Course Syllabus
CPSC 1105 Introduction to Information Technology
Instructor
Carlton Haycock
E-mail: haycock_carlton@columbusstate.edu
Office Hours: Please send me an email to make an appointment if you need to talk with
me on the phone.
Contacting Me: For issues related to this course, please email me within CougarView or
directly at my CSU email address.
Department Phone: (706) 507-8170
Department Fax: (706) 565-3529
Required Textbook
Title: Computing Essentials 2014 Making IT Work for You (Complete)
Authors: O'Leary and O'Leary
Publisher: McGraw-Hill
ISBN-13: 9780073516868
Companion Web Site: http://www.computing2014.com/
Bookstore:
http://www.bkstr.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/StoreCatalogDisplay?cata
logId=10001&langId=-1&demoKey=d&storeId=10449
Course Description
Prerequisites - none.
This course provides an introduction to computer and information technologies. It discusses
the nature of information, computer hardware, software, communications technology, and
computer-based information systems. The theory is complemented by practical work aimed
at gaining basic proficiency with different types of widely used application software.
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Course Goal
The goal of CPSC 1105 is to provide students with an introduction to computer and
information technologies while satisfying the Area D technology requirement and the
university's critical thinking goal. In the course, students will learn about the nature of
information, computer hardware, software, communications technology, and computerbased information systems. By the end of the course, students will possess a solid
understanding of and appreciation for how information technology and computer science
impact our environment.
Course Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:
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Describe the role and issues about computer science and information technology in a
modern global society.
 Learning events and activities to produce the outcome:
o Readings, simulations, and presentations on the application of
information technology in a modern global life;
o Class discussions about what an information system is and aspects of
information technology;
 Assessment methods: all assignments, discussions (online), quizzes and
exams.
Explain key principles, terms, components, facts, and current advancements in
computer science and information technology.
 Learning events and activities to produce the outcome:
o Readings, simulations, and presentations on the methods, structures,
definitions, terms, and principles of computer science;
o Class discussions about what computer science is and the principles
and nature of information technology;
 Assessment methods: all assignments, discussions (online), quizzes and
exams.
Identify the methods by which data is represented and stored in a computer's
memory.
 Learning events and activities to produce the outcome:
o Readings, simulations, and presentations on how data is represented
and stored in a computer's memory;
o Class discussions about how data is represented and stored in a
computer's memory;
 Assessment methods: discussions (online), quizzes and exams.
Recognize and define the essential hardware components of any computer system,
as well as the use of optional components to enhance the computer's capabilities.
 Learning events and activities to produce the outcome:
o Readings, simulations, and presentations on the types of hardware
components such as the CPU, memory and input/output devices;
o Class discussions about digital hardware and how this hardware works
together and in conjunction with computer software to solve problems;
 Assessment methods: "Hardware For Your Business" assignment, discussions
(online), quizzes and exams.
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Describe the fundamental roles of systems software, particularly the operating
system, and how it affects the user's computing experience.
 Learning events and activities to produce the outcome:
o Readings, simulations, and presentations on the kinds of systems
software and how systems software affects the user's computing
experience;
o Class discussions on the kinds of systems software and how systems
software affects the user's computing experience;
 Assessment methods: "Software For Your Business" assignment, discussions
(online), quizzes and exams.
Distinguish and select application software packages to solve a wide variety of
problems, including choosing the most appropriate software package for the task at
hand.
 Learning events and activities to produce the outcome:
o Readings, simulations, and presentations on application software
packages to solve a wide variety of problems, including how to choose
the most appropriate software package for the task at hand
o Class discussions about application software and their uses;
 Assessment methods: "Software For Your Business" assignment, discussions
(online), quizzes and exams.
Identify the fundamental concepts behind computer networks and data
communication, and the basic components, technologies, and principles in modern
data communications including categories of networks and the Internet.
 Learning events and activities to produce the outcome:
o Readings, simulations, and presentations on:
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Data communications technologies including network
protocols, infrastructure components, and operations;
o The internet and its composition, services, and future
directions;
o Class discussions about data communications, networking, and the
internet;
 Assessment methods: "Build a Network" assignment, discussions (online),
quizzes and exams.
Summarize the basic components, development processes, and uses of database
technologies including business intelligence.
 Learning events and activities to produce the outcome:
o Readings, simulations, and presentations on:
o Database and database management systems including
development, population, recovery, and maintenance;
o Business intelligence and 'Big Data' in the modern world;
o Class discussions about the role and protection of databases and the
use of business intelligence;
 Assessment methods: "Safeguarding Your Business" assignment, discussions
(online), quizzes and exams.
Outline software development processes and the life cycle of information systems.
 Learning events and activities to produce the outcome:
o Readings, simulations, and presentations on:
o Software development processes such as the Waterfall and
Agile methods;
o The life cycle of information systems from origination to
retirement including maintenance and conversion;
o Class discussions about software development and its life cycle;
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Assessment methods: "Animate a Digital Story" assignment, discussions
(online), quizzes and exams.
Analyze a real world problem and solve it with a computer program, using
fundamental programming concepts.
 Learning events and activities to produce the outcome:
o Readings, simulations, and presentations on the basic programming
constructs and how to use programs to solve a real world problem;
o Class discussions and demonstrations on the basic programming
constructs and how to use programs to solve a real world problem;
 Assessment methods: "Animate a Digital Story" assignment, discussions
(online), quizzes and exams.
Describe the types of information security and privacy vulnerabilities, assurance
strategies, infrastructure components, and behaviors used in modern cyber-security
operations.
 Learning events and activities to produce the outcome:
o Readings, simulations, and presentations on:
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Security and privacy threats and protection methods including
digital and human engineering strategies;
 The risks in the modern world from cyber-attacks and defense;
 Class discussions about information security and privacy and cyberprotection;
 Assessment methods: "Safeguarding Your Business" assignment, discussions
(online), quizzes and exams.
Effectively use current Internet technologies, including electronic mail, online
databases, search engines, the World Wide Web, and various forms of social media.
 Learning events and activities to produce the outcome:
o Readings, simulations, and presentations on current Internet
technologies, including electronic mail, online databases, search
engines, the World Wide Web, and various forms of social media.
o Class discussions about current Internet technologies, including
electronic mail, online databases, search engines, the World Wide
Web, and various forms of social media.
 Assessment methods: "What's Your Influence?" assignment, discussions
(online), quizzes and exams.
Discover and employ different points of view regarding emerging issues involved in
the use of information technologies and computers such as Big Data, mobile security
and cloud computing.
 Learning events and activities to produce the outcome:
o Individual and group activities requiring research, discovery, and
hands-on application of various Internet technologies.
o Project work and class discussions about how to use current Internet
technologies.
 Assessment methods: "Safeguarding Your Business" assignment, discussions
(online), quizzes and exams.
How to Access the Courses
This course is being offered through CougarView (D2L). You can access CougarView at:
http://cougarview.columbusstate.edu/
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At this page, enter your CougarView login information and click on the "Login" button. Your
CougarView username and password are the same as your CougarNet login.
If you try the above and CougarView will not let you in, please contact the GeorgiaView D2L
Help Center as given on the login page. You can also try the CSU helpdesk at 706-5078199. If you are still having problems gaining access after a few days in the class, please email me.
Once you've entered CougarView, you will see a list of courses you have access to which
contains some combination of the phrases "CPSC 1105" and "Fall 2013." If you don't see
this entry in the list, please e-mail me.
Once you have clicked on the course's name and accessed the particular course itself, you
will find a home page with links to other sections and tools. The first thing you should do is
read the "Welcome! (read first)" information. This information will give you a feel for what's
available in the particular CougarView classroom environment and explain in more detail
how the course will work. Once you've read this information, please feel free to explore the
other areas, particularly the Course Content and Discussions.
Assessment Methods
Grades in this course will be based on the following assessments:
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Participation - 20% (approx. 3.33% per week)
IT Assignments - 35% (approx. 5.83% per assignment)
Quizzes - 10% (approx. 1.67% per quiz)
Midterm exam - 15%
Final exam - 20%
Total: 100%
Final grades will be assigned according to the following schedule:
Total Percentage Grade
90% - 100%
A
80% - 89%
B
70% - 79%
C
60% - 69%
D
< 60%
F
How This Course Will Work
This course will consist of readings, discussions, assignments related to using information
technology, quizzes, and exams. The readings will comprise of chapters from the course
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textbook and other posted material. The information technology assignments will consist of
assignments designed to enhance your understanding of the material in the course
textbook. The graded assignments will consist of:
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Chapter quizzes
Responses to weekly discussions
Comments to other students' responses to weekly discussions
Assignments related to using information technology
A midterm and final exam
The first few days of the course, you will need to read the welcome announcement, review
the course syllabus, and become familiar with the how the course is organized. You'll also
need to respond to the introductory discussion question by introducing yourself and
becoming acquainted with the other members of the class. Thereafter, on a weekly basis,
you will need to:
1. complete the weekly readings (approx. two hours per week);
2. complete chapter quizzes (approx. one hour per week);
3. submit responses to weekly discussion questions and comment on other students'
responses (approx. one hour per week);
4. complete assignments related to information technology (approx. two hours per
week); and
5. prepare for and complete the midterm and final exams (approx. one hour per week).
Expected workload: 7 hours per week.
Grading Criteria
The chapter quizzes and the midterm and final exams will be graded automatically by the
CougarView system. You will be able to take the chapter quizzes up to three times. The
highest score will count. You will be able to take the midterm and final exams only once.
The grades you earn for the assignments related to using information technology will be
based on the quality of your responses. Grading rubrics associated with how these
assignments will be graded will be available in the CougarView system.
The grades you earn for responses to the discussion questions will also be based on the
quality of your responses. Responses that generally address the requirements of the
discussion question will earn a grade of 8 out of 10. Responses that go above and beyond a
typical response will earn higher scores.
The grades you earn for comments to other students' responses to the discussion questions
will also be based on the quantity and quality of your posts. Each week, you must post
comments on at least two other students' responses. Comments that meet this requirement
and that generally add value to the discussion will earn a grade of 8 out of 10. Comments
that go above and beyond a typical comment will earn higher scores.
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All assignments will be graded using assignment rubrics. You can review these rubrics within
each assignment or by clicking on "Rubrics" on the right-hand side of upper menu within
CougarView.
Student Responsibilities
As a student in this course, you are responsible to:
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manage your time and maintain the discipline required to meet the course
requirements;
complete reading assignments;
actively participate in online discussions at least once a week;
complete assignments by their due dates;
read all discussion messages posted by the instructor and respond accordingly; and
read any e-mail sent by the instructor and respond accordingly.
"I didn't know" is not an acceptable excuse for failing to meet the course requirements. If
you fail to meet your responsibilities, you do so at your own risk.
Instructor Responsibilities
As your instructor in this course, I am responsible to:
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prepare weekly lessons that demonstrate and help students understand the course
material,
prepare exams that allow students to demonstrate their knowledge of the course
material,
actively participate in online discussions, adding personal knowledge and experiences
where appropriate;
ensure the online discussions remain on track and focused on the course content and
course objectives, adding direction when they do not;
grade exams and assignments, and post scores within one week of the end of the
week in which they are submitted; and
read any e-mail sent by students and respond accordingly within 48 hours.
Within the discussion area, although I will read every posted discussion question and
response, I will not necessarily respond to every post.
Attendance Policy
Actively engaging in class discussions and assignments regularly is important to your
success in this course. If you do not post a response to the "Getting Acquainted" discussion
during the first week of the course, you may be dropped from the course. If you do not post
a response to the weekly discussion question two weeks in a row, you may receive a WF. If
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an emergency prevents you from turning in an assignment or taking an exam as scheduled,
please contact me to make alternative arrangements.
Course Schedule
The following is the tentative schedule for the course. It is subject to change. Detailed
assignment requirements will be provided in CougarView divided by week. To access this
content within CougarView, click on Course Content in the main menu. For specific dates,
please see the "Course Calendar" announcement and the CougarView Calendar in the class
room. Each week begins on a Monday (starting with the first day of class). All graded
work for that week is due no later than 11:59pm EST on Sunday, that is, you have Monday
through Sunday (six days) to get your work completed. The midterm exam will be
available during week three.
Unit
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Quizzes, Assignments, Tests, and
Exams
Topics and Skills
Getting Started:
Become Familiar with the Course
Review the course material and course
structure: Course Syllabus, Calendar,
Grade Book, weekly scheduled activities.
Review the Course Syllabus, Calendar,
Grade Book, and weekly class
requirements.
Introduce Yourself
Post a brief message in the Getting
Acquainted discussion that tells us a little
about yourself and what you hope to gain
from this course.
Chapter 1: Information Technology, the
Internet, and You
Week 1 Quiz
Chapter 1 PowerPoint
Chapter 2: The Internet, the Web, and
Electronic Commerce
Chapter 2 PowerPoint
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IT Assignment
IT Assignment 1: What's Your
Influence?
Weekly Discussions
Week 1 Discussion
Chapter 3: Application Software
Week 2 Quiz
Chapter 3 PowerPoint
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Chapter 4: System Software
Chapter 4 PowerPoint
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IT Assignment
IT Assignment 2: Software For Your
Business
Weekly Discussions
Week 2 Discussion
Chapter 5: The System Unit
Week 3 Quiz
Chapter 5 PowerPoint
Chapter 6: Input and Output
Chapter 6 PowerPoint
Chapter 7: Secondary Storage
Chapter 7 PowerPoint
IT Assignment
IT Assignment 3: Hardware For Your
Business
Weekly Discussions
Week 3 Discussions
Midterm Exam (Chapters 1-6) (online)
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Chapter 8: Communications and
Networks
Week 4 Quiz
Chapter 8 PowerPoint
Chapter 9: Privacy, Security, and Ethics
Chapter 9 PowerPoint
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IT Assignment
IT Assignment 4: Build a Network
Weekly Discussions
Week 4 Discussions
Chapter 10: Information Systems
Week 5 Quiz
Chapter 10 PowerPoint
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Chapter 11: Databases
Chapter 11 PowerPoint
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IT Assignment
IT Assignment 5: Safeguarding Your
Business
Weekly Discussions
Week 5 Discussions
Chapter 12: Systems Analysis and
Design
Week 6 Quiz
Chapter 12 PowerPoint
Chapter 13: Programming and
Languages
Chapter 13 PowerPoint
IT Assignment
IT Assignment 6: Animate a Digital
Story
Weekly Discussions
Week 6 Discussions
Final Exam (Chapters 1-13)
Discussion Etiquette
Discussion etiquette is essential in any online communications. Students are encouraged to
voice their own opinions but in doing so be respectful of the opinions of others and to refrain
from inappropriate commentary. Should such inappropriate comments occur, I will
intervene as I monitor the dialogue in the discussions. I will request that inappropriate
content be removed from the discussion and will recommend University disciplinary action if
deemed appropriate. Students as well as faculty should be guided by common sense and
basic etiquette. The following are good guidelines to follow:
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Never post, transmit, promote, or distribute content that is known to be illegal.
Never post harassing, threatening, or embarrassing comments.
If you disagree with someone, respond to the subject, not the person.
Never post content that is harmful, abusive; racially, ethnically, or religiously
offensive; vulgar; sexually explicit; or otherwise potentially offensive.
In addition to the above, a positive attitude is essential to a healthy learning environment.
Not only should your posts be respectful and insightful, but they should also be positive in
order to benefit the entire class. In addition, all posts should be grammatically correct and
should be spell-checked prior to posting to avoid confusion.
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IT Assignments
Six IT (information technology) assignments are scheduled and will be graded. These
assignments will require knowledge from your textbook and additional knowledge from
outside the classroom. The time limits on these assignments make them more difficult to do
well, so plan ahead. Procrastination, our common bane, will harm you on this work. The
assignments are experiential learning activities with no right or wrong answers. That means
you have to learn quickly, apply that new learning, develop skills, and think
imaginatively. Additional details concerning each of the assignments will be made available
in CougarView.
Assignment Due Dates and Times
All assignments (non-graded and graded) are due no later than 11:59 PM (23:59) (Eastern
Time) on the last day of the week in which they are assigned. All assignments, graded and
non-graded, will be available by clicking on Course Content in the menu.
Late Assignments
If circumstances prevent the timely posting of assignments, please notify me by email
within CougarView. If the CougarView system is down, please email me at my CSU email
address. If you cannot email me, please call my office or cell phone. Unless you make prior
arrangements with me, any assignment submitted after its assigned due date will be
considered late, will not be accepted for grading, and will be assessed a reduced grade or a
grade of zero (0) as given in the assignment.
Extra Credit
Bonus or extra credit, if available, will be described in the assignment in which the bonus or
extra credit is available. There are no other provisions for bonus or extra credit in this
course.
Exams
The midterm and final exams will be administered online.
Incompletes
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If unusual circumstances preclude you from completing the course and you have
satisfactorily completed all the other course requirements up until that point, I will award
you a grade of "Incomplete" provided you contact me regarding the unusual circumstances
and you agree to certain conditions for removal of the "Incomplete." You must, however,
contact me and arrange for the Incomplete as soon as you are aware that you will be
unable to complete the course and before the last day of class.
Corrections to Grades
To see your grades for individual assignments, click on Grades within CougarView. If you
believe a posted grade is incorrect, please email me within CougarView.
Software and Technology Requirements
To participate in this course, you must have (or have access to) a computer that meets
CSU's online course minimum computer hardware requirements as outlined at:
http://academics.columbusstate.edu/classes/cptr_req.php
In addition, some of the course content makes use of the Apple Quicktime plug-in (for
listening to podcasts), the Adobe Acrobat Reader plug-in (for displaying PDFs), and the
Adobe Flash plug-in (for videos and animations). If these plug-ins are not already installed
on your system, you can download them from:
Apple Quicktime: http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/
Adobe Acrobat Reader: http://get.adobe.com/reader/
Adobe Flash Player: http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/
During the download process, you will be provided with instructions on how to install the
plug-ins.
Getting Help
At the top of the course content, I will provide a discussion area within CougarView entitled
"Questions?". If you have a question about an assignment or need help with an assignment
in any given week, please post your question in that discussion area.
Student assistants in the Computer Center and in the open lab on campus can help you with
basic computer-related problems (such as logging onto the network, saving your work,
etc.), but they are not obligated and may not possess the necessary skills to help you with
your assignments. Tutors in the School of Computer Science tutoring lab (CCT 450) can
help you with the assignments. Their schedule is typically posted in the School of Computer
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Science office. Do not ask the tutors to do assignments for you. They are instructed to
assist you in understanding concepts only.
For other general computer related problems or questions, please contact the UITS
computer help desk at 706-507-2910 or email helpdesk@columbusstate.edu.
For other information related to online courses at CSU, please see the Student Resources
section of the CSU Online Web site:
http://online.columbusstate.edu/student_resources.php
Academic Honesty/ Plagiarism Policy
Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, activities such as cheating and
plagiarism
(http://ace.columbusstate.edu/advising/a.php#AcademicDishonestyAcademicMisconduct). I
t is a basis for disciplinary action. Any work turned in for individual credit must be entirely
the work of the student submitting the work. All work must be your own. For group
projects, the work must be done only by members of the group. You may share ideas but
submitting identical assignments (for example) will be considered cheating. You may discuss
the material in the course and help one another with debugging; however, any work you
hand in for a grade must be your own. A simple way to avoid inadvertent plagiarism is to
talk about the assignments, but don't read each other's work or write solutions together
unless otherwise directed by me. For your own protection, keep scratch paper and old
versions of assignments to establish ownership until after the assignment has been graded
and returned to you. If you have any questions about this, please contact me immediately.
For assignments, access to notes, the course textbooks, books and other publications is
allowed. All work that is not your own, MUST be properly cited. This includes any material
found on the Internet. Stealing or giving or receiving any code, diagrams, drawings, text or
designs from another person (CSU or non-CSU, including the Internet) is not allowed.
Having access to another person's work on the computer system or giving access to your
work to another person is not allowed. It is your responsibility to prevent others from
having unauthorized access to your work.
No cheating in any form will be tolerated. Penalties for academic dishonesty may
include a zero grade on the assignment or exam/quiz, a failing grade for the course,
suspension from the Computer Science program, and dismissal from the program. All
instances of cheating will be documented in writing with a copy placed in the School's files.
Students will be expected to discuss the academic misconduct with the faculty member and
the chairperson. For more details see the Student Handbook:
http://students.columbusstate.edu/policies.php.
Confidentially of Information Shared by Students
CSU does not guarantee the confidentiality of information shared by students in the course
environment. Therefore, students should not share any confidential information from
employers unless explicitly released for public use.
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ADA Accommodation Notice/Learning Management System (D2L)
Accessibility
If you have a documented disability, as described by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (P.L.
933-112 Section 504) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and subsequent
amendments and would like to request academic and/or physical accommodations, please
contact the Office of Disability Services in the Schuster Student Success Center (room 221),
706-507-8755, as soon as possible. Course requirements will not be waived, but reasonable
accommodations may be provided as appropriate.
Accessibility information re: Desire2Learn is provided on Desire2Learn’s accessibility
resources web page. Desire2Learn’s (D2L) client-led Accessibility Interest Group actively
reviews and verifies standards compliance claims to ensure their Section 508 VPATs and
WCAG 2.0 checklists are descriptive and accurate. D2L uses WAI guidelines to ensure their
designs are consistent with international standards. Many features in the D2L Learning Suite
can be adjusted to improve access for individuals with disabilities. It’s recommend that
individuals who use screen readers, screen magnifiers, or navigate primarily by keyboard
read D2L’s accessibility guides to help ensure that the features and settings they use best
support their needs.
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