OECS 230 Data Communications and Networks I

 

Instructor: Doug Bocaz-Larson Email: [email protected]

Meeting Time: M + web Room: 124

Phone: 290-1331 cell 287-6656 office Office: 124

 

Office hours: MON 6:30-9:15pm, TU/TH 4:30-6:00, WED 6:30-6:45, FRI 8-8:30pm

 

Text: Networking in Easy Steps by Steve Rackley ISBN: 0-7607-5362-8

 

Course Description:

This course serves as a general introduction to current network technologies for local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs), and the Internet. The course provides an introduction to the hardware, software, terminology, components, design, and connections of a network, as well as, the topologies and protocols for networks. NOTE: Part of the course will be on the web but you must complete some of the lab activities face-to-face.

 

Instructor Availability:
I will be happy to work with you in a computer lab at NMSU-Grants at scheduled times. Please call my cell phone (505-290-1331) or my office (505-287-6656) or email me ([email protected]) for questions or to arrange a time to me. Email is actually the quickest way to reach me followed by leaving a message on my cell phone. I check my office phone the least often. Feel free to ask questions anytime. Most importantly, turn your assignments in on time and don't get behind.

 

Assignment Deadlines:

Please make sure that all your work is in by the deadlines on the syllabus. Make-up quizzes and assignments will not receive full credit. 10% will be taken off for each class period the assignment or quiz is not completed.

 

Attendance and Grading:

Your attendance directly affects your grades. Again and again, I see that students with high attendance learn more and achieve higher grades than students with low attendance. The most successful student will be at every class meeting. Students are asked not to bring children to class. Students who are not able to follow the NMSU attendance policy are asked to drop the course to avoid receiving a failing grade. On a positive note, students who show up on time and have perfect attendance will NOT have to take the mid-term or final exam. Perfect attendance means no absences for any reason. If you are absent, you must complete the in-class activity on your own and you will need to complete an extra credit assignment to make up for missing in-class participation. Students who have successfully completed all assignments at mid-term will be given the option to attend only the lecture for the second half of the semester. The lectures will be from 6:45-8pm. The lab will be from 8-9:15pm.

 

Evaluation:

Assignments 40%

Attend/Exams 30%

Projects 30%

Grading scale:

100-90% A

89-80% B

79-70% C

69-60% D

>59% F

 

Deadlines
Students must meet the deadlines in order to receive full credit for assignments, quizzes, and projects. 10% will be taken off for each day the assignment is late up to 40%. If 10% of the assignments in the course are late, then your final grade will be deducted by 10% which means you will not receive an A.

 

Final deadline for all 1^st 8 week assignments – October 11

Final deadline for all 2^nd 8 week assignments – December 6

 

Failure to meet the above deadlines may result in your being dropped from the course by the first 8 weeks or a failing grade on the 2^nd 8 week assignments.

 

Important Dates

August 24 Classes Begin

October 15 Last day to drop

Thanksgiving Nov 24-27 No Class

December 6 Last Day of Class

 

Words of Wisdom

When you take a course about computers, you get out of it what you put into it. Computers are constantly changing and you must be constantly learning to keep on the cutting edge. A class in computers will help you get started, but it is up to you to go that extra mile to become an expert. Working with computers is like learning a musical instrument. You don’t become a good musician without practice. It is the same with computers. If you don’t practice and develop your skills on your own, then you’ll never be a true techie. No computer class can teach you everything you need to know on a topic. Computer courses are a jumping off point to a journey, not a destination.

 

 

Important Notes to Students (the fine print):

If you have, or believe you have, a disability that would benefit from any accommodation(s), you may wish to register with the Student Services Office on the first floor of Martinez Hall. All medical information will be treated confidentially. After you have registered, please make sure that I receive a copy of the accommodation memorandum from Student Services within the first two weeks of class. It will be your responsibility to inform me or the office of Student Services (in a timely manner) if the services/accommodations are not meeting your needs. If you have a condition that may affect your ability to exit safely from the premises in an emergency or that may cause an emergency during class, you are encouraged to discuss any concerns with Ms. Irene Charles-Lutz, Campus Student Services Officer at 287-6629, or with me at 287-6656.

 

Any student found guilty of academic misconduct shall be subject to disciplinary action. Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to, the following actions: cheating; plagiarism; unauthorized possession of examinations, reserve library materials or laboratory materials; unauthorized changing of grades on an examination, instructor’s grade book or grade report; nondisclosure or misrepresentation in filing out applications or other college records; or violation of computer use policies. The following disciplinary actions and sanctions may be imposed for any of the above infractions of regulations: disciplinary probation, disciplinary suspension, dismissal, expulsion.

 

 

Tentative Schedule for OECS 230 (subject to change)