COMPUTER CONCEPTS
CGS 1570
Fall 20081
M & W  12:00 - 1:15

TEACHER: Eris Reddoch
OFFICE: 3212
PHONE: 484-2279
Email: ereddoch@pjc.edu or  erisred@bellsouth.net

WEEK

CLASS ACTIVITIES

 READINGS & ASSIGNMENTS
08/27

Introduction & Overview of class.

  • Computers as tools.
  • Systems.

Windows XP (p 1077 - 1130)

  • The Windows XP Desktop and applications programs.
  • Using Windows Explorer and My Computer.
  • Customizing and Securing Windows XP.
 Read Getting Started with Windows XP (p 1077).

Begin to use the computer to access data on the web: Syllabi, Schedule & Online Labs.

 
09/03

Labor Day Holiday 09/03.

  • Learning to use disks and USB drives to store and manage files.
  • Installing Software: Firefox, portable apps.

Assignment 1: Mini Cases p 1129. Complete the Paint and Wordpad case, printing both map and invitation.

Read and work through the Computing Concepts booklet.
09/10

Computing Concepts (parts of booklet)

  • Types of Computers: Supercomputer, Mainframe, Mini-Computer, Personal Computer (Desktop, notebook, handheld), Embedded Computer.
  • Hardware vs. Software. Application vs System software.
  • Computer Hardware: cpu, memory, storage, input and output.
The Online Experience (parts of booklet)
  • Networks: LAN, WAN, and the Internet.
  • Browsers and the World Wide Web. 
Assignment 2:  Installing Portable Apps Standard on your USB Flash Drive.

 

Read and work through The Online Experience booklet.

 
09/17
  • Web Search Engines (Google, Ask, Yahoo).
  • Email and Pirate Mail.

Review for Test 1.

Assignment 3: Searching the Web and emailing.

Read and work through Office 2007 Fundamentals (p 1 - 53).
09/24

Test 1, on Concepts, Operating Systems (Windows), and the Internet.

MS Office 2007 Fundamentals.

  • Common Interface Components.
  • Universal Tasks (Open, Save, Print)
  • Font Type, Size and Style.
  • Headers and Footers.
  • Inserting and Sizing Images

Assignment 4: Creating a colorful handout.

Read and work through Word Chapter 1 (p 69 - 115).
10/01
  • MS Office 2007 vs. MS Office 2003 vs. Open Office (OO) fundamentals.

Word In-Class Project 1.

  • Opening and Editing a Word Document.
  • Entering and formatting text.
  • Page Breaks.
  • Auto-text.
  • Spell/Grammar Check.
  • Compare Word 2007 to OO Writer.
 Assignment 5: Word Project 1, a two page letter, completed in class with guidance from your Instructor.

Read and work through Word Chapter 2 (p 131 - 179).

 
10/08 Word In-Class Project 2.
  • Modifying a Research Paper.
  • Using the Web to research.
  • Copying text from the web.
  • Adjusting spacing and margins.
  • Copying and citing an image from the web.
  • Pagination.
  • Hyperlinks, Footnotes and Citations.
  • Proofreading and revising work.
  • Compare Word 2007 to OO Writer.
 Assignment 6: Word Project 2, a research paper, completed in class with guidance from your Instructor.

Read and work through Word Chapter 3 (p 195 - 232).

Read and work through Word Chapter 4 (p 250 - 296).
10/15 Word In-Class Project 3.
  • Using Wizards.
  • Tables.
  • Styles.
  • Lists: bulleted and numbered..
  • Inserting lines.
  • Manually placed tabs.
  • Inserting dates, non-breaking spaces and symbols.
  • Compare Word 2007 to OO Writer.

Assignment 7: Word Project 3, a resume and cover letter, completed in class with guidance from your Instructor.

Assignment 8: Capstone Word Project, create and print a resume and cover letter for yourself outside of class.
10/22 PowerPoint In-Class Project 1.
  • Storyboards.
  • Templates, themes and Wizards
  • Inserting Clip art and tables.
  • Transitions and Special Effects.

Read and work through PowerPoint Chapter 1 & 2 (p 793 - 908).

Assignment 9: PowerPoint project, a slide show Presentation, created in class with guidance from your instructor.
10/29

Review for Test 2.

Test 2 on Word Processing and Presentation Software.

  

Read and work through Excel Chapter 1 (p 311 - 360).
11/05

 

 Excel In-Class Project 1.
  • Worksheets and workbooks.
  • Navigating worksheets.
  • Planning Worksheets.
  • Entering labels, values and simple Formulas.
  • Math symbols and order of operation.
  • Insert, delete, resize rows and columns
  • Copy and Fill.
  • Formatting the sheet.
  • Creating a chart.
  • Headers and Footers.
  • Printing.

Assignment 10: Excel Project 1, a small worksheet with embedded chard, completed in class with guidance from your instructor.

 

 

Read and work through Excel Chapter 2 and 3 (p 379 - 468).

 
11/12 Veteran's Day Holiday 11/12.

Excel In-Class Project 2.

  • Formulas.
  • Functions: sum (& autosum), average, if and others.
  • Formatting numbers and conditional formatting..
  • Relative and absolute references.

 
11/19
  • What-if Analysis.
  • Choosing chart types.
  • Chart formatting.
  • Printing charts.

 Thanksgiving Holiday on Thursday.

Assignment 11: Excel Project 2, a larger worksheet with two charts, completed in class with guidance from your instructor.

Read and work through Excel Chapter 4 (p 485 - 527).
11/26 Excel In-Class Project 3.
  • Freeze/unfreeze rows/columns.
  • Hide/unhide rows/columns.
  • Protect/unprotect cells.
  • Working with tables and "records.".
  • Sorting data.
  • Filtering data.
  • Totaling and summarizing data.
Access In-Class Project 1.
  • Opening and using a database.
  • Creating a Database.
  • Fields and properties.
  • Key fields.
  • Using Design and Datasheet Views.
  • Creating tables.
  • Adding records.
  • Creating a form and a report.

Assignment 12: Excel Project 3, a larger worksheet with database like functions (sort, filter, etc.), completed in class with guidance from your instructor.

Read and work through Access Chapter 1, 2 and 3 (p 545 - 712).

 

Assignment 13: Access Project 1, a simple database report, completed in class with guidance from your instructor.
12/03 Access In-Class Project 2.
  • Querying Databases.
  • Multi-table queries.
  • Compound queries.
  • Sorting data.
  • Query calculations.
  • Saving and using queries for report.

Next Steps!

Courses are available in...

  • Excel
  • Database
  • Web Design
  • Programming (if time allows a brief look at creating a program)

Assignment 14: Access Project 2, a database report from a query, completed in class with guidance from your instructor.

 
12/10 Review for final

Final Exam (Test 3), on Excel and  Access and all previously covered material!

Study for final exam!
12/19

The term is over!

  

 

Grade Scale

  
A 94 – 100 C 74 – 79

Grading Percentages
B+ 90 – 93 D+ 70 – 73

Tests.………………50%
B 84 – 89 D 64 – 69

Assignments..…….50%
C+ 80 – 83 F 0 – 63

ATTENDANCE POLICY:   After three absences a student may be withdrawn from class. Please, let your instructor know if you are going to be absent. "Hands on" activities done in class are almost impossible to make up on your own, so try your best to attend each class.

WITHDRAWAL/INCOMPLETE POLICY:  The college policy is that a student, or instructor, may withdraw a student up through the 70% point of a course. After the 70% point, neither the instructor nor the student may withdraw a student, and the student must remain in the course, and receive the grade they earn. It is the student’s responsibility to withdraw from a course, don’t ask me to withdraw you, take responsibility and do it yourself.

Incompletes are rarely given and only if over 70% of the course work has already been completed successfully and the instructor and student agree that the remaining work can be completed by a stated time that is no more than one year from the end of the course.

STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES:  If you have a documented disability, let me know the first week of class. You must let Disabled Student Services know as well. That office will forward documentation to me.

This course schedule and content outline is subject to change depending on circumstances that arise during the conduct of the course.