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Business Computer Applications Syllabus for 2015-2016
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Instructor Information

Instructor

(Curriculum Vitae)

E-Mail

jrpickle@actx.edu

Phone

Office Location

Office Hours

Contact me via e-mail.

Course Information

Recording Policy

Disability Statement

Any student who, because of a disabling condition, may require some special arrangements in order to meet course requirements should contact disAbility Services (Student Service Center room 119, phone 371-5436) as soon as possible.

Statement for Mental Health and Advocacy & Resource Center:

As a student you may experience a range of issues that can cause barriers to learning, such as strained relationships, increased anxiety, alcohol/drug problems, feeling down, difficulty concentrating and/or lack of motivation. These mental health concerns or stressful events may lead to diminished academic performance or reduce a student's ability to participate in daily activities. Amarillo College offers services to assist you with addressing these and other concerns you may be experiencing. If you or someone you know are suffering from any of the aforementioned conditions, you can learn more about the broad range of confidential mental health services available on campus by calling the AC Counseling Center at 806-371-5900. The AC Counseling Center website is https://www.actx.edu/counseling/ . Also, if you are in need of social services (affordable housing, utilities, transportation, food, clothing, childcare, medical/dental/vision, legal), please call the AC Advocacy & Resource Center at 806-371-5439. The AC Advocacy & Resource Center website is https://www.actx.edu/arc

Amarillo College Tutoring for Success Policy:

Administrative Drop Policy

N/A

Student Withdrawal Procedures

N/A

Privacy Statement

The Amarillo College Privacy Policy is found at https://www.actx.edu/-amarillo-college-privacy-notice , and applies to all Amarillo College students.  If you have questions about this privacy statement or you believe that your personal information has been released without your consent, send email to humanresources@actx.edu .

Course

BCIS-1305-002 Business Computer Applications

Prerequisites

Prerequisite: RDNG 0321-minimum grade of C or a score on a state-approved test indicating readiness for RDNG 0331

Course Description

Students will study computer terminology, hardware and software related to the business environment. The focus of this course is on business productivity software applications and professional behavior in computing, including word processing (as needed), spreadsheets, databases, presentation graphics and business-oriented utilization of the Internet.

Student Resources Student Resources Website

Department Expectations

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Occupational License Disclaimer

Hours

(3 sem hrs; 2 lec, 3 lab)

Class Type

Online Course

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

Two options are available for course materials:

(1) Purchase an access code to MyITLab and accompanying electronic text (e-text)

[Myitlab W/Etext Access Card For Exploring Office 2013; Poatsy; ISBN 0133775070; $121.25 @ the AC Bookstore]

(2) Purchase a physical textbook, access code to MyITLab, and accompanying electronic text (e-text)

[Bundle Exploring Ms Office 2013 Vol I W/Myitlab Access Card; Poatsy; ISBN 0133584275; $144.00 @ at the AC Bookstore]

The physical textbook is not required, but is available if you learn more effectively utilizing printed text. Either option can be purchased at the AC Bookstore.  Should you choose the first option and later decide you also want the printed text, the text can be purchased directly from the publisher for an additional fee (roughly $35).

Supplies

  • Access to a PC (personal computer) running Windows 7.  Computers are available in the Computer Lab in the CIS Department at the Washington Street campus of Amarillo College.
  • Office 2013 (Word, Excel and PowerPoint).  Computer

    Student Performance

    Students will apply word processing, presentation software, spreadsheet software, and Internet research to prepare documents or presentations on the impact of computer use on society and culture. At completion of course student will be able to:

    • Explore the impact of computer technology on society and how computer technology has changed how we think, live, work, play, communicate, and our values and beliefs.
    • Determine the computer application skills one should acquire to be successful in the job market, in college courses, and in everyday life.
    • Recognize the ethical and societal effects and responsibilities of computer use.
    • Discuss how activities such as plagiarism, theft of services or licensing, or the spread of viruses impacts the individual, society, and culture and what one can do to protect oneself and one's data. Discuss how digital actions can cause accidental or intentional harm to others and methods of preventing those actions.
    • Recognize quality Web sites, practice online etiquette and safe surfing.
    • Categorize computers based on size, application, and cost.
    • Recognize the components, types, importance, advantages and disadvantages of networking computers.
    • Evaluate the possibilities of e-commerce and cloud computing.
    • Recognize and describe the features of computer operating systems and system utilities.
    • Use PowerPoint to create presentations addressing the above issues.
    • Use Word to create documents, mail merge, fliers, resumes and research papers.
    • Use Excel to create personal budgets, grade books, manage business data, and analyze empirical data from various sources.
    • Use Excel to prepare visual representation of data through charts and graphs.
    • Combine the use of PowerPoint, Excel, and Word to create effective course presentations on given topics
    • Identify current and future computer trends.

    Students Rights and Responsibilities

    Student Rights and Responsibilities

    Log in using the AC Connect Portal

    In order to receive your AC Connect Email, you must log in through AC Connect at https://acconnect.actx.edu .

    If you are an active staff or faculty member according to Human Resources, use "Exchange". All other students, use "AC Connect (Google) Email".

    Expected Student Behavior

    Students are expected to maintain a high standard of individual honor in their scholastic work. Students who are guilty of cheating, plagiarism, copying, or dishonesty may receive a 0 on an assignment, may be excluded from class with a grade of F; or, in flagrant cases, may be suspended from the College.

    The faculty of the CIS Department reserve the right to ask a student to verify any portion of a test by reproducing any specific section or the entire test in question. Any action that compromises the computer systems at Amarillo College, including but not limited to hacking or cracking can result in a grade of "F" in this course and possible further disciplinary action.

    Integrity violations in MyITLab will result in both parties receiving a grade of 0 for the assignment and there will be no makeup for that assignment.

     

     

    Grading Criteria

    Grading Criteria:

    A course grade will be assigned based upon the following criteria:

    Criteria Grade
    >89.5% A
    >79.5% B
    >69.5% C
    >59.5% D
    <59.5% F

     

      

     

     

     

     

    Student evaluation will be based upon the following:

    ACTIVITY

    LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

    PERCENTAGE WEIGHT

    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

    Concepts Quizzes (8), Syllabus Exam (1), and Drop Box Assignments (4)

    MyITLab / Blackboard

     

    15%

    1 attempt per quiz/assignment; drop lowest grade

    Chapter Projects (11)

    MyITLab

    30%

    2 attempts per project;
    drop lowest project grade
    Course Project Blackboard 15% ---------

    Capstone Projects (3)

    MyITLab

    25%

    1 attempt per capstone project

    Final Exam (1)

    MyITLab

    		 15% 1 attempt per exam

    MOS Certification Eam (optional)

    		 CIS Computer Lab 10 point bonus Bonus of 10 points added to
    final course average for each passing score
    (Word and/or Excel exam)
     

    All work (except for the Final Exam) is provided for each student at the beginning of the semester. It is your responsibility to ensure all work is completed by the scheduled dates.

     

    Attendance

    • Check your email daily.  The email address used by your instructor is the @amarillocollege.com email issued to each AC student.
    • Complete assignments by the scheduled date/time.  There is a "no late work" policy, except in extreme circumstances.
    • Attendance for on-campus classes will be taken during each class period. Attendance for online classes will be monitored by access log-in dates recorded in Blackboard and MyITLab.  Excessive absence and lack of participation may result in failure of the course.
    • Students should plan on spending a minimum of 10-12 hours per week on this course, outside of class. Actual amounts will vary depending on weekly assignments and topic complexity. Please schedule your time, so that you are able to devote the appropriate energy and effort to achieve success in this course.
    • Your instructor, Jennifer Pickle, can be contacted by email through the course in Blackboard. If Blackboard is not available, please email jrpickle@actx.edu.  Additional help is available if needed or desired. Please contact by email to set up.

    Calendar

    The calendar below represents a planned outline for the course. Actual dates are subject to change. Please check your email daily for course updates from your instructor.

    WEEK

    DATE

    TOPICS COVERED IN COURSE

    ASSIGNMENTS/PROJECTS DUE

    1

    January 19 – January 24

    Introductions
    Syllabus Review
    Course Policies Review
    CIS Computer Lab Policies Review
    MOS Certification Exam Information
    MyITLab Login Instructions
    Completing a Training Simulation in MyITLab
    Utility Programs
    Plagiarism
    Windows 7 & File Management
    Videos – Current Topics in CIS

    1. Email Instructor (Blackboard)

    2. Course Syllabus Quiz (Blackboard)

    3. Utility Programs Quiz (Blackboard)

    4. Plagiarism DropBox Assignment (Blackboard)

    5. File Management DropBox Assignment (Blackboard)

    6. Activate MyITLab account (MyITLab)

    ASSIGNMENTS DUE BY
    SUNDAY, 1/24 @ 10:00 pm

    2

    January 25 – January 31

    Census Day – Last Day to Drop (1/26)

    Completing a Graded Project in MyITLab
    PowerPoint – Chapter 1 (Introduction to PowerPoint)
    PowerPoint – Chapter 2 (Presentation Development)
    Benefits & Threats Posed by the Use of Computer Technology
    Evaluating Internet Resources
    Videos – Current Topics in CIS

    1. Review PowerPoint Chapter 1 materials (MyITLab)

    2. Review PowerPoint Chapter 2 materials (MyITLab)

    3. PowerPoint – CH01: Project (MyITLab)

    4. PowerPoint – CH02: Project (MyITLab)

    5. Technology DropBox Assignment (Blackboard)

    6. Evaluating Internet Resources Quiz (Blackboard)

    ASSIGNMENTS DUE BY
    SUNDAY, 1/31 @ 10:00 pm

    3

    February 1 – February 7

    PowerPoint Chapter 3 (Presentation Design)
    PowerPoint Chapter 4 (PowerPoint Rich Media Tools)
    PowerPoint Capstone Project
    Hour of Code – Introduction to Computer Programming
    Computer Hardware
    Videos – Current Topics in CIS

    1. Review PowerPoint Chapter 3 materials (MyITLab)

    2. Review PowerPoint Chapter 4 materials (MyITLab)

    3. PowerPoint – CH03: Project (MyITLab)

    4. PowerPoint Capstone Project (MyITLab)

    5. Hour of Code Drop Box Assignment (Blackboard)

    6. Computer Hardware Quiz (Blackboard)

    ASSIGNMENTS DUE BY
    SUNDAY, 2/7 @ 10:00 pm

    4

    February 8 – February 14

    Excel – Chapter 1 (Introduction to Excel)
    Excel Chapter 2 (Formulas and Functions)
    Network Fundamentals
    The Internet of Things
    Assignment of Course Project
    Review of Course Project Instructions
    Videos – Current Topics in CIS
    1. Review Excel Chapter 1 materials (MyITLab)
    2. Review Excel Chapter 2 materials (MyITLab)
    3. Excel – CH01: Project (MyITLab)
    4. Excel – CH02: Project (MyITLab)
    5. Network Fundamentals Quiz (Blackboard)
    6. Internet of Things Quiz (Blackboard)

    ASSIGNMENTS DUE BY
    SUNDAY, 2/14 @ 10:00 pm

    5

    February 15 – February 21

    Excel Chapter 3 (Charts)
    Excel Chapter 4 (Datasets and Tables)
    Responsibility for Software Failures
    Videos – Current Topics in CIS
    1. Review Excel Chapter 3 materials (MyITLab)
    2. Review Excel Chapter 4 materials (MyITLab)
    3. Excel – CH03: Project (MyITLab)
    4. Excel – CH04: Project (MyITLab)
    5. Responsibility for Software Failures Quiz (Blackboard)

    ASSIGNMENTS DUE BY
    SUNDAY, 2/21 @ 10:00 pm

    6

    February 22  – February 28

    Excel Capstone Project
    Word – Chapter 1 (Introduction to Word)
    Word – Chapter 2 (Document Presentation)
    Security Breaches & Hacking
    Videos – Current Topics in CIS
    1. Excel Capstone Project (MyITLab)
    2. Review Word Chapter 1 materials (MyITLab)
    3. Review Word Chapter 2 materials (MyITLab)
    4. Word – CH01: Project (MyITLab)
    5. Word – CH02: Project (MyITLab)
    6. Security Breaches & Hacking Quiz (Blackboard)

    ASSIGNMENTS DUE BY SUNDAY, 2/28 @ 10:00 pm

    7

    February 29 – March 6

    Last Day to Withdraw (3/1)

    Word Chapter 3 (Document Productivity)
    Word – Chapter 4 (Collaboration and Research)
    Ethics & Technology
    Scheduling a MOS Exam
    Videos – Current Topics in CIS
    1. Complete Course Project (MyITLab)
    2. Review Word Chapter 3 materials (MyITLab)
    3. Review Word Chapter 4 materials (MyITLab)
    4. Word – CH03: Project (MyITLab)
    5. Word – CH04: Project (MyITLab)
    6. Ethics & Technology Quiz (Blackboard)
    7. Course Project Due (MyITLab/Blackboard)
    8. Schedule a MOS Exam (optional)

    ASSIGNMENTS DUE BY SUNDAY, 3/6 @ 10:00 pm

    8

    March 7 –     March 10

    Word Capstone Project
    Review for Final Exam
    Final Exam
    1. Word Capstone Project (MyITLab)
    2. Final Exam (MyITLab)

    Final Exam

    ALL WORK MUST BE COMPLETED BY THURSDAY (3/10) @ 5PM

    Additional Information

     

    Important Dates to Remember
    January 18 MLK Holiday – AC Closed

    January 19

    		 First Day – Spring 2016
    January 26 Census Day – Last Day to Drop Course
    March 1 Last Day to Withdraw from Course
    March 10 All work MUST be completed by 5 pm
    March 14 – March 16 Spring Break – Limited Services
    March 17 – March 20 Spring Break – AC Closed
    March 21 Spring II Classes Begin
    April 11 Summer/Fall Registration Begins
    May 13 @ 7pm Commencement

     

    Social Services Office at Amarillo College
    Resources for social services or emergency services for students are available at - http://www.actx.edu/resources/.  If a situation arises that interferes with your performance in the class, please notify your instructor and be sure to take advantage of the many resources available through the Social Services Office.

    Open Computer Labs
    The Business Systems and Emerging Technology Department hosts an open computer lab on the 2nd Floor of the Byrd Business Building. Labs are open 7 days a week.  Assistance with this course and/or technical assistance are available in the computer labs.

    HELPFUL LINKS

    CIS Web Site: http://cis.actx.edu

    Direct link to AC Connect portal and courses as well as your AC Connect email- https://acconnect.actx.edu/. You will log in with the same ID and password you use for WebAdvisor.  Contact AskAC (806-371-5000) for help if you have trouble with your log in.

    AskAC -  http://www.actx.edu/contact/-   Please contact AskAC for technical help. Contact your instructor for help with this class. 

    Student Help Center -  http://www.actx.edu/ctl/index.php?module=article&id=178-   Offers technical help to AC students 

    Writers' Corner

    If you feel you need help organizing and writing course work, check this out:
    Writers’ Corner: Tutoring with Pizzazz - http://www.actx.edu/english/index.php?module=article&id=36. Writers' Corner is a great resource for help with writing papers and assignments. They can't help you with the content of your work, but they can help you write your work in the proper format.

    AC Distance Education Home Page -  http://www.actx.edu/de/-   Information on requirements and taking an online course. 

    Learn about using AC Connect (Blackboard) and using features of our course by reviewing the following tutorials:

    Blackboard On Demand Learning Center for Students– http://ondemand.blackboard.com/students.htm

    AC Connect Student Resources- http://www.actx.edu/ctl/index.php?module=article&id=222

    Syllabus Created on:

    11/30/-1 12:00 AM

    Last Edited on:

    11/30/-1 12:00 AM