Course Syllabus

Spring 2024 | CIS-1041-VO02S - Computer Applications

Synchronous Class

Synchronous courses are delivered through a combination of online and regularly-scheduled Zoom sessions. In synchronous classes, students must attend Zoom sessions and actively engage with each other and faculty in course activities and discussions.

Faculty

Louis Colasanti
View Faculty Credentials
View Faculty Statement
Hiring Coordinator for this course: Deb Grant

General Education Requirements

VSCS Digital and Technical Literacy

Note

Many degree programs have specific general education recommendations. In order to avoid taking unnecessary classes, please consult with additional resources like your program evaluation, your academic program catalog year page, and your academic advisor.

Courses may only be used to meet one General Education Requirement.

Course Description

This course provides a hands-on introduction to office application software designed for computers and mobile devices. Topics include cloud applications, presentations, word processing, and spreadsheets. Basic computer and internet skills are required.

Essential Objectives

1. Demonstrate safe computing practices.
2. Demonstrate the ability to create resources and set appropriate permissions for cloud-based files and applications and apply file management principles on local and remote networks.
3. Explain the function and the primary features of a word processing program and create documents appropriate for academic and business environments.
4. Design and build a spreadsheet using professional formatting, names, labels, tables, values, formulas, functions, and absolute and relative references.
5. Use spreadsheet software to present and analyze quantitative information, draw conclusions, and evaluate the reliability of those conclusions.
6. Use presentation software to demonstrate proficiency in using text, graphs, organizational charts, tables, artwork, drawing tools, animation, and multimedia.
7. Demonstrate effective, safe, and ethical searching, evaluating, communicating, and citing of digital information.
8. Discuss legal and ethical issues related to computers and information processing, including fair use standards, academic honesty, and user accessibility.
9. Discuss how digital media perpetuates or disrupts systems of inequality.
10. Determine the appropriate devices and software for a variety of tasks and how to accurately convey information, thoughts, and ideas.

Required Technology

Students in this course will need access to Microsoft 365. This software is available on CCV lab computers at CCV academic centers and to CCV students free of charge through a download of Microsoft 365. Information on how to download Microsoft 365 can be found HERE.

Microsoft 365 can be installed on Windows 10/11 PC and Macintosh computers and laptops. It cannot be installed on a Chromebook. Microsoft 365 on a Macintosh computer does not include all of the features supported by Windows and there are significant menu differences.

If you have difficulty in acquiring or accessing this resource for your course, please contact your advisor or financial aid counselor.

More information on general computer and internet recommendations is available on the CCV IT Support page. https://support.ccv.edu/general/computer-recommendations/

Please see CCV's Digital Equity Statement (pg. 45) to learn more about CCV's commitment to supporting all students access the technology they need to successfully finish their courses.

Required Textbooks and Resources

*** This is a no cost textbook or resource class. ***

This course only uses free Open Educational Resources (OER) and/or library materials. For details, see the Canvas Site for this class.

Methods

READINGS & RESEARCH

• NO TEXTBOOK PURCHASE REQUIRED FOR THIS COURSE. Instead, we will use on-line resources, including instructor-provided material and links to outside resources.
• Other handouts and on-line materials, as needed.
• Brief weekly internet-based research, both common and student-selected topics, on technology, data/demographics, and other topics.
• Instructor-approved, student-selected research and readings leading to a final project of text, tables, and charts, using both MS Word and Excel. {See Hands-On Projects, below.}
  .

HANDS-ON PROJECTS:
The course is built around learning skills that can help students with all types of academic research, as well as day-to-day and work-related uses of Microsoft Word & Excel. A final quantitative research project, with topics selected by each student with instructor approval, will help students learn how to find data and text sources through focused research, how to 'crunch the numbers' and create charts or graphs in Excel, and to import them, along with research source material, into Word to develop a final report. In addition, students will also learn the fundamentals of PowerPoint , as well as MLA or APA citation of sources, both of which are requirements for the final capstone course, Seminar In Educational Inquiry [HUM-2010].

Aside from the Final Project, students will also get hands-on experience with some practical uses of these programs, and research tools, including:

• Developing a résumé & cover letter.
• Developing a household or business budget.
• Calculating the cost of student loans.
• Exploring data on the future job market, including which areas are expected to see growth, as well as average wages or salaries.
• Making use of research tools like Google Advanced Search, Google Scholar, Hartness Library resources, KnightCite and Word for tracking citations, and more.

CLASS DISCUSSIONS & PRESENTATIONS

• A portion of each class will be devoted to class discussion and/or presentations from the above material.
• Each student will be expected to contribute from his or her internet research or other homework assignment.

Evaluation Criteria

See 1.3 Homework + Evaluation Guidelines on Canvas for details:

• No tests or quizzes.
• However, all assignments should be completed in order to increase the likelihood of passing the course and attaining a decent grade.
• The requirements of each assignment are set at B-level work, which, barring overwork on the job, caring for the kids, too many unnecessary distractions, or plain old procrastination, nearly all students should be able to accomplish without too much difficulty.
• Late homework submissions will affect the grade.
• The expectations and goals are not an arbitrary bar for you to clear. If you show commitment to the work and discipline in getting it done, as well as progress toward the goals of the course, you should end up with at least a B, probably better.
• Both at the mid-term and for the final evaluation, students will be required to submit both the letter grade they think they have earned, as well as a brief written evaluation. For the final grade, we have to come to an agreement about what represents a fair and accurate grade.
• NOTE: Grades are determined in equal 4-point increments, from 97-100 for A+, 93-96 for an A, 89-92 for an A- ... etc.

Grading Criteria

CCV Letter Grades as outlined in the Evaluation System Policy are assigned according to the following chart:

	High	Low
A+	100	98
A	Less than 98	93
A-	Less than 93	90
B+	Less than 90	88
B	Less than 88	83
B-	Less than 83	80
C+	Less than 80	78
C	Less than 78	73
C-	Less than 73	70
D+	Less than 70	68
D	Less than 68	63
D-	Less than 63	60
F	Less than 60
P	100	60
NP	Less than 60	0

Weekly Schedule

Attendance Policy

Regular attendance and participation in classes are essential for success in and are completion requirements for courses at CCV. A student's failure to meet attendance requirements as specified in course descriptions will normally result in a non-satisfactory grade.

• In general, missing more than 20% of a course due to absences, lateness or early departures may jeopardize a student's ability to earn a satisfactory final grade.
• Attending an on-ground or synchronous course means a student appeared in the live classroom for at least a meaningful portion of a given class meeting. Attending an online course means a student posted a discussion forum response, completed a quiz or attempted some other academically required activity. Simply viewing a course item or module does not count as attendance.
• Meeting the minimum attendance requirement for a course does not mean a student has satisfied the academic requirements for participation, which require students to go above and beyond simply attending a portion of the class. Faculty members will individually determine what constitutes participation in each course they teach and explain in their course descriptions how participation factors into a student's final grade.

Participation Expectations

from 1.3 Homework Guidelines --

'Attendance' matters --
While there is no set class time for an online course, there are deadlines for submitting work and participating in other aspects of the course. In that light ...

• ‘Perfect attendance’, i.e., timely completion & submission of all assignments and weekly participation in other course activities, will earn a ‘bonus’ of one ‘step’ in your grade.
  • For example, B > B+, B+ > A-, etc.
• One miss, i.e., failing to submit work or participate in class activities for one week, is 'on the house' and will not affect your grade.
  • However, any homework due is still required to be submitted.
• A second 'absence' will lower your grade by one 'step', e.g., from B+ to B.
  • But this can be offset, at least somewhat, by some additional work, usually on the final project.
• A third absence will lower your grade at least a full grade, e.g., from B to C, though you can offset some of the deduction with additional work, usually on the final project.
• Except in extraordinary circumstances, usually because of unforeseen family or medical emergencies, a fourth absence will result in a failing grade.

Class participation --
While the bulk of work will be hands-on, in-class and homework, participation in class activities -- about readings, discussions, presentations, etc. -- is probably the other most significant factor. While it's a given that some people find it easier to 'speak up' than others, everyone is expected to participate as fully as possible.

Missing & Late Work Policy

from 1.3 Homework Guidelines --

• Re-Submitting Work:
  • Homework assignments may be re-submitted once to improve your grade.
  • But in order to take advantage of this opportunity …
    • the original homework must have been submitted on time and
    • it must have shown a good-faith effort to complete all the elements of the assignment.
  • Final point scores for individual assignments that have been re-submitted will usually use the second score.
    • But know that, in case you end up not doing as well on the re-try, the best score of the two submissions will be used.
• Late Submissions:
  • If you miss a deadline for an assignment, you will still be expected to complete the work as soon as possible.
  • Late work will impact final point scores for assignments; but failure to submit a required assignment will have a much greater impact on your grade, and your learning.
  • If there are unexpected circumstances that will prevent you from getting the work in on time, let me know as soon as possible, preferably before the due date, or as soon after that as possible. ...

Accessibility Services for Students with Disabilities:

1. Provide disability documentation to the Accessibility Coordinator at your academic center. https://ccv.edu/discover-resources/students-with-disabilities/
2. Request an appointment to meet with accessibility coordinator to discuss your request and create an accommodation plan.
3. Once created, students will share the accommodation plan with faculty. Please note, faculty cannot make disability accommodations outside of this process.

Academic Integrity