concepts Rev. p 188-189

2/6

2/11

Lab: Word Unit D  p. 195-215 & IC-1

Homework: Concepts Rev. p 216-217

EXAM 1 (All Homeworks Due)

 

2/13

2/18

Lab: Excel Unit A  p 225-243 & IC-3

Homework: Concepts Rev. p 244-245

Lab: Excel Unit B  p 251-271 & IC-2

Homework: Concepts Rev. p 272-273

 

2/20

2/25

Lab: Excel Unit C p 279-295 & VW

p 304

Homework: Concepts Rev. p 296-297

Lab: Excel Unit D  p 305-321 & VW p 328

Homework: Concepts Rev. p 322-323

2/27

3/3

*Group Project: Integration A 

    p 329-341 & IC-3 p 342 Due

EXAM 2 (All Homeworks Due)

3/5

3/17

Lab: Access Unit A p345-363 & IC-2

Homework: Concepts Rev. p 364-365

Lab: Access Unit B  p 369-389 &

IC-1

Homework: Concepts Rev. p 390-391

3/19

3/24

Lab: Access Unit C p 397-413 &

IC-1

Homework: Concepts Rev. p 414-415

Lab: Access Unit D p 423-439 & VW p 448

Homework: Concepts Rev. p 440-441

3/26

3/31

* Group Project: Integration B 

    p 449-461 & IC-3 Due

Review/catch up

4/2

4/7

EXAM 3 (All Homeworks Due)

 

Lab: Power Point Unit A  p 465-481 &  IC-3

Homework: Concepts Rev. p 428-483

4/9

4/14

Lab: Power Point Unit B p 489-505 & VW p 512

Homework: Concepts Rev. p 506-507

Lab: Power Point Unit C  p 513-529 & IC-2

Homework: Concepts Rev. p 530-531

 

4/16

4/21

 Lab: Power Point Unit D  p 537-555 &   IC-1

Homework: Concepts Rev. p. 556-557

* Group Project: Integration Unit C 

    p 561-573 IC-3 Due

4/23

4/28

GROUP PRESENTATIONS

GROUP PRESENTATIONS

4/30

5/5

Review

EXAM  4 (All Homeworks Due)

5/7

 

Note:  The instructor has the prerogative to change this course schedule as needed.