Course Name:

COSC 111-063 – Computer Literacy

Course Description:

The evolution of computers, their application and their economic and social implications including a brief introduction to programming and computer literacy with a non-technical emphasis. For non-computing majors.

Start and End Dates:

October 12, 2009 through December 16, 2009

Prerequisites:

Prerequisites: MATH 050 or APAR 040, ENGL 095 or APEN 070, and RDNG 050 or APRD 039. Also good time management skills are a must for any online course.

Even though this is a beginning computer course, it is expected that you have minimal experience using a computer and the Internet for this online section.

Instructor Information:

Amy Ziesmer, Part time Instructor, School of Business. 

For more information about this course, please send an e-mail to Cheryl Jordan at  jordanc@sanjuancollege.edu or phone 505-566-3374 (e-mail will provide the fastest response until classes start)

Required Face-to-Face Meeting:

There are no required face-to-face meetings for this course as this course is completely online. All orientation material and all course work will be located within ANGEL.

Required Materials:

Shelly, Cashman and Vermaat. Discovering Computers 2010: A Gateway to Information, Complete. Cengage Publishing Company,2010. ISBN 978-0-3247-8645-3. For more information click here or on image .
Hunt, Microsoft Office 2007, Illustrated Series, Brief Edition. Cengage Publishing Company 2010. ISBN 978-1-4390-3789-8. For more information click here or on image .
Microsoft Office 2007 Ultimate or Professional. A 180-day evaluation copy has been bundled with the textbooks if bought at the SJC Bookstore. The trial edition will NOT work for students who have used a trial edition of Office 2007 in the past without uninstalling the previous trial before installing the 180 day trial (then students will have access for 120 more days) or students will be required to purchase Office 2007 Professional or Office 2007 Ultimate. Older versions of Office, open source software (OpenOffice, StarOffice, etc), and any version of Microsoft Works ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE ALTERNATIVES for this course. If you do not purchase the book bundle from our college bookstore, you will need to purchase both textbooks and purchase Microsoft Office 2007 Professional or Microsoft Office 2007 Ultimate on the computer you will use. College students can purchase the Office 2007 Ultimate edition for only $60 (plus shipping and handling) by visiting the following Microsoft website: http://www.theultimatesteal.com
Personal Computer.  A personally-owned and accessible computer with Internet access is mandatory. Although public access or company-owned systems can be used for occasional work, it is strongly recommended that they not be your sole form of interface with any online course. Check your computer for adequate system requirements and storage space to support Office 2007 software and store completed assignments. It is strongly recommended that you store all files on the hard disk of your computer, and create regular backups for your protection from lost work.
Internet Connection.  Internet access to your personal computer is mandatory. Although public access can be used for occasional work, it is strongly recommended that public access not be your sole form of connection with any online course.

Additional requirements for this course:

Besides the Technical Requirements listed in the “Getting Started with Online Learning,” you will need to have Windows XP or Windows Vista on the computer you plan to use.

Will this course be hard for me?

Without knowing you, it is a difficult question to answer. However, good reading skills are essential since reading the textbooks and the other resource materials are the primary source of the information you will need to pass the course. Also, good time management skills are a must for any online course.  If you have no background in using a computer and the Internet, you may find the course difficult. But, communicating with your fellow students and your instructor will be very helpful and perhaps essential. Asking questions is a very valuable use of your time.

Can I go at my own pace?

Not entirely. In this course, there is a timeline on when chapter reading, quizzes and exams, discussions and lab assignments must be completed by official class due dates and they will be strictly enforced. However chapters can be read and work can be completed ahead of time. 

Time commitment for an online course:

Consider carefully whether or not you are suited for online learning—not everyone is. Although we are working to remedy this, about ½ of the students who register for an online course end up dropping, withdrawing, or not finishing. This is partially because students don’t consider what online learning is going to be like and the amount of time it takes.

If you don't learn well on your own, you should reconsider whether you are suited for this course right now. To help you determine whether an online course is the right choice for you, look over the link “Is an Online Course Right for You” under Online Education.

There is a misconception that because a course is taken online the workload will be lighter and/or the course will be easier. Nothing can be farther from the truth. An online course takes more work than the traditional face-to-face classroom course.

As a general rule of thumb, a 3 credit hour course would meet 3 hours per week. As a standard rule, for every hour you are in class, you need to spend a minimum of 2 hours outside class which equals 9 hours a week -- 3 + (3 x 2) = 9. This general rule and the average amount of time to dedicate to this course…some students will need more time allotted for this course. Don't sign up for the course unless you are able to commit time each week to this online course.

Right before the semester starts:

Complete the following :

• Check your SJC email account for beginning course instructions including course orientation information.  Your SJC email account is your primary communication tool before the semester starts.  Once the semester begins and you have access to the course through ANGEL, ANGEL’s communication tool will become your primary contact tool.
• Purchase the required textbooks for this course and Microsoft Office 2007 (if the 180-day trial edition is inadequate)
• Make sure that you have your username and password for ANGEL (the same one used to log onto computers on campus and at our off-campus sites); contact SJC’s Help Desk for information or help, 505-566-3266

When the semester starts:

Complete the following:

• Log into ANGEL
• Immediately begin reading and completing ALL PARTS of the Course Orientation.

If you have any additional questions, please don't hesitate to contact your instructor.