IT Essentials: PC Hardware and Software Syllabus for 2024-2025
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Instructor Information

Office Location

<p>BYRD 352</p>

Office Hours

MW 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

TR 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

TR 4:30 PM - 5:30 PM (IO 115)

Students may contact me from 9:00 AM - 9:00 PM via text at (806) 340-0027.

Students may contact me by email through the course in Blackboard (Messages).  If you would like to schedule a set day and time to meet, flexibility in my scheduling is available.  Please do not hesitate to ask for a specific time if needed.

Course Information

AI Statement

Collusion is defined as “the unauthorized collaboration with another person or by any other means, including artificial intelligence (AI) and computer translators, in preparing work for fulfillment of course requirements.” Using AI like (ChatGPT or Google Gemini) to create a document is considered colluding. <strong>The use of Generative Artificial Intelligence on specific assignments is at the discretion of the instructor. </strong>

COVID-19 Protocols

Recording Policy

Disability Statement

If you have a disability (learning, mental, physical) that affects your ability to participate effectively and have access to any program or service at Amarillo College please contact Disability Services at (806) 345-5639 . Our offices are located in the Enrollment Center, Suite 700. More information may be found at www.actx.edu/disability.
Disability Services facilitates access to all programs and services according to the ADA, Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, as well as other federal and state laws.

Amarillo College Web Accessibility Policy Statement

Amarillo College is committed to providing equal access to all programs and services, including all working, learning, and service environments that affect equal access for persons with disabilities. This commitment to provide equal access and opportunity for persons with disabilities is in compliance with federal and state law. Amarillo College also strives to provide Electronic and Information Resources (EIR) that are accessible to all authorized users.

If you find you are unable to access material in an accessible format please contact the Disability Services Office at (806) 345-5639 . This office will work in conjunction with other campus resources to address and accommodate your issue in a timely manner.

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:

Tutoring for Success applies to any student whose overall performance in the course falls below 75%. The instructor will create the task in the Student Engagement Portal (Watermark) to direct the student to the appropriate tutoring service, which may be faculty- or SI-led, discipline-specific, and/or general. The tutoring service assigned, the due date for when the tutoring must be completed, and the amount of tutoring required are at the discretion of the instructor. Additionally, the task will alert the student’s success team. Students who do not fulfill the assigned tutoring task may be subject to program- and course-specific penalties that could result in a grade reduction and/or in not being allowed to progress in the course until the tutoring requirement has been satisfied.

Administrative Drop Policy

Students who do not attend class on or prior to the census date will be administratively dropped. Effective Fall, 2016

Student Withdrawal Procedures

Students who wish to withdraw from a course must complete all steps indicated on the Academic Withdrawal Request form by the course withdrawal deadline.

NOTE: Students who are attending Texas institutions of higher education, for the first time fall 2007 and later, may not withdraw from more than six courses during their academic career. This withdrawal limitation does not include dual credit or developmental classes (Senate Bill 1231 Rule 4.10.) For more information on Drop and Withdrawal Policies, please visit the Registrar's Office Web site.

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

CPMT-1351-002 IT Essentials: PC Hardware and Software

Prerequisites

Course Description

An introduction to the computer hardware and software skills needed to help meet the growing demand for entry-level information and communication technology (ICT) professionals. The curriculum covers the fundamentals of PC technology, networking and security, and also provides an introduction to advanced concepts. Hands-on labs and Virtual Laptop and Virtual Desktop learning tools help students develop critical thinking and complex problem-solving skills. Cisco Packet Tracer simulation-based learning activities promote the exploration of network and networking security concepts and allow students to experiment with network behavior.

Student ResourcesStudent Resources Website

Department Expectations

Occupational License Disclaimer

Notice to Students enrolled in an educational program for preparation of issuance of certain occupational licenses:

Students enrolled in an educational program in preparation for obtaining certain occupational licenses are potentially ineligible for such license if the student has been convicted of an offense. For further information, please contact:

Melodie Graves
Justice Involved Advocate
Student Service Center 117
mgraves24@actx.edu
806-371-5995
Make appointment at https://melodiegraves.youcanbook.me

You can also contact the Legal Clinic, or the faculty member in charge of the educational program that you seek to enroll in. The further information you will receive will include notification to you of your right to request a criminal history evaluation letter from the licensing authority in order to clarify your particular situation.

Hours

(3 sem hrs; 2 lec, 4 lab)

Class Type

Hybrid

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

CompTIA A+ Guide to IT Technical Support, Eleventh Edition (2023)
Jean Andrews, Joy Dark, Jill West
ISBN: 978-0-357-67416-1

This book will be accessed via a Cengage Unlimited 4-month Access Code available from the AC Bookstore. If you have additional courses using Cengage Unlimited, only one access code is required.

 

CompTIA A+ Certification Exam Vouchers (Quantity 2)

These vouchers will be purchased by the CIS Department and distributed to students after the Census Date. The cost of the vouchers is included in your fees for the semester.

Supplies

- Access to PC

- Reliable Access to the Internet

- Cengage Unlimited 4-month Access Code

- Two CompTIA A+ Certification Exam Vouchers.

- Two USB 3.0 or better Flash Drives (32GB minimum and 100MB/sec or faster transfer speed)

- Spiral notebook or 3-ring binder with notebook paper

Student Performance

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Define information technology (IT) and describe the components of a personal computer.
Describe how to protect people, equipment, and environments from accidents, damage, and contamination.
Perform a step-by-step assembly of a desktop computer.
Explain the purpose of preventive maintenance and identify the elements of the troubleshooting process.
Install and navigate an operating system.
Configure computers to connect to an existing network.
Upgrade or replace components of a laptop based on customer needs.
Describe the features and characteristics of mobile devices.
Install and share a printer.
Implement basic physical and software security principles.
Apply good communications skills and professional behavior while working with customers.
Perform preventive maintenance and advanced troubleshooting.
Assess customer needs, analyze possible configurations, and provide solutions or recommendations for hardware, operating systems, networking, and security.

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 (see Student Rights and Responsibilities).

Students who give another student their files or allow another student to use their work are committing a violation of the Student Code of Conduct.  Students who engage in this unethical behavior risk being subject to disciplinary action in accordance with College policy.

The Faculty of the CIS Program reserve the right to ask a student to verify any portion of a test or assignment by reproducing any specific section or the entire test/assignment 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.

Grading Criteria

Grading Criteria/Grading Scale:  

  • 89.5 >= A

  • 79.5 >= B

  • 69.5 >= C

  • 59.5 >= D

  • 59.5 < F

 
The following criteria will be used to determine your grade:

Cengage Activities - 20%
In-Class Quizzes (Blackboard) - 10%
In-Class Labs (Blackboard) - 20%
Notebook / Guided Notes - 10%
Final Exam Part One - 20%
Final Exam Part Two - 20%

All work 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.

The purpose of this course is to prepare students to successfully pass the CompTIA A+ certification. Passing the exams will be considered a sufficient demonstration of course concepts and mastery.

Both CompTIA A+ Core 1 and Core 2 Exams will be taken as the Final Exam for this course. Both exams must be taken in the Amarillo College Testing Center or using CompTIA's online testing system. It is the student's responsibility to schedule and complete their exams by the due date listed in the course. Each exam will be worth 20% of your grade. Failure to submit the required documentation for the exam will result in a zero score for the Final Exam.

How a Core 1 Exam score correlates to a grade:

>=675 points = A (100) for Final Exam Part One

540-674 points = B (85) for Final Exam Part One

473-539 points = C (75) for Final Exam Part One

405-472 points = D (65) for Final Exam Part One

Less than 404 points = F (55) for Final Exam Part One

NOTE: CompTIA A+ certified passing score for Core 1 is 675 or higher.

 

How a Core 2 Exam score correlates to a grade:

>=700 points = A (100) for Final Exam Part Two

560-699 points = B (85) for Final Exam Part Two

490-559 points = C (75) for Final Exam Part Two

420-489 points = D (65) for Final Exam Part Two

Less than 419 points = F(55) for Final Exam Part Two

NOTE: CompTIA A+ certified passing score for Core 2 is 700 or higher.

Attendance

All Week 1 assignments must be completed by the end of Week 1, in order to be considered Present in the course. Failure to complete all assignments by this date will lead to an administrative drop from the course.

  1. Check your email daily.  The email address used by your instructor is the @amarillocollege.com email issued to each AC student. Your instructor will communicate important course updates, guidance, and hints via email.
  2. Complete assignments by the scheduled date/time. Any work turned in late, but within 5 days of the due date will receive a 10% deduction. Late work will not be accepted after this grace period.
  3. Attendance will be monitored by Watermark, attendance in lab sessions, access log-in dates recorded in Blackboard, and completing required assignments.  Excessive absence or lack of participation may result in failure of the course.
  4. Your instructor may be contacted by email through the course in Blackboard. Online meetings or additional help are available if needed or desired. Please contact your instructor by email to set up a convenient day/time.
  5. Emails are typically answered within 24 hours. If you do not receive a response within that time frame, please resend your message as a reminder.
  6. Note this class will require a considerable amount of time to complete all of the course work. Actual amounts will vary depending on weekly assignments, topic complexity, and you. Most students spend 10-15 hours on the course outside of class time. 
  7. If your average drops below 60 and you do not officially withdraw by the posted deadline, you will receive an F for the course.

This is NOT an online class, and participation in the labs is a requirement for the course.  Each lab day, your instructor will provide a mini-lecture on the key concepts being covered, and you will have the rest of the time to complete the hands-on labs for the week.  At the beginning of each lab session, you will show your instructor your completed Guided Notes and any extra notes in your Lab Notebook for the course (spiral notebook or 3-ring binder with notebook paper).  The Lab Notebook and Guided Notes must be handwritten and include material you deem appropriate for the chapter.  Examples of material to include are relevant vocabulary, definitions, acronym lists, key concepts, insights from the reading, and chapter notes.  The Lab Notebook for a particular chapter must be completed prior to the first class you attend for a given week.  The Lab Notebook is essentially your ticket to the lab for the week.  If you do not have it completed, you will not be allowed to participate in the hands-on lab activities for the week.  Your instructor will provide an example for Chapter 1 as a guide.  Data has shown that the most successful students use handwritten notes and prepare for class by studying the chapter prior to attending class. 

Due to the nature of this course and the volume of work required to master this material, students are rarely successful when attempts are made to complete work during only one or two days each week. Please schedule your time, so that you can devote the appropriate energy and effort to achieve success in this course.

Calendar

This course requires a working computer, connection to the Internet, and Cengage Mindtap access.  It is recommended that students have a PC that they can dismantle in order to better apply the concepts learned in the hardware portion of the course.  PCs for this purpose will be available for checkout from the CIS Program for use in the CIS labs.

The schedule 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.

Assignments are due by 11:30 PM each Sunday during Weeks 1-15. The scores for the CompTIA A+ Certification exams must be submitted in Week 16,

Due dates are posted in the Blackboard course. It is the student's responsibility to monitor due dates and progress in the course.

Week 1

All Week 1 assignments must be completed by the end of Week 1, in order to be considered Present in the course. Failure to complete all assignments by this date will lead to an administrative drop from the course.

  • Complete Course Orientation Activities and Review Syllabus
  • Module 1 (Cengage Mindtap)
  • Lab Assignments (Blackboard)

Week 2

  • In-Class Quiz Module 1 (Blackboard)
  • Module 2 (Cengage Mindtap)
  • Module 3 (Cengage Mindtap)
  • Lab Assignments (Blackboard)

Week 3

  • In-Class Quiz Module 2 (Blackboard)
  • In-Class Quiz Module 3 (Blackboard)
  • Module 4 (Cengage Mindtap)
  • Lab Assignments (Blackboard)

Week 4

  • In-Class Quiz Module 4 (Blackboard)
  • Module 5 (Cengage Mindtap)
  • Module 6 (Cengage Mindtap)
  • Lab Assignments (Blackboard)

Week 5

  • In-Class Quiz Module 5 (Blackboard)
  • In-Class Quiz Module 5 (Blackboard)
  • Module 7 (Cengage Mindtap)
  • Lab Assignments (Blackboard)

Week 6

  • In-Class Quiz Module 7 (Blackboard)
  • Module 8 (Cengage Mindtap)
  • Lab Assignments (Blackboard)

Week 7

  • In-Class Quiz Module 8 (Blackboard)
  • Module 9 (Cengage Mindtap)
  • Module 10 (Cengage Mindtap)
  • Lab Assignments (Blackboard)

All material for the CompTIA A+ Core 1 Exam (220-1101) is reviewed by the end of Week 7.

Week 8

  • In-Class Quiz Module 9 (Blackboard)
  • In-Class Quiz Module 10 (Blackboard)
  • Module 11 (Cengage Mindtap)
  • Lab Assignments (Blackboard)

Week 9

  • In-Class Quiz Module 11 (Blackboard)
  • Module 12 (Cengage Mindtap)
  • Lab Assignments (Blackboard)

Week 10

  • In-Class Quiz Module 12 (Blackboard)
  • Module 13 (Cengage Mindtap)
  • Lab Assignments (Blackboard)

Week 11

  • In-Class Quiz Module 13 (Blackboard)
  • Module 14 (Cengage Mindtap)
  • Module 15 (Cengage Mindtap)
  • Lab Assignments (Blackboard)

Week 12

  • In-Class Quiz Module 14 (Blackboard)
  • In-Class Quiz Module 15 (Blackboard)
  • Module 16 (Cengage Mindtap)
  • Module 17 (Cengage Mindtap)
  • Lab Assignments (Blackboard)

Week 13

  • In-Class Quiz Module 16 (Blackboard)
  • In-Class Quiz Module 17 (Blackboard)
  • Module 18 (Cengage Mindtap)
  • Module 19 (Cengage Mindtap)
  • Lab Assignments (Blackboard)

Week 14

  • In-Class Quiz Module 18 (Blackboard)
  • In-Class Quiz Module 19 (Blackboard)
  • Module 20 (Cengage Mindtap)
  • Module 21 (Cengage Mindtap)
  • Lab Assignments (Blackboard)

All material for the CompTIA A+ Core 2 Exam (220-1102) is reviewed by the end of Week 14.

Week 15

  • In-Class Quiz Module 20 (Blackboard)
  • In-Class Quiz Module 21 (Blackboard)
  • Lab Assignments (Blackboard)

Week 16

  • CompTIA A+ Core 1 Exam (Final Exam Part One)
  • CompTIA A+ Core 2 Exam (Final Exam Part Two)

Additional Information

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:

January 13:                  Spring Classes Begin

January 20:                  Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday (AC Closed)

January 30:                  Census Day (Administrative Drop for Non-Attendance)

March 7 - March 16:    Spring Break (AC Closed 3/13-3/17)  

March 17:                    Second 8-Week Courses Begin

April 7:                         Registration Summer/Fall Begins

April 17:                       Last Day to Withdraw from Course

April 18 - April 20:        Easter Holiday (AC Closed)

May 8:                         Last Day of Course

 

  • Blackboard 101:
    Many students need more technical assistance with the new Blackboard Ultra. Blackboard 101 is an optional self-paced Blackboard tutorial course to help familiarize students with the workings and mechanics of Blackboard Ultra. See The Blackboard Student Help Page - www.actx.edu/ctl/blackboard-student-help - for more information about Blackboard 101.

 

Syllabus Created on:

01/12/25 9:27 PM

Last Edited on:

01/12/25 9:46 PM