Course Syllabus
Personal Computer Help Desk
ITSC 2339
Semester with Course
Reference Number
(CRN)
Instructor contact
information (phone
number and email
address)
Office Location and
Hours
Course Location/Times
Course Semester
Credit Hours (SCH)
(lecture, lab) If
applicable
Credit Hours:
3
Lecture Hours:
Laboratory Hours:
External Hours:
Total Course Contact
Hours
0.00
Course Length
(number of weeks)
Type of Instruction
Co-op
Internship
Lecture/Lab
Course Description:
Diagnosis and solution of user hardware and software related problems with on-thejob projects in either a Help Desk lab or in short-term assignments for local
business. Topics include planning, diagnostic techniques, problem resolution, call
tracking, staffing, training, knowledge engineering, work orders, service level
agreements, metrics, telephony, scheduling, management issues, customer
expectation, selling your services.
Course Prerequisite(s)
PREREQUISITE(S):


ITSC 1425 with a minimum grade of C or better and
ITSC 1307 with a minimum grade of C or better or

ITMT 1371 with a minimum grade of C or better
FREQUENT REQUISITES



College Level Reading
College Level Mathematics
College Level Writing
Academic
Discipline/CTE
Program Learning
Outcomes
1. Explore methods used to support businesses’ IT environment including
troubleshooting and problem solving
2. Learn methods to effectively communicate with users, determine user’s specific
needs, and train end-users
3. Identify various people skills and technical skills used by IT support professionals
to support businesses.
4. Investigate emerging technology in shaping new processes, strategies and
business models for IT support
5. Achieve hands-on experience installing and using help desk issue tracking
software
Course Student
Learning Outcomes
(SLO): 4 to 7
1. Predict why end users need help, contrast types of assistance provided, and
explain how written, verbal and non-verbal communication is essential.
2. Describe knowledge, skills and abilities needed by an effective user support
technician as well as contrast multi-level helpdesk support models
3. Discuss common hardware and software tools and techniques employed when
troubleshooting issues.
4. Formulate incident management strategies and prepare information technology
policies for managing support client interactions.
5. Plan computer facilities management tasks for support personnel.
6. Relate computer product evaluation and user needs analysis as help desk
operation tasks required for establishing standards
Learning Objectives
(Numbering system
should be linked to
SLO - e.g., 1.1, 1.2, 1.3,
etc.)
Predict why end users need help, contrast types of assistance provided, and
explain how written, verbal and non-verbal communication is essential.
1. Identify the role of computers and the types of end users and their resource
needs
2. Learn to communicate with customers effectively to solve problem
Describe knowledge, skills and abilities needed by an effective user support
technician as well as contrast multi-level helpdesk support models
1. Communicate technical repair procedures to other students and trainer
2. Install and configure new hardware and upgrades
3. Operate Technology Help Desk within various environments
Discuss common hardware and software tools and techniques employed
when troubleshooting issues.
1. Access computer database and/or technological manual to present an informal
response to help requests
2. Set up, monitor and maintain a computer network
3. Identify web-based tools and diagnostic programs for support
Formulate incident management strategies and prepare information
technology policies for managing support client interactions.
1. Develop incident management procedures
2. Develop troubleshooting strategies
Plan computer facilities management tasks for support personnel.
1. Develop troubleshooting strategies
2. Identify the role of the user support employee and the various functions and
services
3. Identify the positions and career paths for user support staff
4. Define help desk operations and management
Relate computer product evaluation and user needs analysis as help desk
operation tasks required for establishing standards
1. Identify procedures for successful troubleshooting
SCANS and/or Core
Curriculum
Competencies: If
applicable
SCANS
Instructional Methods
Web-enhanced (49% or less)
Hybrid (50% or more)
Distance (100%)
Face to Face
Student Assignments
Predict why end users need help, contrast types of assistance provided, and
explain how written, verbal and non-verbal communication is essential.
Discussions
Papers
Presentations
Describe knowledge, skills and abilities needed by an effective user support
technician as well as contrast multi-level helpdesk support models
Presentations
Projects
Lab Exercises
Discuss common hardware and software tools and techniques employed
when troubleshooting issues.
No assignments selected for this outcome
Formulate incident management strategies and prepare information
technology policies for managing support client interactions.
No assignments selected for this outcome
Predict why end users need help, contrast types of assistance provided, and
explain how written, verbal and non-verbal communication is essential.
Workplace Competencies - Information -Acquires & Evaluates
Workplace Competencies - Information -Interprets & Communicates
Describe knowledge, skills and abilities needed by an effective user support
technician as well as contrast multi-level helpdesk support models
Workplace Competencies - Systems -Understands Systems
Workplace Competencies - Systems -Monitors & Corrects Performance
Workplace Competencies - Systems -Improves & Designs Systems
Discuss common hardware and software tools and techniques employed
when troubleshooting issues.
Workplace Competencies - Systems -Understands Systems
Formulate incident management strategies and prepare information
technology policies for managing support client interactions.
Workplace Competencies - Technology -Selects Technology
Workplace Competencies - Technology -Applies Technology to Task
Plan computer facilities management tasks for support personnel.
Workplace Competencies - Systems -Understands Systems
Relate computer product evaluation and user needs analysis as help desk
operation tasks required for establishing standards
Workplace Competencies - Systems -Understands Systems
Workplace Competencies - Systems -Monitors & Corrects Performance
Workplace Competencies - Systems -Improves & Designs Systems
Plan computer facilities management tasks for support personnel.
Discussions
Presentations
Relate computer product evaluation and user needs analysis as help desk
operation tasks required for establishing standards
Projects
Lab Exercises
Student Assessment(s) Predict why end users need help, contrast types of assistance provided, and
explain how written, verbal and non-verbal communication is essential.
In-class discussions
Presentations
Describe knowledge, skills and abilities needed by an effective user support
technician as well as contrast multi-level helpdesk support models
Quizzes/Tests which may include: definitions, matching, multiple choice, true/false,
short answer, brief essay
Discipline Required SLO-Specific Standard Form Rubrics
Discuss common hardware and software tools and techniques employed
when troubleshooting issues.
In-class discussions
Oral and written peer-reviewed article reviews and discussions
Discipline Required SLO-Specific Standard Form Rubrics
Formulate incident management strategies and prepare information
technology policies for managing support client interactions.
Presentations
Quizzes/Tests which may include: definitions, matching, multiple choice, true/false,
short answer, brief essay
Discipline Required SLO-Specific Standard Form Rubrics
Plan computer facilities management tasks for support personnel.
Various assigned readings from textbooks
Presentations
Relate computer product evaluation and user needs analysis as help desk
operation tasks required for establishing standards
Discipline Required SLO-Specific Standard Form Rubrics
Instructor's
Requirements
Program/Discipline
Requirements: If
applicable
HCC Grading Scale:
This is a capstone course that focuses on key information and skills for user support
professionals, including troubleshooting and problem solving, successful
communication with clients, determining a client's specific needs, and training end
users. With balanced coverage of both people skills and technical skills, this course
is an excellent resource for those in or preparing for IT field. Course must be taken
during the semster befroe graduation or after completing 75% of the computer
courses in the AAS degree plan. Must pass with a minimum grade of "C". The
course is 2 hours lecture with instructor and 4 hours of independent lab-based
project.
A = 100- 90
B = 89 - 80:
C = 79 - 70:
D = 69 - 60:
59 and below = F
4 points per semester hour
3 points per semester hour
2 points per semester hour
1 point per semester hour
0 points per semester hour
FX (Failure due to non-attendance)
IP (In Progress)
W (Withdrawn)
I (Incomplete)
AUD (Audit)
0 points per semester hour
0 points per semester hour
0 points per semester hour
0 points per semester hour
0 points per semester hour
IP (In Progress) is given only in certain developmental courses. The student must reenroll to receive credit. COM (Completed) is given in non-credit and continuing
education courses.
FINAL GRADE OF FX: Students who stop attending class and do not withdraw
themselves prior to the withdrawal deadline may either be dropped by their professor
for excessive absences or be assigned the final grade of "FX" at the end of the
semester. Students who stop attending classes will receive a grade of "FX",
compared to an earned grade of "F" which is due to poor performance. Logging into a
DE course without active participation is seen as non-attending. Please note that
HCC will not disperse financial aid funding for students who have never attended
class.
Students who receive financial aid but fail to attend class will be reported to the
Department of Education and may have to pay back their aid. A grade of "FX" is
treated exactly the same as a grade of "F" in terms of GPA, probation, suspension,
and satisfactory academic progress.
To compute grade point average (GPA), divide the total grade points by the total
number of semester hours attempted. The grades "IP," "COM" and "I" do not affect
GPA.
Health Sciences Programs Grading Scales may differ from the approved HCC
Grading Scale. For Health Sciences Programs Grading Scales, see the "Program
Discipline Requirements" section of the Program's syllabi.
Instructor Grading
Criteria
Instructional Materials
A Guide to Computer User Support for Help Desk and Support Specialists by
Beisse,Fred Edition:5th ISBN13:9781133187820 ISBN10:113318782X
Format:Paperback Pub. Date:3/26/2012 Publisher(s):Cengage Learning
HCC Policy Statement:
Access Student
Services Policies on
their Web site:
http://hccs.edu/student-rights
EGLS3 -- Evaluation for At Houston Community College, professors believe that thoughtful student feedback
is necessary to improve teaching and learning. During a designated time near the
Greater Learning
Student Survey System end of the term, you will be asked to answer a short online survey of research-based
questions related to instruction. The anonymous results of the survey will be made
available to your professors and department chairs for continual improvement of
instruction. Look for the survey as part of the Houston Community College Student
System online near the end of the term.
Distance Education and/or Continuing Education Policies
Access DE Policies on
their Web site:
http://de.hccs.edu/Distance_Ed/DE_Home/faculty_resources/PDFs/DE_Syllabus.pdf
Access CE Policies on
their Web site:
http://hccs.edu/CE-student-guidelines