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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "CS 110-5"
COURSE NAME: "Microcomputer Applications"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Spring 2017
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: John Ewing
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS: MW 11:30AM 12:45PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS:
PREREQUISITES:
OFFICE HOURS:

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
An introductory course covering the most commonly used microcomputer applications, including the Windows Operating System, word processing, and spreadsheets.
SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:
  • Microsoft Word
  • techniques for producing professional reports
  • Microsoft Excel
  • techniques for managing and analyzing data in spreadsheets
  • Microsoft Powerpoint
  • guidelines for producing effective presentations
  • techniques for integrating Microsoft Office tools
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
  1. Ability to produce professionally formatted documents that include tables, graphic elements, and hypertext navigation.
  2. Capacity to create spreadsheets involving calculations that generate dynamic outputs.
  3. Knowledge of spreadsheet functions and statistical analysis.
  4. Skills for producing presentations that include hyperlinks and action buttons.
  5. Understanding how to produce professional reports through integration of different office applications.
TEXTBOOK:
NONE
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
Attendance and class participation 10
Class assignmentsThe course is very practical and students are required to complete and save on their reserved area all exercises assigned in class on a daily basis.10
Midterm ExamThe midterm exam will require students to produce a professionally formatted Word document.20
Final ExamThe final exam will require students to produce a purposeful Excel worksheet containing data, formulas, and data analysis developed with the help of a set of instructions.25
PC ProjectThe project will combine into a unified structure the microcomputer applications learnt during the course, namely Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. The guidelines for the computer project will be provided 3 weeks before the end of the course. The project deadline is the day of the final exam.35

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AThis level of performance demonstrates professional skills in the use of computer applications and the achievement of professional ability in delivering information and providing correct data analysis. At this level, the student: 1) shows an excellent ability to choose the right tools in order to produce a professionally formatted, complex Word documents where graphic and text elements are combined in a solid structure. 2) demonstrates excellent skills in performing correct data analysis and is confident in the use of complex Excel functions and tools for solving different problems in various contexts 3) is able to run a professionally constructed presentation that delivers the results of his/her research project
BThis level of performance demonstrates competent skills in the use of computer applications and the achievement of competent ability in delivering information and providing correct data analysis. At this level, the student: 1) shows good skills in choosing the right tools in order to produce a professionally formatted Word documents where graphic and text elements are combined in a solid structure. 2) demonstrates ability to perform correct data analysis and is confident enough in the use of many Excel functions and tools for solving different problems in various contexts 3) is able to run a professionally constructed presentation that delivers the results of his/her research project.
CThis level of performance demonstrates sufficient/acceptable skills in the use of computer applications and the achievement of a workable ability in delivering information and providing correct data analysis. At this level, the student: 1) shows the ability to use some of the tools available in order to produce a professionally formatted Word documents where graphic and text elements are combined in a sufficiently solid structure. 2) demonstrates ability to perform a simple data analysis and is sufficiently confident in the use of the most common Excel functions and tools for solving different problems in various contexts 3) is sufficiently able to run a professionally constructed presentation that delivers the results of his/her research project.
DThis level of performance demonstrates just sufficient skills in the use of computer applications and the achievement of a borderline ability in delivering information and providing correct data analysis. At this level, the student: 1) shows a basic ability to choose the right tools in order to produce a formatted Word documents where graphic and text elements are combined. 2) demonstrates ability to perform very basic data analysis and to know how to use basic excel functions and tools for solving different problems in various contexts 3) is able to run a basic presentation that delivers the results of his/her research project.
FThis level of performance demostrates insufficient skills in the use of computer applications and the failure in achieving a sufficient ability in delivering information and providing correct data analysis.

-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Attendance is mandatory as all lessons will be held in the computer laboratory and will be a combination of theory and practice. Students spending most of the class time using smart-phones or the like will be marked absent.
ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision.
STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.

SCHEDULE

Week 1
-introduction to Microsoft Word
-reviewing  basics of word processing
-formatting simple documents
-class assignment 1

Week 2
-advanced formatting
-reviewing documents
-class assignment 2

Week 3
-tables and graphical elements in documents
-desktop publishing
-class assignment 3

Week 4
-tables and graphical elements in documents (cont.)
-desktop publishing (cont.)
-class assignment 4

Week 5
-introduction to Microsoft Excel
-entering data into cells
-formatting cells
-adding and renaming sheets
-class assignment 5

Week 6
-importing text files
-introduction to Microsoft Powershell
-using regular expressions in Powershell (discussion of grep and sed for Linux and MacOS)
-class assignment 6

Week 7
-midterm exam

Week 8
-using formulas in Excel
-understanding ranges in Excel
-class assignment 7

Week 9
-using functions in Excel
-embedding charts in Excel
-class assignment 8

Week 10
-creating pivot tables in Excel
-making advanced charts in Excel
-using database functions in Excel
-class assignment 9

Week 11
-advanced functions in Excel (match, index, offset, indirect)
-class assignment 10

Week 12
-"What-if" analysis
-class assignment 11

Week 13
-introduction to Microsoft Powerpoint
-preparing slides
-adding special effects
-managing timing of slides and effects
-structuring and delivering a presentation

Week 14
-project question and answer session

Week 15
-final exam