BCIS 1305 BUSINESS COMPUTER APPLICATIONS
COURSE INFORMATION SHEET
Fall, 2007
Blinn College – Division of Business and Computer Science
Instructor:
Office:
Judy Kroll
Bullock Bldg., Room 104
Phone:
(979)830-4295
Email:
jkroll@blinn.edu
Office Hours: MW: 10:00-11:00, 1:00-3:00
TR: 7:30-8:00, 12:05-1:05,
2:25-3:00
Sections: COSC 1301.01, COSC 1301.04
COSC 1301.02, COSC 1301.05
COSC 1301.03, COSC 1301.60
Purpose:
The primary purpose of this course is to provide the student with a basic understanding of computers, data
processing, and application software. This entails both the learning of the fundamental concepts of computer
hardware, software, and information processing as well as the development of some elementary programming skills.
Course Description:
This course discusses computer terminology, hardware, software, operating systems, and information systems
relating to the business environment. The main focus of this course is on business applications of software, including
word processing, spreadsheets, databases, presentation graphics, and business-oriented utilization of the Internet.
Three class hours per week. Credit: Three semester hours.
Prerequisites: NONE – Math 1314 or Math 1324 is recommended.
Student Learning Outcomes/Goals:
1. Demonstrate basic understanding of computing fundamentals.
2. Learn the functions of the components and operation of microcomputer systems including primary and
secondary storage devices, input/output devices, communication devices, and system software.
3. Learn concepts of the Internet.
4. Design and complete applications using typical business applications software including word
processing, electronic spreadsheet, database management and presentation software.
Learning Activities:
Techniques of class lectures and ensuing student discussions, reading the appropriate chapters in the text, reviewing
relevant Internet resources, working through tutorial lessons, viewing problems being analyzed, and working through
demonstration problems, accompanied by in-class and outside practice problems, will be utilized to present the given
concepts and to develop desired skills.
Grading System
Course evaluation instruments shall consist of laboratory assignment, homework, quizzes, three major
examinations, and a comprehensive final. The final grade is calculated from computer lab assignment average
(20%), homework average (20%), quiz average(20%) and the test average(40%) which include 3 exams and the final.
If a student misses an exam due to illness (which must be proven by a doctor written excuse) or other legitimate
excuse decided by the discretion of the instructor, then the grade on the final will be substituted for the missing grade.
Otherwise the student will receive a zero for the exam grade. Except for a school related activity no make up of any
exam will be given. If a student misses a second Test for any reason then the grade for that second missed test will be
a zero. Except for a school related activity no exceptions to this will be made. No grade in the class will be dropped.
One quiz grade will be substituted.
Testing Procedures
The test will start at the beginning of class. The Word, Excel, and Access test will be multiple choice questions.
The questions for the Word, Excel, and Access & PowerPoint tests will come from the homework questions. Students
will not be allowed to use their textbook, disk, or any notes on the tests. All of the exam will be administered on the
computer with the SAMs software.
Quizzes
The quizzes are considered similar to lab assignments. There are assigned dates in which the student must
complete each quiz. Students may complete the quiz the day after the assigned date (M through T) for a grade of a
50. Two days after the assigned date the quiz grade will be a zero. Students may not complete the quiz before the
class review. Students need to print out the quiz results and hand the sheet in to the instructor to record the grade.
Students may only use a review sheet during the quiz. There is a time limit for each quiz.
If a student tells or even demonstrates to the instructor that a quiz question was answer correctly and the SAMs quiz
software counted the questions wrong, no additional points will be given for the quiz. The given grade will be
recorded as the final grade. Students are required to take all eight quizzes. At the end of the semester the student’s
highest quiz grade will be substituted for the lowest quiz grade.
Lab Assignments & Late Assignments:
Lab Assignments need to be submitted on or before the due date. Students may submit the assignment the next
calendar day (M-T) after the due date, but 50 points will be deducted from the assignment. After that the assignment
grade will be a zero. Points will also be deducted for the documents that are turned in incorrect.
Lab assignments may be submitted by printing the document and handing the assignment to your instructor before
the end of class on the assignment’s due date. Students may also submit the assignment by an email attachment. If a
student is absent from class, no extension will be given for any assignment. The only exception to this is if the
student attends a school related activity or provides proof that he or she has been to the doctor (if you are not sick
enough to go to the doctor you are well enough to do your lab assignment). Lab assignments will not be graded the
last 5 minutes of class.
You may turn in your printed assignments by placing the assignment under my office door. My office is in the
Bullock building 104. If a student turns in an assignment by placing it under the door of my office, the students is
require to write your name and class time.
Only a school related activity or a doctor’s written excuse will be considered as an excuse for turning in an
assignment late. Damaging or lousing your disk, which contains your assignment, will not be considered as an
excuse and the assignment will be counted late. If students know that they will miss a class due to a school related
activity, all assignments due for that day must be turned in ahead of missing the class to receive an unexcused
absence.
Homework Assignments:
Students will need to submit their homework assignments at the beginning of class on or before the due date. If a
student turns in a homework assignment during class on the due date 10 points will be deducted from the grade.
Students may submit the homework assignment within the next calendar day (M-T) after the due date, but 50 points
will be deducted from the assignment. After that day the assignment grade will be a zero. Points will be deducted
from the assignment grade for each question that is not answered. The instructor will grade the homework for
completeness not accuracy. If the student needs to make sure that a question is correct, he or she may request the
answers to two questions per homework assignment after or during submitting the assignment.
Attendance Policy:
The College District believes that class attendance is essential for student success; therefore, students are required to
promptly and regularly attend all their classes. Each class meeting builds the foundation for subsequent class
meetings. Without full participation and regular class attendance, students shall find themselves at a severe
disadvantage for achieving success in college. Class participation shall constitute at least ten percent of the final
course grade. It is the responsibility of each faculty member, in consultation with the division chair, to determine how
participation is achieved in his or her class. Faculty will require students to regularly attend class and will keep a
record of attendance from the first day of class and/or the first day the student’s name appears on the roster through
final examinations. If a student has one week’s worth of absences during the semester, he/she will be sent an e-mail
by the College requiring the student to contact his/her instructor and schedule a conference immediately to discuss
his/her attendance issues. If the student subsequently accumulates two weeks worth of absences, he/she will be
administratively withdrawn from class.
Taking Role:
Class will start promptly at the schedule time. Attendance will be taken by a sign in sheet that will be passed around.
Students will write their initials for each day attending. At the end of the lecture portion of the class the instructor
will call out students who have not signed in to verify those students are not present. A student may still sign the roll
late but will be counted tardy. Three tardies will equal one absent. Any student who is caught signing in for another
student will be sent to the Dean of Student Affairs for possible disciplinary action.
Students who have been absent twice will receive an email notification. A student who has four absences will be
dropped from the class. Exception will be made if a student attends a school related activity or shows proof of
having attended a doctor for an illness. Allowances for illness or death in a family will be made at the discretion of
the instructor.
Members of the Blinn College community, which includes faculty, staff and students, are expected to act honestly
and responsibly in all aspects of campus life. Blinn College holds all members accountable for their actions and
words. Therefore, all members should commit themselves to behave in a manner that recognizes personal respect and
demonstrates concern for the personal dignity, rights, and freedoms of every member of the College community,
including respect for College property and the physical and intellectual property of others.
If a student is asked to leave the classroom because of uncivil behavior, the student may not return to that class until
he or she arranges a conference with the instructor; it is the student’s responsibility to arrange for this conference.
Needed for the Class: Students must have the textbooks & materials for the class by the second class day. Financial
problems will not be considered as an excuse for failing to have the textbook and the materials needed for the class.
Textbooks: Parsons and Oja, Computer Concepts 5th Edition, Enhanced.
Beskeen, Cram, Duffy, Friedrichsen and Reding, Microsoft Office 2003.
Materials: USB Removable Memory, Sams 2003 Training Student Key Code
Notebook paper for homework