CISC 181 On-Line
DRAFT COPY- Principles of Information Systems
Spring 2009 - CRN 51389
First 8 Weeks – January 26 through March 21, 2009
INSTRUCTOR: John Hammond
COURSE OBJECTIVES
Our objective is to develop an in-depth understanding of computers as essential components of society and of the
business world. We will focus on the computer as a valuable productivity tool, recognize the personal computer's position
as the backbone of the computer industry and emphasize its use a stand-alone and networked device. Topics include
hardware, application and system software, the Internet and World Wide Web, communications, e-commerce, societal
issues, database management, systems analysis and design, programming, information systems, career opportunities,
certifications in the computer field, and computer trends . We will also present strategies for purchasing and maintaining a
personal computer system, including networking these systems. This course also provides an overview of microcomputer
applications including Microsoft Office 2007 (Word 2007, Excel 2007, Access 2007, and PowerPoint 2007).
REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS and SOFTWARE
A Bundle with 4 items [ISBN: 0-13-5083400] available at the City College bookstore, Room A-12, SD City College and the
City College on-line bookstore or the KB bookstore near City College.
The following four items are included in the aforementioned bundle:
1. Technology In Action, Complete, 5th Edition and Student CD Pkg; [ISBN: 0135137209];by Evans, Martin, Poatsy;
Prentice Hall Publishing {Publish Date: 1/11/2007; 704 pages}
2. Go! with Microsoft Office 2007 Introductory and Student CD Pkg 1st Edition [ISBN: 0-13-167999-6 ]; by Gaskin, Ferrett,
Vargas, Marks; Prentice Hall Publishing {1504 pages}
3. Corporate Microsoft Office 2007 180 Day Trial Software
4.
Prentice Hall MyITLab for Go w/Office 2007 [ISBN: 013513238X]
OR Purchase Textbooks Online at the SDCCD Online Bookstore
IMPORTANT! If you don’t buy the bundle above you will have to buy the key for item 4, the MyITLab to take the class.
The key will cost about $65.00.
Note: Our class is only 8 weeks long. You cannot wait a week to receive books and still complete the volume of work that
is required. Please take advantage of this great price of around $110 for all four items and buy them locally. AND,
remember, you must also have an edition of Microsoft Office that includes Access in order to do the work. This software
is included in the bundle at City College Bookstore or KB Books, (the store near City College only).
HARDWARE ISSUES
All homework is expected to be conducted on a PC. Work done on Macs will NOT be accepted. Please note that you will be
working with Microsoft Office 2007. The book bundle includes a trial version of this software for those students who do not
have the software installed on their computer. All work must be completed with Office 2007.
GRADING
1 Report @ 100
13 Quizzes @ 30
14 Lab Assignments @ 30
6 Discussions Posts @ 15
Total =
=
=
=
=
100
390
420
90
1000
A: 900 to 1000
B: 800 to 899
C: 700 to 799
D: 600 to 699
F: under 600
COURSE POLICIES
Quizzes (13 from the Technology in Action textbook) must be taken during the time that they are open. Quizzes will NOT
be reopened. Each quiz will be open for 5 days, from Wednesday at 8 a.m. until Monday at 11:59 p.m. The open dates
are listed on this syllabus and again under the Quiz section of this course. (See Assessment on the toolbar.) You are
given an hour to complete each quiz once you have started. The quizzes are graded by the system and are available
immediately.
Homework Assignments (14 from either the MyITLab simulator link or the Office 2007 textbook) are due on Mondays by
11:59 p.m. Their respective due dates are listed on this syllabus and again in the Assignment section of this course (see
Assignments on the toolbar). Late assignments are accepted but are marked down 2 points each day they are late. On
time assignments will be graded as soon as possible hopefully within 3 days of their due date.
Discussion Posts are due on six Fridays throughout the term. They are NOT accepted late. Their due dates are listed in
this syllabus. (See Discussion on the toolbar.) Except for the first one, which will focus on you and why you are in the
class, Discussion topics will use the “Technology in Focus” found between the numbered chapters in your textbook. More
details are listed in the 1st schedule below and on the Discussion Icon. The discussion posts will be graded as soon as
possible, hopefully within 3 days of their due date.
Academic Honesty is held in utmost regard in this class. Students are expected to uphold City College’s standard of
conduct relating to academic honesty. Students assume full responsibility for the content and the integrity of the work
they submit. The guiding principle of academic integrity shall be that a student’s submitted work – examinations, reports,
and projects – must be that of the student’s own work. Students shall be guilty of violating the honor code if they
represent the work of others as their own or misrepresent the content of submitted work.
Note of caution: All of your labs must be the result of INDEPENDENT work. If you share your computer with another
classmate, you must make sure that the files submitted are your own work. Students who decide to share files will both
receive an F on the assignment. More than one occurrence of this behavior and the student will receive an F in the class.
Online Classroom Etiquette: Please remember to keep discussion boards relevant to the topic at hand. Material posted
that deviates from the topic, or material that is considered to be rude, angry or biased, or material that creates an
uncomfortable environment for the class will be removed at once and the student(s) involved will be given a warning. If
such behavior continues, the student(s) will be removed from the class immediately. This etiquette also pertains to emails
that are sent within the class. If you should observe such behavior, please contact the professor at once.
Withdrawing/Dropping the Class: It is the student’s responsibility to drop all classes in which he/she is no longer
participating. It is the professor’s discretion to withdraw a student after the add/drop deadline due to excessive absences.
Students who remain enrolled in class beyond the published withdrawal deadline, as stated in the class schedule, will
receive an evaluative letter grade in this class. The drop deadline for this class is 09/03/2008 – the withdrawal deadline
for this class is 09/26/2008
Students with Disabilities are asked to contact DSPS at 619.388.3513 to discuss their specific educational assistance
requirements. DSPS will then notify the instructor as to the steps necessary to accommodate the student.
NAVIGATING THE HOMEPAGE
Greetings is a message from your instructor.
Syllabus allows you to see the course syllabus.
Using MyITLab contains instructions for accessing and using the MyITLab website used to complete certain parts of your
homework assignments. It is imperative that you review this material before trying to use MyITLab.
Student Help and Tutorials icon on the homepage provides further chapter content for the Technology in Action textbook
and has a great tutorial for using this WebCT-Vista delivery system. If you have not taken an online class before at
SDCCD, please go through this tutorial during the first two days! It will show you how to access different parts of the
system and how to submit homework and how to take quizzes.
Student Files icon on the homepage leads you to a copy of the files that are on the CD that is included with your text
book.
Calendar is on the toolbar to the left. Quiz and homework due dates are shown. Use this as a visual reference for the
class.
Email is on the toolbar to the left. Use email to write to me or your fellow students privately.
Discussion is on the toolbar to the left. Use discussion to post public questions or comments to me and all of your fellow
students. General comments and questions should be posted under the “Free Space” area. Answers to the 6 required
posts must be posted under their respective topic heading to ensure you receive full credit.
Homework (including the Research Report) is submitted via the Assignment tool on the toolbar on the left of your screen.
Quizzes are entered via the Assessment tool on the toolbar on the left of your screen.
Grades can be seen via the My Grades tool on the toolbar on the left of your screen.
Announcements can be accessed via the Announcements icon on the toolbar on the left of your screen. Please look for
new announcements each time you login to the class. They contain late breaking news about this class.
CLASS SCHEDULES
There are TWO schedules below and you must work on them concurrently:
The 1st schedule is for READING assignments, and QUIZZES based on GO! Technology in Action. The 13 quizzes
are from these readings. This schedule also includes the 6 DISCUSSION POSTS and an Internet Research Report. The
Discussion Posts are outlined below. The Internet Research Report is outlined below.
The 2nd schedule is for the 13 homework assignments from the MyITLab simulator and GO! With Microsoft, Office 2007
book.
SCHEDULE 1: Reading Assignments and QUIZZES from GO! Technology in Action textbook,
REPORT from internet research, DISCUSSION POSTS.
Reading Assignment
Chapter: Topic
Quiz
Quiz
Number Covers
Jan 26 – Mar 1
#1 Becoming Computer Fluent
Discussion Post #1*
Q1
Chap 1
Jan 28 thru Feb 2
due Jan 30
Feb 2 – Feb 8
#2: Looking at Computers
#3: Using the Internet
Discussion Post #2*
Q2
Q3
Chap 2
Chap 3
Feb 4 thru Feb 9
Feb 4 thru Feb 9
due Feb 6
Feb 9 – Feb 15
#4: Applications Software
#5: Using System Software
Q4
Q5
Chap 4
Chap 5
Feb 11 thru Feb 17*
Feb 11 thru Feb 17*
Week Dates
Open Quiz Dates:
*Extra day added for holiday
Feb 16 – Feb 22
#6: Understanding Hardware
#7: Networking and Security
Discussion Post #3*
Q6
Q7
Chap 6
Chap 7
Feb 18 thru Feb 23
Feb 18 thru Feb 23
due Feb 20
Feb 23 – Mar 1
#8: Mobile Computing
#9: System Hardware
Discussion Post #4*
Q8
Q9
Chap 8
Chap 9
Feb 8 thru Mar 2
Feb 8 thru Mar 2
due Feb 27
Mar 2 – Mar 8
#10: Software Programming
#11: Databases and IS Systems
Discussion Post #5*
Q10
Q11
Chap 10
Chap 11
Mar 4 thru Mar 9
Mar 4 thru Mar 9
due Mar 6
Mar 9 – Mar 15
#12: Networking/Servers
#13: Internet and How it Works
Discussion Post #6*
Q12
Q13
Chap 12
Chap 13
Mar 11 thru Mar 16
Mar 11 thru Mar 16
due Mar 13
Mar 16 – Mar 21
Internet Research Report**
(Note: submit under Assignment Icon on sidebar)
CLASS ENDS Saturday, March 21 at midnight!
* Discussions outlined below.
** Internet Research Report outlined below.
Mar 18
SCHEDULE 2: Reading Assignments and HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS from the MYITLab
simulator exercises and GO! With Microsoft Office 2007 Introductory book. The MYITLab
simulator is explained in more detail on the class homepage. Click the icon.
Note: DO NOT PRINT WHEN THE BOOK SAYS PRINT. INSTEAD, SAVE AND SUBMIT. If a homework
assignment includes Project A and Project B, then those parts will be completed in MyITLab. This
simulator will walk you through each step (that is also outlined in the book). But it’s easier and faster.
Just do the work there. I will check to see that it has been completed. You will then use Microsoft Office
2007 to complete the remaining part of the assignment. Submit these (non A and B) files through our inclass Assessment tool. (See Icon on the left of your screen.)
Important Note: Each homework assignment is worth a total of 30 points. Quite often, groups have
two practice parts (Parts A and B, done in the MyITLab link) which are worth 5 points each and one or
two Skills Review or Problem Solving parts (done from your book), which is worth 20 points. In these
types of assignments, you will not receive credit for the Skills Review or Problem Solving (the 20
points) unless you also do the A and B files through MyITLab. Points for all other assignment
groupings are as labeled below.
Week Dates
What to do:
Location
What to turn in:
Where to
Submit
Due
Jan 26 – Mar 1
Project 5A, Create & Edit doc. (5 pts)
Project 5B, Checking your work (5 pts)
Project 5L, Word Problem Solving (20 pts)
MyITLab
MyITLab
313
Application Letter
Company Overview
Survey form
MyITLab
MyITLab
Hw1
Feb 2
Feb 2
Feb 2
Feb 2 – Feb 8
Project 6A, Formatting Text (5 pts)
Project 6B, Research Paper (5 pts)
Project 6K, Word Problem Solving (20 pts)
MyITLab
MyITLab
402
Seminar Announcement
Research Paper
Plagiarism Document
MyITLab
MyITLab
Hw2
Feb 9
Feb 9
Feb 9
Project 7A, Using Graphics (5 pts)
Project 7B, Using Tables (5 pts)
Project 7L, Word Problem Solving (20 pts)
MyITLab
MyITLab
487
Photography Flyer
Price List Flyer
Classes Flyer
MyITLab
MyITLab
Hw3
Feb 9
Feb 9
Feb 9
Project 8A, Using Columns & Labels (5 pts)
Project 8B, Skills Review (5 pts)
Project 8K, Word Problem Solving (20 pts)
MyITLab
MyITLab
560
Newsletter
Television Hosts
Extension classes
MyITLab
Feb 17*
MyITLab
Feb 17*
Hw4
Feb 17*
*Extra day for holiday
Project 9A, Excel basics (5 pts)
Project 9B, Calculations/Pie charts(5 pts)
Project 9C, Skills Review (20 pts)
MyITLab
MyITLab
645
Auto Sales workbook
Inventory workbook
Auto Service workbook
MyITLab
MyITLab
Hw5
Feb 2 – Feb 8
Feb 17
Feb 17
Feb 17
*Extra day for holiday
Feb 16 – Feb 22 Project 9M, Excel Problem Solving (30 pts)
Feb 23 – Mar 1
Mar 2 – Mar 8
672
Labor Costs workbook
Hw6
Feb 23
Project 10A, Summary Sheets (5 pts)
Project 10B, Making Projections (5 pts)
Project 10C, Skills Review (20 pts)
MyITLab
MyITLab
729
Ticket Sales workbook
Growth Projections wb
Permit Sales workbook
MyITLab
MyITLab
Hw7
Feb 23
Feb 23
Feb 23
Project 10D, Skills Review (30 pts)
732 -736
Property Tax workbook
Hw8
Mar 2
Project 11A, Functions and Tables(5 pts)
Project 11B, Making Projections (5 pts)
Project 11D, Skills Review (20 pts)
MyITLab
MyITLab
817 - 820
Milan Inventory workbook
Loan Payments workbook
Auto Loan workbook
MyITLab
MyITLab
Hw9
Mar 2
Mar 2
Mar 2
Project 11L, Excel Problem Solving (30 pts)
838
Commission workbook
Hw10
Mar 9
Project 12A, Access basics (5 pts)
Project 12B, Using Templates (5 pts))
Project 12C, Skills Review (20 pts)
MyITLab
MyITLab
907 - 911
Contact database
Events database
Departments database
MyITLab
MyITLab
Hw11
Mar 9
Mar 9
Mar 9
Mar 9 – Mar 15
Project 13A, Sorts and Queries (5 pts)
Project 13B, Excel and Access (5 pts)
Project 13C, Skills Review (20 pts)
MyITLab
MyITLab
1011 - 1014
Instructors/Courses db
Athletes/Scholarships db
Music Department db
MyITLab
MyITLab
Hw12
Mar 16
Mar 16
Mar 16
Project 14A, Forms (5 pts)
Project 14B, Reports (5 pts)
Project 14C, Skills Review (20 pts)
MyITLab
MyITLab
1105 - 1109
Candidates/Interviews
Job Openings db
Counseling Sessions
MyITLab
MyITLab
Hw13
Mar 16
Mar 16
Mar 16
MyITLab
MyITLab
1216
Expansion Plan
Bakery
Menus
MyITLab
MyITLab
Hw14
Mar 21
Mar 21
Mar 21
Mar 16 – Mar 21 Project 15A, PP basics
Project 15B, Creating a presentation
Project 15N, PP Problem Solving
Submit any late homework for partial credit by Saturday Mar 21, and do Research Report – due by Wed., Mar 18.
CLASS ENDS Saturday, March 21 at midnight.
DISCUSSION POSTS
Six (6) discussion posts are due during this course. You must reply to the topic with at minimum of 10 sentences that explore
that particular topic. Your posting should have substance and demonstrate that you completed the appropriate reading to
answer the questions. The first post, which must be completed by January 30, is a self introduction. Discussions 2 thru 6 will
be based on the “Technology in Focus” topics found in your textbook between the numbered chapters. Discussion posts are
worth 15 points each and are not accepted past the due date. They will be graded as soon as possible, hopefully within 3
days of their due date.
REPORT
The Research Report, due Wednesday, March 18, should be three (3) or more pages of text PLUS a reference page that lists
your online resources. The paper has to cover a computer-related topic from the following list. It should be researched on the
Internet. You must list at least three sites that you read for this paper. If you use WIKIPEDIA as one of your references, you
must have at least 3 other references. Be sure to reference the complete URL of your sites. See Project 6B from hw2 as an
example report. Be sure to put things in your own words (NO plagiarizing!) 100 points. Late submission will lose 10 points a
day (after midnight, March 21 = no credit)
REPORT TOPICS:
WebLogs (BLOGS)
Service-based Web Businesses
EXPERT SYSTEMS
Singularity
MS PASSPORT
Eco-friendly workspaces – Working in a paperless world.
Wireless Network Security
Innovations in Medical Imaging
Innovations in Adaptive Devices for the Disabled
Social Implications of Facebook and MySpace
E-commerce for Startup Businesses
Careers in Web Design
Careers in <your choice as long as it’s a computer-related field>
10 Safe ways to Back up your system
Protecting Artists (especially musicians) on the Web (or, Quit downloading my song for free!)
Microsoft’s HealthVault – Web-based personal health records
Digital Entertainment
Find a topic from the list above OR a computer-related topic that you want to write on. You must get approval for a
topic that is not on my list. Having said that, I do like when people think up new ideas. More interesting that way.