Units: 1.0 (36 Hours 27 Lab and 9 Lecture)

Instructor: Chris Hood

E-mail:Chris

Office Hours:

7:30-2:30 Monday thru Friday

Dates: Begins August 22 and ends October 14, 2016

CRN: 72170

Units: 1.0 (36 hours – 27 lab and 9 lecture)

5.0 Credits for Tehachapi High School

Required text and software:

1)New Perspectives on Word 2016 Comprehensive - Publisher: Thompson Course Technology 2014 Part of the New Perspectives series, this text offers a case-based, problem-solving approach and innovative technology for meaningful learning of Microsoft Word 2016.

2)SAM 2016Access code (Training, Exams, and Projects)

3)Microsoft Word 2016(This course is NOT for Word 2010 or 2013)

Course Description:

This hands-on computer course is designed to provide basic understanding of word processing concepts using Microsoft Word. Learners create, edit, and format documents including business letters, multiple-page reports, newsletters, and cover letters. This course begins preparation for the Microsoft Application Specialist certification exam for Microsoft Word.

Course Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of this course the learner will be able to:

• Apply basic word processing formatting features to create, edit, merge, and print documents including business and cover letters, multiple page reports, newsletters.
• Manage files and folders for efficient saving and retrieval of word processing documents.
• Apply basic features of working with images, graphics, Smart Art, and Word Art in documents including inserting, cropping, drawing, and resizing.
• Determine and apply appropriate problem solving techniques using Help and reference material off and online for successful creation of basic documents using Microsoft Office.

Schedule for Fall 2016

Course grades will be based on the following:

Grading Policy: Every effort will be made for the portions of the course that will be graded by your instructor to be graded within two days of the due date for each assignment. However, there may be times when it takes a few days longer. The usual time of day for grading to occur will be Monday through Friday in the morning. However, grading may take place at any time throughout the week. If I am going to be away for any reason when I am usually available, I will post in the news forum. Please keep track of your grades in your grading guide on this syllabus. I sometimes catch up or work ahead on grading over the weekends, but I am not necessarily on the computer every weekend, so please plan not to leave your work until the last minute in case you have questions and need help. Post your questions related to the assignment at the Q and A for the week.

The critical thinking posts require that you read and follow the instructions near the end of this syllabusand also that you view the grading rubric prior to posting. Posts that do not meet any single requirement, length, topic, format, will earn zero and may not be resubmitted past the due date. If you are not sure, ask questions prior to posting. Do not follow other student’s posts as an example, as they may well be incorrect. Critical Thinking Posts are now due on Thursdays. Writing skills and proofreading will be graded in the Critical Thinking Posts.

Due dates: You are responsiblefor submitting your work to the correct link by the due dates. The purpose of the timely completion bonus is to simulate a work environment where due dates are due dates, but to also allow for submission of work up to the end of class. Those who complete the work on time will earn the highest possible points for their work. Late submitted Tutorial and Review assignments will be accepted, but they will earn no higher than 70%. Late submitted SAM work will be downgraded to 70% after one week. If you need to submit your Tutorial or Review files twice in order to earn a pass, they will also earn no higher than 70%. Critical Thinking posts will not be allowed after the due date and time. SAM work will be downgraded to 70% if it is submitted more than a week late. Remember, assignments are due on the due date evening, usually Sundays except for the last week, by 10:00 pm. The Critical Thinking Post will not be accepted past the due date and time, which is now on a Thursday.

Contact: I am usually on my computer early in the mornings during weekdays and I often check in during the evenings. Please also note the office hours listed above, as this is also a good contact time. If my schedule changes I will let you know by posting in the news forum. If you need a phone call to help clarify any question, please let me know. You are expected to log into the course regularly and to access the resources that have been prepared for you each week. Absences of ten days, or missing assignment submissions equivalent to one Tutorial’s set of work will be considered a status of non-participation and your name may be dropped from the roster. Just logging in is not enough to maintain active participation. Assigned work must also be submitted. If you have any kind of sickness or emergency that prevents you from logging into class or completing assignments, let me know up front, not after several weeks have passed. If you are stuck on a concept, be sure to post your questions in the weekly Q and A forum so I can answer your question for the benefit of all. Do not send these questions by email unless you have already posted in the forum. The forum will alert me to your activity. You can expect that I will respond to student questions, emails, and other communications within 48 hours, though Saturdays, Sundays, non-instructional, and leave days are exceptions. Be sure your phone number is up-to-date in your college information so I can reach you if I call you.

District Policy on Plagiarism 4F8G: Every instructor has the responsibility and authority for dealing with such instances of cheating and plagiarism as may occur in class. An instructor who determines that a student has cheated or plagiarized has a range of many options, which may be as severe as giving a student a failing grade for the course. Furthermore, a student may face other penalties as stated in the college’s Student Conduct Policy. Finally, it must be understood that a student who knowingly aids in another student’s cheating e.g. permitting the other student to copy a paper or examination question, is as guilty as the other of the offence. A student charged with cheating or plagiarism is entitled to appeal that charge by means of the college’s Student Conduct Policies and Procedures.

Duplicate Files: The time and date stamp as well as editing time and other properties for files will be checked. No duplicate files between students will be awarded points for either student. Files with identical properties for the creation time (hour and second) and date (duplicate files) will not be accepted. This means that you need to be responsible for your files and ensure they are not used by others. No files completed outside course dates will be accepted. (Some files are created from the sample files and I know which ones they are.) Name your files at the step requested in the text, not at the end of the work. Files with a zero edit time because they were named at the END of your work instead of during the assignment as identified in the textbook instructions will earn no greater than 70%.

Do not submit work that has been created by another student or that is not your own. Files submitting with matching properties will earn zero. I may ask you to re-submit files that are not clearly unique in creation and modification times. Again, keep your files secure and saved in your own personal folders. My job is to make sure you have met the outcomes for this course when you earn a passing grade so if I see a red flag, please be prepared to create the work again.

Note to Friends and Relatives taking this course: If you have the same address or name as another student, you may be given an alternate assignment to complete. Please expect this to happen and check with me before you complete all your work.

Accommodations: The College will make reasonable accommodations and/or academic adjustments to ensure that students with disabilities have an equal opportunity to participate in the college’s courses. Students with disabilities, who are requesting academic accommodations, auxiliary aides or services, contact Access Services at 760-384-6250.

Changes: The instructor holds the right to change the syllabus when necessary and appropriate. If there is a revision it will be clearly communicated to you in writing.

Drop Classes: If you choose to drop this or any class, it is your responsibility to do so by contacting admissions and records. Failure to complete a course you have not dropped will result in an “F” grade for the course. The following is your responsibility if you choose not to complete or attend any class for which you have registered:

• It is your responsibility to withdraw from courses prior to the 10% date of your enrolled classes to qualify for a refund. It is further your responsibility to apply to receive your refund; otherwise the credit will stay on your account. This is a very short period of time for an eight week class so please check with admissions.
• It is your responsibility to withdraw from courses prior to the 20% date (June 21, 2016) of the enrolled course in order to not have a ‘W’ on your permanent record.*
• It is your responsibility to withdraw from courses prior to the 60% date (July 15, 2016) to receive a ‘W’ and not receive a substandard grade on your permanent record.*

*Additionally instructors may at their discretion drop students without consultation with the student when unexcused absences number the equivalent of 10% or exceed 10% of the total hours of class sessions, up to the 60% date of the enrolled course. You will not be dropped from any class after the 60% point. You will be assigned the appropriate letter grade.

Active Participation and Attendance Policies (college language):

Regular active participation is expected of all students enrolled in the college. Students not actively participating in a course may be dropped from the course. The active participation practice for each course is established by the instructor and communicated in the course syllabus. Instructors are responsible for maintaining accurate records of active participation.

A student shall be dropped by the instructor for lack of active participation prior to the census (20%) date and any time up to the 60% date when the student is not actively participating according to the practice established by the instructor and communicated in the syllabus.

A student also shall be dropped by the instructor anytime up to the 60% date when he or she has been absent from or not actively participating in class for the total of two consecutive weeks, or the equivalent amount of time for a short-term class.

Students MAY be dropped when non-consecutive absences number the equivalent of two weeks of the course, or the equivalent amount of time for a short-term class, recorded from the first day of instruction.

While it is the responsibility of instructors to communicate attendance and participation practices and to apply them to all students, it is the responsibility of the student to be aware of his or her current attendance/ participation status.

Students who have been absent or not actively participating in a course should notify the instructor of the reason. Notification in no way relieves the students of responsibility for work missed. Faculty members may give consideration to excusing students from courses to participate in scheduled college activities—e.g. athletics, music, field trips, etc. The student must make arrangements in advance to make up the work to be missed.

Grading Criteria for Critical Thinking Post

Problem Solving-Using Help

Part of your grade will be calculated directly as a result of documenting your critical thinking, problem solving, and “Help” research experiences as you progress through the course. Four times in the course, as you finish each Tutorial, you must submit a written record of a situation where you solved a problem or did some research to further your learning of Word in a creative way.

Today’s employee is required to show good problem solving skills using the sophisticated applications now available for our use. It is also critical that you practice using “Help” and other resources while you learn and use this and any other application program.

Individuals will experience a variety of situations that require problem solving. What works easily for one person may not work easily for another. This exercise is intended to honor the increasing need to develop ability and comfort with using available resources to extend your understanding of each application program.

Keep track of situations and submit the BEST one for each Tutorial. To earn full marks, you will need to describe the situation or problem, what you did to solve it, and identify any resources you used using complete sentences throughout. Do not use bulleted or number lists in your paragraphs.

Marks will be deducted for incorrect spelling, grammatical errors, or incomplete sentences. One sentence is not enough to earn full marks for this exercise. Your goal is to write a post that could be used by another student to solve a problem or more fully use this application program. Be specific about the resources used, identifying page numbers, search strings, and other relevant details. The Critical Thinking Report may NOT be submitted after the due date. To submit your experiences for credit, use Microsoft Word to create a document containing the following information and then copy and paste what you have written to the forum at the Canvas course in the week the report is due. The topic must be related to use of the Word application program itself, not SAM, not the Canvas, not any other problem with the course or your study.

Although your instructor is a good resource, you may not use your instructor as a method of research for this particular report. This assignment is to ensure YOU learn how to use research tools when there is no answer key or instructor for guidance. The end result should be a posting that another Word user could learn from in a meaningful way. A grading rubric is provided. Refer to the Grading Rubric at the course website and on the next page of this syllabus.