Lisa Kaaz - CA 10D Syllabus - Computer Keyboarding and Document Formatting
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Distance Learning Coordinator
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About CA10D - Computer Keyboarding and Document Formatting
The Computer Keyboarding section of this course is designed for all students who want to develop good computer keyboarding skills. Beginning students will learn the touch system of keyboarding, and students who already know the keyboard will improve their basic keyboarding techniques to develop speed and accuracy. Using Microsoft Word, the Document Formatting portion of this class will teach students how to prepare and edit documents such as business letters, memoranda, tables, and reports.This class meets online only.
Handouts
Below are links to some of the handouts we are using this semester. These (and many more) are also available in our Angel classroom. Most are in pdf (Adobe Acrobat Reader) format. If you don't have Acrobat Reader, you can get it from the Adobe Web Site (And it's free!)
CA 10D - Syllabus
Welcome!
I'm glad you're here and I am excited about teaching this class! This syllabus/information document provides important information on a variety of topics. The first section describes the syllabus. This is followed by information on how to enter ANGEL (our online classroom), how to decide if online learning is right for you, and information regarding the Keyboarding Pro 6.
Please read all the information carefully and email me if you have any questions. I want this to be a fun, positive, online learning experience for you.
Please note: This is not a class that teaches you how to use ANGEL software program (but I can assist you with ANGEL).
West Valley College's Mission Statement
The West Valley College community supports students along their pathways to reach transfer and career goals in an environment of academic excellence.
How this Course is Conducted
We will be using ANGEL (an acroynm for A New Global Environment for Learning), a Course Management Software program. Think of ANGEL as our classroom. In it is all of the information you will need to complete this class (assignments, testing, handouts, e-mail, and discussion boards). This document contains instructions on how to log into our classroom.
This information is also on the WVC Home Page (www.westvalley.edu).
Course Description and Objectives
Keyboarding:
The first three weeks of class is devoted to keyboarding. This portion of class is designed for both beginning students who have never typed, and students who already know the keyboard but want to improve their speed and accuracy skills. Beginning students will learn the touch system of keyboarding including the alphabet, numbers, and symbols. Your keyboarding goal: reach 20 wpm (words per minute) by the end of class.
NOTE: The Keyboarding Pro Software that we use is only available for computers using Windows (not Macs). Skill Building students (students who already know the keyboard) will improve their basic keyboarding techniques to develop speed and accuracy. This class is also recommended for students who want to rid themselves of bad keyboarding habits (looking at their fingers, using incorrect typing techniques). Skill Building Goal: improve your keyboarding skill by eight to ten words per minute.
Need help installing your Keyboarding Pro software or creating your data disk? Try watching these videos that a former students created for me:
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Installing Keyboarding Pro: http://www.screencast.com/t/L1K8foAGaO
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Creating Your Data Disk in Keyboarding Pro: http://www.screencast.com/t/J8XQ4Pi651
Document Formatting:
The remainder of the class focuses on Document Formatting. Using Microsoft Word 2010, this section will teach you word processing concepts and techniques of document preparation including memos, business letters, statistical tables, and reports. Our textbook is designed for Word 2010 users. You may use Word 2011 for the Mac, but remember, the textbook will not match.
Prerequisites
There are no course prerequisites for CA 10D, but CA 70 (introductory computer course) is recommended if you are unfamiliar with using the computer. To take this course you must:
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Have access to the Internet (high speed is not required, but highly recommended)
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Know how to use an Internet browser
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Know how to receive/send e-mail and homework from our classroom in Angel
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Have your own e-mail account
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Have access to or install the software programs needed (Microsoft Word 2010 and Keyboarding Pro
Course Materials
Required Text and Software:
There is one book and one software package that you will need to purchase to complete this course. It is assumed that you have access to Word 2010 (either own it, borrow from a friend, go to the Tech Center or Library). Student must have all materials by the end of the first week. You can purchase the materials a number of ways:
- You can purchase your materials from other vendors (amazon.com, ichapter.com, etc.). If you order from other vendors, you may not be able to purchase your materials as a bundle, but you may still be able to save money. Here is what to look for if you purchase the items separately from a vendor: (Prices below are approximate and subject to change.)
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You save money if you purchase it from Cengage or the West Valley's bookstore as they sell it as a bundle, meaning that the keyboarding software and text are sold together. The bookstore's approximate price for a new bundle is $110 ($82 used) and you will not have to wait to receive your order (you can pick it up on campus). It costs $20 to order it directly from Cengage. Again, as prices can change quickly, these prices may not be correct.
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You can save the most money if you purchase it as an e-book.
System Requirements for the Keyboarding Pro software program:
The following are minimum system requirements that are necessary to run the Keyboarding Pro 6 software on your personal computer. Recommended configurations are listed in parentheses.
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500 MHz Pentium III or compatible processor
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256 MB of RAM (512 MB RAM Recommended)
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Hard Drive with 1 GB free disk space
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8X CD-Rom Drive
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Windows-compatible sound card
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600 x 800 screen with 24-bit color (1024 x 768 with 32-bit color Recommended)
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32 bit Microsoft Word 2010 also compatible with Microsoft Word 2007
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32 bit or 64 bit operating system
Web Reporter and ANGEL
To use the Web Reporter, an Internet connection is required. We highly recommend a wired connection. A wireless connection is not recommended, although I have not had any trouble using my wireless.
Class Schedule and Grading Information
I will provide you with a keyboarding calendar/schedule. Each week I will post a Lesson Assignment Handout to help you with the assignment. There are 50 lessons to complete (the first 25 are using the Keyboarding Pro software with a few sections to type in the book). Keyboarding portion of class: Document Formatting portion of class: There are five online tests (true/false, multiple choice) and four of them include a production component (tests that you type and submit). Assignments and tests must be submitted by the due dates to receive credit.
Grade Points (subject to change)
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Keyboarding and Keyboarding Assignments |
100 |
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Assignments including Weekly emails from you |
400 |
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Discussion Forums |
150 |
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Total Test Points |
350 |
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Total Final Points (true/false and multiple choice questions) |
200 |
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Total Class Points (subject to change) |
1200 |
***Five Points (configured into your weekly assignments) includes an e-mail from you letting me know how you are doing, if you have questions, etc. It doesn’t have to be long, but I want to make sure that we maintain contact. If you do not send me a weekly e-mail, the points will be deducted from your total weekly points.***
Each week (usually Tuesday evenings) I will post a Lesson Assignment Handout to help you with the assignment. Assignments and tests must be submitted by the due dates to receive credit.
Student Responsibilities and Course Requirements
Plan your time carefully. In order to successfully complete this course, you should plan your schedule very carefully and try to stick to it. Look carefully at your schedule. Check the WVC Distance Learning site, "Are Distance Learning Classes Right for You" to see if an online class is a good fit for you and your schedule. As per the college catalog: "A semester unit of credit represents the number of lecture hours (or their non-lecture equivalent) per week for one semester. Normally, a student is expected to devote two hours of preparation outside class for each unit of credit in a class.
I require that you check your ANGEL mail at least twice a week. In Angel, I have the ability to send messages to both your home and ANGEL e-mails. It will look as though I am sending you the e-mail from my West Valley College account. Please be sure that your personal e-mail address is correct (go to MyWebServices from the college home page). Most students appreciate this because it reminds them that they have an online class. However, when you e-mail me, please do so by logging into ANGEL rather than sending it to my WVC email. This allows me to keep my class e-mail separate from the large volume of college e-mail I receive and will ensure that I am able to receive and read your e-mail. It also shows me that you are logging into the ANGEL website.
I also require that you WRITE me once a week. I want to know how you are doing, what problems you might have and if there are any questions I can answer. This is MANDATORY. The law requires that online classes have regular and effective contact between student and instructor. If you do not write, I will deduct 5 points from your weekly assignments. If you do not write me in two consecutive weeks, I will consider dropping you.
Checking ANGEL (Twice weekly)
As I mentioned above, I require that you check your ANGEL account at least twice a week. ANGEL tells me when you have logged in/out. If I see that you have not logged in for two weeks, I may ask you to drop. This is one reason why it is so important to keep in contact with me. I want to help you work through your problems.
Discussion Boards
Our class has its own Angel Discussion Board for you or your classmates to post questions, comments, etc. Before you send me a question, I ask that you first post your question on the Discussion Board. Why? I'm not online 24/7 and my response may not be instantaneous. Don't be shy - probably 10 of your classmates have the same questions. When taking an online course you must take the initiative to post questions on the discussion board if you do not understand the material. You must learn to move on to other material while waiting for a response.
Most weeks there will be a mandatory discussion board where you will be asked to post an answer to a question and respond to another student's post. These are graded forums and participation in each is required for a passing grade. Your posts are worth up to five points, depending on the depth of your post. I will give you more information about this in your assignments.
Computer Excuses - There are None
I do not accept computer "excuses." You are taking an online class; it is your responsibility to have access to a computer. What does this mean? Computer crashes, lost disk information, Internet access becomes unavailable, hardware/software difficulties, or your dog ate your disk do not constitute reasons for late work. Since I don't accept computer excuses, make sure you have back-up computer sources (library, friend).
Dropping the Course
I hope this doesn't happen, but if you need to drop after the first week, it is your responsibility to do so or risk receiving an N/C (“F”) in class. However, if I see that you are not completing your work, logging in, etc., I will drop you. If you are dropping because you are feeling overwhelmed, please talk to me first. I’m here to help you get through that and want this to be a positive experience for you.
Policy on Academic Dishonesty
The College's policy on academic dishonesty covers in-class cheating, out-of-class cheating, plagiarism, and furnishing false information. For additional information, please see the West Valley College Catalog.
All students are expected to know the rules regarding plagiarism. The Oxford Dictionary describes plagiarism as '... to take and use as one's own the thoughts, writings, or inventions of another.' (OED 1987). Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plagiarism) describes plagiarism as: " the use of another person's work (this could be their words, products or ideas) for personal advantage without proper acknowledgement of the original work with the intention of passing it off as your own. Plagiarism may occur deliberately (with the intention to deceive) or accidentally (due to poor referencing). It includes copying material from a book, copying-and-pasting information from the World Wide Web, getting family or friends to help with course work - even copying answers from a fellow student during an examination is a form of plagiarism."
Other sites to visit on this subject: http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets/plagiarism.shtml http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/research/r_plagiar.html
ANGEL (A New Global Environment for Learning)
How to Log into our Angel Classroom
Think of ANGEL as our classroom. Here is where you will receive announcements, get your assignments, e-mail, grades, handouts, and chat with other students. The classroom opens the first day of class.
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This is our Angel Classroom's URL: http://wvmccd.angellearning.com/
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You can also access the ANGEL login page from the West Valley College home page at http://www.westvalley.edu
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Download the Student Quickstart Guide from http://www.westvalley.edu/elearning/faculty/documents/angel-80-student-quickstart-guide.pdf
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NOTE: If you are taking an online course that utilizes the Angel Learning course management system, you usually will not have access to the server until just before the semester begins. After the semester begins, you will be able to login in to Angel by using your college ID and password.
ANGEL User ID
- Your student ID number is generated by the computer at the college after you apply for admission for the first time and is included with all of the paperwork you may have received from the college and on the back of your student ID card.
- You should also be able to get your college student ID number through MyWVMPortal from the college home page.
- You must apply for admissions before the college will issue a student ID number.
ANGEL Password
Your password is your six digit birth date.
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So if you were born on December 14, 1980, your password would be 121480
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Single digits must have a 0 in front of them
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So if you were born on May 9, 1990, your password would be 050990
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Now that you have determined your log in name and password, Angel may be accessed through the following login page: http://wvmccd.angellearning.com
Still having problems logging on to ANGEL?
If you are still having problems logging on to Angel for a West Valley College online course, there may be a problem with the seven digit number you are using as part of your username. Your student ID number is generated by the computer at the college and is included with all of the paperwork you may have received from the college.
If you absolutely can't find any paperwork with this number on it or you never received any paperwork in the first place, please contact the college Admissions and Records office (408-741-2001) or me at lisa.kaaz@wvm.edu. Each online instructor has access to the student ID numbers for the individual students in their course.
Contact Information
Since this is an online class, I have no official campus office hours. Once classes begin:
You can call me in my office at (408) 741-2623 (M-Th)
- If you would like to make an appointment with me, I am on campus Monday - Thursday.
- If you e-mail me, I will get back to you within 24 hours (M-Th), usually less.
- I will require that you e-mail me from ANGEL ONLY because I can get my ANGEL mail from anywhere with an Internet connection.
- I also like to keep my class e-mail separate from the many college e-mails I receive.
- If ANGEL is experiencing problems and you need to contact me via school e-mail, my college e-mail address is: lisa.kaaz@westvalley.edu
Getting Help
Disabled students: West Valley College makes reasonable accommodations for persons with documented disabilities. College materials will be available in alternate formats (Braille, audio, electronic format, or large print) upon request. Please contact the Disability and Educational Support Program at (408) 741-2010 (voice) or (408) 741-2658 (TTY) for assistance.
Please notify me immediately if you have a documented learning disability and require extra time on timed exams. I am happy to give you extra time if you (1) can document your disability; AND (2) notify me BEFORE you take the exam.
Important Dates
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First Day of Class |
January 28 |
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Last day to ADD a semester length classs |
February 10 |
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Last Day to Drop a Semester Length Class WITHOUT a "W" and WITH a Refund |
February 10 |
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Deadline to Petition for AA-T/AS-T for Spring Graduation |
February 14 |
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President's Holiday - Campus Closed |
Friday, February 15 and Monday, February 18 |
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Deadline to Petition for Spring Graduation |
March 25 |
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Cesar Chavez Observance - Campus Closed |
Monday, April 1 |
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Spring Break (Campus Offices Open, but no classes are in session) |
April 1 - 6 |
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Last Day to Drop a Semester Length Class WITH a "W" |
April 26 |
Our Final Exam |
Monday, May 20 |
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Graduation |
May 23 |
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Memorial Day Holiday (Campus Closed) |
Monday, May 27 |
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Grades for Spring 2013 posted on Web |
by June 4 |
Technology Center
There is no fee to use the Tech Center, but there is a "pay-per-page" charge for printing. Visit the Tech Center's web page at http://www.westvalley.edu/tc or call them at 408-741-2666 for hours and additional information. You will need your student ID to use the Tech Center.
Syllabus Disclaimer Statement
I may make changes to the syllabus during the semester. It is your responsibility to stay informed of these changes. If you have questions about this, you may contact me via e-mail or phone. You may also wish to have a study partner whom you can contact if you have questions.
About Online Learning
This distance learning course is conducted completely via the Internet and e-mail. The primary mode of instruction is through an Internet connection. I would like you to stay in close contact with me. I ask that you write me (just to check in) at least once a week via ANGEL's e-mail. I'd like you to check your ANGEL mail and discussion group posts at least twice a week. In our classroom discussion forum, or through chat, you may consult with your classmates about your assignments. You will submit the majority of your work via our classroom drop box. I will provide you with a class assignment document each week to guide you throughout this course. Please understand that this is not a self-paced class (meaning that I will not release all assignments at one time or in advance). You must submit your assignments on or before each of the deadlines.
Is this Online Class Right for Me?
Please visit West Valley College's eLearning website. westvalley.edu/elearning Viewing the eLearning web site should help determine if this class meets your needs.
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Are you ready for online learning? westvalley.edu/elearning/students/readiness/
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To help you determine if online learning is right for you, take the online readiness quizzes at http://www.westvalley.edu/elearning/students/readiness/quiz-1.html
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Review the FAQ page at: westvalley.edu/elearning/students/faq.html
What are the recommended best practices for using ANGEL? http://www.westvalley.edu/elearning/angel/practices-students.html
Check the ANGEL logon page for the browsers and browser version should you use. http://wvmccd.angellearning.com/
Unlawful Discrimination / Sexual Harassment
If you have a complaint or someone has shared information with you as a student or employee that is unlawful discrimination or sexual harassment, contact the Associate Vice Chancellor of Human Resources at West Valley-Mission Community College District, Human Resources Department at 408-741-2060. If the Associate Vice Chancellor of Human Resources is not available, contact the President of the West Valley College at 408-741-2097.
Health and Safety Information for Students
Questions about Health Services ? Please call 741-2027 or view the website at: http://www.westvalley.edu/services/health
Stress Management
Get a jump on Stress Management by seeking tips on:
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Getting Good Sleep; Ideas for “Brain” Food and Eating Well; Time Management, Concentration and Test-Taking Strategies; Realistic Relaxation Breaks
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Consider Personal Counseling to talk it out.
Find these at WVC Student Health and other Support Resources at http://www.westvalley.edu/services/
Non-Smoking Policy
West Valley College is a Smoke Free Campus and we thank you for honoring the college policy and supporting a healthy campus! Smoking is prohibited on campus with the exception
of the numbered parking lots around the perimeter of College Circle.
FREE and Confidential Smoking Cessation Support, including Nicotine patches and gum, is available in Student Health Services, No Butts About It!
http://westvalley.edu/services/health/smoking.html
Accidents on Campus
If you experience an accident while on campus, the College/District requires the following:
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Claimant's own insurance plan is considered Primary; District Plan is only used after the primary plan Claim must be filed within 90 days of the incident
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Claimants are expected to pay a $50 deductible (Athletes may pay a higher deductible)
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Maximum benefit is $50,000 per injury (Athletes may receive higher maximum benefit)
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Maximum time allowance for submitting claims is one year from date of incident
WVM Alert
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We have a mass notification system which informs all users of emergencies via the mode you select (e.g., text, cell phone, email, work phone, home phone).
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Please sign up at: http://wvm.edu/emergency/
Summing it Up - How to Succeed in this Class
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Enter your Angel classroom and check your e-mail and discussion board at least three times a week and let me know how you are doing once a week.
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Complete all assignments by the dates listed.
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Participate in online discussions.
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Plan your time carefully for all online classes.
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Purchase the required materials.
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Have a back-up plan if your computer suddenly decides not to cooperate. Back up your data.
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Have fun, work hard, and enjoy your online experience!
West Valley College is a Smoke-Free College. Smoking is ONLY allowed in the park lots.
