Computer Science Technology Department
Department Website: http://csci.hccs.edu
Course:
ITSC 1301 Introduction to Computers
Semester:
Fall 2010
Campus and Room:
Days and Times:
Instructor:
Email Address:
Office Hours:
60038
Central JDB 209
T,R 01:00 p –03:00 p
Robert B Johnson
Phone Contact:
Web site:
CRN:
713-718-6432 voice mail
713-718-6427 secretary ( Debora )
robert.johnson@hccs.edu
http://tc3.hccs.edu/Johnson.R
M,W : 12:30 p – 03:30 p or by appointment
Books: Discovering Computers (Fundamentals), 5th ed
from Course Technology by Shelly, Vermaat (ISBN-10: 1-4239-2702-8)
Microsoft Windows Vista (Complete Concepts and Techniques)
from Course Technology, Shelly Cashman Series by Shelly, Cashman, Freund, Enger
(ISBN-10: 1-4188-5981-8)
Other Required Materials:
 1 — three-ring 1 ½ “ Notebook for notes, homework assignments and other Instructor-directed information
 4-5 scantron forms – 50 questions on each side
. Note: a USB flash drive for your own personal storage is necessary to have (approx 256 Mb + )
Attendance:
Attendance will be taken at the beginning of the class period. If you are late for a class, it is your
responsibility to sign the roll sheet. Failure to do so on the day in question will result in you being marked
absent for that class.
Tardiness:
Try not to be, but get any missed info from another student at the APPROPRIATE time. Significant tardiness
(> 20 min) will be counted as ½ an absence. Several minor tardiness’ (> 5 min) will also result in ½ an
absence.
Course Evaluation:
Mid-Term
In class test (on line … 1 per chapter)
Homework assignments & notebook
Semester project
Pop quizes (1 per week over last week’s lectures)
Final Exam
Total:
Grading Scale
30%
10%
10%
10%
10%
30%
100%
A
B
C
D
F
90 – 100
80 – 89
70 – 79
60 – 69
0 - 59
Make-up Exam Policy:
You should schedule your other events around the designated test days. These are listed far in advance for this
purpose. When this is not possible, and there is a very valid reason, it will be the option OF THE
INSTRUCTOR to:
1) Give a comprehensive exam covering all the material covered toward the end of the course, but before
the final. Test format will also be the option of the instructor (I favor essay exams!)
2) Assign your final grade (or last test) as the grade on the missed test.
3) Assign the average of your other test grades as the missed test.
4) Not count the missed test in your overall average
Late Assignments Policy:
 All assignments, homework, and project(s) are required to be submitted in a manner appropriate for
college-level students.
 Late work is subject to penalty points.
 Work will not be accepted more than one week late. An exception may be made if, at my discretion,
extenuating circumstances justify. I may require documentation of the circumstance.
 In-Class test/quizzes and checkpoint activities for each class session are due at the end of each class.
NO EXCEPTION.
Homework Assignments & Notebook:
Homework assignments are completed at each class session and are included (stored) in your Notebook or Folder.
Your notebook/folder will be graded as to presentation of materials on the exam day. In order to capture your
Homework, Use Print Screen and/or Paint program Combination. Include your name and homework’s project #
,assignment #, class-id on all printouts.
Your 3-ring notebook/folder should contain:
 Tabs with dividers (one for each chapter)
 A title page in the front of the notebook/folder that includes the student's first and last name, class information,
class meeting day, class time
 A cover page for each section
 All completed Homework assignments.
Note: Late notebooks may not be accepted. Incomplete notebooks will be severely graded off. Please see me for
more information regarding this subject.
Course Objectives:
By successfully completing this course the student should be able to:
 Acquire a comprehensive overview of the complete computer science field.
 Effectively and efficiently use file / directory management techniques with the Windows 7
operating system.
Course Focus:
The SCANS (Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills) competencies are included as a Syllabus
Attachment. This course is designed to provide the student with a working knowledge of the Windows XP
Operating System, general computer concepts, and an overview of the whole computer science field
Dates to Remember:
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



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Aug 28 sa
Sep 10 f
Sep 6 m
Nov 18 r
Nov 25-28 w*-f
Dec 12 su
Dec 13-19 m-su
Dec 24 f
Classes begin
Official Date of Record
Labor Day holiday
Last Day for Administrative and Student Withdrawals with “W”
Thanksgiving holiday (*Wed 24th– nite classes only)
Instructions Ends – our last day of class is Dec 3 (Thur)
Final Examinations *(ours will be Dec 9, Thur)
Grades Available for Students
Class rules:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
10)
11)
Turn OFF your cell phones or, at a minimum, put them on vibrate mode !
No interneting during lectures or lab times unless specifically requested to locate some information.
No game playing (computer or otherwise).
Note: Violations of the above two rules (ie #2 & #3) will result in absences being assigned and/or that
student being “invited “ to leave and not allowed to return without a note from that course’s chairperson
saying that no further infractions will occur.
All work turned in is to be computer printed with appropriate headings (name, course info, assignment
number and date).
It is your responsibility to sign the roll sheets. If no signature, you weren’t there.
No student is permitted to remove ANY material from the instructor’s desk or computer work area.
It must be handed to you by the instructor. Failure to comply with this will cause the student to be
dismissed from the course !
It is strongly recommended that you exchange phone numbers with a couple of classmates so that you
may call them if you miss a class so that you will know what was covered and what you are walking
into the next class period. You have no one to blame but yourself if you walk into an unexpected exam !
To reiterate …. Do NOT call or email me for missed info. Call or email your classmates.
A good study / lab partner is invaluable. Try to be one as well as have one.
The more you practice, the more you will learn. Computer usage is more an acquired skill that an
academic one. HOWEVER, a certain amount of memorization of material is absolutely critical !!
It is your responsibility to ask questions over any instructions or material that you do not understand!
Later, saying that you are shy, that you are afraid, that you are embarrassed, etc, etc will simply not be
acceptable or valid. I will even accept written questions, but they should be typed out to ensure their
legibleness and meaning. The answers, of course, will be to the whole class and not to just an individual.
Note: College students, especially those who expect to graduate (or even just pass a course) need to be
bold and fearless.
Important Note:
You should prepare yourself by reading the assigned material as stated in this section
before each class session.
You should plan on spending several hours per week outside the classroom to prepare
for the class. Make time for reading the required material, for reviewing your instructor’s lecture notes, for completing any homework assignments or end of chapter
exercises and for practicing the hands-on computer skills.
Make yourself aware of the open lab times that are available to you, and if you do
not have a home computer with the required software, plan to spend consistent,
quality time in the open labs.
More specific assignments, including page numbers, or additional assignments,
may be given in class.
The topics and chapters listed in this calendar are not meant to be all inclusive. It
is a brief scenario and other topics may be discussed and tested on. This schedule
is not fixed and is subject to change at the instructor’s prerogative. Any change
will be announced in class.
Course Calendar :
Session
Week1
Dates
08/27/07
Week2
Week3
09/03/07
09/10/07
Week4
09/17/07
Week5
09/24/07
ITSC 1301 CRN 60038 Fall ’10 TR 01:00 pm - 03:00 pm
Weekly Topics Outline Description
Course Overview: Course Syllabus and Topic Outline
Microsoft Windows Vista - Tutorial 1. Exploring the Basics of Microsoft
Windows Vista.
In class activity: Tutorial 1- Session 1.1, 1.2 hands on exercises.
Homework Assignment:
Read Pages WIN 2 through WIN 27
Review Assignments: WIN 42-41. Case Problems. To be assigned by the
professor.
Discovering Computers Fundamentals: Chapter 1
Introduction to Computers
In Class Activities: Checkpoint exercises at the end of chapter
Learn it Online Practice Test.
Labor Day Holiday
Microsoft Windows Vista - Tutorial 2. Organizing Your Files; Managing
Files and Folders in Windows Vista.
In class activity: Tutorial 2- Session 2.1, 2.2, and 2.3 hands on exercises.
Homework Assignment:
Read Pages WIN 48 through WIN 88
Review Assignments: WIN 89-90. Case Problems. To be assigned by the
professor.
Discovering Computers Fundamentals: Chapter 2
The Internet and the World Wide Web
In Class Activities: Checkpoint exercises at the end of chapter
Learn it Online Practice Test.
Microsoft Windows Vista
Continue Tutorial 2
Discovering Computers Fundamentals: Chapter 3
Application Software
In Class Activities: Checkpoint exercises at the end of chapter
Learn it Online Practice Test.
Project: Group or individual project will be assigned
Microsoft Windows Vista - Tutorial 3. Personalizing Your Windows
Environment.
In class activity: Tutorial 3- Sessions 3.1, 3.2, and 3.3 hands on exercises.
Homework Assignment:
Read Pages WIN 98 through WIN 150
Review Assignments: WIN 151-152. Case Problems. To be assigned by the
professor.
Discovering Computers Fundamentals: Chapter 4
The Components of the System Unit
In Class Activities: Checkpoint exercises at the end of chapter
Learn it Online Practice Test.
Week6
10/01/07 Microsoft Windows Vista - Tutorial 7. Managing Multimedia Files
In class activity: Tutorial 7- Sessions 7.1 and 7.2 hands on exercises.
Homework Assignment:
Read Pages WIN 321 through WIN 366
Review Assignments: WIN 387 – 388; questions 1 – 18. Case Problems. To
be assigned by the professor.
Discovering Computers Fundamentals: Chapter 5
Input and Output
In Class Activities: Checkpoint exercises at the end of chapter
Learn it Online Practice Test.
Discovering Computers Fundamentals: Chapter 6
Storage
In Class Activities: Checkpoint exercises at the end of chapter
Learn it Online Practice Test.
Microsoft Windows Vista and/or Discovering Computers Fundamaentals
Catch-up
Review for Mid-Term Exam
Week7
10/08/07
Week8
10/15/07 Mid-Term Exam :
or
Discovering Computers Fundamentals Chapters 1 - 6 –ScanTron Exam
10/17/07 Microsoft Windows Vista: Hands on practical exam
Tutorials 1 – 3 and Tutorial 7
NOTE: Mid-Term Exam is closed book, no notes.
Project Topic Due
Week9
10/22/07 Microsoft Windows Vista –
Tutorial 4: Working with the Internet and E-Mail
In class activity: Tutorial 4 - Sessions 4.1, 4.2, and 4.3 hands on exercises.
Homework Assignment:
Read Pages WIN 160 through WIN 203
Review Assignments: WIN 204. Case Problems. To be assigned by the
professor.
Week10 10/29/07
Week11 11/05/07
Discovering Computers Fundamentals: Chapter 7
Operating Systems and Utility Programs
In Class Activities: Checkpoint exercises at the end of chapter
Learn it Online Practice Test.
Microsoft Windows Vista
Continue Tutorial 4
Discovering Computers Fundamentals: Chapter 8
Communications and Networks
In Class Activities: Checkpoint exercises at the end of chapter
Learn it Online Practice Test.
Microsoft Windows Vista - Tutorial 5: Protecting Your Computer
In class activity: Tutorial 5 - Sessions 5.1, 5.2, and 5.3 hands on exercises.
Homework Assignment:
Read Pages WIN 212 through WIN 259
Review Assignments: WIN 260 - 261. Case Problems. To be assigned by the
professor
Week12 11/12/07
Week13 11/19/07
Week14 11/26/07
Week15 12/03/07
Discovering Computers Fundamentals: Chapter 9
Database Management
In Class Activities: Checkpoint exercises at the end of chapter
Learn it Online Practice Test.
Microsoft Windows Vista
Continue Tutorial 5
Discovering Computers Fundamentals: Chapter 10
Computer Security, Ethnics, and Privacy
In Class Activities: Checkpoint exercises at the end of chapter
Learn it Online Practice Test.
In Class Activities:
Microsoft Windows Vista – Tutorial 6: Searching for Information and
Collaborating with Others
In class activity: Tutorial 6 - Sessions 6.1 and 6.2 hands on exercises.
Homework Assignment:
Read Pages WIN 2688 through WIN 312
Review Assignments: WIN 311 - 312. Case Problems. To be assigned by
the professor.
Discovering Computers Fundamentals
Catch-up
Microsoft Windows Vista – Tutorial 9: Maintaining Hardware and
Software
In class activity: Tutorial 9- Sessions 9.1, 9.2 and 9.3 hands on exercises.
Homework Assignment:
Read Pages WIN 511 through WIN 527
Review Assignments: WIN 311 - 312. Case Problems. To be assigned by the
professor.
Project Presentations in class
Final Exam Review and Miscellaneous Wrap-up
Week16 12/10/07 Final Exam: ScanTron Exam
or
Discovering Computers Fundamentals Chapters 7 - 12
12/12/07 Windows XP Project 4 – 6
NOTE: Final Exam is closed book, no notes.