Email:
Phone: (571) 252-2080
Instructor Availability: Mon-Fri 8:30am-3:30pm / ITE 180 - Help Desk Support Skills
Fall 2016
Monroe Technology Center
ITE 180 - Help Desk Support Skills Syllabus
Instructional Materials:
Fred Beisse, A Guide to Computer User Support for Help Desk and Support Specialists,5thEdition. Course Technology, Cengage Learning, 2013, ISBN 13: 9781133187820
Course Description:
Emphasizes instruction in customer support techniques required for analyzing and coordinating software and hardware solutions for end-user needs. This course includes evaluation and communication techniques required to provide help desk support necessary to transfer knowledge and enable implementation of a solution. Lecture 3 hours per week.
Course Credit: 3 credit hours
Recommended Co-requisites or Pre-requisites:
Virginia English Placement Test
Final Exam:
December 14 & 15, 2016
Drop Date:
[10.20.16]. If you are not proving successful in this college course due to its rigor or personal issues, the course can be dropped by the above date. With your agreement, your teacher will send an e-mail with this request to the Office of Dual Enrollment.
Withdraw Date:
[12.12.16]. If you missed the drop deadline, you may also be withdrawn from the course. A withdraw places a W on your college transcript but does not impact your college GPA. To be withdrawn, with your permission, your DE Instructor will complete the DE withdraw form and send to the DE Registrar. Please note, too many “W” on a college transcript can impact your ability to secure financial aid in the future!
Course Objectives:
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:
• Demonstrate the ability to effectively listen and ask critical questions to identify customer's issues and concerns
• Demonstrate the ability to resolve customer's issues in a timely and appropriate manner.
• Demonstrate key skills for developing quality service and products to clients and customers.
• Demonstrate the ability to identify and use a wide range of resources to solve technical problems
• Demonstrate the ability to identify and use appropriate communication techniques to
• Correctly isolate and identify technical problems.
• Demonstrate writing skills for end-user needs
• Create product evaluation strategies and standards
• Identify common help desk support problems
Course Content:
• Customer support techniques
• Support techniques to transfer knowledge and enable implementation of a solution
• Analyzing and coordinating software and hardware solutions
• Evaluation and communication techniques for help desk
Student Learning Outcomes:
Customer support techniques
• Demonstrate the ability to operate a technical support help line
• Demonstrate the ability to provide on-site hardware and software troubleshooting
• Demonstrate the ability to resolve customer's issues in a timely and appropriate manner.
• Demonstrate key skills for developing quality service and products to clients and customers.
Support techniques to transfer knowledge and enable implementation of a solution
• Demonstrate the ability to effectively listen and ask critical questions to identify customer's issues and concerns
Analyzing and coordinating software and hardware solutions
• Demonstrate the ability to identify and use a wide range of resources to solve technical problems
• Demonstrate the ability to identify and use appropriate communication techniques to correctly isolate and identify technical problems
• Identify common help desk support problems
Evaluation and communication techniques for help desk
• Create product evaluation strategies and standards
• Demonstrate writing skills for end-user needs
Major Topics to be Included
Customer Service Skills for User Support AgentsWriting for End Users
Skills for Troubleshooting
Computer Problems
Common Support Problems
Help Desk Operation
User Support Management
Product Evaluation Strategies and Support Standards
End-User Needs Assessment Projects
Installing and Managing End-User Computers
Training Computer Users
User Support Utility Tool Kit
Presentations and Meetings
Policies:
I. Grading:
Assessment of Learning:
40% Formative / 60% Summative
Grading Scale:
A = 100 - 90 B = 89 - 80 C = 79 - 70 D = 69 - 60 F = 59 and below
Loudoun County Public Schools
Grade Scale 2015-2016Letter Grade / Numeric Range / Quality Point Awarded (Before Weighting)
A+ / 98-100 / 4.30
A / 93-97 / 4.00
A- / 90-92 / 3.70
B+ / 87-89 / 3.30
B / 83-86 / 3.00
B- / 80-82 / 2.70
C+ / 77-79 / 2.30
C / 73-76 / 2.00
C- / 70-72 / 1.70
D+ / 67-69 / 1.30
D / 63-66 / 1.00
D- / 60-62 / 0.70
F / 0-59 / 0.00
Course Policies:
a. Academic Integrity
i. The College does not tolerate academic dishonesty. Students who are not honest in their academic work will face disciplinary action along with any grade penalty the instructor imposes. Procedures for disciplinary measures and appeals are outlined in the Student Handbook (http://www.nvcc.edu/students/handbook/). In extreme cases, academic dishonesty may result in dismissal from the College.
ii. Plagiarism: is the act of appropriating passages from the work of another individual, either word for word or in substance, and representing them as one's own work. This includes any submission of written work other than one's own. In short, plagiarism means using the exact words, opinions, or factual information from another person without giving that person credit.
iii. Neither cheating nor plagiarism will be tolerated. If you are found cheating or plagiarizing you will receive a grade of 0 and the incident reported to the department and dean. According the NOVA Student Handbook, “Academic dishonesty cannot be condoned. When such misconduct is established as having occurred, it subjects you to possible disciplinary actions ranging from admonition to dismissal, along with any grade penalty the instructor might, in appropriate cases, impose. Procedural safeguards of due process and appeal are available to you in disciplinary matters.” See Section VII of the Student Handbook, which is available online, for more information about this policy.
b. Attendance policy
i. Students must know the last date to withdraw without a grade penalty; after that date no class can be dropped except in specific exceptional circumstances, which must be documented. Any student wishing to drop this class must do so for himself or herself by speaking with an administrator at Monroe Technology Center or NOVA Career Counselor.
ii. My policy on attendance for a class that meets twice a week means that the student will receive an F upon accumulating 6 absences. For lesser number of absences, the student should expect a lowered grade in the course. Tardiness is very disruptive and if you are late an unreasonable amount additional work may be required. 3 tardies = 1 unexcused absence. If you are absent from class it is YOUR responsibility to request any handouts you did not receive as well as information about assignments/papers/exams, etc.
iii. If you miss an exam you must see me in office hours or by appointment, preferably before the exam missed. The make-up exam may be different than the regular one. A legitimate reason must be provided, e.g. a doctor’s note, etc. I reserve the right to give you a zero for any assignment, quiz, or exam missed.
c. Disabilities
i. Under section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), disability services are available to you if you are currently enrolled, if you have a documented disability that substantially limits you in one or more of life's major activities, and if you are otherwise academically qualified. Please carefully review the information on NOVA's Disability Services website.
(https://www.nvcc.edu/disability-services/)
II. Additional Course Information
- It is your responsibility to understand the syllabus.
- Try to avoid causing distractions in class. This means do not engage in private conversations during the lecture and tests. Do not read or do other schoolwork after class begins. Use of mobile devices is during class is not allowed.
- If you are caught cheating on an exam or plagiarizing a paper or an assignment it is an automatic zero. A second cheating offense may result in a zero for the final class grade.
- If you are having problems, come see me. I am here to help, and the earlier you notify me about a problem the sooner we can try to solve it.
III. Class Schedule: Weekly Assignments Outlined below:
Content may include chapter readings and completion of study guides, lab assignments, homework, quizzes and tests. All work is due by 3pm on Friday of each week. This chart below may change.
WeekEnding / Topics / Chapter
Readings
9/11 / Introduction to Computer User Support / Chapter 1
9/18 / Customer Service Skills for User Support Agents / Chapter 2
9/25 / Writing for End Users / Chapter 3
10/2 / Skills for Troubleshooting Computer Problems / Chapter 4
10/9 / Common Support Problems / Chapter 5
10/16 / Help Desk Operation / Chapter 6
10/23 / User Support Management / Chapter 7
10/30 / Product Evaluation Strategies and Support Standards / Chapter 8
11/6 / End-User Needs Assessment Projects / Chapter 9
11/13 / Installing and Managing End-User Computers / Chapter 10
11/20 / Training Computer Users / Chapter 11
11/27 / NO CUS THIS WEEK – Holiday Break (11/25-11/27) / HOLIDAY
12/4 / A User Support Utility Tool Kit / Chapter 12
12/11 / CHAPTERS 1-12 Final Assessment Review / Chapters 1-12
12/18 / CHAPTERS 1-12 Final Assessment -- Dec. 14-15
TURN IN YOUR BOOK -- Dec. 14 & 15 / FINAL
ASSESSMENT
Chapters 1-12
Teach Act Copyright Notice "The materials provided for this course are only for the use of students enrolled in this course for purposes associated with this course, and may not be retained or further disseminated."
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