SYLLABUS
& COURSE GUIDE
FALL SEMESTER, 2005
Course Title: 13-221
Microcomputer Applications 1
Instructor: Dennis
Buskirk
Office hours: Tuesday & Thursday
Wednesday
(Blackboard Chat room)
Office number: T-139 Office phone: 301-784-5128 E-mail: dbuskirk@allegany.edu
Secretarys phone: 301-784-5328 (Barbara Renotas T-27)
Day / Time of class meeting:
1. In-Class section 1180 Tuesday & Thursday
2.
Web course sections 2115 (AC), 2124 (BR), & 2125 (SM)
Required Text & Materials:
Course website: http://blackboard.allegany.edu
Book website: www.scsite.com
1. Microsoft
Office 2003 Advanced Concepts and Techniques: Shelly Cashman
Series.
2. Five blank
3.5 diskettes or One Zip Disk.
*** Microsoft
Office 2003 software (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access) It is NOT necessary
that you purchase this software as it is available at all campuses of Allegany
College of Maryland. However, if
interested, Office 2003 Professional is available for purchase at a discounted
rate (approximately $70) to ACM students.
Please e-mail Bob Elbin (belbin@allegany.edu) if interested.
** Please
note: Under extenuating circumstances,
the instructor has the right to change any course provisions or requirements
during the semester.
Purpose:
This
course provides an introduction to several of the more popular application
software packages for microcomputers in use today. Students will have hands-on use of a
spreadsheet (Excel), a word processor (Word), a database management system
(Access), presentation graphics (PowerPoint), and
software integration. Windows
2000 operating systems concepts will also be covered.
Course objectives:
1. To reinforce
microcomputer applications concepts.
2. To
give students additional experience with the Windows 2000 microcomputer
operating system.
3. To
demonstrate the practical use of software application tools in solving common
business problems.
4.
To prepare students for the
Microsoft Certification for the User Specialist.
5.
To prepare students for
advanced level database programming.
** Please be advised that
the time allotted to lab during class time will NOT be sufficient for
completing most assignments. You should
be prepared to spend extra time in lab becoming familiar with the concepts
presented in this class. The standard to fellow is
for every hour spent in class a minimum of three hours out of class will
usually be required.**
Attendance / Tardiness policy:
Attendance
is required for all classes and roll will be taken. If you miss a class you are still responsible
for any material covered. Three
unexcused absences can result in your being dropped from the class. Tardiness will be treated as a missed
class. Attendance reflects attitude and
will be used as a final determination of grade when accumulated points are
close to a crossover between two letter grades.
Web Students failing to correspond with me by the
end of the 2nd week of classes and failing to meet the first deadline I assign
may be dropped from the course.
Academic dishonesty:
Refer to
the AC Student Handbook for the definition of academic dishonesty, and know
well the definition of plagiarism. Any
act of academic dishonesty will be dealt with in an appropriate way.
Class participation:
Learning
comes through communication, and thus is a two way process. Participation not only affects your grade,
but also affects how much you get from this course. Please feel free to ask questions and make
comments relating to the material being covered.
Course content:
Quizzes 15%
Tests 40%
Homework 45%
Course grading structure:
90-100 =
A
80- 89 = B
70- 79 = C
60- 69 = D
<60
= F
***NOTE: All assignments must be turned in for the student to receive a passing grade for this course!***
Extra credit: Extra credit
is not normally a part of this course.
Deadlines:
Projects, assignments,
homework, etc. are due at the beginning of class on the date due. After that time, they are considered late and
will lose 10% per day until turned in.
Due dates will be given during class and posted on the web site.
Make-ups:
No make-up of exams, practicals, or assignments is permitted unless a valid, documentable medical or emergency situation exists.
Students will have at least two days to take the written assessment in the
testing lab. Practical assessments will
be given in class on specific dates and must be taken at that time.
Microcomputer Applications I
Tentative
Course Schedule
WEEK & SUBJECT
APPLICATION
INTRODUCTION
& WINDOWS 2000
Project 4
Creating doc. with table, chart, & watermark (Advanced)
2 Project 5 Generating
form letters, mailing labels, envelopes, & directories (Advanced)
3
Project 6 Creating a professional newsletter
(Advanced)
Word
Exams
EXCEL
4 Review
of MS Excel basics
Review Project
3 What-If analysis, charting, & large spreadsheets (Introductory)
5 Project 4 Financial
functions, data tables, amortization schedules (Advanced)
6 Project
5 Creating, sorting, & querying a worksheet database (Advanced)
7
Project 6 Creating templates & working with
multiple worksheets (Advanced)
8 Review
of Databases in Access
Review - Projects 1, 2, and 3
9 Project
4 Reports, forms, & combo boxes
10 Project
5 Enhancing forms
with OLE fields, hyperlinks, and subforms
11 Project
6 Creating an application system using macros, wizards and switchboard
12 Access
Exams
POWERPOINT
13 Review
of PowerPoint basics
Project 3
Using visuals to enhance a slide show (Advanced)
14 Project 4 Modifying visual
elements & presentation formats (Advanced)
PowerPoint
Exams
15 Outlook
Overview of Features and review of email concepts