CPT 259 User Support Operationsspring 2016 Syllabus

CPT 259 User Support OperationsSpring 2016 Syllabus

I. General Information

Course Number/Section: CPT 259Title:User Support Operations

Instructor Name: Dennis PearsonE-mail:

Phone: 724 925-4131Office Hours: TTH 3:30-4:30 w 12:00-3:00 or call 724 420-7862 cell (any time) for appointment or call 724 925-4131 office

Catalog Description:

This course provides those students seeking to become help desk orcall center professionals with skills ranging from customer service,troubleshooting software and computer problems, operation of thehelp desk and creation of manuals. It is expected that students havea prior knowledge of basic computer concepts, word processing,spreadsheet and database applications and Internet experience.

Prerequisite(s): CPT 150

II. Required Texts:

Effective Help Desk & Specialist Skills. Darril Gibson,Pearson IT Certification, 2015. ISBN: 07897-5240-9.

The book should be purchased at the WCCC bookstore at the Youngwood campus or Education centers. Books purchased used, online, or rented will not have the required supplemental material.

Textbooks are required because:

Quiz questions come from them
Assignments are there
Reading assignments are there
Practice exercises are there

III. Required Specific Equipment/Supplies

Furnished by student: one USB Flash drive (Furnished by student for online sections: Reliable Internet Access, Internet Explorer, Windows PC, Office 2010, and one USB Flash drive.)
Furnished by the college: Blackboard course management system, student email account, Internet Explorer, Office 2010 -- available at any WCCC facility.

IV. Reference Materials

Various computer books are available in the Learning Resource Center. The LRC also provides access to print, non-print, and electronic information resources. WCCC Online Electronic Resources: login and click the Library tab
Student Class Files, grades, email available at: my.wccc.edu – Login, click Blackboard, click on course name
Student Data files for are available on the Student Resources CD packaged with the book.

V.Procedures:

A. Evaluation and Grading Scheme

This is a project based course. The assignments are designed in such a way that you must demonstrate your skill and expertise with the concepts. Final course grade is weighted and based on total points accumulated over the semester with a breakdown as follows:

Quizzes / 20%
Class Participation / 20%
Assignments / 60%
Total / 100%

The following scale will determine grading for course: 90-100%=A; 80-89%=B; 70-79%=C; 60-69%=D; 0-59%=F

B. Exams/Quizzes

Quizzes are available as specified in the course schedule and may include a combination of multiple choice or true/false. They will address chapter material as well as class discussion material. There are no make-ups for quizzes.

C. Assignments:

There will be several assignments due during the semester. These are designed to provide the student with activities to increase proficiency with the material presented in class. Each assignment has a due date as shown in the class schedule: no assignment receives credit if it is submitted late.

D. Class Participation and Attendance

Face-to-face students will participate in classroom activities and online students will make regular submissions to a threaded topical discussion board.

Any college class requires a time commitment from the student. You must plan to spend 6-9 hours per week outside of class time working on course material. This involves:

Reading the assigned chapter
Reading and reviewing lecture material presented in the classroom
Completing textbook assignments
Viewing and reporting findings from assigned Web sites
Participating in classroom activities

For this to be a rewarding and positive educational experience you must manage your time wisely. Develop a schedule for yourself so that you are completing course work on a regular basis. This may be at the same time and day each week, or as time permits.

You should make every effort to attend all classes, arriving on time with the required materials and ready to begin promptly. Irregular or casual attendance results in fragmented understanding and poor performance. You are responsible for all work and all announcements made during class.

E. Withdrawal Policy:

Students withdrawing before midterm will receive a "W" grade. Students withdrawing after mid-term will receive a grade of "W" only if passing at the time of the request. There may be a financial issue associated with your withdrawal and you are encouraged to meet with a counselor prior to completing the required withdrawal forms. A college initiated withdrawal will be initiated for any student failing to login into this course in Blackboard and/or participate in classroom activities for a period of three consecutive weeks.

F. Plagiarism and Cheating

Plagiarism, cheating, and other forms of academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. Any student who is found to be an active participant, on either end, in any incident, will receive a grade of zero for that assignment. Repeat incidents earn an F for the course.

G. Classroom Conduct

Cell phones and other electronic devices not needed for the course are to be turned off during class.
The course will use computers with continuous Internet capability and “Surfing the Net,” “chatting online,” or any other unauthorized extra-curricular activity during class is not permitted.
Students enrolling at the college assume obligations to conduct themselves in a manner compatible with the college’s function as an educational institution. Your attention is drawn to the WCCC Catalog and Student Handbook, in particular the sections concerning the Code of Student Conduct, Disruptive Student Behavior, and Academic Dishonesty.
Only WCCC assigned student email address (@my.wccc.edu) will be used for email communication. My email address is _____. Please enter the course number in the subject line of your emails (CPT 230). You must also include your full name in the body of the email. Messages with a blank subject are deleted without opening.

VI.Students with Disabilities:

Students with disabilities are encouraged to schedule an appointment with the student support services each semester, counselor to discuss their individual needs. You may be asked to provide documentation of your disability to determine the appropriateness of accommodations.If you need an accommodation due to a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, please contact Disabilities Services in Room 130 Founders Hall, 724-925-4121; or Lauren Eicher, Counselor of Disabilities & Student Behavioral Intervention Services, at . Advance notice may be necessary for some accommodations to be provided in a timely manner. Accommodations must be supported by adequate documentation and are determined on an individual basis.

VII.Course Outline and Schedule (available in Blackboard)

Note: Although the instructor may deem it appropriate to deviate from the following schedule, the basic design of the course will be:

Week / Chapter / Topics Covered
Weeks 1Jan 29th / Chapter 1 / Introduction to Help Desk Support Roles
Week 2 Feb 5th / Chapter 2 / Communication Skills
Week 3 Feb12th / Chapter 3 / Personal Skills
Week 4-5 Feb19-26 / Chapter 4 / Technical Skills
Week 5-6 Feb27-Mar4 / Chapter 5 / Security
Weeks 7-8 Mar5-Mar18 / Chapter 6 / Troubleshooting
Week 9 Mar 28 / Chapter 7 / Writing Skills
Week 10 April1 / Chapter 8 / Training Skills
Week 11 and 12 Apr4-15 / Chapter 9 / Business Skills
Week 13 April 22 / Chapter 10 / Calculating Help Desk Values
Week 14 April 29 / Handouts / Training Computer Users
What is Training?
The Training Process
Step 1: Plan the Training
Step 2: Prepare for the Training
Step 3: Present the Training
Step 4: Progress Toward Higher-Quality User Training
Week 15 May 6
Week 16 May10 / Handouts
Final exam / A User Support Utility Tool Kit
Introduction to Utility Software and Information Resources
Categories of Utility Software Tools
All work due May 10 noon to be included in the grading process

Modifications to the Syllabus:As the semester progresses modification to the syllabus may be made at the discretion of the Instructor. Additional assignments and or modifications will be applied to adapt the curriculum as needed and will be posted to the Announcement feature of Blackboard for this course.

Some topics are not presented in the text. Students will obtain the necessary materials from postings, online classroom participation, and notes.

College Resources

If you are experiencing difficulty in this course, the following resources may prove helpful:

The college offers the following resources to all students:

Help Desk 724 925-4357

Learning Resource Center– 724.925.4100 (Library)

Learning Assistance Center– 724.925.4135

Computer Resource Center– 724.925.4049

Student Advising– 724.925.4051

The Learning Assistance Center and the Computer Resource Center can offer you additional help if you are experiencing technical difficulties in this course. You can obtain more information about all of these services by calling Student Services at 724.925.4196.

If you are having difficulty with Campus Connections

Call: 724.925.4130

E-mail:

If you are having difficulty with Blackboard

Call: Toll Free 1.800.262.2103 ext. 4144

Dial Direct: 724.925.4144 or 724.925.4138

E-mail: