  Course DescriptionThis is an introductory course in computer concepts and applications. It is required of most college graduates from different majors. The purpose of the course is to provide the necessary computer literacy that would enable the students to function effectively in today's digital world. The emphasis is placed on both the theory and practice of personal computing that is essential for all majors in business to thrive in their respective professional careers.
The course is composed of two sections, a lecture section and a lab section. Hardware, software, system and cloud concepts are covered in the lecture section. The lab section is essentially a series of hands-on laboratory sessions designed to familiarize the students with Microsoft's Office suite of software and Google's cloud based web hosting service. Each week, equal amount of time will be allocated to the lecture and lab sections.
The syllabi for both sections are outlined below.
Weekly PlanLecture Section The topics slated for coverage each week in the lecture section are listed under the webpage entitled Lectures.
Lab Section The weekly schedule for the lab exercises are listed under the webpage entitled Lab. Each week, the students will be required to complete a set of lab exercises. These exercises are intended to train them in using software or services such as Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint and Google Sites. The students are required to create a folder in OneDrive for uploading their work completed each week. It is important to upload the work in a timely manner so that the files uploaded are time-stamped. Time-stamping is needed to verify that the lab exercises were completed each week on time. The final lab portfolio will consist of lab exercises completed.
|
| Component | Contribution |
| Midterm 1 | 20% |
| Midterm 2 | 25% |
| Final | 40% |
| Lab Attendance | 05% |
| Lab Portfolio | 10% |
| Total | 100% |
The final letter grade will be assigned based on a curve representing the cumulative score distribution of the students in the class. Please note that the contribution from the lab component may be adjusted to reflect the material covered during the semester in the lecture sections.
Mid-Term ExaminationsThe Midterm 1 examination will be held on the 5th week of the semester and the Midterm 2 examination on the 10th week of the semester. When a class meets twice a week, it will be held during the second meeting of the week.
Each examination will be composed of multiple-choice questions divided into two parts. The first part will cover the lecture section and the second part will cover the lab section. There will be a total of approximately 100 to 120 questions. The first 60 to 70questions will apply to the lecture section and remaining 30 to 40 questions to the lab section. Students are required to bring two Scantrons to each examination.
The questions will be based on the material covered in the weeks prior to the examination. In other words, each examination is not cumulative in terms of the contents covered in the course. The examinations are closed-book examinations. However, the students may bring one cheat-sheet measuring 8 1/2 by 11 inches to the examinations with notes written on both sides of the sheet.
The topics covered in each of the two examinations are as follows:
The questions will be based on the material covered in the weeks prior to the examination. In other words, each examination is not cumulative in terms of the contents covered in the course. The examinations are closed-book examinations. However, the students may bring one cheat-sheet measuring 8 1/2 by 11 inches to the examinations with notes written on both sides of the sheet.
The topics covered in each of the two examinations are as follows:
Midterm 1
| Week | Topics from Lecture Section |
Topics from Lab Section |
| 1 | 1. Introduction to Information Technology | None |
| 2 | 2. Internet and the World Wide Web | Creating and Managing OneDrive |
| 3. Computers and Mobile Devices |
OneDrive for Business | |
| 3 | 4. Programs and Applications | Creating and Editing a Document Creating a Research Paper |
| 4 | 5. Digital Security and Ethics | Creating a Cover Letter Creating a Web Page with Word |
| # of Questions | 60-70 | 40-30 |
Midterm 2
| Week | Topics from Lecture Section | Topics from Lab Section |
| 5 | 6. Components of a Computer | None |
| 6 | 7. Input and Output | Creating Worksheets and Charts |
| 7 | 8. Digital Storage | Formulas, Functions and Queries |
| 8 | 9. Operating Systems | What-if Analysis |
| 9 | 9. Operating Systems in Practice | Charts |
| # of Questions | 60-70 | 40-30 |
Final ExaminationThe final examination will be held on the date and time printed in the Exam Schedule. Again, the coverage is not cumulative. The format will be similar to the midterm examination. There will be a total of approximately 100 to 120 multiple-choice questions with 60 to 70 questions drawn from the lecture section and the remaining 40 to 50 questions coming from the lab section. Please note that there could be more than 100 questions in the
examination depending on the length of material covered. Therefore, the students are required to
bring two Scantrons to the examination. The final examination will also be a closed-book examination. However, the
students may bring one cheat-sheet measuring 8 1/2 by 11 inches to each examination with notes
written on both sides of the sheet.
The final examination will include the course material covered from weeks 10 through 15. The topics covered in the final examination are as follows:
The final examination will include the course material covered from weeks 10 through 15. The topics covered in the final examination are as follows:
| Week | Lecture | Lab |
| 10 | 10. Computer Communications and Networking | None |
| 11 | 11. Building Solutions: Databases | Creating and Using a Database |
| 12 | 11.Building Solutions: Applications and Systems | Querying a Database |
| 13 | 12.Working with Computers in the Enterprise | Maintaining a Database |
| 14 | 13. Introduction to Web Design | Google Sites and Drive |
| 15 | 12. Introduction to Cloud Computing | None |
| # of Questions | 60-70 | 40-30 |
Examination Schedule and Duration
Midterms - Fifth and tenth week during lab hours. The duration will be 75 minutes.
Final - As indicated in the University Schedule. The duration will be 120 minutes.
Schedule - Dates and Times.
Final - As indicated in the University Schedule. The duration will be 120 minutes.
Schedule - Dates and Times.
Policy on Make-up Examination A make-up examination will not normally be offered except under extreme and compelling circumstances. Emergency situations may be considered only with appropriate documentation. Excuses will not be accepted during the week immediately preceding the midterm or final examinations. In this case, any request for the assignment of an incomplete grade will be rejected.
In the extreme event that a make-up examination is conducted, the penalties assigned due to the delay in conducting the examination will be as follows:
Examination Delay Penalties
- 1 Week 15%
- 2 Weeks or more 25%
No make-up examination will be conducted prior to the scheduled examination dates. There will not be a make-up examination conducted for the final examination.
Text BookThe following textbook adopted for the course can be purchased at the University bookstore.
Bundle: Discovering Computers 2017 + Office 2016 + Access, By Vermaat, Edition: 1st Publisher: Cengage, ISBN: 9781337380577, CSULA Bookstore Link.
Delivery of Instruction This evolving website will play an important role in disseminating course related information. The in-class meetings may be reduced by a certain length of time to enable students to take full advantage of Technology Mediated Learning (TML). This website and the ongoing development and release of multimedia and other instructional material are part of the TML initiative.
ReferencesThere are no suggested references except for those provided during the course of the lectures.
Student ID and Enrollment in Class - Students are required to carry a student ID with them at all times, both during regular class meetings and, in particular, during the examinations.
- Students who are not officially enrolled in the class will not be given a grade even though they sit for examinations and complete the lab assignments. A grade change request will neither be approved nor be processed in this case.
- It is the responsibility of the students to ensure that they are officially enrolled in the class. Students are required to check their enrollment status in GET before the third week of the semester to ensure that they are officially enrolled in the class.
Summary - Information about the course will mainly be disseminated through this website.
- Duration of class meetings may be reduced by an appropriate length of time to facilitate Technology Mediated Learning (TML).
- The cumulative grade is composed of individual grades received in the midterm and final examinations, and the lab portfolio.
- The letter grade is assigned based on a curve representing the cumulative score distribution of the students in the class.
- Each examination is composed of two parts, one that applies to the lecture component and the other to the lab component.
- There will be approximately 100 to 120 multiple-choice questions in each examination.
- The first 60 to 70 questions will relate to the material covered in the lecture section and the remaining 40 to 30 questions to the material covered in the lab section.
- The Midterm1 and Midterm 2 examinations will be held on the 5th and 10th week of the semester during lab hours.
- Each examination will only cover the material presented prior to the examination. In other words, the examinations are not cumulative.
- The final examination will be held on the date and time printed on the University Exam Schedule.
- The students are allowed to bring one cheat-sheet to each examination.
- A make-up examination is not normally offered.
Office Hours and Location Location: Simpson Tower 615 Phone: 323 343-2928 Email: nganesa@calstatela.edu
(c) Nanda Ganesan, Ph.D., All rights reserved.