I am glad to be your instructor for this distance learning course. I have been a full-time member of the Computer Science Department at De Anza College since 2002.
Attendance
Once enrolled, if you wish to drop the class, it is your responsibility to drop the class before the deadline found in the De Anza Schedule of Classes. Otherwise an appropriate grade will be assigned at the end of the quarter.
In this course, students will learn about:
- management information systems
- systems design and development
- data communications
- office automation
- computer hardware and software concepts
- use of common software packages for business applications including word processing, spreadsheets, database, and Internet web tools
You will need to have access to a computer, the Internet and access to commonly used word processing, spreadsheet, database, and presentation software. The hands-on lab assignments can be completed in Word (or another common word processing software), Excel (or another common spreadsheet software), Access (or another common database software), and PowerPoint (or another common presentation software). The college will not provide or cover cost for your books, computers, Internet connection, or software needed for this course. These are your responsibility to obtain.
On your first week of class go to my webpage and access the Catalyst link for information on how to access your account for the first time. Once inside the course, purchase the e-book and start completing all the work in week 1.
Every week is set up with two areas. The first is "Resources", which are items to read, reference, and access in order to do your work. The work you need to complete is under "Work to Complete" and you need to finish all the items listed there by the end of each week.
As you access Catalyst you will be able to post general questions into forums or send messages to your instructor from your account. Any course related inquiry should be posted in the course. Use the general e-mail: georgiouspera@fhda.edu. only if you cannot enter the course to send messages or post your questions there. Any correspondence outside of Catalyst will be ignored unless your name, course, section number is in the title of the e-mail. No class work, or class question will be honored at this e-mail outside Catalyst. Use this only when you cannot access the Catalyst system and all help options on the Catalyst webpage have failed.
Be prepared to spend a minimum of 20 hours per week using and studying the course materials.
