This course teaches the use of the microcomputer as an office productivity tool. It covers creating and editing word processing documents, spreadsheets, and computerized visual presentations. Currently, the Microsoft Office software products Word, Excel, and PowerPoint are being taught in depth. Beside office productivity tools, this course covers file-management using the Microsoft Windows operating system.

Project Files: Available from the publisher's website (follow the instructions on the inside back cover of your text book).

Supplies: You will need floppy diskettes or portable USB drives if you want to save your assignments and projects when you are using the college computers. ** The USB drive is recommended. **

Assignments/Labs: There will be assignments and lab activities for each lesson weekly throughout the course. Many of them are obtainable from the textbook. You will work on them at your own pace, meaning they are not timed, although due date deadlines are outlined in the course schedule.

Project: You will be expected to develop and present a final project on a topic of your choice related to the course subject matter. Your project will be posted on the course site at the end of the semester for presentation to the group. Details will be provided mid-way through the semester.

Chat Sessions and Discussion Boards: A schedule will be set up for required on-line chat sessions that you will be required to participate in at least 10 throughout the semester (over at least 10 different weeks... meaning: not all 10 at once).æ There will also be various discussions topics posted on the discussion board by your fellow classmates and myself that you will be required to participate in throughout the semester. These will be counted as part of your class participation grade.

Exams: Five exams (including a comprehensive final) will be given. Two of the exams are "mini" exams and are only worth 50 points each, the other three are worth 100 each. Study guides are available on the course website for review and reinforcement purposes.

Internet Support: Visit the course website often for additional and revised information, or for posting questions about this course, or for downloading student data files.

Instructor Communication: Questions for your instructor must be posted within your course site and will typically be responded to within 48 hours (Monday through Friday only, no weekends usually). Please plan your work accordingly in order to give your instructor ample time to respond to your questions before each assignment due date.

WebCT Vista Familiarity: Go through the "Student Orientation to WebCT Vista" tutorial to familiarize yourself with the interface of a WebCT Vista course. A link to the tutorial can be found on your course home page. Follow the instructions listed.

*** DO NOT USE THE WEBCT VISTA MAIL TO CONTACT YOUR INSTRUCTOR FOR THIS CLASS. USE THE REGULAR E-MAIL ADDRESS LISTED ON THE 1st PAGE INSTEAD. ***

File Format and Names for Assignments: All assignments should be submitted via the WebCT "Assignment" page as attachments. Each assignment should be submitted as a separate attachment within the WebCT assignment page. DO NOT mix assignments together as one file. You have to attach each assignment file separately by clicking the "Browse" button. Do not submit the assignments until all files have been completely attached. Once the group of attachments is submitted, you will not be able to re-submit anything without the instructor resetting your assignment. Until you are finished attaching your files, you may click the "Save As Draft" button to save your attachments without submitting them to your instructor. When you are ready to turn in the completed assignment, click the "Submit" button to send all the files to your instructor.

All documents should be named according to the instructions given in the assignment followed by your last name and your first initial.æ For example, the name of assignment 1B of John Jones may read "Assignment1B_JonesJ".

Distance-Learning courses provide students with great flexibility in schedules and course participation. The only "attendance" requirements will be with regards to live lecture/chat sessions. There will be several scheduled instructor-led live chat sessions every week. You will be required to participate in at least 10 throughout the semester (over at least 10 different weeks... meaning: not all 10 at once).æ Failure to do so will result in a reduction in your class participation grade. A schedule for these sessions will be determined based on students' feedback of their available time periods.æ (I will gather this time period info from students in the first few weeks of the semester.)