CMPSC 168
Syllabus (v3.0)
PC Operating System
Installation and Support (A+)
Spring 2008, Section 0782
Instructor: Donald W. Smith
Lecture/Lab: MW 11:20 – 1:45 Redbud 9
Prerequisites
CMPSC 167 (PC
hardware) and CMPSC 3 (Operating Systems) or equivalent experience.
office hours (Fir 5)
See schedule on www.gocolumbia.edu/smithdo, and by
appointment.
Campus Telephone: (209) 588-5348
Course Description
This is the second of two courses designed to
prepare students to take the current CompTIA A+
exams. It includes theory and hands-on activities for installing and
maintaining current desktop computer installations. It also covers upgrading operating systems on
desktop PCs.
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
· The student will be able to pass
the current CompTIA A+ IT Technician (220-602) exam
on the first attempt after successfully completing this course.
textbookS
Two textbooks are
required.
1. CompTIA
A+ 2006 In Depth
Author (s): Jean Andrews, Ph. D.
Edition: First Edition
Publisher: Thomson Course Technology Publication Date: 2007
ISBN: 978-1-598-63351-1
2. A+ Guide to Software Lab Manual
Author (s): Jean Andrews, Ph. D., Todd Verge
Edition: Fourth Edition
Publisher: Thomson Course Technology Publication Date: 2006
ISBN: 978-0-619-21765-5
attendance
For reporting purposes, I will be
taking roll at each class meeting. As mature adults, proper attendance is your
responsibility. Attendance is considered as part of the “Participation”
calculation. You are responsible for all material covered in class even if it is
not in the text.
e-mail address
You will be asked to provide an
e-mail address for class related communications. Note that the school does NOT
provide e-mail accounts to students. You may, however, access your web mail
using the lab computers. You may contact
me via email at: smithdo@yosemite.cc.ca.us
Internet access to ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
All projects assigned and selected
reference material will be provided on an externally accessible website: www.technetrain.com/CMPSC168
(case sensitive).
Computer accounts
You will be given an account on the Columbia College Computer
Science network for this class. More
information will be provided during the first week of class.
homework
This syllabus lists the chapters
to be covered at each meeting. You are expected to study the chapters BEFORE the scheduled lecture. End of
chapter exercises may be recommended but will not be collected. Labs with be
assigned in class and count toward participation points. Some labs have a take-home component.
tests
There will be 2 quizzes, a written
(multiple choice mostly) final, and a hands-on final test. If you can’t be
present for a test date, you need to make prior arrangements. No
makeup exams are given unless pre-arranged. A missed test must be taken
before the graded tests are returned – usually at the next class meeting.
grading
Evaluation is based on total points earned for all
tests and assignments. The value of the assignments and the grading scale are
shown below. When appropriate, test scores may be normalized so that the high
score becomes a 100 and other scores are raised in proportion. I reserve the
right to adjust the final grade when circumstances justify doing so.
|
Number |
Description |
Points |
Total |
|
2 |
Quizzes |
25 |
50 |
|
30 |
Class Participation |
1 |
30 |
|
12 |
Lab Assignments |
10 |
120 |
|
1 |
Midterm Exam |
50 |
50 |
|
1 |
Final Project |
100 |
100 |
|
1 |
Written Final |
100 |
100 |
|
1 |
Hands-on Final |
100 |
100 |
|
|
Total Points |
|
550 |
|
90% and above |
A |
|
80% - 89.9% |
B |
|
70% - 79.9% |
C |
|
60% - 69.9% |
D |
|
below 60% |
F |
study time
General guidelines dictate that
you spend 4 hours of outside study per week for this 3-unit class. If you have less
previous experience with PCs, you may need to spend additional time.
dropping the course
It is your responsibility to
submit the appropriate paperwork to the registrar’s office if you decide to
drop the course. If you stop attending but do not withdraw, you are likely to
receive an F grade for the term.
Project PAPER Assignment
You will be assigned a research project during the course that involves evaluating an operating system upgrade in significant detail. A format for the project, an outline, and a spreadsheet will be provided when the project is assigned.
Assignment SubMISSION
All assignments include a due date. Late assignments will be reduced in grade by the discretion of the instructor, depending on how late the assignment is submitted.
Weekly schedule indicating topics, LABS, assignments:
The following is a tentative weekly schedule. See
Detailed Lab Assignments (to be posted) for more specifics on exactly which
assignments will be assigned, and when they are due. Updated 3/19/08
|
WEEK |
CHAPTER |
LABS |
DESCRIPTION |
|
1
|
2 |
1.1
– 1.6 |
Course
Intro, Syllabus, Introducing Operating Systems (review) |
|
2 |
11 |
2.1
– 2.3 |
Installing Windows 2000/XP |
|
3 |
11 |
2.4 - 2.5 |
|
|
4 |
12 |
3.1
– 3.3 |
Maintaining Windows 2000/XP |
|
5 |
12 |
3.4
- 3.8 |
Maintaining Windows
2000/XP, |
|
6 |
13 |
4.1
– 4.5 |
Supporting Windows 2000/XP
Users and their data Quiz 1 |
|
7 |
13 |
4.6
– 4.8 |
|
|
8 |
14 |
5.1
– 5.4 |
Troubleshooting
2000/XP Startup |
|
9 |
15,
16 |
5.3 – 5.4 |
Troubleshooting
2000/XP Startup, Midterm Exam |
|
10 |
17 |
Handout |
PCs on a Network |
|
11 |
18 |
Handout |
PCs on a Network |
|
12 |
19 |
9.1
– 9.5 |
PCs on the Internet, Quiz 2 |
|
13 |
|
10.1
– 10.4 |
Securing
your PC and Network |
|
14 |
21,
22 |
11.1
– 11.4 12.1
– 12.3 |
Supporting Printers and
Scanners The Professional PC
Technician |
|
15 |
All |
All |
Paper
Presentations, Finals (hands-on) |
|
16 |
All |
All |
Final (written): Monday 4/21 11:00 – 1:00 |