24053 Steinberg f14
M&IS 24053 Computer Applications Fall 2014
Dr. Geoffrey Steinberg
gsteinbe@kent.edu
A418 College of Business
Objective
There are two objectives:
You will develop competency in handling data using various computer programs. It is expected that during this term you will develop competency in the operation of the computer programs to which you are exposed. It is further expected that as you master the course material your confidence as a problem solver will increase.
You will develop an understanding of the role data and IT (Information Technology) plays in virtually all areas of business. A focus on data analytics (discovering useful information and supporting decision making) will aid the growth of your skill and understanding.
You will develop competency in handling data using various computer programs. It is expected that during this term you will develop competency in the operation of the computer programs to which you are exposed. It is further expected that as you master the course material your confidence as a problem solver will increase.
You will develop an understanding of the role data and IT (Information Technology) plays in virtually all areas of business. A focus on data analytics (discovering useful information and supporting decision making) will aid the growth of your skill and understanding.
| Sometimes being successful with problem solving requires going back to basics and looking for simplicity. Often simple solutions are elegant. |
Theme
The course theme is data & information & decision making.
Learning Outcomes
Develop data analysis skills
Become proficient with Microsoft Excel and other software
Learn to use data and information for decision making
Learn about the role of IT throughout business
Become a better writer
Learn to manage your time
Become proficient with Microsoft Excel and other software
Learn to use data and information for decision making
Learn about the role of IT throughout business
Become a better writer
Learn to manage your time
Sources of Information
You have several main sources of information for this course:
Class lecture / discussion
The e-book (bring it class)
The e-book's interactive lessons
Me (email me with questions)
Tutors
Online Presentations
Study guides for each course unit
Downloads for you to use during class
Class lecture / discussion
The e-book (bring it class)
The e-book's interactive lessons
Me (email me with questions)
Tutors
Online Presentations
Study guides for each course unit
Downloads for you to use during class
BONGO
Most of your course assignments (homework and quizzes) are interactive and involve using the course website BONGO. The instructor will provide access.
Assignments administered by BONGO are graded instantly.
BONGO is available 24/7.
Your course grade report, always available, is updated on BONGO each time anything is graded.
BONGO / RESOURCES (handouts for you to download and use) are provided here.
Assignments administered by BONGO are graded instantly.
BONGO is available 24/7.
Your course grade report, always available, is updated on BONGO each time anything is graded.
BONGO / RESOURCES (handouts for you to download and use) are provided here.
Textbook
The course's text book is Dancing with Data, 2013, Active Learning Lab, Kendall-Hunt, 978-1-4652-4090-3. The textbook is an e-book and includes:
Numerous interactive lessons
Interactive checkpoints - you get EXTRA CREDIT for answering the checkpoint questions and some are quiz questions
Many other beneficial features including highlighting and note taking are explained in the book's preface.
Use the course schedule (later in syllabus) and know what to read before each class. Read the material before coming to class to be ready to participate in the class discussion and to earn extra credit.
The e-book is available at the KSU bookstore and Campus Book and Supplies. It is not available elsewhere.
Interactive checkpoints - you get EXTRA CREDIT for answering the checkpoint questions and some are quiz questions
Many other beneficial features including highlighting and note taking are explained in the book's preface.
Use the course schedule (later in syllabus) and know what to read before each class. Read the material before coming to class to be ready to participate in the class discussion and to earn extra credit.
The e-book is available at the KSU bookstore and Campus Book and Supplies. It is not available elsewhere.
Software
Microsoft Excel
OpenOffice
For this course you will use Microsoft Excel (2007 or any newer version). Excel may be used on your computer if you have it or in the College of Business computer lab or other labs on campus.
The version of Excel you use must permit Excel macros to operate. (2008 for Mac does not run macros)
If you do not have Excel installed but would like it you can obtain a 60 day trial copy from www.microsoft.com for free.
You can purchase Microsoft Office (which includes Excel) for a special price here: http://www.kent.edu/is/helpdesk/microsoft.cfm
The version of Excel you use must permit Excel macros to operate. (2008 for Mac does not run macros)
If you do not have Excel installed but would like it you can obtain a 60 day trial copy from www.microsoft.com for free.
You can purchase Microsoft Office (which includes Excel) for a special price here: http://www.kent.edu/is/helpdesk/microsoft.cfm
OpenOffice
This is a free equivalent for some of Microsoft Office. We will use the database program BASE from OpenOffice instead of Access from Microsoft Office. This avoids the cost of purchasing the premium version of Office. We use no other components of OpenOffice. Access may be used if you wish but we do not discuss it in class.
Get OpenOffice Base for free http://www.openoffice.org/download/ (do not get it from anywhere else).
Get OpenOffice Base for free http://www.openoffice.org/download/ (do not get it from anywhere else).
Other Resources
Class Presentation
Topic Presentations
Study Guides
To help you follow along during the software demonstration part of the class download example files from RESOURCES on the BONGO menu. Bring these files to class on your laptop. There is a download for most class units (see schedule below for units).
Topic Presentations
To further your understanding of topics you read about but that are not discussed in the classroom there are a series of topic presentations in BONGO \ RESOURCES \ GENERAL.
Study Guides
You will find a study guide for each unit in BONGO / RESOURCES
Assignments and Extra Credit
Homework Assignments
Business Simulation
Writing Assignments
Quizzes
Final Exam
Extra Credit
There are fourteen homework assignments. You may attempt each assignment up to three times. Your highest score is the grade of record.
To complete an assignment:
Lateness - You may complete any homework assignment after the due date without special permission but a 20% lateness penalty is assessed.
Drop any two homework assignments - BONGO will allow you to drop any two homework assignments. Dropped assignments have no impact on your grade.
To complete an assignment:
Log on to BONGO
click MY ASSIGNMENTS
select an assignment
Follow the directions. BONGO will guide you to the specific exercises to be completed
click MY ASSIGNMENTS
select an assignment
Follow the directions. BONGO will guide you to the specific exercises to be completed
Lateness - You may complete any homework assignment after the due date without special permission but a 20% lateness penalty is assessed.
Drop any two homework assignments - BONGO will allow you to drop any two homework assignments. Dropped assignments have no impact on your grade.
Business Simulation
You will run a simulated ice cream business for ten "seasons" (ten weeks). Your objective is to maximize profits over that period. The higher your aggregate profit the higher your grade.
If you miss sending in your plan for any "season" you receive a loss for that "season". Your aggregate profits suffer.
Lateness for any reason is not permitted for this assignment.
If you miss sending in your plan for any "season" you receive a loss for that "season". Your aggregate profits suffer.
Lateness for any reason is not permitted for this assignment.
Writing Assignments
Four written assignments will be graded by professional readers. Each assignment is about a topic from this course and several are based on readings in the e-book.
Tutors are not involved in the writing assignments and are not able to help you with them.
Lateness for any reason is not permitted for this assignment.
Your writing must be yours alone. Do not share with others. Do not copy others. Do not use someone else's work and modify it. Plagiarism is serious - see the KSU statement about plagiarism toward the end of the syllabus. If you are not sure what plagiarism is ask me. If you share your work with another student or if you use the work of another student you are committing plagiarism. Do not do it.
Tutors are not involved in the writing assignments and are not able to help you with them.
Lateness for any reason is not permitted for this assignment.
Your writing must be yours alone. Do not share with others. Do not copy others. Do not use someone else's work and modify it. Plagiarism is serious - see the KSU statement about plagiarism toward the end of the syllabus. If you are not sure what plagiarism is ask me. If you share your work with another student or if you use the work of another student you are committing plagiarism. Do not do it.
Quizzes
There are six quizzes; complete each one time. All are open book, open notes, and take home. A study guide for each quiz in is BONGO / RESOURCES.
Prerequisites - Some quizzes have prerequisite assignments. Check BONGO for details this way:
Lateness - You may complete any quiz after the due date without special permission but a 20% lateness penalty is assessed. All prerequisites must be completed.
Content - Each quiz is a blend of material from class presentation, the textbook, homework assignments.
Prerequisites - Some quizzes have prerequisite assignments. Check BONGO for details this way:
Login to BONGO
Click MY STATUS
Click PREREQUISITES
Click MY STATUS
Click PREREQUISITES
Lateness - You may complete any quiz after the due date without special permission but a 20% lateness penalty is assessed. All prerequisites must be completed.
Content - Each quiz is a blend of material from class presentation, the textbook, homework assignments.
Final Exam
The final exam is comprehensive and is administered by BONGO. The exam is open book, open notes, and take home. You may complete the Final Exam once.
Extra Credit
Answering CHECKPOINTS in e-book
Up to ten points of extra credit are awarded based on you completing reading assignments in the e-book and answering questions ("checkpoints") as you read. To learn how to record your earned extra credit in BONGO:
Login to BONGO
Click RESOURCES on the course menu
Click HOW TO DO THINGS
Read the document: "GETTING EXTERNAL EXTRA CREDIT SCORES"
Click RESOURCES on the course menu
Click HOW TO DO THINGS
Read the document: "GETTING EXTERNAL EXTRA CREDIT SCORES"
Classroom Participation
Involvement in classroom discussion may earn extra credit.
Honors Students
An additional project is required for Honors College students. The instructor will provide details.
Grading Scale
| Minimum Score | Letter Grade |
| 90 | A |
| 80 | B |
| 70 | C |
| 60 | D |
| 0 | F |
+/- grades are not used. Grades are not rounded up. No curves.
Lateness
The following are the Kent State accepted excuses for absence and late homework submission or permission to take a quiz late. No other excuses are accepted.
sickness with medical note
athletic event - with coach's note
religious observation
military responsibility with documentation
death in family with documentation
athletic event - with coach's note
religious observation
military responsibility with documentation
death in family with documentation
Email Communication with the Instructor – Read Carefully!
Communicate with your instructor using e-mail. There are some rules that you must observe. Follow these guidelines:
Use the e-mail address shown at the top of this syllabus. No other e-mail addresses are used by the instructor.
Do not send attachments of your work to your instructor unless specifically invited to do so.
Make sure that your spelling and grammar are correct.
Get to the point. Do not be long-winded. No jumbled verbiage.
Be organized. Be clear.
Be honest.
Use proper English - no slang.
DO NOT TYPE IN ALL CAPS!
Be respectful.
Say who you are.
Be patient. Allow 24 hours for a reply.
Do not send attachments of your work to your instructor unless specifically invited to do so.
Make sure that your spelling and grammar are correct.
Get to the point. Do not be long-winded. No jumbled verbiage.
Be organized. Be clear.
Be honest.
Use proper English - no slang.
DO NOT TYPE IN ALL CAPS!
Be respectful.
Say who you are.
Be patient. Allow 24 hours for a reply.
The instructor will not answer email:
About an assignment on the due date for that particular assignment.
On weekends or evenings.
Written in a rude or demanding way.
That contains “ASAP”.
That begins with "Hey"
On weekends or evenings.
Written in a rude or demanding way.
That contains “ASAP”.
That begins with "Hey"
Office Hours
TBD and appointments by email. Use the address at top.
Class Tutors
In addition to the instructor’s office hours tutoring is available in room A418 College of Business. Tutoring is provided by several experienced students. No appointment is necessary. Drop in. Hours will be announced and posted on the course website. Bring your laptop!
Tutors are not involved in the writing assignments and are not able to help you with them.
Tutors are not involved in the writing assignments and are not able to help you with them.
Ground Rules
Class is a discussion - not a lecture - be ready by completing assigned readings
All questions are important
Respect all students
Cameras not permitted in classroom
All questions are important
Respect all students
Cameras not permitted in classroom
Course Content
The course has six units. This table lists the textbook chapters and their relationship to homework, prerequisites, quizzes, extra credit for each unit.
See BONGO / RESOURCES for a study guide for each unit.
Not listed here are the weekly ICE CREAM FACTORY ASSIGNMENTS which begin in week 3 and continue for ten weeks. See BONGO / RESOURCES / DATA ANALYTICS and VISUALIZATION for details and instruction. See MY ASSIGNMENTS IN BONGO for due dates.
See BONGO / RESOURCES for a study guide for each unit.
Not listed here are the weekly ICE CREAM FACTORY ASSIGNMENTS which begin in week 3 and continue for ten weeks. See BONGO / RESOURCES / DATA ANALYTICS and VISUALIZATION for details and instruction. See MY ASSIGNMENTS IN BONGO for due dates.
| UNIT |
CHAPTER |
HOMEWORK |
PREREQUISITE |
QUIZ |
EXTRA CREDIT |
| 1 |
INTRODUCTION INFORMATION SYSTEMS SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT OPERATING SYSTEMS DATA & INFORMATION |
HOMEWORK 01 HOMEWORK 02 |
QUIZ 1 |
INTRODUCTION INFORMATION SYSTEMS SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT OPERATING SYSTEMS DATA & INFORMATION |
|
| 2 |
EXCEL Beginning-Date and Time Functions Data Analysis: Beginning-Pivot Table ANALYTICS AND VISUALIZATION |
HOMEWORK 03 HOMEWORK 04 HOMEWORK 05 |
DATA ANALYSIS EXCEL BASICS |
QUIZ 2 |
EXCEL- BASICS DATA ANALYSIS SECURITY and PRIVACY ANALYTICS AND VISUALIZATION |
| 3 |
EXCEL Cell Addresses & Operations External Data Merging Tables Naming Data and Formulas SOCIAL IMPACT |
HOMEWORK 06 HOMEWORK 07 |
ABSOLUTE ADDRESSING IMPORT |
QUIZ 3 PART A QUIZ 3 PART B |
EXCEL- ADDRESSING EXTERNAL DATA MERGE NAMES SOCIAL IMPACT |
| 4 |
EXCEL Logic Database Operations THE INTERNET WWW |
HOMEWORK 08 |
LOGIC |
QUIZ 4 |
EXCEL- LOGIC DATABASE OPERATIONS THE INTERNET WWW |
| 5 |
DATABASE SQL HARDWARE OPENOFFICE BASE ERP / SAP SOFTWARE |
HOMEWORK 09 HOMEWORK 10 |
SQL EXPORT BASE EXPORT |
QUIZ 5 PART A QUIZ 5 PART B |
DATABASE SQL HARDWARE SOFTWARE |
| 6 |
EXCEL Charts Functions-Statistical Functions Data Analysis-Statistical Techniques COMMUNICATION & NETWORKING |
HOMEWORK 11 HOMEWORK 12 HOMEWORK 13 HOMEWORK 14 |
QUIZ 6 PART A QUIZ 6 PART B |
EXCEL- STATISTICS COMMUNICATION & NETWORKING |
Class Schedule
Reading assignments are from the e-book. To receive extra credit complete the reading (right column below) before the due date listed in BONGO / MY ASSIGNMENTS. To learn how to record your earned extra credit see BONGO / RESOURCES / HOW TO DO THINGS.
This is a hybrid course. That means the semester is a blend of in class presentations and online self-study. This table lists the course classroom schedule.
This is a hybrid course. That means the semester is a blend of in class presentations and online self-study. This table lists the course classroom schedule.
| Unit | Week |
Day | Topic | Reading Assignment from e-book table of contents Read before class |
Extra Credit
Checkpoint Topic |
| 1 | 1 |
Tue 8/25 |
Introduction | ||
| 1 |
Thr 8/27 |
Information Systems | Introduction Information Systems |
Introduction Information Systems |
|
| 2 |
Thr 9/2 |
Operating Systems Data and Information |
Operating Systems Data and Information |
Operating Systems Data and Information |
|
| 2 |
Tue 9/4 |
Data and Information | |||
| 2 | 3 |
Tue 9/9 |
Excel Introduction, Data Types Formatting, Functions, Formulas, Import Data Analysis |
Excel beginning through Date and Time Functions Excel Data Analysis through Pivot Table |
Excel-Basics Excel Data Analysis Excel-External Data |
| 4 |
Tue 9/16 |
Data Analysis | |||
| 5 |
Tue 9/23 |
Data Analysis | |||
| 3 |
6 |
Tue 9/30 |
Excel Merging Tables |
Excel Naming Data and Formulas Excel Cell Addressing Excel Merge Excel External Data |
Excel-Names Excel-Addressing Excel-Merge |
| 7 |
Tue 10/7 |
Excel-Cell Naming Cells Linking Spreadsheets Excel Addressing Cells |
|||
| 4 | 8 |
Tue 10/14 |
Excel Logic | Excel Logic |
Excel-Logic |
| 9 |
Tue 10/21 |
Excel Database Operations |
Excel-Database Operations | Excel-Database Operations Internet WWW |
|
| 5 | 10 |
Tue 10/28 |
Database SQL |
Database SQL |
Database SQL Hardware |
| 11 |
Tue 11/4 |
SQL | |||
| 12 |
Thr 11/13 |
Base Queries & Operations | OpenOffice Base | OpenOffice Base Software |
|
| 6 | 13 |
Tue 11/18 |
Advanced Analysis | Excel Functions: Text Financial Statistical Excel Charts Excel Data Analysis: Statistical Techniques |
Excel-Statistics Communication & Networking |
| 14 |
Tue 11/25 |
Advanced Analysis | |||
| 15 |
Tue 12/2 |
Advanced Analysis |
--- Official KSU/College of Business Information Follows ---
Cheating and Plagiarism
Academic honesty: Cheating means to misrepresent the source, nature, or other conditions of your academic work (e.g., tests, papers, projects, assignments) so as to get undeserved credit. In addition, it is considered to be cheating when one cooperates with someone else in any such misrepresentation. The use of the intellectual property of others without giving them appropriate credit is a serious academic offense. It is the University's policy that cheating or plagiarism result in receiving a failing grade for the work or course. Repeat offenses result in dismissal from the University.
Disabled Students
University policy 3342-3-01.3 requires that students with disabilities be provided reasonable accommodations to ensure their equal access to course content. If you have a documented disability and require accommodations, please contact the instructor at the beginning of the semester to make arrangements for necessary classroom adjustments. Please note, you must first verify your eligibility for these through Student Accessibility Services (contact 330-672-3391 or visit www.kent.edu/sas for more information on registration procedures).
Official Registration
Students have responsibility to ensure they are properly enrolled in classes. You are advised to review your official class schedule (using Student Tools on FlashLine) during the first two weeks of the semester to ensure you are properly enrolled in this class and section. Should you find an error in your class schedule it is your responsibility to correct the error. If registration errors are not and you continue to attend and participate in classes for which you are not officially enrolled, you are advised now that you will not receive a grade at the conclusion of the semester for any class in which you are not properly registered.
