Revised: January 11, 2002

Northern Virginia Community College - Annandale Campus

IST 117-73n Introduction to Microcomputer Software, 3 credits
Tuesdays 5:00-8:00PM, Navy Federal Credit Union, Training Room #1, Spring 2000

Instructor: Dr. William M. Pegram, wpegram@nvcc.edu, Home Phone (703)-486-0952
Office Hours: One half hour before class and one half-hour after class, in the classroom.  You may email me or call me at the above number outside of office hours.  

Required Text:

Wempen, Faithe Teach Yourself Lotus SmartSuite Millenium Edition in 24 Hours, SAMS, 1998, ISBN 0-672-31364-2. $20

The instructor will make additional reading material available through links from the class schedule.

Required Software

The focus of this course is the word processing, spreadsheet, database, and presentation components of the Lotus SmartSuite Millenium Edition.  These components are installed in the computer labs and apparently on many computers throughout Navy Federal, including one or more of the computers in the Human Resources library.  If students have computers at home, they are encouraged to install the software at home.  You may purchase the suite at an academic price of $89 plus tax at the Annandale Campus bookstore or via mail order for $10  less by calling the educational number at CompUSA (you do not go the store).  When organizations have software installed on computers in the office, the site license often permits a copy to be installed on the employees' computer at home with no additional cost to the organization..  Check with the appropriate person to find out whether this is true here.   

Additional References: (Reading will not be assigned from these)

Eddy, Sandra E. Mastering Lotus SmartSuite Millenium Edition Release 9.5, Third Edition, Sybex, 1999, ISBN 0-7821-2620-0. $40

Meadhra, Michael and Weingarten, Jan Lotus SmartSuite Millenium Edition for Dummies, IDG Books Worldwide, 1998, ISBN 0-7645-0353-7. $20

Online Training Materials, Training Branch, Navy Federal Credit Union - separate documents for Lotus Word Pro, 1-2-3, Freelance Graphics, and Approach.

Online Documentation PDF files shipped with SmartSuite

Course Description/Objectives

This course is designed to provide the student with an introduction to microcomputers and the Internet and a working knowledge of representative commercial software packages.  Hands-on training will include the following software applications: Windows 95/98/NT, Netscape Navigator/Internet Explorer, email, Lotus Word Pro, Lotus 1-2-3, Lotus Approach, and Lotus Freelance Graphics.

Attendance

If you miss a class, please contact other students and the course web site (see below) for information on content, assignments, and so forth.  In cases of inclement weather, consult television and radio stations or the www.washingtonpost.com concerning Northern Virginia Community College closing.  In case of cancellation, assignments will be pushed back to the next class date.

Academic Integrity

On homework assignments and projects, students may ask for and receive some assistance from others, unless otherwise directed by the instructor.  Yet those helping a student should avoid "doing the work" for the student.  If students receive significant assistance from others, the student should give credit to these individuals.  No assistance is permitted on exams and quizzes.   

Assignments/Exams

Students are expected to complete all reading and homework assignments prior to each class.  Late submission of assignments will result in a 10% grade penalty.  Homework assignments will not be accepted beyond one week following the due date, because the solutions will generally be discussed during the class period one week after the due date.  If a student misses one quiz, the average of the student's other quizzes will be used for that quiz.  Make-ups of the final exam will be very difficult to arrange.

Grading Scale: 90-100 A, 80-89 B, 70-79 C, 60-69 D, Below 60 F
Assignments: 50%, Quizzes and Exam 50%

Web Site for Class: http://www.erols.com/wpegram (most up-to-date)
Alternative site for class: http://www.nv.cc.va.us/home/wpegram

Class Email List:

Students are required to sign up for a class email list.  To sign up, please send an email from the account you wish to sign up to wpegram@nvcc.edu.  You will soon thereafter receive an invitation to join the list which will describe the operation of the list   Follow the directions in this email.  You may sign up multiple addresses, if you like.  All emails to the instructor, for this or any other purpose, should include 117 in the title and your name in the body. 

Withdrawal from the Class:

March 24 is the last day to withdraw without grade penalty or to change to audit.

Fire/Emergency Evacuation Procedures

Students should familiarize themselves with both the primary and secondary routes that are to be used, in case you need to evacuate the building, as well as other evacuation procedures to be followed.