SPM 100 SYLLABUS

Instructor: Xander Jackson

Office: 1167 Professional Studies Building

Phone: 753-2198

E-mail:

Website:

Course Purpose/Objectives

Students will study important topics in computer literacy. With the exception of basic keyboarding skills, no prior computer experience is assumed. Students will first be presented with an overview of computer concepts, followed by a quick introduction to the Internet and network basics. This will be followed by discussions on hardware, software, file management, databases, multimedia, and essentials of computer based research. A large portion of this course is aimed at introducing, then familiarizing students with modern Office Productivity tools. Use of the SAM 2010 Course software is required.

Prerequisite

This course covers a full semester and has no prerequisites

Textbook / Software

SAM -training and testing software (access code) -produced by Course Technology (Cengage Learning) ISBN : 1111667373

*SAM 2010 CourseCard MUST be purchased at the on-campus College Store. Accept no substitutes!

A USB Thumbdrive of at least 4 Gb.

Grading

GradedItemsPointsPercent of Final Grade

Unit Exams (3)30030%

SAM Training (10)10010%

Website Project15015%

Video Editing Packages10010%

Tech Tools Projects (3)30030%

Discretionary/Attendance505%

Point System 1000 total possible points

Arange>= 900

Brange >= 800

C range >= 700

Drange >= 600

Teaching Methods

  • Lectures: Important material from the text and outside sources will be covered in class. Students should plan to take careful notes as not all material can be found in the texts or readings. Discussion is encouraged as is student-procured outside material relevant to topics being covered.
  • Assignments: Tutorials for Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access are found on the course website. Additional graded assignments will require the application of various software packages.
  • Unit Exams: The Unit Exams are found on SAM 2010 and will be made available to students at the appropriate time.
  • Website Project: This is a simple website design project. Specific instructions and support tools will be explained and demonstrated in class.
  • Companion Website: There is a companion website for Technology In Action

Course Policies

Missed Classes

The student is responsible for obtaining material distributed on class days when he/she was absent. This can be done through contacting a classmate who was present or by contacting the instructor during his office hours or other times. Missed or late quizzes can not be made up under any circumstances but with good cause and adequate notice, an early quiz may be given.

Assignments

All assigned readings should be completed before the date specified on each assignment. The full list is available on the Course Calendar, posted online and on my office.

Children In Class Policy

Only in extreme cases are children allowed in classroom or laboratory facilities, and then only with approval of the instructor prior to class.

Electronic Devices In Class Policy

Cellular phones, pagers, CD players, radios, and similar devices are prohibited in the classroom and laboratory facilities. Calculators and computers are prohibited during examinations and quizzes, unless specified. No student digital devices are allowed in the lecture hall.

Examination and Quiz Policy

Four comprehensive Unit Exams will be given. No make-up exams will be allowed without prior arrangements being made. Make-up exams must be taken when scheduled.

Preparing for Examinations: Attend lecture, utilize the SAM 2010 website, complete Tech Tools projects, and read the chapters. All of the exams are built directly from the course material.

In Case You Are Late or Absent: It is your responsibility to get the course notes, handouts, and laboratory assignments should you miss class or be late. In nearly every case, lecture notes will be available on the faculty course website department's server.

Incomplete Policy

Students will not be given an incomplete grade in the course without sound reason and documented evidence as described in the Student Handbook. In any case, for a student to receive an incomplete, he or she must be passing and must have completed a significant portion of the course.

Cheating Policy

Students are expected to uphold the school’s standard of conduct relating to academic honesty. Students assume full responsibility for the content and integrity of the academic work they submit. The guiding principle of academic integrity shall be that a student's submitted work, examinations, reports, and projects must be that of the student's own work. Students shall be guilty of violating the honor code if they:

  1. Represent the work of others as their own.
  2. Use or obtain unauthorized assistance in any academic work.
  3. Give unauthorized assistance to other students.
  4. Modify, without instructor approval, an examination, paper, record, or report for the purpose of obtaining additional credit.
  5. Misrepresent the content of submitted work.

The penalty for violating the honor code is severe. Any student violating the honor code is subject to receive a failing grade for the course and will be reported to the Office of Student Affairs. If a student is unclear about whether a particular situation may constitute an honor code violation, the student should meet with the instructor to discuss the situation.

For this class, it is permissible to assist classmates in general discussions of computing techniques. General advice and interaction are encouraged. Each person, however, must develop his or her own solutions to the assigned projects, assignments, and tasks. In other words, students may collaborate on graded assignments, but must submit unique, original work. Such collaboration is encouraged, as the modern job market utilizes this behavior regularly. A student may not use or copy (by any means) another's work (or portions of it) and represent it as his/her own. If you need help on an assignment, contact your instructor or the TA, not other classmates.

Need for Assistance

If you have any condition, such as a physical or learning disability, which will make it difficult for you to carry out the work as I have outlined it, or which will require academic accommodations, please notify me as soon as possible.

The following is the SUNY Cortland Statement on ADA:

SUNY Cortland is committed to upholding and maintaining all aspects of the Federal Americans withDisabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

If you are a student with a disability and wish to request accommodations, please contact the Office of Disability Services located in B40 Van Hoesen Hall or call (607) 7532066. Any information regarding your disability will remain confidential. Because many accommodations require early planning, requests for accommodations will be reviewed in a timely manner to If you would like to request any accommodations for this class (e.g., notetaking, special testing environments, etc.), please let me know. In addition, if there is anything I can do to help facilitate your learning in this class, please come see me.

Laboratory Policy

Attendance is required for all scheduled labs. Interns and TA's will be coordinating and supervising the labs. They will be shown the same respect that any instructor would expect. Chapter exams will be given weekly in the labs. These are closed book exams. Cheating will not be tolerated.

Tutor Assistance

Tutors for SPM 100, aka. CAP 100, and technology problems are available through the College's ASAP located in Van Hoesen. CAP interns and teaching assistants are available during the week in room B-116 of the library. This assistance is highly recommended!

Lab Teaching Assistants

Every assigned course lab will have a Teaching Assitant (TA) to provide help with the MS Office tutorials (projects) and graded assignments. If your computer malfunctions or your printer is out of paper, go to the Circulation Desk and ask for help