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COURSE DESCRIPTION: The course introduces the vocabulary associated with micro-computer hardware, Windows operating system software, and Windows applications software using a lecture/laboratory format. The laboratory format provides the student "hands on learning" in a Windows environment: Windows desktop management, Windows file management, current Windows word processing software, current Windows electronic spreadsheet software, current windows presentation software, current windows Database Management software, current windows Urdu Wordprocessing software, Web Development & Presentation using Photoshop, Flash, Dreamweaver, HTML etc. the campus e-mail system, and current Windows world-wide web browser software.

COURSE OBJECTIVES: Behavioral objectives are the items/concepts that you are expected to know to satisfactorily complete this course. They are the items on which you will be tested, and are detailed on later pages of this handout. Note: It is anticipated that students will require a minimum of 7 hours per week of computer lab time (outside of class) to meet the behavioral objectives for this course.

REQUIRED COURSE TEXTBOOKS: The required textbooks for this course are
(1) "Microsoft Windows " by Neil Salkind, Ann Barron, and Chet Lyskawa, Course Technology, .
(2) "Brief MicroSoft Office 2000 Professional" by Business Publication Bureau.
Supplemental handouts for learning the WindowsNT environment use of local and Internet e-mail, and use of the Internet World-Wide Web browser NetScape will be provided by the instructor.

COURSE SUPPLIES: Please bring diskettes to EVERY CLASS.
(1) DISKETTES: 5 (five) HD 3½" floppy disks (HD=High Density)
(2) Plastic diskette carrying cases (for safe diskette transport)
(3) Blue or black permanent-marker felt-tip pen for making diskette labels
(4) Writing implements and paper
(5) pocket folders (to hold course handouts and to submit lab assignments/exams and disks)

COURSE LOCATION NOTES: - Windows Instructional Lab in RIC
Note 1:Students in CIT, DIT, DBA will need access to a system running Windows 98 and NOT a system running Win3.1. Students are encouraged to use any Windows NT4 or Windows 95/Windows98 computer system with the requisite software that is easily accessibly, be it on campus, at home, at work, or at a friend's home.
Note 2: NO FOOD, NO BEVERAGES, and NO SMOKING are allowed in the premises of RIC.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

LAB ASSIGNMENTS: Four  lab assignments, each covering a specific unit of study,  will be completed in the time frame indicated on the tentative schedule. What comprises a lab assignment:  the appropriate (a) competency check-sheet, (b) printout check-sheet, (c) any questions to be answered, (d) the lab assignment printouts, (e) the disk directory printout, and (f) the lab disk created by following the lab assignment handout sheets and/or the textbook.  Each printout should be hand labeled with student name(s) and must contain some sort of filename/printout ID. The lab assignment sheets should be used as a checklist for determining the correct printouts needed and an appropriate printout identification scheme to use; my completed lab printout packets for MSWord and MS Excel will be available for review. Lab assignment printouts may be collected and checked for accuracy and completeness at the instructor's discretion; regardless, ALL student lab assignment diskettes and lab disk directory printouts must be ready for submission to the instructor on the lab assignment due date.
 

Cooperative Learning Environment: Students may work in teams of 2 for lab assignments, helping each other master the required competencies, and generating one set of lab assignment printouts. Students must submit a lab data disk and disk directory printout for each team member.

Hands-On Competencies: Each lab assignment requires the mastery of specific hands-on competencies. At the instructor's discretion, students will be asked to be demonstrate competencies to the instructor (in class or during office hours) or to the lab assistant (in class or outside of class).  An individual hands-on competency check-off sheet will be provided to students to prepare for the unit exam.

UNIT EXAMS or IN-CLASS HANDS-ON EXERCISES:  As noted on the tentative schedule, following the completion of each lab assignment, the student will take a UNIT EXAM, which is an in-class hands-on exercise in the instructor's presence. The exercise will determine whether or not the student can successfully meet the required competencies for the lab assignment without prompts or guidance from the instructor or the lab assistant.  The unit exam or  in-class exercise is worth 50 points. This in-class exercise may be individualized for each student and will take approximately 40 minutes to complete. Therefore, students will be allotted 60 minutes on the lab assignment due date for completion of the in-class exercise.  Students who do not complete the in-class exercise in the instructor's presence on the lab assignment due date because of absence from class will be penalized. The student missing an exam MUST, within one class day of the student's return to class, submit ALL the required printouts and complete the hands-on competencies with the instructor during the instructor's office hours for a maximum of 40 points. Note that the instructor is in his office for the 30 minute time-slot prior to class each day during the summer session.

COURSE GRADE ENHANCEMENT OPTIONS

OPTIONAL PROJECTS: To earn extra credit, the student may complete one or more of the individualized projects: (1) an individual project using word processing with MS Word®, (2) an individual project using spreadsheets with MS Excel®, (3) an individual project using MS PowerPoint® presentation software.

• The "Word Processing with MS Word" project will add 10 points to the student's total points ONLY IF the student scores 85% or better on the project. If the student scores below 85% on the Word Processing project, 10 points will be DEDUCTED from the student's total points.

• The "Spreadsheets with MS Excel" project will add 20 points to the student's total points ONLY IF the student scores 85% or better on the project. If the student scores below 85% on the Spreadsheet project, 20 points may be DEDUCTED from the student's total points.
   
• The "Presentation developed with MS PowerPoint" project will add 10 points to the student's total points. Students should develop a coherent presentation that is at least 10 slides long. The topic may be chosen at the student's discretion.

The projects will be due no later than 4:00pm on the Wednesday of the last week of the semester (projects may be signed and dated by an Math/Computer Science faculty member or by the department secretary and left in my mailbox). LATE Project packages will NOT be accepted. The student MUST notify the instructor in writing BEFORE the last week of classes that he/she will be completing one or more projects. Students must submit BOTH a project disk AND all necessary printouts for the project labeled with his/her name, class period, and the filenames used on the project disk.

Some Possible project descriptions are available for your perusals, representing examples of the difficulty level expected for each project. EACH STUDENT's PROJECTS WILL BE DIFFERENT because the projects are individualized. Students may, with the permission of the instructor, formulate a specific project set. The example projects will be explained in detail only at the request of an individual student. It is recommended that the student contemplating completing any project in the project package start the projects early in the semester.

COURSE GRADING SCHEME

·  RESULTS:All grading done in this course will be based on RESULTS, and NOT on effort. Though an extensive amount of effort is required on the part of the student, if the effort put forth does not produce results, then for the purpose of this course, the effort has been spent in vain. Note that OPTIONAL Projects can be completed to earn up to 40 extra points.

·  FINAL GRADES: Final grades will be determined from the following scale.

·  GRADES to DATE: On class days when graded items are returned for discussion, students will be informed of their individual grade-to-date. This will provide the student with the information necessary to make course withdrawal decisions in a timely fashion (see W/WP/WF). Students absent from class should make timely arrangements to see the instructor to review their points earned and grade-to-date.

·  BORDERLINE FINAL GRADES: Borderline grade cases will be determined entirely at the discretion of the instructor. Students who whine at the instructor when discussing grades guarantee limited consideration of a borderline case.

·  INCOMPLETE: An "I" grade (incomplete) will be given ONLY in the case of extenuating circumstances (serious illness of student or death in immediate family) and only if the course work completed to date is satisfactory (70% or better). Students who whine at the instructor and expect/ demand an I grade guarantee limited consideration of their case.

·  W/WP/WF: Withdrawal from a course and grade-to-date go hand in hand. Students can withdraw with a W grade during the first 2 weeks of the semester, regardless of percentage grade or corresponding letter grade. However, during weeks 3-4, withdrawing students receive either a WP if the percentage grade to date is 70% or better (letter grade of A,B,C) or a WF if the percentage grade to date is below 70% (letter grade of D,F). Because students cannot for any reason withdraw after the end of Week 4, attention should be paid to the methods described earlier for improvement of grades; students should not just disappear from the instructor's sight.

·  CHEATING or ACADEMIC DISHONESTY: Any student discovered committing an act of academic dishonesty will receive the grade of F for the course. Academic dishonesty shall include, but not be limited to:

GENERAL COURSE NOTES

SCHEDULE: The student is responsible for keeping aware of any changes made by the instructor to the distributed tentative schedule, specifically lab assignments due dates.

ATTENDANCE:
(1) Students are expected to attend all scheduled classes; a record of attendance will be kept by the instructor. The student will be expected to sign a sheet during each class period indicating his/her presence.
(2) No distinction between excused and un-excused absences (except in prolonged doctor-verified health situations when an Incomplete grade might be justified); the amount of work to be made up as a result of an excused absence versus an un-excused absence is identical.
(3) No points will be deducted from the final totals for non-attendance; the student is considered to be an adult capable of making his/her own decisions about class attendance.
(4) Students missing a class where handouts were provided are responsible for obtaining copies of these handouts from the instructor.

RETURN POLICY for SUBMITTED DISKETTES: The instructor will NOT return submitted diskettes to the student.

RETURN POLICY for SUBMITTED PAPERS: Any papers submitted for grading (be they lab assignment printouts, exam printouts, or project printouts) will NOT NECESSARILY be returned to the student to keep in his possession. They will be returned to the student and discussed in class, but must then (at the instructor's discretion) be returned to the INSTRUCTOR'S POSSESSION. Students who are absent from class on the day graded papers are returned for student perusal should see the instructor during office hours (or by appointment) to review graded papers.

STUDENT RIGHTS and RESPONSIBILITIES:
The handout entitled "Student Rights and Responsibilities" has been compiled from discussions with many faculty members at many institutions. The document represents the thoughts and opinions of me personally; it is NOT to be considered a document, which represents a published policy statement issued by the administration of California University. Student rights, in my opinion, comprise those things which are due to any student by moral principles; correspondingly, student responsibilities, in my opinion, represent the particular moral burdens or obligations owed on the part of the student. It is important to me that students in my classes clearly understand my feelings on this matter, and thus the document specifically identifies what I believe are the rights and corresponding responsibilities of all students.

for STUDENTS with DISABILITIES: Students requiring special considerations must get in touch with the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities. The Office of Services for Students with Disabilities will notify the instructor in writing.