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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "CS 110-3"
COURSE NAME: "Microcomputer Applications"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Fall Semester 2012
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Gazziano Stefano
EMAIL: [email protected]
 HOURS: MW 15:00-16:15
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS:
PREREQUISITES:
OFFICE HOURS: tba
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Develop basic and required skills and acquire an updated knowledge in personal productivity software (i.e. office automation, internet tools) and in the use of Internet as a resource, as commonly used in professional business practice.
SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:

Operating systems . File systems and file/folder management.

How to work in different environments: local PC, intranet servers, internet services, cloud computing.

Personal productivity SW: Office (Microsoft, OpenOffice, Google Drive suite) Simple Integration of documents

MS Office: Excel. Word and Powerpoint. Basic and advanced features. Embedding objects among different applications.

Multimedia documents: Prezi, Lucidpress. 

How the Web works: servers and browsers. Internet as a resource.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
 At the end of the course the student will:

1 - Understand the basic concepts of file management on local and network platforms
2 - Know how to use basic and advanced features of office automation programs
3 - Know how to produce professional reports integrating different office automation tools
4 - Understand different environment for personal productivity, local, intranet, cloud.
5 - Know how to use the Internet as a resource for personal productivity
TEXTBOOK:
NONE
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
Midterm 30
Final 30
Class test 30
class participation and attendance 10

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:

Assessment Guidelines for assigning main letter grades: A, B, C,D, and F.

A:  Work of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensiveknowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the course.

B:  This is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.

There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.

C:  This is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.

D:  This level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material.

Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.

F: This work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.
-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Attendance is compulsory. This because all the lessons will be held in the computer laboratory and will be a combination of theory and practice.

This course has no textbook and wil based only on class presentations (made available on the intranet) and teaching.

Students that will fail to attend at least 8 lessons out of 10 will get an "F" grade.
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
Operating systems, file systems, types of software (OS, middleware, application software). Local computing, Intranet, Internet, cloud computing
principles

Local vs Network. Installed applications on local platforms, Software as a platform, cloud computing, examples of distributed systems: Google Docs

Personal productivity SW: Office (Microsoft, Open Office, Google net suite) Simple Integration of documents

Folder management. Local disk, Network Disks. 

Storing and sharing "in the cloud". Working  on the same document at the same time from across the world. 

Week recap and test: multiple document management.

MS Office: Excel. Introduction. Formulas and function

MS Office: Excel. Principles of modeling. Chart

MS Office: Excel. Principles of modeling. Charts. Multiple data series, enhancing graph

Ms: Office: large worksheet protection, printing, tables. Week test.

MS Office: Word. Document formatting, summaries, sections, document organization

MS Office: Word. Master and subdocuments. Tracking changes, merging documents. Inserting references and tables

MS Office: Word. Share, compare and document: workgroups collaboration and references

Recap

MIDTERM

MS Office: PowerPoint. User interface elements. Presentation creation. Layouts. Themes. Transition and animation

MS Office: PowerPoint. Using a template. Creating presentation in outline view. Printing Outline. Importing Outline.

MS Office: PowerPoint. Slide show design and principles. Multimedia in PowerPoint.

Internet as a resource. Wee test. Document integration: merging Word, Excel, PowerPoint.

How the Web works: servers and browsers. HTML, CSS, JavaScript. Saving a document as a web page

Surveys: qualtrics, basics and examples. Use of surveys in business

Blogs and newsletters in business.

Recap

FINAL

day 1

 ·         Introduction, course aims and content. ·         Grading policy.  ·         Assessment guidelines.  Exams. ·         Course schedule. ·         Operating systems, file systems, types of software (OS, middleware, application software). ·         Local computing, Intranet, Internet, cloud computing principles

day 2

·         Intranet / Extranet·         Software as a service ·         Local vs Network. ·         Installed applications on local platforms, ·         Software as a platform, cloud computing. ·         Examples of distributed systems: Google Docs

day 3

·         Personal productivity SW .·         Office (Microsoft, Open Office, Google net suite) ·         Simple Integration of documents

day 4

·         Folder management. ·         Local disk / Network Disks. ·         Storage in the cloud.  Google docs.

day 5

·         Multiple document management.·         FTP protocol. Filezilla.·         Using cloud computing. Personal and Google docs account.·         File sharing and permissions on Google Docs.·         Test: multiple document management

day 6

·         Ms Office·         Common features. Universal tasks.·         Office button. Ribbon. Styles. Status bar.

day 7

·         MS Office. Online help and tutorial.·         Internet learning resources and references.·         The Microsoft Office Online Training.·         MS Office 2010 v/s 2007.

day 8

·         MS Excel. Introduction. ·         Workbook v/s worksheet·         Relative  and absolute cell addresses·         Formulas and functions

day 9

·         MS Excel. ·         Principles of modeling.·         Charts

day 10

·         Ms Excel.·         Financial modeling.·         Multiple data series, enhancing graphs.

day 11

·         MS Excel.·         More modeling.  Drop down lists.·         Large worksheet protection, printing, tables.·         Test: modeling, “what-if” simulation, charts.

day 12

·         MS Word. Document formatting, summaries, sections, document organization

day 13

·         MS Word. Master and subdocuments. Tracking changes, merging documents. Inserting references and tables

day 14

·         MS Word. Share, compare and document: workgroups collaboration and references

day 15

·         Recap class

day 16

·         Recap class

day 17

·         Midterm  Test.

day 18

·         MS PowerPoint. User interface elements. Presentation creation. Layouts. Themes. Transition and animation

day 19

·         MS PowerPoint. Using a template. Creating presentation in outline view. Printing Outline. Importing Outline.

day 20

·         MS PowerPoint. Slide show design and principles. Multimedia in PowerPoint.

day 21

·         Internet content as a resource. Document integration: merging Word, Excel, PowerPoint.

day 22

·         Document integration. Test

day 23

·         How the Web works: servers and browsers. ·         HTML, CSS, JavaScript. Saving a document as a web page.

day 24

·         Personal productivity applications. Image processing and photo retouching. ·         Image file formats.

day 25

·         Surveys:  use of surveys in business

day 26

·         Blogs and newsletters in business.

day 27

·         Recap class

day 28

·         Recap class