Instructor:
Charles V. Balch MBA, Ph.D.
Office: Room BA 211
Phone: 317-7619
Email: charles.balch@azwestern.edu
or cis120@balch.org
Skype:
VirtualCharlie
Smail: PO
Box 929, Yuma, AZ 85366-0929
Class
Web Pages: http://awc.balch.org, http://bblive.azwestern.edu/.
Office
Hours and schedule: I will be in or
near my office for all scheduled hours as shown below. I'm
on campus but not necessarily in my office for on-campus hours. Please make an
appointment if these hours do not work for you.
ENG 101 eligibility or appropriate reading score or instructor permission are required for entry into CIS 120. Some computer and/or keyboarding skills will be helpful but are not required.
You will need to have the class
text and a method to take notes. It is OK to take notes on a computer. I
also suggest that you get a three ring binder to hold various handouts and
printouts of your tests and practice tests.
As you might expect from a
course of this type, we will use the internet extensively to provide materials,
store work, and feedback.
AWC provides considerable
resources to students including tutors and computer labs. The class website has
links to these resources and I will provide handouts. An important part
of this class is learning how to use these resources.
Your AWC Email account is used to deliver assignments and other course
information. In addition, current course material, project assignments,
class schedules, and grades are available at the websites noted at the beginning
of this document.
You will need some method and
system to keep copies of your work. Flash drives are great but you should be
aware that it is not wise to depend on only one storage method. It is also not
a good idea to use a flash drive as an area to store active work as your work can be scrambled. Another good place to keep your work is
the network drive area provided for students. Your network drives are
particularly attractive as they can be accessed from anywhere via the internet.
Storing work in multiple locations is a good idea. We will talk more about this
in class.
We will be using a variety of
different software packages in this class. Many of these software packages are
free but a few are not. Most notably, you will need access to Office 2007 which is commercial software. I will share any special
discounts that I discover in class.
We will be using two
"textbooks." SimNet is an online text and tutorial. SimNet is offered
in two versions with the difference being that one version has a bundled 180 day trial of Office 2007.
|
Book |
Author |
Title |
Publisher |
Edition |
ISBN |
|
1 |
Triad Interactive |
SimNet for Office 2007 Office Suite Registration
Card, 1st Edition w/ Office 2007 180 day trial |
McGraw-Hill |
1st |
0078194539 |
|
|
|
or |
|
|
or |
|
|
|
SimNet for Office 2007 Office Suite Registration Card, 1st Edition w/o Office 2007 180 day trial |
|
|
0077218647 |
|
2 |
Parsons, Oja |
New Perspectives on Computer Concepts 11th Edition, Comprehensive w/CD |
Thompson/Course Technology |
11th |
978142392518-7 |
http://awc.balch.org/, our class website, and BlackBoard provide extensive additional resources.
Finally, there will also be a number of handouts and/or links to other content.
The ability to use computers during lecture can strongly add to your learning experience. Computers can also be very distracting.
Do not try to multitask. You may use your laptop or one of the lab computers during lecture assuming that you use it in a scholarly and responsible fashion. This means that you will only have applications and windows related to the current discussion open. You may not check email, news, or box scores, surf the web, use chat applications, play games, do work for other classes, do work for this class, or otherwise distract yourself and those around you from the current class experience with your computer.
You may prefer the lab computers as you may not connect your laptop to the local Ethernet and our labs have limited WiFi connectivity. Our WiFi connectivity changes by location in the lab and other conditions. In addition, your laptop may not have some of the software we use in class installed. AWC will not provide illegal copies of software.
I will monitor what is on your screens. If you have distracting applications and/or events open on your computer, you will receive one warning; if you persist in such activity after two warnings, you will no longer be allowed to bring your computer to class with you and/or will be barred from using computers except during lab time.
I appreciate that you are adults and adults often have need to leave their cell phones on so they can respond to crisis. However, you are expected to use cell phones in a responsible manner. If you cannot use your cell phone responsibly, turn it off when you come to class. If you have an emergency for which you must be available, you should leave your phone out on your desk with the ringer ON. In the event that it rings, leave the room to take the call.
Under no conditions are you allowed to text message, take pictures or video (illegal in class unless it is an assignment), play games, or use the cell phone in any other distracting manners during class.
Hearing aids are allowed but
otherwise unplug yourself. There should be
nothing in your ears and I should not be able to hear music coming from your
area.
The learning experience you are
about to participate in is important. I work hard to develop it and expect your
full participation. Expect short presentations supplemented by examples,
references to material outside the text, student discussion, and extensive
hands-on work.
This is a survey course and we
are going to cover much content. Your goal should not be to so much learn the
content in a way that you'll have it memorized forever
but to learn how to look up what you need when you need it. I constantly have
to "remind myself" how to accomplish various tasks or what exact
numbers are. The important thing is that you learn what resources and
tools are available to you. With the knowledge of what is available, you can
brush up on the constantly changing details.
Our classroom environment is
critical. Please don’t detract from everyone's
experience. You are expected to come to class on time,
prepared and willing to participate. Disruptive classroom behavior such as
chronic late attendance, failure to focus on the current class work, personal
conversations, and chronic use of cellular phones and beepers is penalized.
We all learn best when we
understand why what we are learning is important. If you do not understand why
the material is current and important, ask. I encourage you to challenge
and critically analyze the material, concepts, theories and/or opinions
offered.
I know that you are exceptional
because you have made it to AWC. It may be that you did not need to work hard
on classes in high school. The pace picks up in college and you are surrounded
other students who did not need to work hard.
If you are not prepared to
spend substantial time out of class on course work, you should not be here.
Many of you are attending school full time, working, and have substantial
family/social obligations. College students are expected to spend two to three
hours of work outside of class for every hour of class time (that is why 12
units is considered a full course load).
Take only the course load that you can handle; I will not diminish
everyone’s learning experience to accommodate your personal agenda. If you are
not keeping up with the rest of the class I will work with you outside of class
to the extent that you are willing and there are hours in the day. I will not
take chronically take class time away from others.
Plagiarism can
be defined as "passing off the ideas or work of another as one's
own without crediting the source." Copying homework is plagiarism. The
person who shares their homework is just as guilty of plagiarism as the person
who copied it. Plagiarism is an Academic Offence and will
be reported to appropriate AWC authorities. Plagiarism will lower
your grade and may result in an F for the course.
Grading is essential to the
learning process. I grade on a criteria system not on the "curve."
This means that you are not competing with each other for a limited number of
higher grades. If you correctly fulfill all in-class and assigned work with
superior quality and demonstrate complete understanding through testing, you
will receive an A. Lesser efforts will receive lesser
grades.
Class work and tasks mimic
"real world" business situations (including deadlines and
revisions).
Late work is
penalized. In the business world you are
expected to complete your tasks within the expected time period. Failure to do
so costs the business you work for and may cause you to lose your job. This
class prepares you for both the business and academic world and has the same
expectations.
I will endeavor to post
responses to your work on the class website as rapidly as possible. My response
will usually be within 24 hours and papers will be returned
in the next class. If you want your work back sooner
or you wish to discuss your grade, please feel free to visit me in my office.
|
90% + |
A |
|
80 – 90 |
B |
|
70 - 80 |
C |
|
59 - 70 |
D |
|
Less than 59 |
F |
Through use of Discovery
Learning methods you will “learn how to learn” and acquire the skills necessary
to learn and apply material not covered in class. Mistakes are expected; they
are part of the learning process. Your primary class missions are learning to
avoid and overcome “mistakes.” Expect assistance in finding answers but not
answers.
This method of learning takes a
lot of time! But the time is worth it because of the
increased rewards.
Class work is often very time
consuming and there is temptation to copy work or to accept “too much”
assistance. As a rule of thumb, if someone else's hands touched the keyboard or
in the creation of your class work, you have accepted too much assistance.
Teamwork is encouraged as long as every team member learns the material. If you are incapable of duplicating the work you hand in, you have
accepted too much assistance and will do poorly on class tests. A very
important part of this class is that you learn that you are capable of teaching
yourself. DO YOUR OWN WORK!
It is illegal to make copies of
copyrighted computer applications. It is legal to keep files created and/or
distributed in class. If you wish to purchase software, I will share access to
educational discount programs.
Education is a cooperative
process where we learn from each other. Learning depends on your unique
abilities, motivation, expectations, interests, and goals. I want to know what
interests you. You must do your own learning.
My primary tasks are to
facilitate your learning process by finding the educational modalities that
best promote your learning process and to select the most desirable educational
outcomes. Within the boundaries of course description
and goals, there are a number of desirable educational outcomes. With your
interests and goals in mind, my ultimate responsibility is to establish,
describe, monitor, and judge the learning objectives of this class.
This course uses a number of
modalities to deliver course content. When possible, auto tutorial and
audiovisual modules supplement traditional teaching methods and provide both
supplemental and alternative learning paths.
Students are responsible:
· for prompt, prepared and regular attendance,
· for proper classroom behavior,
· for completing all tasks in a satisfactory manner by
assigned deadlines,
· to regularly review the calendar and grading information posted on the
Internet,
· to pass tests in each learning concentration,
· to regularly consult with their instructor.
Tasks are graded on a 10 point scale. Complete tasks include a task title which
contains your name, correct task number, task name, due date, course title
including section, and relevant work. While you may complete and correct
task work for a full score, late work and improper task title penalties can not be recovered. Task
objectives are subject to change -- like the real world they may even change
after they have been assigned or handed in. The task
list is constantly updated at the task list website.
It is your responsibility to remain informed of required class work. The
majority of tasks should be printed.
Executive Summaries are four
page reviews of a current CIS topic of interest plus an attached reference page
with questions. Executive Summaries must cover all important
aspects of the defined topic, be grammatically correct, in the assigned format,
and in your own words. At a minimum, make sure that your summaries pass the
green and red Microsoft Word squiggle test. Links to instructions, research
materials and your selected topics are provided on the
class webpage.
The last page of your executive
summary includes your references.
You may change your topic to an
unclaimed or alternative topic via an Email request but get my approval before
proceeding. You may submit your Executive Summary early for review and
suggested corrections.
Every chapter of the text has
an associated on-line quiz. You may take these quizzes at any time but you only
get one chance. The quizzes are open book and use the exact same questions as
the practice tests. I strongly suggest that you take the practice tests first
and have the results of the tests available as you take the quiz.
Midterms
focus your attention on the material and insures that you are capable of doing work on your own in a
reasonable time span. The questions are selected from
the practice tests. If you know all the answers for the practice tests, you
will do perfectly on the midterms.
I draw your attention to
penalties for Academic Dishonesty.
There will be
strong focus on the web questions, quizzes, midterm, and tasks that you have
accomplished. Additional material may come from lectures and the required
readings. The final Exam time will be posted as soon as it is
known.
Bonus projects
are a proposal from you for additional points. I tend not to allow bonus
projects for persons who need points because they have not been participating
in class. Bonus projects should be harder than regular course assignments and are
expected to demonstrate what you can do. In other words, while a
"C" project might get you a couple of points it will not demonstrate
that you have earned an improved grade if you are at the C level already.
Another way to get bonus points
is to correct a mistake in my lecture or the textbook. Bonus points for
corrections will depend on the size and type of mistake. You are encouraged to
announce corrections in class. The number of points awarded is somewhat
arbitrary on my part but open to debate.