Course Outcomes

Students will demonstrate an understanding of the role of information technology.

Strategies and Actions used to produce the outcome:

Study the application of information technology in everyday life.
Class discussion about what an information system is, and aspects
of information technology.

Assessment Methods: Written and Practical Assignments, Quizzes, and Exams.

Students will demonstrate knowledge of the main components of a computer system.

Strategies and Actions used to produce the outcome:

Study different types of hardware components such as the CPU,
memory and input/output devices.
Class discussion of how different hardware components work together
and, with system software, make a computer system operational.

Assessment Methods: Written and Practical Assignments, Quizzes, and Exams.

Students will demonstrate familiarity with and basic proficiency in popular application
packages such as Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Access and Expression Web.

Strategies and Actions used to produce the outcome:

Study the application of different types of software applications
Supervised laboratory sessions for gaining hands-on experience with
using common application packages.

Assessment Methods: Written and Practical Assignments, Quizzes, and Exams.

Students will demonstrate knowledge of the use of programming languages and the
process of software development.

Strategies and Actions used to produce the outcome:

Study of the concepts of computer programming and the use of
programming languages, algorithms, compilers.
Classroom discussion and hands-on experience of computer programming
using a user-friendly programming environment.

Assessment Methods: Written and Practical Assignments, Quizzes, and Exams.

Students will be familiar with the concepts and technology used in modern computer
networks including the Internet.

Strategies and Actions used to produce the outcome:

Study concepts of data communication technology.
Classroom discussion of how computer networks are constructed and how
they enable communication of information.

Assessment Methods: Written and Practical Assignments, Quizzes, and Exams.

Students will demonstrate awareness of possible threats to computer security and how
information can be protected.

Strategies and Actions used to produce the outcome:

Study various types of security threats and protection mechanisms.
Classroom discussion of computer security and relevant tools.

Assessment Methods: Written and Practical Assignments, Quizzes, and Exams.

Course Objectives Upon completion of this course, students will demonstrate an appreciation
of the role of information technology in modern society. They will be familiar with the principal
components of computer hardware and the functions of different types of software that make
computers useful in daily life. They will demonstrate a basic understanding of the processes
involved in the development of software for problem solving, and the life cycle of information
systems. Students will be introduced to modern data communication technology including the
Internet and the World Wide Web. They will be aware of various issues related to computer
security and privacy. Students will obtain basic practical skills necessary for manipulating and
presenting information in a productive way. Software packages used will deal with word
processing, spreadsheets, presentation graphics, databases and Web page creation.

Online Course Access

This course is being provided through the use of MyITLab. You can access MyITLab at:

http://www.myitlab.com

To access this course through MyITLab, you will need three things:

A valid email address
The course ID (to be provided below)
Your student access code (from the course textbook)

You can use any valid email address although using your CSU email address will probably
be more reliable. The course ID for this course is: CRSAB1C-415739.

Your student access code comes with the course textbook. If you purchase a textbook that
does not have a student access code, you can purchase the student access code separately
from the http://www.myitab.com site (look in the left menu under the LOGIN for
"Don't have an access code").

For additional information concerning access to MyITLab, please review the following:

MyITLab Student Registration Enrollment

or download and view the following PowerPoint:

myitlab_StudentRegistrationEnrollment.ppt

If you still have issues accessing MyITLab, please contact me.

Assessment Methods

Grades in this course will be based on the following assessments:

Responses to weekly discussions - 25%
Comments to other students' responses to weekly discussions - 5%
Assignments (including Microsoft Office expert exams) - 30%
End-of-chapter self-tests - 30%
Final exam - 10%

Final grades will be assigned according to the following schedule:

90 – 100 A 60 – 69 D

80 – 89 B Below 60 F

70 – 79 C

Grading Criteria

The Microsoft Office expert exams, Technology in Action end-of-chapter tests, and final exam
will be graded automatically by the MyITLab system. You will be able to take the Technology in
Action end-of-chapter tests as many times as you wish. The highest score will count. You will be
able to take the Microsoft Office expert exams up to three times. Again, your highest score for
each exam will count. You will be able to take the final exam only once.

The grades you earn for the assignments related to using information technology will be based
on the quality of your responses. Grading rubrics associated with how these assignments will be
graded will be available in the MyITLab system.

The grades you earn for responses to the discussion questions will also be based on the quality of
your responses. Responses that generally address the requirements of the discussion question
will earn a grade of 8 out of 10.

The grades you earn for comments to other students' responses to the discussion questions will
also be based on the quality of your posts. Comments that generally add value to the discussion
will earn a grade of 8 out of 10.

Faculty Responsibilities

As your instructor in this course, I am responsible to:

prepare weekly lessons that demonstrate and help students understand
the course material,
prepare exams that allow students to demonstrate their knowledge
of the course material,
actively participate in online discussions;
grade exams and assignments, and post scores within one week
of the end of the week in which they are submitted; and
read any e-mail sent by students and respond accordingly within 48 hours.

Within the discussion area, although I will read every posted discussion question and
response, I will not necessarily respond to every post.

Student Responsibilities

As a student in this course, you are responsible to:

manage your time and maintain the discipline required to meet the course requirements;
complete reading assignments;
actively participate in online discussions at least once a week;
complete assignments by their due dates; and
read any e-mail sent by the instructor and respond accordingly.

“I didn’t know” is not an acceptable excuse for failing to meet the course requirements. If you fail to meet your responsibilities, you do so at your own risk.

Attendance Policy

Actively engaging in class discussions and assignments regularly is important to your success in this course.
You may receive a WF (Withdrawn Failing) for any of the following reasons.

1. Failure to post a response to the Introductory Discussion.

2. Missing three classes or two classes in a row.

3. Failure to post a response to weekly discussions for two weeks in a row.

Tentative Schedule

Week	Dates	Reading	Non-graded Assignments	Graded Assignments
Intro	6/15 - 6/17	Welcome announcement	Review the course syllabus Complete the "Getting started with myitlab" Complete the READI assessment	Intro Discussion
1	6/22 - 6/26	Chapter 1: Why Computers Matter to You: Becoming Computer Literate Technology in Focus: The History of the PC Chapter 2: Looking at Computers: Understanding the Parts	Chapter 1 SoundBytes Chapter 1 PowerPoints TIF 1: History of the PC PowerPoints Chapter 2 Active Help Desk Calls Chapter 2 SoundBytes Chapter 2 PowerPoints Word Project 5A: Audio/Video Expert Demonstration Document Word Chapter 5 Project 5A Skill-Based Training Word Project 5B: Audio/Video Expert Demonstration Document Word Chapter 5 Project 5B Skill-Based Training Word Project 6A: Audio/Video Expert Demonstration Document Word Chapter 6 Project 6A Skill-Based Training Word Project 6B: Audio/Video Expert Demonstration Document Word Chapter 6 Project 6B Skill-Based Training Word Project 7A: Audio/Video Expert Demonstration Document Word Chapter 7 Project 7A Skill-Based Training	Chapter 1 End-of-Chapter Self-Test Chapter 2 End-of-Chapter Self-Test ePortfolio Assignment Twitter Assignment Week 1 Discussion
2	6/29 - 7/2	Chapter 3: Using the Internet: Making the Most of the Web’s Resources Technology in Focus: Information Technology Ethics Chapter 4: Application Software: Programs That Let You Work and Play	Chapter 3 Active Help Desk Calls Chapter 3 SoundBytes Chapter 3 PowerPoints TIF 2: Information Technology Ethics PowerPoints Chapter 4 Active Help Desk Calls Chapter 4 SoundBytes Chapter 4 PowerPoints Word Project 7B: Audio/Video Expert Demonstration Document Word Chapter 7 Project 7B Skill-Based Training Word Project 8A: Audio/Video Expert Demonstration Document Word Chapter 8 Project 8A Skill-Based Training Word Project 8B: Audio/Video Expert Demonstration Document Word Chapter 8 Project 8B Skill-Based Training Excel Project 9A: Audio/Video Expert Demonstration Document Excel Chapter 9 Project 9A Skill-Based Training Excel Project 9B: Audio/Video Expert Demonstration Document Excel Chapter 9 Project 9B Skill-Based Training	Chapter 3 End-of-Chapter Self-Test Chapter 4 End-of-Chapter Self-Test Word Skill-Based Exam Create a Blog Assignment Week 2 Discussion
3	7/6 - 7/10	Chapter 5: Using System Software: The Operating System, Utility Programs, and File Management Technology in Focus: Computing Alternatives Chapter 6: Understanding and Assessing Hardware: Evaluating Your System	Chapter 5 Active Help Desk Calls Chapter 5 SoundBytes Chapter 5 PowerPoints TIF 3: Computing Alternatives PowerPoints Chapter 6 Active Help Desk Calls Chapter 6 SoundBytes Chapter 6 PowerPoints Excel Project 10A: Audio/Video Expert Demonstration Document Excel Chapter 10 Project 10A Skill-Based Training Excel Project 10B: Audio/Video Expert Demonstration Document Excel Chapter 10 Project 10B Skill-Based Training Excel Project 11A: Audio/Video Expert Demonstration Document Excel Chapter 11 Project 11A Skill-Based Training Excel Project 11B: Audio/Video Expert Demonstration Document Excel Chapter 11 Project 11B Skill-Based Training	Chapter 5 End-of-Chapter Self-Test Chapter 6 End-of-Chapter Self-Test Excel Skill-Based Exam Second Life Assignment Week 3 Discussion
4	7/13 - 7/17	Chapter 7: Networking and Security: Connecting Computers and Keeping Them Safe from Hackers and Viruses Technology in Focus: Protecting Your Computer and Backing Up Your Data Chapter 8: Mobile Computing: Keeping Your Data on Hand Technology in Focus: Digital Entertainment	Chapter 7 Active Help Desk Calls Chapter 7 SoundBytes Chapter 7 PowerPoints TIF 4: Protecting Your Computer and Backing Up Your Data PowerPoints Chapter 8 Active Help Desk Calls Chapter 8 SoundBytes Chapter 8 PowerPoints TIF 5: Digital Entertainment PowerPoints PowerPoint Project 15A: Audio/Video Expert Demonstration Document PowerPoint Chapter 15 Project 15A Skill-Based Training PowerPoint Project 15B: Audio/Video Expert Demonstration Document PowerPoint Chapter 15 Project 15B Skill-Based Training PowerPoint Project 16A: Audio/Video Expert Demonstration Document PowerPoint Chapter 16 Project 16A Skill-Based Training PowerPoint Project 16B: Audio/Video Expert Demonstration Document PowerPoint Chapter 16 Project 16B Skill-Based Training	Chapter 7 End-of-Chapter Self-Test Chapter 8 End-of-Chapter Self-Test Create a Video Assignment Google Site Assignment Week 4 Discussion
5	7/20 - 7/24	Chapter 9: Behind the Scenes: A Closer Look at System Hardware Technology in Focus: Careers in IT Chapter 11: Behind the Scenes: Databases and Information Systems	Chapter 9 Active Help Desk Calls Chapter 9 SoundBytes Chapter 9 PowerPoints TIF 6: Careers in IT PowerPoints Chapter 11 Active Help Desk Calls Chapter 11 SoundBytes Chapter 11 PowerPoints PowerPoint Project 17A: Audio/Video Expert Demonstration Document PowerPoint Chapter 17 Project 17A Skill-Based Training PowerPoint Project 17B: Audio/Video Expert Demonstration Document PowerPoint Chapter 17 Project 17B Skill-Based Training Access Project 12A: Audio/Video Expert Demonstration Document Access Chapter 12 Project 12A Skill-Based Training Access Project 12B: Audio/Video Expert Demonstration Document Access Chapter 12 Project 12B Skill-Based Training	Chapter 9 End-of-Chapter Self-Test Chapter 11 End-of-Chapter Self-Test PowerPoint Skill-Based Exam Jing/Flickr Assignment Week 5 Discussion
6	7/27 - 7/31	Chapter 10: Behind the Scenes: Building Applications Fluency with Alice: Introduction, Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4	Chapter 10 Active Help Desk Calls Chapter 10 SoundBytes Chapter 10 PowerPoints Access Project 13A: Audio/Video Expert Demonstration Document Access Chapter 13 Project 13A Skill-Based Training Access Project 13B: Audio/Video Expert Demonstration Document Access Chapter 13 Project 13B Skill-Based Training Access Project 14A: Audio/Video Expert Demonstration Document Access Chapter 14 Project 14A Skill-Based Training Access Project 14B: Audio/Video Expert Demonstration Document Access Chapter 14 Project 14B Skill-Based Training	Chapter 10 End-of-Chapter Self-Test Access Skill-Based Exam Alice Animated Movie Assignment Week 6 Discussion
	July 31, Aug 1-5	Final Exam (Chapters 1-11)

Discussion Etiquette

CSU is committed to open, frank, and insightful dialogue in all of its courses. Diversity has many manifestations, including diversity of
thought, opinion, and values. Students are encouraged to be respectful of that diversity and to refrain from inappropriate commentary.
Should such inappropriate comments occur, I will intervene as I monitor the dialogue in the discussions. I will request that inappropriate
content be removed from the discussion and will recommend University disciplinary action if deemed appropriate. Students as well as
faculty should be guided by common sense and basic etiquette. The following are good guidelines:

Never post, transmit, promote, or distribute content that is known to be illegal.
Never post harassing, threatening, or embarrassing comments.
If you disagree with someone, respond to the subject, not the person.
Never post content that is harmful, abusive; racially, ethnically, or religiously offensive; vulgar; sexually explicit;
or otherwise potentially offensive.

Assignment Due Dates

All assignments (non-graded and graded) are due no later than 11:59 PM (23:59) (Eastern Time)
on the last day of the week in which they are assigned. Graded assignment due dates will be
posted in the MyITLab calendar. Clicking on any given day in the calendar will provide a list of
the assignments due by that day.

Late Assignments

If circumstances prevent the timely posting of assignments, please notify me by email within
MyITLab. If the MyITLab system is down, please email me at my CSU email address: If you
cannot email me, please call my office or cell phone. Unless you make prior arrangements with
me, any assignment submitted after its assigned due date will be considered late, will not be
accepted for grading and will be assessed a grade of zero (0).

Extra Credit

There are no provisions for extra credit in this course.

Incompletes

If unusual circumstances preclude you from completing the course and you have satisfactorily
completed all the other course requirements up until that point, I will award you a grade of
"Incomplete" provided you contact me regarding the unusual circumstances and you agree to
certain conditions for removal of the "Incomplete." You must, however, contact me and
arrange for the Incomplete as soon as you are aware that you will be unable to complete
the course and before the last day of class.

Dropping the Course

We hope that you will complete the course and profit from it. If it is necessary for you to
withdraw from the course during the semester, you must follow all official CSU
procedures for withdrawing. It is not sufficient to notify the instructor; you must use the
ISIS system and withdraw officially. For details on how to withdraw from a course, see
http://aa.colstate.edu/advising/w.htm#Withdrawal%20from%20a%20Course.

I would appreciate it if you were first to consult with me before starting the procedure for
withdrawing from the course. In some cases, we can agree on an arrangement that will
allow you to complete the course with minor adjustments.

Software and Technology Requirements

To participate in this course, you must have (or have access to) a computer that meets CSU's online course minimum
computer hardware requirements as outlined at:

http://academics.colstate.edu/classes/cptr_req.asp

In addition, you must have (or have access to) Internet connectivity and the computer you use for the course must be equipped
with either the Internet Explorer 6 or the Internet Explorer 7 Web browser (note that the MyITLab system is
not compatible with any other browser).

Although this course covers the the use of Microsoft Office 2007 (Word 2007, Excel 2007, PowerPoint 2007, and Access 2007),
this software is not required for this course. Any assignments you complete in this course that cover any of the Microsoft Office
software will be completed through the use of a simulated Microsoft Office environment within MyITLab. Access to the actual
software is, however, recommended in order to make the most of your learning experience. If you have access to the CSU campus,
the Microsoft Office 2007 software is available in the tutoring labs on the first and fourth floors of the CCT.

Getting Help

During each week of the course, I will provide a discussion area within MyITLab entitled
"Question about Week X?" where X will be the given week. If you have a question about an
assignment or need help with an assignment in any given week, please post your question
in that discussion area.

Student assistants in the Computer Center and in the open lab on campus can help you with basic
computer-related problems (such as logging onto the network, saving your work, etc.), but they
are not obligated and may not possess the necessary skills to help you with your assignments.
Tutors in the Department of Computer Science tutoring lab (CCT 450) can help you with the
assignments. Their schedule is typically posted in the Computer Science departmental office.
Do not ask the tutors to do assignments for you. They are instructed to assist you in
understanding concepts only.

For other general computer related problems or questions, please contact the CINS computer help desk at 706-507-2910
or email helpdesk@colstate.edu.

For help with MyITLab, please contact the MyITLab Student Technical Support:

http://www.myitlab.com/support_student.asp

For other information related CSU, please see the Student Resources section:

http://online.colstate.edu/student_resources.asp

Confidentiality of Student Postings

CSU cannot and does not guarantee the confidentiality of information shared by students in
the course environment. Therefore, students should not share any confidential information
from employers unless explicitly released for public use.

Academic Dishonesty and Plagiarism

Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, activities such as cheating and plagiarism
(http://aa.colstate.edu/advising/a.asp#AcademicDishonestyAcademicMisconduct). It is a basis
for disciplinary action. Any work turned in for individual credit must be entirely the work of the
student submitting the work. All work must be your own. For group projects, the work must be
done only by members of the group. You may share ideas but submitting identical assignments
(for example) will be considered cheating. You may discuss the material in the course and help
one another with debugging; however, any work you hand in for a grade must be your own. A
simple way to avoid inadvertent plagiarism is to talk about the assignments, but don't read each
other's work or write solutions together unless otherwise directed by me. For your own
protection, keep scratch paper and old versions of assignments to establish ownership until after
the assignment has been graded and returned to you. If you have any questions about this, please
contact me immediately. For assignments, access to notes, the course textbooks, books and other
publications is allowed. All work that is not your own, MUST be properly cited. This includes
any material found on the Internet. Stealing or giving or receiving any code, diagrams, drawings,
text or designs from another person (CSU or non-CSU, including the Internet) is not allowed.
Having access to another person’s work on the computer system or giving access to your work to
another person is not allowed. It is your responsibility to prevent others from having
unauthorized access to your work.

No cheating in any form will be tolerated. Penalties for academic dishonesty may include a
zero grade on the assignment or exam/quiz, a failing grade for the course, suspension from the
Computer Science program, and dismissal from the program. All instances of cheating will be
documented in writing with a copy placed in the Department’s files. Students will be expected to
discuss the academic misconduct with the faculty member and the chairperson. For more details
see the Student Handbook: http://studentlife.colstate.edu/handbook.asp.

ADA Accommodation Notice

If you have a documented disability as described by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
(P.L. 933-112 Section 504) and the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) that may
require you to need assistance attaining accessibility to instructional content to meet
course requirements, we recommend that you contact the Center for Academic Support in
Tucker Hall, room 100 or at (706)568-2330, as soon as possible. It is then your
responsibility to contact and meet with the instructor. It is also your responsibility
to present the instructor with a letter from the Center for Academic Support.
Without this letter detailing the required accommodations, the instructor cannot
help you. The Center for Academic Support can assist you and the instructor in
formulating a reasonable accommodation plan and provide support in developing
appropriate accommodations for your disability. Course requirements will not be waived
but accommodations may be made to assist you to meet the requirements. Technical
support may also be available to meet your specific need. For more information on
services and support available, refer to http://uc.colstate.edu/disability_services.htm.

CPSC 1105 Introduction to Information Technology (CRN 50380)

ADA Accommodation Notice

CPSC 1105
Introduction to Information Technology (CRN 50380)