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CPS 100 - Lakeland College INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTERS Sections 1 & 2 · SPRING 2012 SYLLABUS INSTRUCTOR: Professor Luis Poza CLASS TIMES:
OFFICE HOURS:
CLASS LOCATION: NIC Media Center (3F of main NIC building) DESCRIPTION: This course introduces basic concepts about computers and basic skills using a computer (also known as a "PC," or "personal computer"). Practical work includes using word processing, presentation, and spread sheet applications, as well as an introduction to the Internet and its personal, academic, and business potential. Students will be required to learn basic HTML formatting. OBJECTIVES: The student will demonstrate:
COURSE STUDY MATERIALS: You will have two main sources of material: the web site (http://www.lcjapan.com) and the lectures. NOT ALL MATERIAL is covered in each part; for example, some information might ONLY be in the web site, but not the lecture. You will be responsible for ALL materials, so make sure to read all the web site pages carefully, and to take thorough notes during lectures! In addition, some chapters will be online only, with questions & discussions in class. PERSONAL MATERIALS: You must have a USB FLASH MEMORY device. USB Flash Memory sticks start at about 500 yen for GB-plus capacities. You should buy one which looks and feels strong; the cheapest ones can break more easily. Don't forget to back up your data; just copy the USB drive data to a backup folder on your main computer every day or two. Alternately, email every document you make to yourself using your LCJ Mail account--that way you can access all of your files from any computer. I do not accept “I forgot my USB drive” or “My USB drive broke” as excuses for late work. TESTING: Some of your tests will be given on web pages. You will fill out the web page forms to take the test; when you click on the "Submit" button at the end, your answers will be sent to the teacher by email. The teacher will send the answers back to you by email. Other tests will be performed on your classroom computer using MS Word and PowerPoint. There may be small quizzes given at the beginning of some classes. These quizzes are based on the assigned reading. They will be calculated as part of your Chapter Test score. I do NOT give make-up tests. If you miss a test for any reason, you will receive a "0" score. At the end of the semester, I remove the lowest score for each student. As a result, if you miss one test due to illness, this will excuse the missed test. ATTENDANCE: You are expected to attend every class. There are 13 weeks (24 sessions) of regular classes this semester, so missing only a few will make you miss a great deal of information and study. You are allowed only three (3) absences due to illness without penalty. The 4th absence will mean your grade will go down one full letter (i.e., an "A" will become a "B", a "BC" will become a "CD"); the 5th absence will mean your grade will go down TWO full letters (i.e., an "A" will become a "C"). On the 6th absence, you will automatically FAIL the class. EXTRA CLASSES: Mr. Poza may schedule at least a few extra class sessions that MUST be attended by all students. These will include a day for all students to deliver their PowerPoint Presentations, as well as special study sessions. You will be notified of the dates in advance. PREPARATION: Students will be expected to have read the appropriate materials BEFORE each class. Do NOT expect to be able to walk in unprepared and learn everything from the lecture; you must also PARTICIPATE and ASK QUESTIONS during the lecture. Most of the assignments will require work outside of class time in order to be completed. You can work as groups to help each other on the projects, but the assignments which you hand in must be your own work. Please refer to the Student Handbook on matters regarding copying and plagiarism. E-MAIL: Students will be expected to check email every day, including weekend days (when possible). You can set up the account on a smartphone to make that easier. I may send assignments and other information on non-class days. For this class, you will have an LCJ Mail account, but you may forward the LCJ Mail account email to your regular account. EVALUATION (GRADING) CRITERIA: Grades will be based on examinations on reading and lectures, laboratory work, class participation and attendance. GRADING: Final grades will be assigned according to the scale:
GRADE WEIGHTING: The following work will be worth these percentages of your final grade:
ASSESSMENT: Data may be collected from time to time in this course to assist the course instructor and/or Lakeland College in assessing student learning outcomes. For questions about academic assessment initiatives at Lakeland, please contact Dr. Tom Marcy, Director of Academic Assessment (marcytp@lakeland.edu), or see the Lakeland College catalog and website. COURSE SCHEDULE: The following schedule is tentative, and it will likely change according to the performance and needs of the class. Note: Over the course of the semester, some chapters will be assigned for reading only (no lecture). Quizzes will be given for all written material, and there will be questions on these topics in the Midterm and Final Exams.
RESEARCH PROJECT INFORMATION Topics for Research You May Choose from:
The Research Project (5% of your total grade) is intended to allow you to research an area of your interest in greater depth than the normal class topics. By the end of the semester, you must become a "mini expert" on the topic you choose. It is OK if the topic overlaps or is the same topic as your PowerPoint and/or Web Site projects. The topic will be on one of the approved topics listed above. If you can think of another topic, you may suggest it to me, but I may not approve. The topic must not be a single service or application (e.g., YouTube, Facebook, iTunes, Mixi, etc.). You will be expected to do a good amount of research throughout the semester. The research will NOT be limited to simply reading a WikiPedia entry and taking a few notes. If it is a topic covered in class, you must know the topic WELL BEYOND what is on the class web page. Some topics may require a demonstration on a computer; arrange with me beforehand how you will do this and what preparations are necessary. You must NOT simply recite a list of bullet-point facts on the topic. Instead, you must actually understand the topic well enough to discuss it without having to read from a script. You will have to be able to answer surprise questions on the topic. We will have two preparatory meetings during the semester to make sure you are on the right track. The project will be presented orally, in a 20-minute meeting during the last few weeks of class. Grading will be based upon the following points:
You will be graded down if you have to read prepared sentences, especially if they are mostly just copied from web sites. Use your own words; explain because you understand, not because you wrote down the answer. My grading will be, necessarily, somewhat subjective, as each topic will vary greatly. If you have any questions about what you are doing, we can discuss these at one of the preparatory meetings, or at a special meeting if you make an appointment with me.  |
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