Fahd Bin Sultan University

IT-I (01) - Spring 2010 (1st half)
Foundation Year Program: Information Technology - Level 1

Course Description

Course-in-brief

The course is the first of two fundamental elementary IT (Information Technology) courses required in the Foundation Year Program (FYP). It covers fundamental computer concepts and their applicationswhich should be mastered by each student before enrolling in college courses. Course content is, therefore, mainly limited to keyboard utilization, pc hardware essentials, the World Wide Web, basic image processing, basic photo, audio, and video files, as well as basics of Microsoft Word©, Excel©, and PowerPoint©.

Each part of the course is designed to be covered in approximately two 8 weeks intervals on the basis of 4 contact hours per week. After the first 8-week session is over, a midterm is administered to determine the student’s level.Only upon successfully passing this exam is the student permitted to start part II of this course; the student must otherwise retake part I in the remainder of the semester.

Prerequisites:

Not Applicable

Credit Hours

Lectures: / 2 credit hours
Lab / 2 credit hours
Tutorial / 0 credit hours

Time and Place

Lecture:1:00 – 1:50 PM; Sa,Su,M,T: Lab A-106

Course Resources

Resources for the course include the instructor; references; class notes and handouts; your teammates; the library; and the World Wide Web.

Instructor

Ahmed M. El-Sherbeeny, PhD

Office: Room C-012, Phone: ++966-4-427-7253 x 138, email:

Office Hours

I adopt an open-office policy. You are encouraged to come to my office and ask questions, consult, provide feedback, or give suggestions at anytime during the day. Best times to find me in the office this semester are: Sa,Su,M: 08:00-11:00 AM.

Textbook: no official textbook has been assigned for this course.

Reference

Computing Essentials 2009.Timothy O'Leary, Linda O'Leary - McGraw-Hill Education(2009) - Paperback - ISBN 007017279X.

Websites (sample)

Intended Learning Outcomes

At the end of this course, studentsare expected to:

  • Reach an appropriate level of proficiency in using the keyboard with correct fingering
  • Use basic operating system features of a personal computer
  • Identify and use basic text, picture, audio, and video files
  • Use basic features of graphics and/or artwork package to createand edit illustrations
  • Use the Internet to locate and communicate information and resources
  • Use a word processor to create a text document
  • Use basic spreadsheet commands to model simple processes
  • Use software prepare simple presentations
  • Acquire experience with delivering simple oral presentations
  • Acquire experience with working in a team

Course Policies

Homework Policy

Homework is undoubtedly one of the most effective means of learning. Problems will be assignedand collected at least once or twice a week. I will try my best to grade and promptly return the results to you in order to stay up-to-date with your progress in the course. Your solution must be organized and neat, otherwise it will be returned to you ungraded. The solution must include a problem statement, all pertinent solution steps, equations used and assumptions made, and boxed answers with proper units. Use only one side of a sheet and start the solution of a new problem on a new page.

Attendance

Attendance is a must! Attendance will be taken at the beginning of each class period. In case you are not present when the attendance sheet is passed on, you will be counted as absent; no exceptions. The following rule will be applied strictly, per University Catalog instructions, “Students who absent themselves during a semester for more than25% of the required number of lectures of any course are not allowed to continue the course, denied from sitting for the final examination, and assigned a course grade of DN which is reported in their transcript.” [see General University Academic Information, Attendance and Withdrawal].

Class Discussion

Communication is very important in achieving our collective goals and objectives. Feel free to voice your opinions and ask questions anytime during a class period. Practice your right and freedom to learn. Remember you are here to learn and we are here to teach, and that teaching and learning are forever intertwined.

Help Sessions

Help sessions will be organized at convenient times as needed upon request from students.

Make-up Tests and Late homework Policy

NO makeup test will be given and late homework will not be accepted unless the reason is beyond the student's control. A valid excuse must be presented.

Expected Behavior

Practicing engineers are expected to conduct themselves in an ethical and professional manner. This includes attending all class activities; meeting deadlines; observing common courtesies to fellow students, teachers, and staff; being honest; making a diligent effort to learn; and not engaging in any disruptive,irresponsiblemanner. Legitimate collaboration is encouraged but academic dishonesty will not be tolerated.

Assessment and Evaluation

Many aspects of the course will receive on-going, real-time assessments and feedback to help improve students’ performance. This will be done by discussing performance in class and by arranging individual meetings.

Assessment in the following areas will be converted to points, to compute your final grade in the course:

Assessment Item / Comment / Marks
Attendance / Taken beginning of every class / 10%
Homework / Assigned one or more times every week / 20%
Quizzes / Assigned one or more times every week / 10%
Midterms / Once every two weeks / 30%
Final Exam / Exams period / 30%

Course Content:

This course covers the following topics:

1.Keyboard Utilization: This includes familiarity with the keyboard, touch typing, proper finger usage, and minimum speed of typing.

2.How computers work: this includes the following:

a.Basic components a computer system: hardware, software applications, operating systems, and users.

b.Representation of information: various kinds and their storage

c.Basic operating system functionality

d.Network communications between computers and people

3.Foundation: this includes the following;

a.Introduction to the World Wide Web and the Internet

b.Hardware and software for surfing the Web

c.Software and Multimedia. This covers:

i.Basic multimedia elements: sounds, graphics, videos

ii.Word processing: file managing, editing, formatting, table managing, spelling and multimedia inserting

iii.Graphics: basic image editing, drawing, and coloring

iv. Spreadsheet: basic worksheet, workbook, formulas, functions, and charts

v.Presentations: design, layout, editing, multimedia insertion, and printing

4.Empowerment: this includes the following:

a.Use of the computers to increase personal knowledge

b.Extending human abilities by pursuing intelligent computer systems

c.Basic ethics, security and privacy

Course Outline*

First Half

Week / Date: G (H) / Topic* / Activity*
1 / Feb 27 – Mar 3, ‘10
(13-17ربيع الأول, 1431) / Introduction
Keyboard utilization
  • Familiarity with keyboard
  • Touch typing
  • Proper finger usage
/ HW 1
Quiz 1
2 / Mar 6 - 10, ‘10
(20-24ربيع الأول, 1431) / How computers work - Concepts
  • Types of computers
  • Components of a computer
  • Input devices
  • Output devices
  • Type of software
  • Operating system: basic functionality
/ HW 2
Quiz 2
3 / Mar 13 - 17, ‘10
(27 ربيع الأول–
1 ربيع الثاني1431) / How computers work - Windows and File Management
  • Windows handling
  • Files and folders.
  • Shortcuts
  • Organizing files and folders
  • Saving files in correct locations
/ Exam 1
4 / Mar 20 - 24, ‘10
(4-8 ربيع الثاني, 1431) /
  • Opening more than one file at the same time
  • Switching among open files
  • Methods of displaying files and folders
  • Recognizing file sizes
  • Distinguishing among file types
  • Finding files and applications
/ HW 3
Quiz 3
5 / Mar 27 - 31, ‘10
(11-15ربيع الثاني, 1431) / Internet and World Wide Web
  • Access: providers and browsers
  • Communication: email, instant messaging
  • Search tools: engines and directories
  • Improving searching techniques
/ HW 4
Quiz 4
6 / Apr 3 - 7, ‘10
(18-22 ربيع الثاني, 1431) / Text Processing
  • Editing: Copying, Pasting, Moving text
  • Find/Replace
  • Basic formatting:
  • Formatting text
  • Formatting paragraphs
  • Column
  • Borders and shading
/ Exam 2
7 / Apr 10 - 14, ‘10
(25-29 ربيع الثاني, 1431) /
  • Inserting
  • Page breaks
  • Clip arts
  • Pictures from file
  • Page formatting
  • Background color
  • Headers and footers
  • Printing
  • Page setup
  • Print preview
/ HW 5
Quiz 5
8 / Apr 17 - 21, ‘10
(3-7جمادى الأول, 1431) / MID-SEMESTER BREAK
9 / Apr 24 - 28, ’10
(10-14جمادى الأول, 1431)
(Finals Week) / Review / FIRST-HALF Exam

* Tentative

Second Half

Week / Date: G (H) / Topic* / Activity
10 / May 1 -5, ‘10
(17-21جمادى الأول, 1431) / Spreadsheets
  • Worksheet: Add, Rename, Delete, Move Copy
  • Cells:
  • Active cell
  • Name box
/ HW 1
Quiz 1
11 / May 8- 12, ‘10
(24-28جمادى الأول, 1431) /
  • Rows & Columns:
  • Insert, Delete
  • Autofit
  • Adjust Height/ Width
  • Delete vs. Clear
  • Gridlines vs. Borders
  • Comments
/ HW 2
Quiz 2
12 / May 15- 19, ‘10
(1-5جمادى اللآخرة, 1431) /
  • Selecting Ranges
  • Sheet
  • Row/ Column
  • Adjacent vs. non-adjacent
  • Formatting Cells:
  • Manual formatting
  • Format Painter
/ Exam 1
13 / May 22- 26, ‘10
(8-12جمادى اللآخرة, 1431) /
  • Formulas & Functions
  • References: Relative, Mixed, Absolute
  • Precedence order
  • Sum, Average, Max, Min
  • Today, Now
  • Round, Roundup, Round-down
  • Plotting simple charts
/ HW 3
Quiz 3
14 / May 29- June 2, ‘10
(15-19جمادى اللآخرة, 1431) / Graphics
  • Drawing and coloring tools
  • Pens, brushes, airbrushes, filling
  • Geometric shapes
/ HW 4
Quiz 4
15 / Jun5 - 9, ‘10
(22-26جمادى اللآخرة, 1431) /
  • Opening files:
  • New files
  • Existing files
  • Saving files with meaningful name in appropriate locations.
  • Producing work in coordination with art classes
  • Selecting colors
  • Line thickness
Geometric shapes / Exam 2
16 / Jun 12 - 16, ‘10
(29ربيع الأول–
4رجب1431) / Presentations
  • Create a new presentation
  • Insert new slide
  • Apply design template
  • Add content
  • Add clip art
  • Saving and printing
/ HW 5
Quiz 5
17 / Jun 5 - 9, ‘10
(7-11رجب1431) / Review
SECOND-HALF Exam

* Tentative

El-Sherbeeny, PhD Updated: Mar 3, 2010 IT-I (01) –Spring 2010 (1sthalf) Page - 1