Welcome to CS 5 Computer Literacy

Professor: Dr. Thomas | Email: jthomas@santarosa.edu
Monday and Wednesday 10:30-12:30 pm: Room PC 643.
Note: there are 2 holidays on Mondays this semester  (Sept. 2nd; and Nov 11th) which means the lecture will be on Wednesday during those weeks and there won't be a quiz.

This is a HyFlex course. HyFlex courses help you complete your education while allowing you to adapt it to your life. You can attend in the format you choose from one class meeting to the next, as your schedule permits. 

This means you can choose how you attend each class session:

(1) in class physically

(2) live online on the scheduled days and times (e.g. via Zoom – see TechConnect Zoom in navigation to the left),

or (3) complete all coursework asynchronously online (don't attend live Zoom).

Course Description

In this course, students will learn about a broad range of computer concepts, including an overview of computer and communication systems and their historical and societal impact. Topics include how computers work, how computers are put to work, technology ethics, capabilities and limitations of information technology, basic coding concepts, human-computer interaction, operating systems, and usage of productivity software and other tools to solve problems.

See Course Outline for transfer information

Note: This is not a basic course in operating a computer. 
For a basic introduction, please take a look at the Adult Education 761 series, which contains nine short courses, beginning with ADLTED 761.1 Basic Computer Operations 1.

Prerequisites:

Basic understanding of how to use a computer
Example: Web, email, word processing (basic level)

• Assignments written in "texting" lingo (e.g. "these tutorials r gd lol") will receive an automatic 50% penalty.
• Written assignments generated using ChatGPT or any other AI tool are not acceptable. 

Because of the reading required, eligibility for English 100A or equivalent reading level is recommended. If you are not sure what your reading level is, contact the Assessment Office.

Note: CS 5 is a 3-unit course. To do well, plan on spending two or more hours of outside work (reading, study, projects, etc.) for each hour you spend in class.

Student Learning Outcomes:
At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

Objectives:

Textbook (Required)

Recommended edition: Technology In Action. 18th ed, Evans, Alan. Poatsy, Mary Anne. Martin, Kendall. Pearson. 2023.

I recommend you rent or buy from one of these sources:

VitalSource or Amazon

Supplies (Required)

• With your Google or Gmail account, you can use Google Drive apps (such as Google Docs and Google Sheets) for all the report assignments in this course.
• As an SRJC student, you can get a free Microsoft Office 365 subscription.
• You can also get the current installable Microsoft Office (2019 for Windows; 2016 for Mac) for $30 through the Foundation for California Community Colleges:
  http://store.collegebuys.org/
  

We will be watching 2 Documentaries this quarter. Both are on Netflix. It will be necessary for you to watch these either in class or in your own time.

Dropping the Class

If you decide to discontinue this course, it is your responsibility to officially drop it. A student may be dropped from any class when that student's absences exceed ten percent (10%) of the total hours of class time. It is strongly advised that if you need to miss more than one class/homework deadline in a row that, you contact the instructor to avoid being dropped from the class.
If you feel you must quit the class, please talk with me first. Together we may find a way for you to complete the course successfully. If you quit without officially dropping, you are still graded on all the remaining work, usually resulting in an “F” grade.https://www.santarosa.edu/app/admissions/

Pass‐NoPass (P/NP)

You may take this class P/NP. You must decide before the deadline, and add the option online with TLC or file the P/NP form with Admissions and Records. With a grade of C or better, you will get P.

You must file for the P/NP option by the date shown above under "Important Dates."  Once you decide to go for P/NP, you cannot change back to a letter grade. If you are taking this course as part of a certificate program, you can probably still take the class P/NP. Check with a counselor to be sure.

Instructor Announcements

The instructor will post on the “Announcements” page in Canvas throughout the semester. Canvas notifies students according to their preferred Notification Preferences.

Late Policy

All assignments are due at midnight PST on the due date. Submissions more than one week late are not accepted without prior arrangement.

Assignments

Chapter Discussions
Each chapter has a discussion assignment, in addition to an introductory and final discussion at the beginning and end of the course.  This could involve asking a question, answering another student's question, sharing links to relevant resources and articles, giving an example of something that you struggled with and then overcame (or didn't!), giving an example of something you found remarkable, or any other constructive way you can think of to participate.

Chapter Quizzes
For each chapter, you will complete a 12-question multiple-choice quiz:

• The questions are randomly drawn from a test bank.
• They have no time limit.
• The quizzes are open book, open notes, and open Internet.
• You may take a quiz two times, and your highest score counts.
• Because the questions are randomly drawn from a test bank, you will get different questions each time.

Reports
Each chapter typically has a 300 to 350-word report assignment, with a few non-report assignments as well. You will have 2 weeks to complete each report.

Exams

This course has one midterm and a final exam. The exams are multiple-choice on the chapters covered.

• The final exam is not cumulative but covers only the chapters since the midterm exam.
• If you miss an exam, a zero will be recorded as the score. It is your responsibility to take the exams by the due date.
• The exams follow the same rules as the Chapter quizzes, except that you may take them just twice, instead of three times.

Grading Policy

Click the “Grades” link in Canvas to keep track of your grades.

• In the right column, or at the bottom of the page, make sure to clear the box "Calculate based only on graded assignments"
  
  

The following percentages earn at least these grades :

• A: > 89.5% = 1372 or higher
• B: > 79.5% = 1218 to 1371
• C: > 69.5% = 1065 to 1217
• D: > 59.5% = 912 to 1064

Note: If taking Pass/No Pass you need at least 70% of the total class points and complete the midterm exam and the final exam to pass the class.

Standards of Conduct

Respect
The best way to learn is through active participation; therefore, we respect others by being on time, listening actively, and, by being polite even when we disagree with another’s viewpoint. 
Students who register in SRJC classes are required to abide by the SRJC Student Conduct Standards. Violation of the Standards is a basis for referral to the Vice President of Student Services or dismissal from class or from the College. See the Student Code of Conduct page.

Collaborating on or copying of tests or homework in whole or in part will be considered an act of academic dishonesty and result in a grade of 0 for that test or assignment. Students are encouraged to share information and ideas, but not their work. See these links on Plagiarism:
SRJC Writing Center Lessons on avoiding plagiarism
SRJC's statement on Academic Integrity

Special Needs

If you need disability-related accommodations for this class, such as a note taker, test-taking services, special furniture, etc., please provide the Authorization for Academic Accommodations (AAA letter) from the Disability Resources Department (DRD) to the instructor as soon as possible. You may also speak with the instructor privately during office hours about your accommodations. If you have not received authorization from DRD, it is recommended that you contact them directly.

Disability Resources Department
Tel: (707) 527-4278 Santa Rosa
Tel: (707) 778-2491 Petaluma
Email: disabilityinfo@santarosa.edu

Every effort is made to conform to accessibility standards for all instructor-created materials. Students should contact their instructor as soon as possible if they find that they cannot access any course materials. Students with disabilities who believe they need accommodations in this class are encouraged to contact Disability Resources (527-4278).

Image credit:  https://www.comptia.org/content/trends-in-managed-services