Welcome to Computers!
The goal of this class is to prepare you to use computers for your schoolwork as you move on to high school and beyond, and to give you a base of knowledge with which to work for the rest of your lives.
Course Syllabus
Fall, 2011
Instructor: Mr. Gordon
jgordon at omosschool.com (replace the "at" with the @ symbol)
-- I don't have a link because many bots scour internet
sites for email addresses to send spam --
Instructor: Mr. Gordon
jgordon at omosschool.com (replace the "at" with the @ symbol)
-- I don't have a link because many bots scour internet
sites for email addresses to send spam --
Description:
This course builds a base of knowledge of basic computer use and provides the student with the ability to use many of the software applications that are in common use in the world today. It is an exploratory course that will provide students a basic understanding and comprehension of these programs that can be further be developed in personal study and practice.
Organization:
This is a course in which basic instruction and examples are given, which the student will be asked to learn, understand, and demonstrate through in-class quizzes and assignments, as well as out of class projects. No previous knowledge or use of computers is expected.
Course Objectives:
1. To introduce the student to the use of computers, their basic function, and capabilities.
2. To familiarize the student with the use and capabilities of commonly used software applications.
3. To integrate computer use into the student's day-to-day schoolwork.
Course Topics:
This course will cover the following topics:
1. History of comptuers
2. File extensions
3. Directory structure
4. Network structure
5. Microsoft Word
6. Microsoft Excel
7. Microsoft Power Point
8. Work assigned by 7th and 8th grade teachers
9. Microsoft Publisher (as time permits)
Grading Plan:
Coursework will be weighted as follows:
In-class quizzes and assignments: 25%
Microsoft Word Project: 25%
Microsoft Excel Project: 25%
Microsoft Power Point Project: 25%
Total: 100%
In-class quizzes and assignments:
Each class will consist of a lesson found on this webpage which the student is expected to read and learn. Examples of that lesson's material will be given in class as needed to illustrate the topics covered. At the end of most lessons, a short quiz or assignment (using that lesson's material) will be given. The student is expected to complete and submit the quiz or assignment before the next time the class meets. Any quiz or assignment that is not submitted before the next class period will be counted as a zero for the assignment.
Students can take these quizzes and assignments as many times as they want, but only the last score or assignment I receive before the next class will be used to calculate the grade. Quiz scores will automatically be calculated at the end of the quiz (the student will see the grade on the screen as well). For assignments, it is the studen'ts responsibility to email their work to me at the email address at the top of the syllabus. Grades for assignments will be passed in class the week after the assignment is due.
Microsoft Software Projects:
There will be lessons specifically geared towards the use and application of Microsoft Word, Excel, and Power Point. At the end of each unit, a capstone project will be assigned which is to be completed outside of class. These projects will utilize the things the student has learned during that unit in "putting the pieces together", so to speak. The topic, expectations, and grading criteria will be provided when each project is assigned.
The due date for these projects will also be given at the time the project is assigned. Students are expected to turn in their projects on or before the due date. For each week or partial week a project is late, their final grade will be reduced by 10%. So, if a project is turned in one to seven days late, the maximum possible grade available on the project is a 90%. If a project is turned in eight to fourteen days late, the maximum possible grade available is an 80%. After four weeks, any project that is not turned in will be given a zero.
Students can email me their project at any time. As with the in-class assignments, only the last project I receive will count towards their grade for the course. Grades will be passed out in class the week after the project is due (or the week after it is turned in for those that might be turned in late).
Grades will be available to view on RenWeb throughout the academic year. It is the student's responsibility to ensure that the grades recorded are accurate. If a discrepancy is found, please notify me as soon as possible via email.
Attendance:
Attendance to class is expected if the student is at school the day of class (Wednesdays during the 2011-12 school year). If a student is absent for any reason, they are expected to complete any quiz or assignment they miss before the next time the class meets. It is the student's responsibility to see that their work is done and submitted! Students that miss class for excused absences (illness, bereavement, etc) will be allowed one extra week to finish and submit their work.
Computer Lab Rules of Conduct:
1. No horseplay.
2. No food or drink.
3. A low (quiet) level of conversation is permitted, but outbursts, loud talking, etc are NOT. Please respect your fellow classmates as they work.
4. You are expected to work on the day's lesson when in the lab, not surfing the internet, playing games, etc.
5. Bring other work that you need to complete so if you finish early with your in-class quiz/assignment, you can continue to work quietly in the lab.
6. While the computers have the ability to play sound and music, it is expected that you keep the sound turned off so it does not cause a disturbance.
Escalation:
Students are expected to follow these rules of conduct while they are in the computer lab for class. If they do not, the following escalation will be followed (although it is the instructor's prerogative to escalate further if the situation demands it):
1. Student given a verbal warning.
2. Student asked to log off the computer for the day.
3. Student written up for their behavior, with the report being given to their home room teacher.
4. Student sent to the principal's office.
Any work a student does not finish due to an escalation is expected to be made up before the next class or the in-class quiz/assignment will be given a zero.
This course builds a base of knowledge of basic computer use and provides the student with the ability to use many of the software applications that are in common use in the world today. It is an exploratory course that will provide students a basic understanding and comprehension of these programs that can be further be developed in personal study and practice.
Organization:
This is a course in which basic instruction and examples are given, which the student will be asked to learn, understand, and demonstrate through in-class quizzes and assignments, as well as out of class projects. No previous knowledge or use of computers is expected.
Course Objectives:
1. To introduce the student to the use of computers, their basic function, and capabilities.
2. To familiarize the student with the use and capabilities of commonly used software applications.
3. To integrate computer use into the student's day-to-day schoolwork.
Course Topics:
This course will cover the following topics:
1. History of comptuers
2. File extensions
3. Directory structure
4. Network structure
5. Microsoft Word
6. Microsoft Excel
7. Microsoft Power Point
8. Work assigned by 7th and 8th grade teachers
9. Microsoft Publisher (as time permits)
Grading Plan:
Coursework will be weighted as follows:
In-class quizzes and assignments: 25%
Microsoft Word Project: 25%
Microsoft Excel Project: 25%
Microsoft Power Point Project: 25%
Total: 100%
In-class quizzes and assignments:
Each class will consist of a lesson found on this webpage which the student is expected to read and learn. Examples of that lesson's material will be given in class as needed to illustrate the topics covered. At the end of most lessons, a short quiz or assignment (using that lesson's material) will be given. The student is expected to complete and submit the quiz or assignment before the next time the class meets. Any quiz or assignment that is not submitted before the next class period will be counted as a zero for the assignment.
Students can take these quizzes and assignments as many times as they want, but only the last score or assignment I receive before the next class will be used to calculate the grade. Quiz scores will automatically be calculated at the end of the quiz (the student will see the grade on the screen as well). For assignments, it is the studen'ts responsibility to email their work to me at the email address at the top of the syllabus. Grades for assignments will be passed in class the week after the assignment is due.
Microsoft Software Projects:
There will be lessons specifically geared towards the use and application of Microsoft Word, Excel, and Power Point. At the end of each unit, a capstone project will be assigned which is to be completed outside of class. These projects will utilize the things the student has learned during that unit in "putting the pieces together", so to speak. The topic, expectations, and grading criteria will be provided when each project is assigned.
The due date for these projects will also be given at the time the project is assigned. Students are expected to turn in their projects on or before the due date. For each week or partial week a project is late, their final grade will be reduced by 10%. So, if a project is turned in one to seven days late, the maximum possible grade available on the project is a 90%. If a project is turned in eight to fourteen days late, the maximum possible grade available is an 80%. After four weeks, any project that is not turned in will be given a zero.
Students can email me their project at any time. As with the in-class assignments, only the last project I receive will count towards their grade for the course. Grades will be passed out in class the week after the project is due (or the week after it is turned in for those that might be turned in late).
Grades will be available to view on RenWeb throughout the academic year. It is the student's responsibility to ensure that the grades recorded are accurate. If a discrepancy is found, please notify me as soon as possible via email.
Attendance:
Attendance to class is expected if the student is at school the day of class (Wednesdays during the 2011-12 school year). If a student is absent for any reason, they are expected to complete any quiz or assignment they miss before the next time the class meets. It is the student's responsibility to see that their work is done and submitted! Students that miss class for excused absences (illness, bereavement, etc) will be allowed one extra week to finish and submit their work.
Computer Lab Rules of Conduct:
1. No horseplay.
2. No food or drink.
3. A low (quiet) level of conversation is permitted, but outbursts, loud talking, etc are NOT. Please respect your fellow classmates as they work.
4. You are expected to work on the day's lesson when in the lab, not surfing the internet, playing games, etc.
5. Bring other work that you need to complete so if you finish early with your in-class quiz/assignment, you can continue to work quietly in the lab.
6. While the computers have the ability to play sound and music, it is expected that you keep the sound turned off so it does not cause a disturbance.
Escalation:
Students are expected to follow these rules of conduct while they are in the computer lab for class. If they do not, the following escalation will be followed (although it is the instructor's prerogative to escalate further if the situation demands it):
1. Student given a verbal warning.
2. Student asked to log off the computer for the day.
3. Student written up for their behavior, with the report being given to their home room teacher.
4. Student sent to the principal's office.
Any work a student does not finish due to an escalation is expected to be made up before the next class or the in-class quiz/assignment will be given a zero.
