Syllabus CGS1100 (CRN10026): Introduction to Computers

(Spring 2004)

This page will be continuously changed and updated. Please check for changes!

NEW: Study Guide for Exam 3 and recent slides are now available!

Click here for the latest online resources (slides etc.).

General Course Information

Instructor:

Dr. Martin Hepp

Office: Academic III, Room 152
Phone: (239) 590-7311
Email: mhepp@computer.org

Office Hours:

Tuesdays and Thursdays, 2:30 – 5:00 and by appointment

Course Website:

http://ruby.fgcu.edu/courses/mhepp/crn10026.htm

Class Times and Classroom:

Tuesdays, 5:00 p.m. – 6:15 p.m., Reed Hall 139

Thursdays, 5:00 p.m. – 6:15 p.m., Reed Hall 139

Prerequisites:

CGS1100 Introduction to Computers with a minimum grade of C

Note: Please check your FGCU email account frequently, as I will use the Gulfline mailing lists to post important information!

Required Text

Shelly Cashman: Microsoft Word 2000, Excel 2000, and PowerPoint 2000 (all by Course Technology)

Course Objective

The goal of this course is to understand the operation and structure of computer systems, peripherals, and software. Furthermore, students shall learn the efficient use of modern application software like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint and thus increase their personal productivity.

Teaching Philosophy

One has not understood a matter until one is able to apply the knowledge. Thus, it is my personal goal to empower you to use abstract concepts for current and future real-world scenarios. This overall goal determines both the way of instruction in the classroom and the character of all exams and assignments. Very frequently you will need to explain concepts with your own words or apply them to a case study. This requires that you ask questions in class if you are not sure whether you have understood a specific topic.

Grading

The final grade will be determined by your performance in

- 3 midterm exams (40 %),

- 2 assignments (40 %), and

- your average score in all quizzes (20 %).

For the assignments and exams, the following grades are given.

Grade	A	A-	B+	B	B-	C+	C	C-	D	E
Numerical Value	4	3.75	3.25	3	2.75	2.25	2	1.75	1	0

The quizzes always contain four multiple-choice questions. Thus, you may receive between 0 and 4 points per quiz.

According to the grade weights as outlined above (40 / 40 / 20 %), the final grade will be determined using the following formula:

Final Score = (Exam_Average*4 + Assignment_Average*4 + Quiz_Average*2)/10

The final score will be transformed into the final grade using the following table:

Score Range	Final Grade
4.0 - 3.76	A
3.75 - 3.51	A-
3.50 - 3.16	B+
3.15 - 2.88	B
2.87 - 2.51	B-
2.50 - 2.16	C+
2.15 - 1.88	C
1.87 - 1.51	C-
1.50 - 0.75	D
0.74 - 0	E

Attendance Policy

Attendance in class is necessary, as the topics covered in class deepen and expand the contents of the textbook. Reading the respective textbook sections or online materials is thus required but not sufficient. I will not keep track of your attendance in a formal way, but you we will have plenty of quizzes – up to one per week. Theses quizzes directly relate to the reading assignments or respective course preparation. Thus, if you thoroughly prepare for a unit, it will be easy for you to get the full four points per quiz. The quizzes will always take place at the very beginning of class. If you are late or do not attend, there is no possibility to make-up the respective quiz. However, the two worst quizzes will not count (e.g., if we have ten quizzes, only your best eight quizzes will count).

Please take into account that the quizzes altogether will determine 20 % of your final score!

Schedule

Unit No.	Class	Topic(s)	*Read before* class**	Homework assigned	Homework due	Remarks
1A	01-13	Course Overview	-	-	-
1B	01-15	Introduction to Computers	-
2A	01-20	Storage Media	Download Description
2B	01-22	MS Word 2000	Textbook: Word Project 1 & 2
3A	01-27	Computer Memory	Download Description
3B	01-29	MS Word 2000	Textbook: Word Project 3 & 4
4A	02-03	Output Devices	Download Description
4B	02-05	MS Word 2000	Textbook: Word Project 5 & 6	Assignment 1
5A	02-10	Input Devices	Download Description
5B	02-12	MS Excel 2000	Textbook: Excel Project 1
6A	02-17	Interfaces	Download Description		Assignment 1
6B	02-19	Exam 1				Covers units 1 - 6
7A	02-24	Networks	No Description (see slides)
7B	02-26	MS Excel 2000	Textbook: Excel Project 2
8A	03-02	The Internet (1)	No Description (see slides)
8B	03-04	MS Excel 2000	Textbook: Excel Project 3

9A	03-16	The Internet (2)	Download Description
9B	03-18	MS Excel 2000	Textbook: Excel Project 4	Assignment 2
10A	03-23	Programming Fundamentals	Download Description
10B	03-25	Exam 2				Covers units 7 - 10
11A	03-30	Software: Operating Systems	Download Description
11B	04-01	MS PowerPoint 2000	Textbook: PowerPoint Project 1
12A	04-06	Security	see slides
12B	04-08	MS PowerPoint 2000	Textbook: PowerPoint Project 2		Assignment 2
13A	04-13	Encryption and Digital Signatures	see slides
13B	04-15	Topics in Computer Systems	n/a
14A	04-20	Exam Preparation	n/a
14B	04-22	Exam 3				Covers units 11 - 14

Assignments

(As soon as an assignment is available, click on the respective link to get the full description)

Assignment 1 (finished; grades have been distributed in class)

Task Description

HTML file
PDF (requires Adobe Reader)

Required Files (use the right mouse button to save them on your computer)

· Assignment 2 (finished)

Online Resources

Unit 1A: PowerPoint Slides (PDF file; requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)

Unit 1B: PowerPoint Slides (PDF file; requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)

Unit 2A: PowerPoint Slides (PDF file; requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)

Unit 2B: PowerPoint Slides (PDF file; requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)

Unit 3A: PowerPoint Slides (PDF file; requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)

Unit 3B: PowerPoint Slides (PDF file; requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)

Unit 4A: PowerPoint Slides (PDF file; requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)

Unit 4B: No slides available

Study Guide for Exam 1 (PDF file; requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)

Unit 5A: PowerPoint Slides (PDF file; requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)

Unit 5B: PowerPoint Slides (PDF file; requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)

Unit 6A and 7A: PowerPoint Slides (PDF file; requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)

Unit 6B: No Slides (Exam 1)

Unit 7B: No Slides (Excel Training)

Unit 8A: PowerPoint Slides (PDF file; requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)

Unit 8B: No Slides (Excel Training)

Unit 9A: PowerPoint Slides (PDF file; requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)

Unit 9B: PowerPoint Slides (PDF file; requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)

Excel Financial Functions - Exercises (PDF file; requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)