MSJC - Ron Lehr’s Classes

*** * * Frequently Asked Questions * * ***

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Question: (Skip to next question)

Why am I falling behind? Why isn’t my grade what I hoped?

Answer:

Ask yourself these questions:

Ø How motivated are you?

Ø When did you get your textbooks - the first week? the second week? the third week? Still don’t have the textbooks?

Ø Did you enroll late? Did you make up past work?

Ø Did you read the preface of each textbook [as assigned in the Syllabus] - especially the sections “To the Student”? Did you try to familiarize yourself with the general layout and format of each textbook?

Ø Did you read and understand all sections of the syllabus?

Ø Did you read and understand all additional hand-outs?

Ø Did you get the phone numbers and/or e-mail address of three other students in our class - as suggested?

Ø Did you get a 3-ring binder - as suggested?

Ø When did you have your diskettes for class?

Ø When did you copy the student files [required for some homework assignment] to your diskette?

Ø [CSIS-101] I gave you an outline of Chapter 1 . Did you outline any other chapter for yourself?

Ø [CSIS-101] Do you read assigned Chapters (Discovering Computers 2002) before we review in class? Do you read the “OBJECTIVES” of the chapter before you read the chapter - then re-read after you’ve studied the chapter?

Ø Do you read and DO THE STEPS for assigned Tutorials or Projects before we review in class?

Ø Do you read the “OBJECTIVES” of the Tutorials or Project before you read and do the steps in the project - then re-read after you’ve studied the unit or project?

Ø How many class meetings have you missed? How much class time - late? - leave early?

Ø Are you trying to use software at home that isn’t the one we use in class? - If so, don’t! see next question:

Ø Do you use our Computer Lab? How much time?

Ø Did you take the “Windows XP Tour”?

Ø Did you take ‘Course Test Manager’ practice tests in Office XP [CAPP-120B]?; or Discovering Computers 2002 and Office XP Brief [CSIS-101]; or Programming ~ Level 1 [CSIS-111A]?

Ø Have you used “Shelly-Cashman Course Labs” in our Computer Lab or online?

Ø Do you go to my web pages frequently? [No Internet access at home? - the Computer Lab is connected!]

Ø Do you go to Course Technology web pages and use the various web-based interactivity found there? (Like practice tests, chapter reviews, Interactive Labs, etc.) [No Internet access at home? - the Computer Lab is connected!]

Ø Have you used my reference links on SchoolNotes.com or CAPP-120B or CSIS-101 or CSIS-111A “Notes” web pages? How about links like: “Dictionary of Computer Terms"? or “Site of the Week”? [No Internet access at home? - the Computer Lab is connected!]

Ø Do you pay attention in class? [Doing homework, playing solitaire or surfing the web IS NOT paying attention!]

Ø Do you take notes in class?

Ø Do you ask questions in class?

Ø Do you ask me to repeat or clarify something I said in class?

Ø Do you follow instructions for tests and assignments?

Ø Are you doing ALL the assigned homework? Do you do it on the date suggested in the “Syllabus - Class Schedule” - or the night before it’s due?

Ø Are you prepared for each class?

Ø You probably like ‘Open-Book’ tests - but do you try to answer each question as if the test was a ‘Closed-Book’ test? Then looking up in the text only those questions that you flat don’t remember? [CSIS-101]

Ø Do you answer the True/False and/or Multiple Choice questions at end of each unit (CSIS-101); “Project Re-enforcement” (CAPP-120B) before we cover them in class?

Ø You’re lost - did you ask me what to do?

Ø Did you e-mail me your questions? [You don’t need an e-mail account - use SchoolNotes.com or my online web pages.]

Ø Did you see me during my office hours?

Ø Did you schedule an appointment if you could not see me during office hours?

Ø Did you leave a voice-mail on my MSJC campus phone message system?

Ø Did you send me your concerns via the web “Feedback” form?

Ø Do you do extra credit?

Ø Do you watch any of the computer related TV programs listed in the syllabus?

Ø Have you used MSJC’s library to read any of the computer related magazines I mentioned several times in class - and listed in the syllabus?

Ø This is a college level course - transferable units. How serious are you? Is your semester load too much for you? [maybe reconsider your schedule] - see next questions:

Ø Have you talked to a MSJC counselor?

Ø Have you talked to a Career Center Representative?

Ø Have you used a tutor?

Ø Finally: ASK YOURSELF THIS: What do I want to get out of this class? How dedicated am I?

Remember:
In this Age of Technology, the computer may be the most important tool you will ever learn to use.

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Question: (Skip to next question)

Do I have to print my homework in color?

Answer:

No. Homework and the associated cover page does not need to be printed in color. The Lab does not have a color printer, therefore, students can not be asked to print any assignment in color. (If a student has access to a color printer of their own, they may elect to print any or all assignments in color.) A non-color printer prints in “gray-scale”, and hence I can tell if parts of the documents are formatted in color.

[An exception would be any in-class assignment (such as the word processing Hands-On Test) in which I’ve specifically asked students to print their final version on the color printer. This would apply in our classroom - Room 109 - only.]

Not having homework printed in color is not an excuse for late homework or for printing during our class meeting!

Question: (Skip to next question)

Can I install QBasic with Windows ME? [or Windows 98 or XP]? If so, where can I get the software?

Answer:

A little history first:

For those who don't know, BASIC is an amateur's programming language - it's an acronym for Beginners All-Purpose Standard Instruction Code.

Back in the early days of PC's, all of them came with BASIC on them. And each different kind of computer came with its own version. There was Apple BASIC, Atari BASIC, Commodore BASIC, Timex BASIC, Sinclair BASIC, Texas Instruments BASIC, Radio Shack BASIC and so on. All in all there were over 20 versions.

The version of BASIC that evolved into QBasic was Microsoft BASIC. Microsoft decided to spruce it up a bit, give it a more user-friendly interface and included it free with the DOS operating system. With the enhancements it was faster than the average BASIC, so they called it Quick Basic or QBasic for short. However, QBasic is really a stripped-down version of Quick BASIC. The ability to compile to EXEs was removed from QBasic.

Search your Windows 98, ME CD for qbasic.exe and qbasic.hlp. They should be in the directory \TOOLS\OLDMSDOS. Just copy them over to your hard drive and that's it. You can run QBasic from a DOS command prompt or even create a shortcut icon on your desktop.

For Windows XP, it's a little harder. You'll need to see me to get a copy for use in our class.

Question: (Skip to next question)

Why does a "#" appear at the end of my numeric constant [in the PRINT USING line] when I return to the program listing after running the program?

Answer:

It's just a coincidence that the symbol # is used for both a numeric placeholder in the PRINT USING statement and also as a "Double Precision" indicator. The number 123456.78 has too many digits to be displayed in "single precision" (up to 7 digits) so it's converted to double precision (up to 18 digits) for display in the program listing. It shows in your program listing after you run your program, however, it won't show up in your output. Other indicators you might see are "%" for Integers, "!" for Single, "$" for String.

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Click to go to CSIS-181 Home Page

Click to go to CSIS-190 Home Page

Click to go to CSIS-101 Home Page

Click to go to CSIS-111A Home Page

Click to go to CAPP-120B Home Page

Click to view MSJC Home Page

Click to send e-mail to Ron Lehr

Click to go to Student Feedback Page

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