Information Technology and Computer Concepts - IT 101 Section 012Fall 2013 Syllabus

Meeting Mondays and Wednesdays 3:35 p.m. 4:50 p.m. Smith 305

InstructorEmailA. AhmedEmail: aahmed@bentley.edu

OfficeSmith 421

Office HoursMondays and Wednesdays 2:30 p.m. 3:30 p.m.Or by appointment

Service LearningThis section will not sponsor students in the 4th-credit option

Objectives1. To develop a solid understanding of traditional computer technology. You will develop a more advanced level of skill with Excel 2010.2. To build a fundamental understanding of digital technology and the implications of hardware, software, and data issues in performance.3. To become comfortable working within an organization heavily dependent on leading edge information technology. In addition to using your personal laptop, you will regularly access and use email systems, Bentley's intranet, and Bentley's web server.4. To develop good habits and ethical principles as a computer user in today's world. Regular machine maintenance will be performed and issues concerning acceptable and mannerly use will be discussed in class and required of all students. Good habits and preventative maintenance will be stressed.5. To develop the students capabilities to the level of being able to build and maintain a small office/home office information system and network6. To fully integrate information technology into the daily experience. It is expected that at the end of the semester, students will be using information technology as a standard tool for problem solving of all types and in all class work.7. To develop an appreciation for the role information technology plays in today's society. Current events will be discussed in class and you will be expected to develop an awareness of the various legal, societal, ethical, and economic dilemmas and trends driven by information technology.8. To give you the confidence to explore and learn new technologies on your own, and to know when to apply them.9. Most of all, this course will model how to live a responsible, technology-enabled lifestyle.

MethodologyLectures, demonstrations, class discussions, readings and videos will be used to present the relevant material in this class. A series of individual homework assignments and projects will provide each student an opportunity to demonstrate competence in effective utilization of end-user productivity softwareAlthough we will only spend approximately 2 1/2 hours a week in the classroom, please plan on spending four to six hours per week outside of the classroom working on this class. This class will probably take more of your time than any other class you are taking.

Use of EmailThis course will make extensive use of Bentley's Electronic Mail System. Please plan to check your email on a daily basis.

Use of BlackboardBentleys Blackboard system, accessible from anywhere you can get to the Internet, will be where all class materials will be posted. The most current version of the class schedule, which may change as the semester goes on, is one of the many documents and links located here. Please check Blackboard daily in order to keep up with the class. See Assignments heading below

Use of Laptop in classYou MUST bring your laptop to class. Your laptop is very important in this class and having a computer that works well is essential. A broken Laptop is no Excuse. You will get information about how to keep your computer in good, working condition as well as plenty of resources for getting help with the machine. Since all of the work for this class will be done on the computer, you must have a working computer for each and every class. If you cannot complete a quiz or exam due to a broken/damaged computer, you will not get credit for that quiz or exam.MAINTAIN AN UP-TO-DATE BACKUP: (on a flash drive, CD, Skydrive, Google Docs or other media) of all your work for this course. Keep a copy of everything that you upload.

Required Course MaterialsOption 1: ACP NEW PERSPECTIVES ON MS EXCEL 2010 INTRODUCTORY. Bundle ISBN: 9781285332413. Includes:1. New Perspectives MS Excel 2010 Intro. ISBN: 97805387423992. PAC SAM 2010 Assessment, Training, Projects Printed Access Card. ISBN: 97811116673753. PAC Emerge with Computer Concepts 4.0. ISBN: 9781285010090

OR

Option 2 (mini bundle): ACP PAC CEC ON BB EMERGE CONCEPTS 1 SEM. Bundle ISBN: 9781285478937. Includes:

1. PAC SAM 2010 Assessment, Training, Projects Printed Access Card. ISBN: 97811116673752. PAC Emerge with Computer Concepts 4.0. ISBN: 9781285010090

Although students will be able to find the Excel book many places, including last semesters IT101 students, they cannot beat the Bentley Bookstore price for the 3 items bundled together. The Bookstore will offer a mini-bundle (option 2) with just the access codes for Emerge (the on-line, concepts book) and SAM (the on-line, Excel program) Notes taken in class will be the most important resource you have to study from for the exams. Emerge in Blackboard will serve as the primary source of reference material. All required reading is posted in the Course Schedule

CourseGradeAttendance: 5% Excel Exercises: 20%Emerge Chapter Quizzes (at home): 10% Web Site Project: 15%Emerge Chapter Quizzes (in class): 5%Google Apps: 5% Wireless Network Project: 5%Midterm: 15% Final: 20%

Keeping track of your grades is as much your responsibility as the instructors. Submit assignments on time, you will receive a grade for each on-time. Finishing an assignment and forgetting to submit it is an invalid excuse for late submission for full or partial grade.

Breakdown of CourseworkExcel Exercises 20 %These are individual, hands-on exercises specifically assigned to provide practice with Excel. These assignments are submitted to and corrected by the SAM system.

Emerge Chapter Quizzes (at home) 10 %Each chapter of Emerge has a corresponding quiz that will be administered through Blackboard. You will have 7 days in which you can take the quiz for the chapter currently being studied. You can take the quiz as many times as you like during those 7 days. Please check your section schedule for the quiz dates.

Emerge Chapter Quizzes (in class) 5 %Mini Emerge topics quizzes taken before and after class lecture to help you measure knowledge gained Website Project 15 %There will be a Web Site project which will have you posting your own Web site up on the CIS Web server. The Web site will be done using XHTML not the older HTML.

Google Apps Assignment 5 %There will be Web based assignment(s) that will use a Google application.

Wireless Network Project 5 %There will be an in-class lab in which you will build your own wireless network with two other students. There is a written lab report required after you complete the lab.

Exams 35 % (Midterm and Final)There will be a midterm exam about way through course worth 15 points.There will be a final exam at the end worth 20 points.

Attendance/Attitude/Attention 5 %This is entirely determined by attendance rosters and the instructors judgment of student participation and is subject to increasing degrees of losses if attendance suffers.

Attendance- Students are expected to attend every class, except when precluded by emergencies, religious holidays, and extenuating circumstances. Absences of this type will be considered "excused".- Whenever possible, the professor should be notified via email in advance if a student will be absent from class. You are advised to seek medical attention immediately if you do not feel well.- Unexcused absence from class will adversely affect your final course grade.- Please do not book your travel during the finals; speak with the professor before you make travel arrangements

All legitimate excuses have a form of proof:Legitimate ExcusesProof NeededAthletic EventTeam Schedule / Letter from Athletic Dept.Family EmergencyNotify Student Life 781-891-2700Serious Illnessor injuryNote from clinic or doctorLegal or other responsibilityWritten proof stating the date and purpose

Attendance will be taken at the end of each session on blackboard.

AssignmentsNext Session To-do list is a link on blackboard that shows descriptions of weekly assignments and due dateSUBMITTING MULTIPLE ASSIGNMENTS AT THE END OF THE TERM WILL NOT BE PERMITTED. SUBMITTING LATE ASSIGNMENTS IS GENERALLY NOT ACCEPTABLE.

Extra CreditNone

Make-upSee Attendance

Class Behavior- Cell phones and all other beepers must be turned off before class begins.- You will be asked to leave the class for the use of Instant Messenger, checking or sending email, playing games or playing movies. The class network may be audited for unauthorized use at the end of the semester. All inappropriate uses will result in an F being averaged in with your final grade!- Attendance will be recorded.- Leaving class without permission is prohibited. Please inform the instructor at the beginning of the class of any legitimate reasons to leave the class early.- Late homework is not acceptable without prior permission.- Legitimate documentation is required for exam make-ups.- Broken computers do not serve as an excuse for late work. The CIS lab, Smith 212, has computers and printers. Back up all of your work to your M: drive.- Audio or video recording is permitted only with permission of the person(s) being recorded. Ask first.

Special AssistancePlease let me know as early in the term as possible and in whatever way is comfortable for you if there are circumstances (for example, a learning disability, a physical problem, or if English is not your first language) that might cause you to have difficulty in keeping up with the course material. I will work with you in any way I can to help find paths around such circumstances as long as you make me aware of the difficulty.

Bentley University abides by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 which stipulate no student shall be denied the benefits of an education solely by reason of a disability. If you have a hidden or visible disability which may require classroom accommodations, please make an appointment with the Assistant Director of Disability Services, Stephanie S. Brodeur, within the first 4 weeks of the semester. The Office of Disability Services is located in the Office of Counseling and Student Development (CSD), Callahan 2nd Floor, 781.891.2274. The Assistant Director of Disability Services is responsible for coordinating accommodations and services for students with disabilities.

Academic IntegrityLearning is a privilege that demands responsibility. At Bentley, students and faculty are members of an academic community that support integrity both inside and outside the classroom. The expectation at Bentley is that students will take advantage of the opportunity for intellectual development and, in doing so, will conduct themselves in a manner consistent with the standards of academic integrity. When these standards are violated or compromised, individuals and the entire Bentley community suffer. Students who engage in acts of academic dishonesty not only face university censure but also may harm their future educational and employment opportunities.http://www.bentley.edu/shandbook/integrity/index.cfmIndividual work means every students project will be unique. You are permitted to exchange thoughts and ideas with other students. However THERE IS TO BE NO EXCHANGE OF ELECTRONIC DATA WHATSOEVER. Projects that appear to have been electronically copied and edited to appear original without an accompanying citation will receive a 0 for the entire project. This issue falls within the scope of the colleges academic integrity policies and spirit as well, so be careful.

Using outside materialsWHENEVER external information, graphics, sounds or video are used in your work, a full citation of all sources must be included or the project will receive a 0. The citation must include author, title, (possible) URL, filename, date you visited the website

ESOLThe ESOL Center has faculty tutors who specialize in teaching English to speakers of other languages (ESOL) and provide writing and speaking support for courses across the curriculum. Students can come to the center at any stage in their writing process or receive help with Power Point slides and public speaking presentations. Appointments are available through apps.bentley.edu or students can drop in the center to see if a faculty tutor is available. The ESOL Center is located on the ground floor of the Bentley Library and has a.m. and p.m. hours available Monday through Friday.

The Bentley Honor Code

The students of Bentley, in a spirit of mutual trust and fellowship, aware of the values of a true education and the challenges posed by the world, do hereby pledge to accept the responsibility for honorable conduct in all academic activities, to assist one another in maintaining and promoting personal integrity, to abide by the principles set forth in the Honor Code, and to follow the procedures and observe the policies set forth in the Academic Integrity System.

Academic Integrity Coordinator: Ellen Snedeker, JD 781-891-2110

If You Need HelpShould you find that you are having trouble with anything in the course, please contact me in my office, or by email, so that we can meet to discuss the issue(s) involved. Even if you are having no problems, a visit to my office to get better acquainted is always welcome.

If life events are affecting your ability to do course work NOTIFY THE PROFESSOR. Far better to alert me so we can develop solutions than to appear negligent!

Failing IT101Experience shows that the primary reason people fail this course is failure to turn in all of the work. Keeping up with the work as the semester progresses is the single most effective guarantee of a decent grade.

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