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Introduction:

This course is designed to introduce the student to current microcomputer hardware and software as well as to the challenges of working and managing in an electronic environment. It will introduce you to applications commonly used by administrators and provide you with hands-on experience. It also will help you learn how to apply computing technology to business and government services.

The hardware will be Intel-based Pentium PCs. The software will include, but won't be limited to, Microsoft Office running under Windows. Students may take the course on-site in Pearl City or asynchronously over the Internet via streaming video. Click here to see a brief course outline.

A semester-long group project on trends in the PC hardware and software industries will put your computing and electronic work-group skills into practice. More broadly, the project is designed to improve written and oral communication, research and reasoning skills, and impart skills for lifelong learning while offering an outlet for creative expression.

NOTE: This course is NOT devoted solely to building Microsoft Office skills. If that is your interest, do not sign up for it. And finally, this class is not recommended for students who have completed an introductory course in computer applications.

Textbooks:

"New Perspectives on Computer Concepts 9th Edition--Comprehensive" by June Parsons and Dan Oja, Course Technology, 2006 (ISBN 1418839442). This book comes with a CD-ROM featuring the full text of the book, animations, graphics, videos, and links to the World Wide Web. The book and CD also include assessment tests on topics covered in each chapter. The publisher keeps the book up-to-date with an InfoWeb at http://www.infoweblinks.com/np9/index.htm. The InfoWeb is your guide to print, film, television, and electronic resources. Use it to obtain updates on quickly changing technical information and to locate information for research papers. At this site, you'll find all the links mentioned in your book and the companion CD-ROM plus up-to-date links to the topics covered in the chapters.

"Visions: How Science Will Revolutionize the 21^st Century" by Michio Kaku, Anchor Books, 1998 (ISBN 0-385-48499-2). Students will write a critical review of the first third of the book (chapters 1-6) covering the computer revolution.

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of the course, students will be able to:

• Understand the legal and ethical implications of managing e-mail systems and World Wide Web access in business and government agencies
• Evaluate web sites for content and presentation
• Create documents, workbooks, and presentations with Microsoft Office and use object linking and embedding (OLE) to integrate data from different applications
• Make presentations to groups
• Understand basic problems associated with database creation and management
• Write specifications for personal computer purchases
• Write basic specifications for a local area network
• Understand basic problems associated with data security
• Understand how an information system can promote corporate or institutional missions
• Use the System Development Life Cycle for systems analysis and design
• Work with students (and fellow employees in the future) in a virtual electronic environment
• Use Tuckman’s Group Development Model to create a productive team from a group of diverse individuals
• Find information on their own as operating systems, applications, and help delivery systems change
• Make an informed forecast of future computing developments

The publisher of the course textbook has also published detailed chapter-by-chapter learning outcomes. These may be found at http://www.infoweblinks.com/np9/index.htm.

Assessment and Evaluation:

This course is competency based. To do well, you will have to demonstrate mastery of the topics and tasks covered in class, in the textbook, and in the homework assignments. Due to the cumulative nature of the material, assignments need to be completed in a timely manner. Students will be graded as follows:

• Testing of competencies throughout the semester: 45% (Test 1, 10%; Test 2, 15% (at a proctored site); Test 3, 20%)
• Final exam take home portion: 10%
• Final exam in class portion: 10% (at a proctored site)
• Class participation/Quality Circle participation: 10%
• Group presentation/Group presentation contribution: 15%
• Critical review of Visions: first draft 5%, final draft 5%

Students with Disabilities:

Any student with a documented disability who would like to request accommodations should contact Janice Takaki, Student Services Specialist, at 454-4700.

Office Hours:

Wednesday, 8:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. in Room D104 or by appointment in the UH West O'ahu Library.