CIS 41 - Introduction to Computer Information Systems
Spring 2011 - February 1 to May 24
 
CIS 041-103 (59458) - Hybrid on campus Tuesdays 10:45am -1:05pm T213
CIS 041-104 (59459) Mostly on-line, orientation and final on campus
CIS 041-105 (59460) Mostly on-line, orientation and final on campus

INSTRUCTOR: Dan McElroy
WEB SITE:
http://unix.sjcc.edu/
OFFICE:
T-410
See the last page of the Syllabus for office hours or http://unix.sjcc.edu/OfficeHours.htm
PHONE: 298-2181 x 3985  (e-mail me if I don't answer)             
E-MAIL:
Dan.McElroy@sjcc.edu

CATALOG DESCRIPTION:
Learn basic through advanced computer concepts with an emphasis on both the personal computer and larger computer systems. Topics include hardware, application and system software, the Internet and World Wide Web, communications, e-commerce, societal issues, database management, systems analysis and design, programming, information systems, career opportunities, certifications in the computer field, and computer trends. The lab exercises cover a variety of application software programs. Word processing packages are used to prepare letters and reports. Spreadsheet packages are used to model solutions to problems. Data base packages are presented to show ways data can be accessed. Each student will gain the experience of entering and running a small program and creating a web page of their own.

COURSE OVERVIEW AND OBJECTIVES:
At the end of this course, the student will be able to:

  1. Identify the components of a computer
  2. Differentiate among categories of software
  3. Identify and choose appropriate software programs
  4. Use a Web browser to research information on the Internet
  5. Use help utilities available with application programs
  6. Compare and contrast various microprocessors
  7. Differentiate between types of memory
  8. Compare and contrast different types of input and output devices
  9. Differentiate between storage and memory
  10. Identify various types of storage media and storage devices
  11. Describe how the Internet works
  12. Use e-mail with attachments, download files
  13. Differentiate between an application program and an operating system
  14. Describe the functions of an operating system
  15. Compare and contrast local area networks and wide area networks
  16. Describe commonly used communication devices
  17. Differentiate between file processing and databases
  18. Analyze a requirement and create a program in Visual Basic to solve the problem
  19. Develop a Web page with images, tables and links
  20. List and describe various uses and types of multimedia
  21. Discuss a disaster recovery plan
  22. Evaluate security and privacy issues
  23. Evaluate ethical practices

The following General Education Student Learning Outcomes will be met upon successful completion of the CIS 041 course:

Computer Literacy:
 
Send, receive, and store e-mails
  Demonstrate a basic understanding of how to use a word processor
  Perform research using the World Wide Web
  Use spreadsheet, database, and presentation graphics software applications
Critical analysis / logical thinking
  Solve problems or present information in a series of logical steps
  Present information so that logical conclusions follow
  Apply logical analysis to a variety of problems in everyday life
Information Competency
 
Obtain information and conduct research in a variety of ways such as through books, magazines, the
            World Wide Web, interviews and other means
  Organize and present several different kinds of  information such as pictures, words and numbers
  Organize data into meaningful information

REQUIRED BOOKS AND OTHER MATERIALS:
TEXTS: All discussion and lab assignments will be presented online. No books are required to be purchased. Printing the reading assignments or lab assignments is not allowed in the Technology Center labs. If you wish to print the course materials, please print them at home, in the Library or the Learning Resource Center (LRC). A GoPrint card is required to print in the Library or LRC and costs 10 cents per page. You will need a pen or pencil when you take the final exam.

OTHER MATERIALS: You will need a flash drive. The size does not matter.

HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE USED IN THE COURSE:
All of the software packages used in the CIS41 class are available in the Technology Center open lab and the classrooms used for CIS41 classes. If you want to complete the reading assignments, quizzes or lab assignments at home or another location, you will need:

  1. A Notebook or Computer with an Operating System and an Internet connection - one of the following:
    - PC with Microsoft Windows (XP, Vista or Windows 7)
    - PC with Linux
    - Mac with OS/X or Linux
  2. A JavaScript enabled browser - one of the following:
    - Internet Explorer - comes with Microsoft Windows or available free from
           http://www.microsoft.com/windows/internet-explorer/worldwide-sites.aspx
    - Firefox - available free from http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/
    - Safari - available free from http://www.apple.com/safari/
  3. Adobe PDF Reader (free from Adobe.com)
    - Reading assignments and many lab assignments are presented using PDF files.
  4. An office suite - one of the following:
    - Microsoft Office 2003, 2007 or 2010
    - OpenOffice - available for free from http://www.openoffice.org. This software is excellent and works similar to Microsoft Office 2003
  5. Web page development software
    - SeaMonkey - available free from http://www.seamonkey-project.org/releases/
    - Any other web development software. Notify the instructor if you are using something other than SeaMonkey when you do the web page assignment.
  6. Image Editing Software
    - The GIMP - available for free from www.gimp.org

GRADING:
There will be reading assignment and a quiz on each chapter in the book, a lab exercise each week, an essay, and a written and lab final exam. Lab assignments will be given during the lab. Quizzes, essay, and lab assignments are due each Thursday. Quizzes will not be accepted late. Lab assignments and the essay will be accepted late with a penalty. No work will be accepted after the Friday that follows the final exam.

Discussion Quizzes

300 points

 

 DEFINITIONS    
A=Distinguished
B=Above Average
C=Average
D=Minimum Passing
F=Failing

GRADE Points  Percent
 A = 855-950  90%-100%
 B = 760-854  80%-89.9%
 C = 665-759  70%-79.9%
 D = 570-664  60%-69.9%
 F =   0-569   0%-59.9%

Lab Assignments

450 points

 

Essay

 50 points

 

Final

150 points

 

Total

950 points

 

HELP IS AVAILABLE:
Help is available for the lab assignments in the open lab. Tutoring help is available in the Learning Resource Center (LRC) located below the Library in room L101. Help with writing your essay is available n the Reading and Writing Center (RWC) located in room L103.

The college also offers many special programs to help students. These include Financial Aid, Tech Prep, Puente Umoja, DSP&S, C.A.R.R., EOP&S/CARE, and WIN/CalWorks. Some of these programs require that students submit regular status reports. It is the student's responsibility to see the instructor for completion of the status report. I am available during my office hours and at break time during my classes.

ACCESS TO CAMPUS COMPUTER LABS:
San Jose City College has many computer labs on campus. The labs used by the CIS and CA departments have all of the software installed that you will need to complete the CIS-41 assignments. Most of the other labs on campus will have Microsoft Office installed, but may not have Access or SeaMonkey installed. You need to be an SJCC registered student to use the computers in the Library. You may need to be registered for tutoring to use the LRC labs. Other labs serve different departments on campus. You may need to be registered in one of their classes to use their labs.

ATTENDANCE and DROPS:
You are expected to attend all class meetings and login regularly on the Moodle system. Once you have shown some commitment to the class by attending, participating in quizzes, labs, or homework, I assume that you wish to be in the class. It is your responsibility to drop the class if you do not wish to continue. However, you may be dropped by the instructor if it appears that you are not participating in the class by submitting regular course work. If you do not complete the course, and do not officially drop through the Admissions office and are not dropped by the instructor, you will receive a grade based on your completed work.

The San Jose City College catalog lists the following information for attendance requirements, drops, and academic standards:

Attendance
Satisfactory attendance, like successful scholarship, is the responsibility of the individual student. Excessive absences may cause disqualification from class with the likelihood that a failing grade for the course will be received.
At the discretion of the instructor, a student may be dropped from a class if the number of times absent exceeds the number of times the class meets in a week during 16-week semester
Students should also be aware, they may be dropped from a class if they do not attend the first class meeting.
Dropping Classes
A student may withdraw from a class by using the StaReg System or MyWeb to drop a class. Each student is ultimately responsible for dropping the class or classes and informing each instructor. The following rules apply to withdrawing from
class:
A student who officially withdraws from a class during the first four weeks or 30% of a term, whichever is less, will not receive a grade or any notation on the student’s permanent record card.
Withdrawal between the end of the fourth week and the last day of the fourteenth week or 75% of a term, whichever is less, shall be recorded as a “W” on the student’s permanent record.
The permanent record of a student who withdraws after the end of the fourteenth week or 75% of a term, whichever is less, must reflect a grade other than a “W”.

Academic Standards Violations
• Altering grades
• Altering or forging college documents, records, or identification
• Copying from someone’s test or allowing someone to copy your test
• Copying from an author’s work without giving credit (plagiarism)
• Doing an assignment (e.g., a term paper or essay) for another student or asking, paying, bribing, or black mailing someone to do an assignment for you
• Sitting in for someone in class or on a test or having someone sit in class for you if not authorized by the instructor
• Submitting work previously presented in another class if not authorized by the instructor
• During an exam, using or consulting other test or course material not authorized by the instructor
• Possession of an examination or materials not authorized by the instructor.
Consequences may include one or more of the following:
• Receiving a failing grade on the test, paper, or exam
• Course grade lowered, possibly resulting in course failure
• Verbal or written reprimand/warning
• Suspension for a longer specified time
• Expulsion from college

SUBMITTING ASSIGNMENTS:
The essay and lab assignments must have your name, student ID, and exercise name at the top of the document. Late assignments will be accepted with a penalty. Quizzes, the essay, lab assignments and part of the final exam must be submitted using Moodle. Make sure you can login to your Moodle account the first week of class. If you are adding the class, your Moodle account should be active within two hours of your completed add request.

Quizzes on the reading assignments are to be taken using Moodle. Most reading assignments and quizzes will be available when the class first begins. Quizzes that are available on a Monday must be taken by Thursday. Your quizzes will be graded with the correct answers displayed by Saturday after the quiz closes. Quizzes not taken by the Thursday due date can not be made up.

E-MAIL:
All students are required to obtain an e-mail account in addition to their Moodle account. All correspondence through Moodle uses the e-mail address that you have listed with the Admissions and Records office. This includes any messages that I send to the class as well as scores for each assignment. It is important that you update your e-mail address if it changes. You can update your e-mail address by clicking the "CLICK HERE" message on the purple rectangle when you go to the MyWeb page at https://myweb.sjeccd.edu (NOTE the 'S' in https, and the 'E' in sjeccd). If you have an e-mail filter for spam, etc., it is your responsibility to make sure that you are receiving the e-mails that I send you, either from my college address Dan.McElroy@sjcc.edu, or e-mails sent through Moodle.


NO-NAME and LATE PENALTIES:

You must include your name, student ID or Moodle ID, and exercise name on all work you submit. Unless otherwise specified in an assignment, your name, ID and exercise name should appear in the upper right corner of your lab report or essay. Penalties will be applied AFTER the score for your assignment has been computed. A maximum of 10 penalty points will be applied for No-name or Late penalties. No work will be accepted after the Friday following the final exam.

Penalty
Cause
1 point
No name on submitted assignment
1 point
No ID on the submitted assignment. Moodle or SJCC student ID is acceptable.
1 point
No assignment name on the submitted assignment
2 points
Assignment is one, two, or three days late
5 points
Assignment is four, five, or six days late
10 points
Assignment is one or more weeks late

 

ACADEMIC DISHONESTY PENALTIES:

You are expected to DO YOUR OWN WORK. I have several ways to help me determine if a student is submitting someone else's work. I may not catch every instance of plagiarize work, but I can catch many of them. The penalties for Academic Dishonesty far exceed the penalties for submitting your work late.

Penalty
Cause
zero points
on the assignment
All or some of your work was created by another student this semester, or a
previous semester, or your work is copied by another student
double points off
Second offense. Aa negative score that will subtract from your total class points.
Example: If the assignment is worth 30 points, you will receive negative 60 points.
A failing grade
You will receive an 'F' in the class

CIS 41 COURSE OUTLINE -- LECTURE AND LAB ASSIGNMENTS
* * * * Refer to Moodle for the most current information regarding class assignments and due dates ! ! ! ! !

Week
Quiz
Due
Tue
Points
Reading Assignment, Quiz and Essay
Submit each by Moodle
Lab
Due
Thr
Points
Lab Assignments
Submit by Moodle except
Web page, Resume & Cover Letter
1
2/1
20

Orientation quiz,

2/3
30
Internet Search
2
2/8
20
Ch1 - History of Computer Hardware
2/10
30
Windows Help
3
2/15
20
Ch2 - Internet and World Wide Web
2/17
30
Buying a Computer
4
2/22
20
Ch3 - Data Organization and File Extensions
2/24
30
Web Page
5
3/1
20
Ch4 - Software
3/3
30
Word Tutorials
6
3/8
20
Ch5 - Operating Systems
3/10
30
Word Formatting
7
3/15
20
Ch6 - Input and Output Devices
3/17
30
Resume & Cover Letter (submit by e-mail)
8
3/22
20
Ch7 - The Systems Unit
3/24
30
Brochure
9
3/29
20
Ch8 - The Central Processing Unit
3/31
30
Excel Checkbook
10
4/5
20
Ch9 - Storage
4/7
30
Excel Sales Report
11
4/12
20
Ch10 - Computers and Society, Careers
4/14
30
Excel Pivot Tables
12
 
  SPRING BREAK 4/18-4/24
  SPRING BREAK 4/18-4/24
13
4/26
20
50
Ch11 - Databases
Essay Due
4/28
30
Graphics Manipulation
14
5/3
20
Ch12 - Networks and Security
5/5
30
Database
15
5/10
20
Ch13 - Systems Analysis and Design
5/12
30
Programming
16
5/17
20
Ch14 - Programming
5/19
30
PowerPoint
17
5/24
50
Written Final Exam - online students can take the final exam
Monday 5/23 6:00pm or Tuesday 5/24 10:45am or 6:00pm
5/26
100
Lab Final Exam - online students can take the final exam
Monday 5/23 6:00pm or Tuesday 5/24 10:45am or 6:00pm
 
         
 
 
400
QUIZ, TEST and ESSAY TOTAL  
550
LAB TOTAL
 
 
     
950
COURSE TOTAL

Important Dates Spring 2011
Regular semester courses
(all information subject to change)
1/31
Spring Semester Begins
2/11
Last day to withdraw for a refund
2/13
Last day to use ADD CODES
2/14
SJCC instructor census reports due
2/18-2/21
Presidents' Day (campus closed)
2/25

Last day to withdraw without a "W" on record
Last day to apply for a refund (if dropped by 2/11)

Last day to submit P/NP forms to A&R

3/4
Graduation/Certificate petitions due
4/18-4/24
Spring Break - campus closed
4/28
Last day to withdraw with a "W"
5/20
English Finals (no regular day classes)
5/23-5/26
5/23-5/24
SJCC Final Exams (Monday-Thursday)
McElroy CIS-41 Exams Monday 5/23 @ 6:00pm
   or Tuesday 5/24 @ 10:45am or 6:00pm
5/27
SJCC Commencement
6/8
Grades by phone 223-0300 or https://myweb.sjeccd.edu
    
Office Hours and Schedule Spring 2011
Dan McElroy@sjcc.edu
Office: T410 Technology Building
 
MON
TUE
WED
8:00
 
 
 
9:00
 
 
 
10:00
 
CIS-41
T213
(10:45-1:05)
 
11:00
 
 
12:00
 
1:00
 
Office-T410
 
2:00
 
Academic
Senate
 
 
3:00
Office-T410  
Dept Meeting
3rd Wed
each Month
4:00
 
5:00
Office-T410 
6:00
CIS-73
T210
T205
CIS-54
CIS-84
T209
 
7:00
 
8:00
 
9:00
 
10:00