Syllabus – CIS 71C Keyboarding: Skills Improvement
CRN 30334 meets January 31 to May 18
Distance Education, Spring 2012
Instructor: Victoria Austin
Email: (**please identify the assignment in the subject line of any email, and include your name in the contents of the message) Please allow 48 hours for a response from me.
Office Hour: Wednesday 9:30 - 10:30 AM in 803. You are not required to come on campus for this class, but I will be available at this time if you need face to face assistance. I may be available other times by appointment. The instructional assistants in 803 can also help you with general questions about the class, how to use the keyboarding program, or how to use Blackboard.
Instructor Website: http://lpc1.clpccd.cc.ca.us/lpc/vaustin/
Blackboard Website: http://clpccd.blackboard.com/
Course Description: Development of keyboarding skill for those students who have learned the location of the keys on the keyboard by touch and are ready to increase speed. The keyboarding software analyzes participant's typing technique and suggests practice that will help to type faster. Skill progress is measured by keying text within specified time limits. This course is the third in a series of sequential courses in Keyboarding instruction. Students should know the location of the keys on the keyboard before attempting this course. A typing speed of at least 25 wpm is also important to completing this course successfully. Strongly recommended: 71B competency.
This online class will be available from August 31 to September 13. There are lessons, handouts, a research paper, and keyboarding skills assessments. This syllabus will guide you through lessons and assignments to be submitted for grades. Information for each assignment will be posted in the Lessons and Assignments link in Blackboard. Any updates or changes will appear in the Announcements section of Blackboard.
You can always turn in work early, but I will only grade three assignments per week. You will learn more and retain more of what you learn if you spread the work out and do it in smaller segments. Note that you cannot get credit for the work if you try turning it all in at the last moment, since I will grade a maximum of three assignments per week.Expected Outcomes for Students:
Course Goals: Upon completion, students will be able to:
- Operate by touch the letters and support keys of the computer keyboard
- Demonstrate proper typing technique
- Use correct spacing with punctuation
- Improve gross words a minute (gwam) on a 5 minute timing with no more than three errors
Required Text/Materials:
The textbook for this class will be used for 71A, 71B, and 71C.College Keyboarding: Lessons 1-25 by Susie VanHuss, Connie Forde, and Donna Woo. ISBN 9781111426460
Link to bookstore to order this text
**If you buy the book from a source other than the LPC bookstore, make sure it comes with the software, Keyboarding Pro Deluxe 2, which should be on a CD in the book.**
If you have the previous version of the textbook (17th edition) from past semesters you do not need to buy a new book.
CD-ROM drive (to load the keyboarding software that comes with the book)
Computer with Windows OS; system requirements can be found here. This software doesn't work on a Mac.
Course Format
The class is divided into lessons that correspond to activities described in the the Lessons and Assignments link in Blackboard. You should plan on completing about one unit each week; each unit will take approximately 2-4 hours. Early work is always accepted. A maximum of three assignments will be graded per student each week.
Assignments for each lesson:- Read and do the lesson in the textbook
- Practice each drill 2 times
- Try to accomplish each timing with three errors or less
- Use a speed goal of 5+ gwam (gross words a minute) more than your typing assessment at the beginning of the class for 5 minute timing
- Start the CD and complete the Skill Building Lesson assigned that week
- Save your work
- Submit the lesson report to the instructor when instructed to do so
- For some units there will be handouts or timed writing to do in addition to work from the book
Active participation is the key to your success in an online class. Students are expected to keep up with deadlines for assignments, and to check email regularly. Students must log into the class at least once a week, though more often is preferable, and students who do not log in regularly may be dropped from the class. The instructor can use course management tools to establish whether a student has met the attendance requirement.
Evaluation/Grading:Course grade will be based on students completing all lessons, handout assignments, technique checks, research topic, and assessment timings. Extra credit points will be assigned on all supplementary work completed. Assignments are due weekly; points may be deducted for late assignments. Early work is always accepted.
Extra credit may be offered later in the semester, but the expectation is that you will use your regular coursework as the basis for your grade. In any event, extra credit is not enough to raise your grade from one letter grade to another, such as a B to an A. If extra credit is offered, you will see it posted in Blackboard.
A word about incomplete work: the incomplete grade was never intended for students who simply get behind in their work; it is intended to accommodate a student with an unforeseen disastrous event that makes it impossible to finish classwork on time. Do not request an incomplete unless you are (1) doing passing work at the time of the request and (2) able to document the reason for the request.
Drop Policy
The instructor may drop students who miss the first meeting of a course. The first meeting of online or hybrid Distance Education courses is the first day of the class as specified in the class schedule listing. For these courses, instructors may drop students who do not log into their Blackboard course and/or complete indicated activities by the third day of classes.Grade Components
- Lesson Reports (5 points each) 25%
- Technique Checks (5 point each) 10%
- Handouts 10%
- Research Project 20%
- Timed Writings 10%
- Final Timed Assessment (best increase in speed in 3-5 minute timed writes with three or fewer errors) 25%
Grading Scale
- A = 90% or higher
- B = 80-89%
- C = 70-79%
- D = 60-69%
- F = less than 60%
Dropping the class:
If you choose to drop the class, please go to Admissions and Records and drop the class yourself. Do not assume you will be dropped if you stop submitting work for the class.
Cheating and plagiarism:
If you are caught cheating, a report will be submitted to the Dean of Students Services for investigation and disciplinary action. Examples of cheating: copying test answers, copying work off the Internet, turning in work that is copied from another student, copying material in written assignments without giving credit to the author. Please understand that I take this issue very seriously. Any plagiarized or copied assignments, including timed writing tests and the research paper, will earn a grade of zero for that work. If you have questions about what that means, please refer to the college's academic honesty statement at http://www.laspositascollege.edu/facultystaff/honesty.php
Things you need to do to succeed in this class:
- Stay on the assigned schedule and submit work regularly
- Practice, practice, practice - Good keyboarding technique and accuracy comes from practice
- Read the textbook and assigned materials
- Complete all the Keyboarding Pro lessons and all the other assigned work
Weekly Assignments:
Plan on doing about one unit per week. You will see an indication in the syllabus below to suggest when work should be turned in. Assignments including keyboarding work, handouts, and the research project will be submitted via email to cis71class@gmail.com. Keyboarding Pro work can also be uploaded to the Web Reporter where I can download your results directly. Please put your name and the number of the assignment (such as Lesson 1) into the subject line; I will not attempt to guess whose work it is based on the email address from which it was sent.Outline and assignments
| Unit | Topic | Assignment | Approximate Due Date |
| 1 | Review | Send an email to instructor at
to
tell me you are starting the class - Read this syllabus - Install keyboarding CD if neccessary - Complete orientation survey in Blackboard course - Take keyboarding assessment in Blackboard under Lessons and Assignments Review Lessons 11-13, set goals for the term - Read and practice the chapters. Do lessons on the CD. - Credit will be given in Blackboard for lessons 11-13. |
2/3 |
| 2 | Skill Building A & B | Speed Practice - Complete the skill building lessons A and B for speed on the keyboard. - Complete Proofreading handout 3. |
2/10 |
| 3 | Skill Building A & B | Accuracy Practice - Complete the skill building lessons A and B for accuracy - Complete technique evaluation form in Blackboard |
2/17 |
| 4 | Skill Building C & D | Speed Practice - Complete the skill building lessons C and D for speed - Credit will be given for the keyboarding lessons in units 2-4 in Blackboard. |
2/24 |
| 5 | Skill Building C & D | Punctuation and Grammar Practice - Complete the skill building lessons C and D for accuracy - Complete the Subject/Verb Agreement drills on page 89 in the new book or page 90 in the older book, as described in Blackboard. |
3/2 |
| 6 | Skill Building E |
- Complete the skill building lesson E for speed and accuracy - Complete the Discussion Board question on technique improvement |
3/9 |
| 7 | Skill Building F | -Complete the skill building lesson F for speed and accuracy Midterm Assessment - Complete the Midterm assessment timed writing listed under Unit 7. The results can be attached in Blackboard or emailed to the class address at cis71class@gmail.com. |
3/16 |
| 8 | Skill Building G | - Complete the skill building lesson G for both speed and
accuracy - Credit will be given this week in Blackboard for lessons completed in units 5 - 8 - Identify key combinations you are working on in the Discussion Board: These keys spell trouble for me |
3/23 |
| 9 | Skill Building H | - Complete the skill building lesson H for both speed and accuracy - Complete the Punctuation and Capitalization Review handout in Blackboard |
3/30 |
| 10 | Skill Building I | - Complete the skill building lesson I for speed and accuracy - Credit will be given here for Lessons H and I in Blackboard. |
4/6 |
| 11 | Skill Building J | - Complete the skill building lesson J - Work on the area (speed or accuracy) where you need to work the most - Complete and submit the Pronoun Drills as described in Blackboard |
4/20 |
| 12 | Skill Building K | - Complete the skill building lesson K - Complete a technique evaluation - Start work on your research paper (unit 14) |
4/27 |
| 13 | Skill Building L | - Complete the skill building lesson L - Work on the area (speed or accuracy) where you need to work the most - Credit will be given in Blackboard for lessons J - L in this unit |
5/4 |
| 14 | Research Paper | Careers requiring keyboarding |
5/11 |
| 15 | Final
Assessment - Complete final timed writing assessment in Blackboard |
5/18 |
Technical Support
For more information on how to log into Blackboard and other technical support issues, visit http://www.laspositascollege.edu/onlinelearning/ or call 925 424 1142. Support hours and details are listed here.
The software publisher's technical support web site is located here. There are videos and other material which may be useful, especially as you are getting started.
ADA Accomodations
Students with documented disabilities needing accommodations are encouraged to discuss their needs with the instructor either by email or by making an appointment during office hours. More information may be obtained through the Disability Resource Center at 925 424 1510 or online at http://www.laspositascollege.edu/DSPS/index.php . Confidentiality of student's disability is maintained in accordance with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act.
Confidentiality of Email and Online Materials
All students' email addresses may be available to other students in class. Although some assignments in an online course may require peer communication, the instructor will make every effort to protect the confidentiality of any personal communication. However, students should recognize that email and other electronic media are never totally secure. The use of Las Positas's website, email, and Blackboard software for the creation and/or distribution of material not pertaining to course participation is prohibited and may be grounds for disciplinary actions according to College Policy. Such actions include, but are not limited to, the inappropriate use of email and discussion boards for harrassment, unlawful solicitation, spamming, and use of Blackboard to link to inappropriate materials.
Spring 2012 Important Dates
INSTRUCTION |
|
| Jan 16 |
HOLIDAY* - Martin Lither King, Jr. (no instruction) |
| Jan 17 | INSTRUCTION BEGINS - Spring 2012 (full term classes) |
| Jan 21 |
Instruction Begins - Saturday Classes |
| Feb 3 |
Last Day to ADD/DROP with No-Grade-of-Record (NGR), in person (A&R) (Full-term classes) |
| Feb 5 | Last Day to ADD/DROP with NGR online via Class-Web (Full-term classes) |
| Feb 6 | CENSUS DAY (Full-term classes) |
| Feb 16 | Last day to Apply for Pass/No Pass |
| Feb 17-20 | HOLIDAY* - Presidents' Day (no instruction) |
| Mar 31 |
60% Point for Financial Aid |
| Apr 4 | Last Day to Apply for Degree/Certificate |
| Apr 6 |
Last
Day to Withdraw with a “W” in person and online |
| Apr 7 | Saturday classes meet |
| Apr 9-14 | SPRING BREAK (no instruction) |
| May 12 | Last day of Saturday Classes |
| May 18 | Last day of Instruction (Full-term classes) |
| May 19 -25 |
Final Exam Period (Full-term classes) Click for PDF |
| May 19 |
Final Exams for Saturday Classes |
| May 25 |
Commencement |
| May 28 |
HOLIDAY* - Memorial Day |
| Jun 1 |
Instructors Only: Grades Due (by 11pm) |
*
Holiday/All Employees
** Saturday Only Classes
