CIS 131 Software Applications

Description

CIS 131 Software Applications is an introduction to beginning and intermediate features of popular application software: word processing (Word), spreadsheet (Excel), presentation (PowerPoint), information manager (Outlook), and web browser (Internet Explorer). Software will be used to analyze common home-use and business situations and solve problems.

Recommended prerequisites: CIS 70 or equivalent computer skills and MTH 60 or MTH 85.
Credits: 4

You can gauge your own computer-use ability by completing the “Are You Ready?” skills checklist—available at http://cis.cocc.edu/are_you_ready/.

Course Outcomes

1. Demonstrate use of basic features of the Windows operating system and Windows Explorer to manage files and folders locally and on portable storage.
2. Demonstrate use of Microsoft Outlook to communicate with others and manage time and tasks.
3. Identify factors to consider when purchasing or upgrading a computer system.
4. Define terminology related to productivity software, system software, and computer/network hardware.
5. Construct single- and multi-page Word documents that contain images, Word art, headers, footers, and other features.
6. Plan and develop PowerPoint presentations that contain text, images, charts, media, transitions, and animations.
7. Create and analyze Excel worksheets that rely on formatting, formulas, functions, and charts.

Prerequisite Skills

• start-up, reboot, and shut down a computer.
• operate a computer keyboard and know about the basic use of the Alt, Control, and Shift keys.
• operate a mouse and be able to determine when clicking, double-clicking,a nd right-clicking are appropriate courses of action.
• save files to disk (portable storage) and retrieve/open files that have been previously saved.
• create folders and sub-folders within the My Documents folder and portable storage devices.
• launch a web browser and navigate to a specific web page.
• use copy/paste features from one program to another.
• comfortably switch back and forth between multiple open applications.

Meeting Time/Location

CRN 30005 meets Mondays from 9:00am to 11:151m in PIO 200a.
This is a hybrid course with required online activities.

Instructor

Ralph R Phillips, Assistant Professor
See http://rrphillips.cocc.edu for contact information. Please use descriptive subjects when sending an e-mail and include "CIS 131" within the subject to help with e-mail filtering.

Course Text and Supplies

Computer Literacy for IC³ by Preston

This course will also make extensive use of resources online:

• The CIS web site: http://cis.cocc.edu
• The CIS 131 blog: http://www.cocc-blogs.com/cis131.html
• The text web site: http://www.prenhall.com/ic3

For the greatest convienence, students should use a portable USB drive for file management. Portable USB drives are readily available for under $20 at office supply and electronics/computer stores.

Calculating Your Grade

Your grades will be posted in Blackboard and your overall grade will change as each new item is posted. Different activities carry different weights. Early on in the term, a single homework assignment will have a very big impact on your course grade. As more homework assignments are issued/completed, their individual weight will reduce.

Activity Weights

Grading Scale

Policy on Revision (R) Grades

Students that have made a good-faith effort to complete an assignment on time will be issued an R grade if that assignment contains any errors. Students will have the opportunity to make their work error-free.

• Assignments with an R grade that are NOT revised to error-free status will be calculated as a zero in figuring the final course grade. Zero grades CANNOT be revised.
• Incomplete homework assignments will NOT be graded and will not be issued an R grade. Only complete work will be accepted.
• Assignments improperly sumbmitted (wrong file, no file, etc.) through Blackboard will not be counted as submitted. If I need to notify you that the wrong file was was submitted then that activity will be counted as late.

Policies on Missed Classes, Time Limits, and Deadlines

• In-class activities such as labs and in-class quizzes that are missed will earn a zero grade and cannot be made up at a later date. However, extra credit activities can compensate.
• Activities that are scheduled for specific days or class meetings that are missed will earn a zero grade unless the reason for the missed activity was reasonable and notification was made to the instructor prior to or soon after the activity.
• Some activities have specific time limits. Exceeding any time limit by more than 1 minute and less than 10 minutes will warrant a 10% reduction of the grade for the first occurrence, and a zero (0) grade for each missed time limit (>1 min AND <10 min) after the first occurrence.
• Exceededing the time limit of an activity by more than 10 minutes warrants a zero.
• Some activities don't have a time limit, but have a submission deadline (due date). Missing an activity deadline by more than 1 hour and less than 48 hours will warrant a 10% reduction in the grade. Missing an activity deadline by more than 48 hours will warrant a 10% reduction of the grade for the first occurrence, and a zero (0) grade for each missed deadline (more than 48 hours) after the first occurrence.

Being busy does not always mean real work. The object of all work is production or accomplishment and to either of these ends there must be forethought, system, planning, intelligence, and honest purpose, as well as perspiration. Seeming to do is not doing.

--Thomas Alva Edison

Commitment

Success in any class depends greatly on the student\'s commitment. A full-term, 4-credit course requires approximately 12-15 hours of work, each week, away from class. This includes reading the text, working on assignments/projects, and practicing the skills demonstrated in class or online. Students seeking exceptional grades often need to put forth exceptional effort, working for more than 12 hours in a week for a particular class.

Keep your instructor posted on problems you\'re having with the school work early on so that small problems do not turn into big problems.

Academic Dishonesty

If a student is caught cheating during the course, the activity grade will be recorded as a zero. A repeated incidence of cheating may result in course failure. In addition to traditional forms of cheating, cheating in a computer class includes:

• copying content or images from a web site without credit to the source
• using page kits or similar design templates without permission
• sharing files or using another file found on the computer
• Communicating with students while taking online assessments

When in doubt, ask.

Disability Accomodations

Students with documented disabilities who may need accommodations; those who have emergency medical information of which the instructor should be aware; those who need special arrangements in the event of evacuation; or those who may require specific instructional accommodations should notify the instructor as soon as possible, or contact the Disability Services office in Boyle Education Center.

Equal Opportunity Policy

COCC has a continuing commitment to programs of equal opportunity and affirmative action to extend community services and educational, employment and promotional opportunities to all legally protected classes.

COCC does not discriminate on the basis of age, disability, gender, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation or veteran status. The College complies with all federal legislation and civil rights laws of the State of Oregon.