Course Syllabus

CGS1060 COURSE SYLLABUS
SPRING 2017

Course Coordinator*:    Dr. Thomas Nedorost
Office Number:              HEC-317
Telephone Number:      (407) 823-0408
E-mail Address:            nedorost@cs.ucf.edu

* Instructors vary by section (the Course Coordinator is not necessarily your instructor).  A current list of all instructors, their contact information, and office hours are listed on the Instructors page

Welcome!
This web-assisted course analyzes how computer technology affects the world in which we live while simultaneously providing a solid introduction to computer and Internet concepts.  The online companion website make computer concepts applicable to career-focused students.  Technologies often evolve and advance faster than course materials can address.  Throughout this course, we will supplement the course materials with current technology discussions and multimedia content.

University Course Catalog Description
CGS 1060C – Introduction to Computers:  Digital literacy, computer hardware, peripheral components, memory devices, effects of computers on society, applications of computers.  Not open to Computer Science majors.

UCF General Education Program Requirements
CGS 1060C satisfies your GEP Mathematical Foundations 2 requirement and is a required course for many undergraduate majors.

Course Overview
This survey course is designed to teach you fundamental computing concepts while simultaneously exploring the pervasive role computers and technology play in contemporary society.  The assignments have been selected to present you with an overview of computers and information technology in today’s digital age.  The assignments provide you with valuable hands-on experience using current word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation graphics application.  The course also contains an Internet technology component which will prepare you for other Internet-driven coursework that you’ll encounter during your academic career at UCF.

Course Objectives
At the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Define computer literacy and understand its importance in contemporary society
• Identify, describe, and use various Internet technologies
• Perform research using Internet resources
• Use multimedia to enhance the way a computer presents information
• Identify and understand the functions of various computer hardware components
• Identify and understand the uses of various types of computer software
• Understand and be able to perform basic computer maintenance, troubleshooting, and upgrading
• Understand the importance of computer and Internet security
• Identify and understand digital privacy issues and risks
• Understand and demonstrate computer ethics
• Utilize networking concepts to set up and maintain a basic home network
• Effectively use word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation software

Course Prerequisites
Basic computer keyboarding skills; familiarity using MS Windows and a web browser.  You should know how to navigate to a website using a web browser and access your Knights Email account.  If you do not have these skills, you may find it difficult to keep up with the course material and assignments.

Course Credits
3 semester hours

Required Texts and Materials

• Either purchase at UCF Bookstore or CB&S Bookstore:  SAM 365 w/ MindTap Access  ISBN-13: 978-1-337-11394-6 (You will receive a printed card with your 18-digit SAM Key Code) -OR- purchase online through CengageBrain: SAM 365 & 2016 Assessment, Training, and Projects Instant Access with Access to 1 MindTap Reader for 12 months, 1st Ed  ISBN-13: 978-1-337-11395-3 (You will receive an email with your 18-digit SAM Key Code, the email may refer to the Key Code as your PIN Code).
• Knights Email access (provided by the university)
• Access to a computer with Windows 10, Microsoft Office 2016, Chrome browser, and a broadband Internet connection

Students are expected to have required course materials including their unique SAM Key Code by start of the second week of the semester.  No assignment extensions or makeup opportunities will be provided to students who fail to submit assignments because they do not have the required course materials.

Basis for Final Grade
The final grade you earn in this course will be determined by your performance in the following areas and weighted as shown below:

1. SAM Assessments: 3 assessments demonstrating your understanding of the weekly lecture topics will be administered online using SAM.
2. SAM Projects: 3 projects demonstrating your proficiency using Microsoft Office 2016 applications will be submitted online using SAM.

Course Component	Percentage of Final Grade		Final Grade	Percentage Earned
Lecture: Computer Concepts & Word Assessment 1	16.667%		A	90.000% - 100.000%
Lecture: Computer Concepts & PowerPoint Assessment 2	16.667%		B	80.000% - 89.999%
Lecture: Computer Concepts & Excel Assessment 3	16.667%		C	70.000% - 79.999%
Lab: SAM Project 1 Word	16.667%		D	60.000% - 69.999%
Lab: SAM Project 2 PowerPoint	16.667%		F	< 60.000%
Lab: SAM Project 3 Excel	16.667%
TOTAL PERCENTAGE	100%		This course does not assign +/- grades

 

Method of Instruction
This course is offered as a web-assisted (on-campus) or fully online (Web) section:

Web-assisted (on-campus) Sections:
This is a traditional on-campus course enhanced with an Internet learning component.  Approximately one-third of your learning will take place in your weekly lecture with up to 350 students lead by a CS faculty member.  The next one-third of your learning will take place in a weekly computer lab with up to 30 students lead by a student lab instructor, and the final one-third of your learning will take place online. Assessments and SAM Projects have posted due dates and your workload is identical to a traditional college course that meets on campus for 3 hours each week during a regular 15-week academic semester.

Fully Online (Web) Section:
This is a 100% online section.  All of your learning activities will take place on the SAM website.  Even though this section never meets on campus, you are still required to meet posted due dates and complete the same amount of work as a traditional college course that meets on campus for 3 hours each week during a regular 15-week academic semester.

Course Website
All official course information will be posted to Webcourses.

Course Calendar
The CGS1060 Course Calendar with SAM Assessment and SAM Project due dates is available on Webcourses.

SAM Website
The SAM (Skills Assessment Manager) website is located at sam.cengage.com.  You will need to register your SAM account using the unique SAM Key Code (aka SAM Access Code or SAM Pin Code) that you purchased through the bookstore or online from CengageBrain.  You will use the SAM website to complete your SAM Assessments and SAM Projects.

Email
Throughout the course, your lecture and lab instructors may contact you through your official UCF Knights Email account.

The best way for you to contact your instructors is through email.  If you have questions or concerns about lecture topics or your assessment grades, please email your lecture instructor.  If you have questions about your SAM Projects or grades, please contact your LAB Instructor.

Your email messages should:

• Be brief and to the point
• Contain the full email thread, otherwise the instructor will not / cannot respond
• Ask specific questions which have not already been answered in class or on the course website
• Include your full name, course number, lecture section, and lab section in the subject line since most instructors teach multiple sections.

Controversial Content Disclaimer
Throughout this course, you will be exposed to a variety of multimedia content available in the public domain including websites, podcasts, and videos which were created and produced by unaffiliated third parties.  Some of the multimedia content may contain controversial topics, adult themes, and explicit language intended for mature audiences.  The views expressed in the multimedia content are those of the content producers and do not necessarily reflect the views of your instructor or the university.  If you find any of the course multimedia content objectionable, please inform your lecture instructor.  You will be excused from viewing the objectionable content and may be assigned an alternate lesson to complete.

Disability Access Statement
The University of Central Florida is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for all persons with disabilities. This syllabus is available in alternate formats upon request.  Students who need accommodations must be registered with Student Accessibility Services, Ferrell Commons 185, phone 407-823-2371, TTY/TDD only phone 407-823-2116, before requesting accommodations from the lecture instructor.

Disclaimer Statement
As many factors affect the development and progress of a course, your lecture instructor reserves the right to alter this syllabus as may become necessary to assure attainment of the stated course objectives.  Lab instructors do not have the authority to change any course policies, due dates, or requirements stated in this syllabus or on the course website.  If you receive conflicting information, the information contained in the syllabus located in Webcourses will prevail.  Your enrollment in this course signifies your acceptance and agreement with all policies contained in this syllabus.

Course Policies

Fairness Policy:
To ensure the success of UCF students upon graduation and to maintain the academic reputation of the university, it is critical that your lecture instructor maintains the academic integrity of this course.  Please understand that all students must earn grades using the same criteria in order to maintain integrity and provide a level of fairness to all students enrolled in the course.  Unfortunately, it is not possible to grade students using different criteria based on what they are experiencing in their personal lives.  While your lecture instructor is always willing to talk to you and to advise you through difficult times, it would not be fair to your fellow classmates, many of whom are going through or have gone through similar situations, to make grading exceptions for one student based on their current life situation.

Missed Assignments and Makeup Policy:

All SAM Assessments and SAM Projects are available to you starting the second week of the semester.  Each SAM Assessment and SAM Project has an final due date that is at least one week after all the material necessary for that Assessment or Project has been covered.  You have the entire time from the second week of the semester until the posted due date to complete and submit each Assessment or Project.  Makeups will only be considered in extreme personal emergencies or if there is a technology issue that affects all students in the course.  Your lecture instructor has sole discretion in determining what constitutes an extreme personal emergency and what type of documentation you will need to provide.  Failing to submit an Assessment or Project by the posted due date will result in a zero score for that Assessment or Project.

You may submit each Assessment or Project up to 3 times before the due date to improve your score.  The highest score you receive on each Assessment or Project submitted by the due date will be used in calculating your overall course grade.

You are solely responsible for ensuring that the computer and Internet connection you are using is reliable and compatible with SAM and Webcourses.  You are strongly encouraged to complete and submit your Assessments and Projects well in advance of the posted due dates to avoid last minute issues.  Technical problems with your computer or Internet connection are not considered valid excuses for failing to submit an Assessment or Project by the posted due date.

Extra Credit Policy:
Opportunities to earn extra credit in this course are extremely rare and should not be anticipated by students.  If such an opportunity is provided by your lecture instructor, it will be announced to all students in the course section.  Student-initiated inquiries or requests for extra credit projects, curving scores, rounding grades, or requesting extra points that you did not earn are extremely inappropriate and will be ignored by your instructors.

Grade Disputes Policy:
Assessments and Projects are automatically graded and your scores are immediately recorded in your SAM Gradebook.  If you believe that your grade on an Assessment or Project is inaccurate, you should first generate a SAM score report which will explain where points were deducted.  You should correct those errors in your work and resubmit your work prior to the due date.  SAM is extremely accurate in grading your Assessments and Projects.  If you are certain that your Assessment or Project was incorrectly graded, you should contact your LAB Instructor for Projects or your lecture instructor for Assessments no later than one week after the assignment due date.

If you are unable to resolve a SAM Project grade issue with your LAB Instructor, you should report the situation to Steven Freund (sfreund@eecs.ucf.edu). Students reporting a grade dispute who are found to misrepresent the facts (for example, stating they submitted an Assessment or Project when they never did) will be subject to referral to the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities for disciplinary action.

Attendance/Tardiness Policy (only for on-campus sections):
Students who regularly attend and participate during the lectures and labs typically have the best academic performance in this course.  If you miss a lecture or lab, you are still responsible for knowing all the material covered in that lecture or lab.  Your instructor is not responsible for answering questions about material covered in lectures or labs that you missed during your absence.  Attendance is not recorded in lectures and has no point value associated with your final course grade.  After carefully considering this information, you are free to make your own decision about your class attendance.

Students who arrive late to class or leave class before being dismissed by the instructor are considered tardy.  Students who are consistently tardy disrupt the learning environment and will be contacted by the instructor and may be subject to academic sanctions after an initial verbal warning.

Withdrawal Policy:
You may withdraw from this course through the Student Self Service Center on myUCF at any time until the Withdrawal Deadline and receive a “W”.  After this date, the lecture instructor will assign a final course grade based upon your academic achievement in the course.  Before withdrawing from any UCF course, you should consult with your academic advisor since withdrawing may affect your financial aid and/or scholarship eligibility.

Expected Student Conduct Policy:
UCF is dedicated not only to the advancement of knowledge and learning but also is concerned with the development of responsible personal and social conduct.  By enrolling at UCF, you assume the responsibility for becoming familiar with and abiding by The Golden Rule “Rules of Conduct.”  You are expected to be courteous and respectful to each other and to the instructor in class, personal conversations, and online postings.  The primary responsibility for managing the classroom environment rests with the instructor.  If you engage in any prohibited or unlawful acts that result in disruption of a class, you may be directed by the instructor to leave the class.  Violation of any classroom or UCF’s rules may lead to disciplinary action up to and including expulsion from UCF.  Disciplinary action could include being withdrawn from the class, disciplinary warning, probation, suspension, expulsion, or other appropriate and authorized actions.

Per university policy and classroom etiquette; all electronic devices (cell phones, mp3 players, tablets, laptops, etc.) must be silenced during lectures and labs.  If you must answer a call during class, please exit the classroom before starting your conversation.  Students who disregard this policy will be asked to leave the classroom/lab immediately so as not to disrupt the learning environment.

Recording Devices Policy:
Audio, video, or image capture devices are not permitted to be used in the classroom without obtaining prior written consent from your lecture instructor.  If written consent has been obtained, you agree to utilize the recordings solely for the purpose of studying for this course and to delete all recordings at the conclusion of the course.  You agree not to sell, share, forward, or post the recordings to any person, entity, or Internet site.  If you violate this policy, you will be removed from the course, receive an “F” grade for the course, and be referred to the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities for additional disciplinary sanctions.  If you are found to have violated this policy after final course grades have been posted, you will still be held accountable for your actions and you will be referred to the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities for disciplinary sanctions.

Course Materials Policy:
All information contained in the textbook, on the course website, and in SAM is the Intellectual Property of its rightful owner (publisher, Instructor, or UCF).  You agree not to sell, share, forward, or post this information to any person, entity, or Internet site without the explicit written consent of the rightful owner.  If you violate this policy, you will be removed from the course, receive an “F” grade for the course, and be referred to the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities for additional disciplinary sanctions.  If you are found to have violated this policy after final course grades have been posted, you will still be held accountable for your actions and you will be referred to the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities for disciplinary sanctions.

Academic Integrity and Zero Tolerance Policy:
UCF is committed to promoting a culture of academic integrity where faculty and students work together to meet our personal, professional, and social responsibilities.  A degree from UCF is only valuable to the extent it reflects valid assessments of student learning.  Misrepresenting your learning on tests, projects, reports, or papers invalidates your grades and tarnishes the credibility of UCF.  This course employs a Zero Tolerance Policy regarding academic dishonesty as defined on the following hyperlink:

CGS1060 Academic Dishonesty Statement (Click Here)

SAM has excellent built-in plagiarism detection.  Each SAM Project requires you to download a template starting file from your private SAM account.  You then edit the template file, save your changes, and upload your updated file back to your private SAM account so it can be scored.  When you download the template starting file, SAM embeds hidden encrypted codes in your file that indicates that the file was originally downloaded from your private SAM account.  SAM is also able to detect if a portion of your file was copied and pasted from another file.

YOU SHOULD NEVER GIVE A COPY OF YOUR TEMPLATE STARTING FILE TO ANOTHER STUDENT for any reason! If you do, and the other student uploads the file to their own SAM account, SAM will permit it to upload but SAM will also send a notification that the uploaded file originally came from your account.  Both students are guilty of academic dishonesty...even it it only involved sharing the unaltered template starting file.  I FAIL students in the course with the "Z" indicator to show they cheated and refer the students to Student Rights and Responsibilities. In addition to receiving an FZ grade for cheating noted on your transcript, Student Rights & Responsibilities will determine additional sanctions which could include expulsion, suspension, or completion of a plagiarism workshop.

Computer Use Policy:
Use of computers in the lab is restricted to those activities designated by the lab instructor to enhance the course material.  Any other use is strictly forbidden.  Inappropriate use includes, but is not limited to:

• Use of computer to send email or to access Internet sites not specifically assigned in lab
• Use of computer for job, internship, homework, or other activities not assigned in lab
• Modifying any hardware or software system configuration or setting
• Activities not in accordance with The Golden Rule’s “Student Code of Conduct”

Use of computers in the department’s open lab is limited to activities involved with preparing homework or coursework in this department and is subject to the same restrictions as listed above.

Computer use is remotely monitored.  Any student using computers inappropriately may be subject to dismissal from the lab section or the open lab.  Subsequent offenses may be sent to the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities for disciplinary sanctions.

Chain of Command
It is important for us to be able to respond to your questions and concerns in a timely manner.  For this reason, we ask you to send all of your concerns to the appropriate person, as indicated below.  Please be sure to include your full name, CGS1060, and your lecture and lab section number in your email subject line.

• Problems with lab grades (SAM Projects) should be directed to your LAB Instructor. If a resolution is not reached, contact Steven Freund: sfreund@eecs.ucf.edu.
• Problems with SAM website should be reported to Steven Freund: sfreund@eecs.ucf.edu.
• Problems regarding the course content in Webcourses should be reported to Steven Freund: sfreund@eecs.ucf.edu.
• Problems with Assessment grades should be reported directly to your lecture instructor.
• Problems with your final course grade should be reported to your lecture instructor.

Student Responsibilities and Tips for Success:
Contrary to many students’ beliefs, your instructors do not gain any personal satisfaction from watching you struggle with assignments or fail a course.  The learning process requires a serious commitment of your time and focused attention to be successful.  Your instructors are dedicated to provide as much assistance to you as possible while ensuring the same standards and level of fairness are applied to every student enrolled in the course.  To assist you in studying for this course, you are expected to:

1. Read all the information posted in Webcourses including the syllabus.
2. Check your Knights Email account at least once every two days (48 hours).  Your instructor will consider you officially notified 48 hours after sending you an email.
3. Check Webcourses at least once every two days (48 hours) for newly posted announcements and grades.  Once a new announcement has been posted for 48 hours, your instructor expects that you have read the announcement and will hold you accountable for knowing this information.
4. Check your grades in Webcourses regularly and email grade disputes to the correct instructor no later than one week after the assignment due date.
5. Read the assignment instructions carefully before starting on each assignment and ask your LAB instructor any questions you may have about SAM Projects well in advance of the posed due date.
6. Submit your assignments according to the assignment instructions.  Do NOT email your assignments to your lecture instructor.
7. Use the SAM System Check to check your computer and browser settings to ensure they are configured correctly.
8. Keep track of Assessment and Project due dates and plan your schedule to allow you to complete and submit them by the posted due dates.
9. Keep backup copies of all assignments until any grade disputes have been resolved and the UCF Registrar has posted your final course grade.
10. Promptly notify your instructors by email if you encounter an unanticipated extreme personal emergency that prevents you from completing an Assessment or Project by the due date.  Technical problems with your computer or Internet connection are never considered extreme personal emergencies.
11. Uphold the UCF Creed and maintain your personal integrity by avoiding any activities that might be construed as academic dishonesty by your instructor.