COURSE DESCRIPTION/RATIONALE
This course will cover the fundamentals of several major operating systems in use today including: DOS, Windows 3.x, Windows 95/98,2000 Windows NT, Unix, Linux and the MAC OS. Beginning with some general operating system theory as your foundation, you'll progress thru configurations, installations, upgrades, installing drivers, and more. 
It is assumed that students are familiar with the Windows environment. Comparisons between Windows and other operating systems will be stressed.

YOUR INSTRUCTOR
Meet Your Instructor - Your instructor at CCC will oversee and track your progress in this course. You can stay in touch with e-mail, voice mail and telephone. If you have any questions at all about this course, feel free to contact your instructor.

SYLLABUS
Provides an exhaustive survey of operating systems in use in business today 
Prepares technicians to maintain operating systems 
Features extensive end-of-chapter review questions, hands-on projects, and in-depth case projects so skills can be practiced as they are learned. 
Includes coverage of Windows, Windows NT, UNIX, Linux, MacOS, and NetWare

COURSE OUTCOMES
Upon completion, students should understand and be able to utilize basic Linux and DOS commands, and combine them into batch files plus understand and be able to do some elementary troubleshooting of Windows 95, 98 and 2000 and Linux faults.

INTERNET RESOURCES
Students have unlimited access to ITP's CyberClass web site provided by the text publisher. This site extends the students opportunity to participate in real and practice exams, password protected conferencing and other tutorial aids provided by the publisher and consistent with the textbooks. Other web sites of value and reference will consist of cnn.com, microsoft.com, adobe.com, yahoo.com, Realvideo.com and other software download sites as appropriate.

ADDITIONAL TEACHER RESOURCES
On-line instruction to include video and voice conferencing, training video and audio segments, chat rooms and BBS. In addition the texts will be accompanied by companion CyberClass web site support with chat, exams, flash cards and other student/teacher aids, consistent with the chosen textbooks by ITP publishing. CD-ROMS with additional assignments, student projects, compilers and project evaluations are also included in the texts.

ASSIGNMENTS
All assignments are taken from the required texts, web page assignments designed by the instructor or offered for approval by the student. Students will correspond and deliver their assignments by e-mail.

OBJECTIVES
To convey fundamental knowledge of and familiarity with the typical operating system in use today and to prepare technicians in maintaining and supporting them.

ACTIVITIES
Multiple step assignments are used to build upon foundation knowledge in programming with the goal of a simple but realistic programming project. Collaborative and team assignments are not anticipated as individual student goals tend to vary.

INTERACTIVITY PLAN
Students will be using threaded discussion via Blackboard and two chat and BBS systems already implemented on the CCC servers. Students can exchange ideas with one-another, their teacher and also work on solutions to hardware and software issues as appropriate to the course. Web Board and NetMeeting are implemented and video and voice conferencing in an asynchronous mode are possible for those students with high-speed web access, such as T1 and cable modem. No synchronous sessions, either video, voice, conferencing or conventional video are to be used. Students do their course work within convenience and parameters of their own schedule.

ASSESSMENT
Primary assessment is obtained through graded project assignments that conform to educational goals prescribed by the course outline, text and instructor distributions and web page notifications. In addition interactive asynchronous testing may be adapted as appropriate. Project submission is step-wise with target dates assigned to help keep students on track. Flexibility in these target dates is always maintained to allow consistency with student's work, travel and family commitments.