Syllabus
ADM 316 – Computers and Information Processing

Instructor: Russ Ray, MSM ‘06
Email Address: russell.ray at agsfaculty.indwes.edu (daytime)
Phone: (evenings until 9:00)
Web Site: http://iwuruss.wordpress.com

Course Overview

Computers are now an inescapable presence in today’s society. Computers are used to complete work tasks, store important information, and process business transacations. The Internet has allowed computers to become an important tool for sharing ideas, communicating with other people, and developing the global economy. Equally, computers can be a tool for harm, and with the proliferation of computer viruses, identity theft scams, cyber-stalking, cyber-bullying, cyber-impersonation, and personal data hacking, we must remember that computers are inherently only capable of doing what human beings tell them to do.

This course provides an introduction to the equipment, techniques, and concepts of information systems processing. Emphasis will be placed on the components of information processing systems and the part each plays in the processing of data.

IWU/APS Grading Scale

This course will use the standard grading scale used by the Indiana Wesleyan University College of Adult and Professional Studies with a total of 1000 points.

IWU Attendance Policy

This course will use the attendance criteria used by the Indiana Wesleyan University College of Adult and Professional Studies.

If a student must miss more than one workshop in courses with 5 or fewer sessions, an “F” will be recorded. In this case, students should officially withdraw from the course via Student Services prior to the end of the course, and make-up the course with another core group.

Students are expected to be present when class begins and remain the entire workshop. If a student misses a total of one (1) hour or more of a class that is four (4) hours in length, an absence will be recorded.

IWU Academic Honesty Policy

This course will strictly enforce the academic honesty and plagiarism policies used by the Indiana Wesleyan University College of Adult and Professional Studies.

Late Work Policy

All assignments are expected to be completed and turned in to the instructor on the evening of the workshop which they are due. If you know in advance that you will not be able to attend a workshop, you may turn in an assignment via e-mail by the start of that evening’s workshop. An assignment received by email after 6:00 PM of the evening it is due is considered late for a student who is also absent that evening. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that the assignment is received on time.

Any late assignments will have 20% deducted from the score per day late, and no late assignments will be accepted after being 5 days late (100% deduction).

The résumé analysis assignment requires in-class participation as part of the assignment, and thus will not be accepted late at all and cannot be made up.

Weighting of Assignments

Course Approach

Because this is a communications class, students will be expected to demonstrate effective skills in both oral and written communication. Oral communication skills will be graded in the final presentation and any other in-class speaking assignments. Written communication skills will be graded in all papers and other such written assignments. Students are expected to proofread and spellcheck their work, as well as utilize proper grammar, punctuation, mechanics, and style as appropriate for a college-level course. Students should use the Prentice Hall Reference Guide if they have questions regarding these areas.

Wikipedia, Yahoo! Answers, and other open-source information repositories are not allowable APA reference sources in this course. Students may use these web sites to research ideas and to find citations to actual reference materials outside of these sites.

The instructor endeavors to provide as much constructive criticism and feedback on assignments as possible. While most students are surprised at the beginning of the course by what they believe to be harsh grading practices, by the end of the course most (if not all) students demonstrate marked improvement of those skills. Please keep in mind that this is a college course in a Bachelor’s-level program and that work is expected to reflect that. The instructor is happy to clarify and discuss any grades or comments for the purpose of helping students grow and improve.

Above all, please remember that the main purposes of this course are to glorify God and to serve the students in preparation to complete this program and to utilize the skills learned in this class in your current and future professional lives. If at any point the students believe that the subject matter is irrelevant to them at that moment, please let the instructor know. There is no purpose served in wasting what little time we have together in this course on concepts that can’t be applied to even a single person in the class.

Assignment List: please ignore the assignments in the Student Guide except as noted.

Due Workshop 1

• Read Chapters 1 and 2 in Tomorrow’s Technology and You and be prepared for this week’s quiz on Chapter 2.
• Read Chapter 1 in Microsoft Office Excel 2003.
• Individually, complete the Chapter 2 questions on p. 21 in the Student Guide.
• In your project teams, begin discussing topics for the team project. See pp. 15 and 16 of the Student Guide for project guidelines.

Due Workshop 2

• Read Chapters 4 and 5 in Tomorrow’s Technology and You and be prepared for this week’s quiz on this reading.
• Read Chapter 2 in Microsoft Office Excel 2003.
• Individually, complete the Chapters 4 and 5 questions on pp. 25 and 26 in the Student Guide.
• Individually, complete the Chapter 1 Excel Project/Case “The Movies” on p. 64 in Microsoft Office Excel 2003.
• In your project teams, choose the organization you will use as a topic for the team project and hand in a one paragraph summary that organization’s history.

Due Workshop 3

• Read Chapter 7 in Tomorrow’s Technology and You and be prepared for this week’s quiz on this reading.
• Read Chapter 3 in Microsoft Office Excel 2003.
• Individually, complete the Chapter 7 questions on p. 29 in the Student Guide.
• Individually, complete the Chapter 2 Excel Practice Exercise “The Sports Statistician” on p. 99 in Microsoft Office Excel 2003.
• In your project teams, hand in a final project outline of the team project, including the names of students responsible for each item.

Due Workshop 4

• Read Chapters 8 and 9 in Tomorrow’s Technology and You and be prepared for this week’s quiz on this reading.
• Read Chapter 4 in Microsoft Office Excel 2003.
• Individually, complete the Chapters 8 and 9 questions on pp. 33 and 34 in the Student Guide.
• Individually, complete the Chapter 3 Excel Project/Case “PowerPoint Presentations” on p. 158 in Microsoft Office Excel 2003.

Due Workshop 5

• Read Chapter 10 in Tomorrow’s Technology and You and be prepared for this week’s quiz on this reading.
• Individually, complete the Chapter 10 questions on p. 37 in the Student Guide.
• Individually, complete the Chapter 4 Excel Practice Exercise “The Health Club” on p. 212 in Microsoft Office Excel 2003.
• In your project teams, be prepared to hand in the 6 to 8-page paper based on the team project.
• In your project teams, be prepared to present the team project.