Title: Information Systems 101
________________________________________________________________________
Number of Credits: 3 credits.
Course Prefix: IS
Number: 101
Transferability of Course within Nevada: Transferable to Community Colleges and
Universities
Linkage to educational program: Students will demonstrate the competencies required to successfully pass information technology certification exams.
Instructor: David Riske
Office: Reynolds 112A
Phone: 445-3300
E-Mail: driske@wnc.edu
Moodle: www.riske.com
SL: 667 Footman
Office Hours: Varies see lab and office door and by appointment as needed.
Division Info: Chair; Sherry Black Phone: 445-4272 E-Mail: sherry.black@wnc.edu
I.
Course Description from catalog:
Introduces the student to the role of computers in today's technology-driven environment, allowing for a hands-on lab experience. Students will be introduced to the Internet, distance education, and the World Wide Web for research, along with operating systems, word processing, spreadsheets, database and basic multimedia. Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to demonstrate basic computer survival skills, understand computer terminology, and create data using a variety of software.
This course transfers to UNR or UNLV for three credits as IS 101.
Prerequisite: NONE
II.
Course Objectives:
This course is an introduction to computer terminology, hardware, and application programs for management information systems. Students are introduced to business, industry and education applications of popular software using spreadsheets, word processors, and databases. "Hands-on" experience is provided through student use of open lab. Prerequisite: none.
1.
Discuss appropriate applications for word processing, spreadsheet, database, operating system software, and Internet tools.
2.
Use terminology appropriate to computer system design, hardware and software, users and data.
3.
Create, edit and store files from word processing, spreadsheet, database and operating system software.
4.
Use internet to research.

Student Learning Outcomes
•Students will demonstrate the ability to perform basic maintenance, configuration and backup operations on a PC.
•Students will demonstrate the ability to use word processing software to create a professional resume and format an academic research paper.
•Students will demonstrate the ability to analyze and report data using spreadsheet software.
•Students will demonstrate the ability to create a database and use it to organize, report and query data.
•Students will demonstrate the ability to prepare a professional slide presentation including a variety of data and media.
•Students will demonstrate the ability to evaluate computer configurations and select a computer appropriate for a given task.
•Students will demonstrate the ability to evaluate Internet connection services and perform basic Internet connection troubleshooting.
•Students will demonstrate the ability to use current Web tools, safely and effectively.
III.
Required Texts :
Microsoft® Office 2013: Introductory, 1st Edition &
Shelly Cashman Discovering Computers &
SAM 2013 Assessments/Training
ISBN 9781285995311 (This is a customized ISBN, "bundling" all three of the above listed items through Cengage.)
IV. Class and Grading Policies and Procedures:
Each week that a chapter from the Discovering Computers text is assigned there will be a discussion forum posted on the WNC Canvas website for that chapter. These discussions will be the basis for in-class discussions.
It is your assignment to participate in the discussion. Your participation will be to make a meaningful discussion post, and two meaningful responses to the posts of your peers. Discussion posts should be approximately 250-300 words in length minimum.
Response posts may be slightly less. However, your post must be relevant, and they must carry the conversation forward in a positive way. That is not to say that you can't take an opposing view (that is encouraged as well), but you must be polite in your discussions. Be respectful at all times, NO trashing people! In all cases you are expected to site any sources or references. If there is a consistent problem with post length and/or quality, I will institute a MANDATORY 400 word count minimum.

It is my recommendation that you try to post your original post by the end of the week prior to the due date. This will give plenty of opportunities for everyone to post replies in the days leading up to class. Additionally, the discussion forums will close midnight the night before the class when we will discuss the material for the related chapter.
Each week that a chapter from the Discovering Computers text is assigned there will be a quiz posted on the WNC Canvas website for this course. The quiz will close at midnight the night before the class when we will discuss the topics of the reading material. Yes, you read that right! Read the material and take the quiz BEFORE we discuss the topic in class. I do not lecture you on the material, we discuss it as a class!
THIS COURSE COVERS MICROSOFT OFFICE SUITE 2013 . YOU NEED TO HAVE THIS
ON YOUR COMPUTER, OR HAVE ACCESS TO THIS VERSION OF MICROSOFT OFFICE
SUITE. Please be aware the computer labs on campus are available to you (you have paid for this with your lab/tech fees). And they all have this software.
The work done in MS Office will be done from the
Microsoft® Office 2013:
Introductory text. You (notice the use of that word) will take responsibility for covering the sections of the
Microsoft® Office 2013: Introductory
that cover Word 2013 (Chapters 1,
2, & 3); PowerPoint 2013 (Chapters 1, 2, & 3); Excel 2013 (Chapters 1, 2, & 3); and Access
2013 (Chapters 1, 2, & 3); Each chapter has several exercises that give you practice in the concepts under study. The files needed to do those exercises are available on the class
Canvas page at the bottom of the Objectives page for that unit as well as on the SAM website. Those exercises are to assist you in studying and learning the material. They do not need to be turned in, and you can use your book, each other, YouTube, Google and of course me to get help with them. You will be evaluated on your success at learning the material using SAM.
At the end of each chapter (i.e. Word Ch 1) there will be a "Lab" where you will create/modify a document using the skills and objectives covered in that chapter. At the end of each section (i.e. WORD Chapters 1,2,3) there will be a "project where you create/modify a document using the collective skills for the three covered chapters.
Finally, there will be a course capstone project that will incorporate/integrate the developed skills from the sections covered.

The assessment manager provided by Cengage ( http://sam.cengage.com/Login.aspx
) will be the testing site for your taking your MS Office tests and doing the projects that are keyed to the material in the Illustrated Fundamentals book. Each section (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access) will have a test and a project.
Your overall grade percentage will be a composite of the six categories listed below. And your overall course grade will be determined by the chart below.
Late work will be accepted, but may incur a 5% per day reduction in your grade for each 24 hour period or part thereof.
Attendance and PARTICIPATION - 10%
"Discovering Computer" Canvas discussions - 30%
"Discovering Computers" reading quizzes - 10%
Microsoft Office chapter labs - 20%
Microsoft Office assessments - 20% (Half will come from section exams and half from section project)
Course capstone project - 10%
After your numerical grade has been calculated, your letter grade will be determined as follows:
A 90–100% of the total percentage points possible
B 80–89% of the total percentage points possible
C 70–79% of the total percentage points possible
D 60–69% of the total percentage points possible
F less than 60% of the total percentage points possible

Important Phone Numbers:
Dave’s Office:
Division Office:
Canceled Class:
445-3255
445-4270
334-9622
V. Class Schedule
Public Safety: 445-3308
The following is a tentative schedule based on class needs. The instructor reserves the right to make any schedule changes deemed necessary. As this is the first semester offering this course, the timeline presented will undoubtedly change. This should reflect an accurate topical outline however.
Date Day Details
Ch 1 Reading Quiz
Tue, Sep
2
Tue
Discovering Chapter 1 Digital Literacy: Introducing a World of
Technology.
Introduce Yourself due by
11:59pm due by
11:59pm due by
11:59pm
Fri, Sep
5
Fri
Word 2013; Chapter 1 assignment due by 11:59pm
Tue, Sep
9
Tue
Ch 6 Reading Quiz
Discovering Chapter 6 Inside Computers and Mobile Devices:
Exploring the Components
Fri, Sep
12
Fri
Word 2013, Chapter 2 assignment due by 11:59pm due by
11:59pm due by
11:59pm
Tue, Sep
16
Tue
Ch 3 Reading Quiz
Discovering Chapter 3 Computers and Mobile Devices:
Evaluating the Possibilities
Fri, Sep
19
Fri
Word 2013, Chapter 3 assignment due by 11:59pm due by
11:59pm due by
11:59pm
Tue, Sep
23
Tue
Ch 9 Reading Quiz
Discovering Ch 9 Operating Systems: Managing, Coordinating, and Monitoring Resources. due by
11:59pm due by
11:59pm

Date Day Details
Fri, Sep
26
Fri
Tue, Sep
30
Tue
Word 2013 Project due by 11:59pm
Word 2013 SAM Assessment exam due by 11:59pm
CH 4 Reading Quiz due by
11:59pm
Discovering Ch 4 - Programs and Apps: Using Software at Work, due by
School, and Home. 11:59pm
Fri, Oct
3
Fri
PowerPoint 2013, Chapter 1 assignment due by 11:59pm
Tue, Oct
7
Fri, Oct
10
Tue
Fri
Ch 7 Reading Quiz
Devices.
Discovering Chapter 7 Input and Output: Examining Popular
PowerPoint 2013, Chapter 2 assignment due by 11:59pm due by
11:59pm due by
11:59pm
Tue, Oct
14
Tue
Ch 8 Reading Quiz due by
11:59pm
Discovering Chapter 8 Digital Storage: Preserving on Media and due by in the Cloud. 11:59pm
Fri, Oct
17
Fri
PowerPoint 2013, Chapter 3 assignment due by 11:59pm
Tue, Oct
21
Fri, Oct
24
Tue, Oct
28
Tue
Fri
Tue
Ch 10 Reading Quiz due by
11:59pm
Discovering Ch 10 - Communications and Networks: Sending and due by
Receiving Digital Content.
11:59pm
PowerPoint 2013 Project due by 11:59pm
PowerPoint 2013 SAM assessment exam due by 11:59pm
Ch 2 Reading Quiz
Discovering Ch 2 - The Internet: Accessing, Searching, Sharing and Communicating. due by
11:59pm due by
11:59pm
Fri, Oct
31
Fri
Excel 2013, Chapter 1 assignment due by 11:59pm
Tue, Nov
4
Tue
Ch 5 Reading Quiz
Discovering Ch 5 - Digital Safety and Security: Identifying
Threats, Issues, and Defenses.
due by
11:59pm due by
11:59pm

Date
Fri, Nov
7
Day
Fri
Details
Excel 2013, Chapter 2 assignment due by 11:59pm
Tue, Nov
11
Tue
Ch 11 Reading Quiz
Discovering Ch 11 - Information and Data Management:
Organizing, Verifying, Maintaining, and Accessing.
Fri, Nov
14
Fri
Excel 2013, Chapter 3 assignment due by 11:59pm due by
11:59pm due by
11:59pm
Tue, Nov
18
Tue
Fri, Nov
21
Fri
Ch 12 Reading Quiz
Discovering Ch 12 - Information Systems and Program
Development: Designing and Building Solutions.
Excel 2013 Project due by 11:59pm
Excel 2013 SAM assessment exam due by 11:59pm
Fri, Dec
5
Fri
Access 2013, Chapter 1 assignment due by 11:59pm
Fri, Dec
12 due by
11:59pm due by
11:59pm
Fri
Access 2013, Chapter 2 assignment due by
11:59pm
IS 101 Course Capstone Project Part 1: Independent Research due by
Paper 11:59pm
IS 101 Course Capstone Project Part 2: Power Point due by
11:59pm