CIS159 Visual Basic: Level I
Fall 2008 - Sections 15585 & 36354
Course Description, Required
Texts, and Supplies:
Beginning Visual Basic
(VB) programming which includes object-oriented, event, and procedural
programming using various control objects, data types, arrays, operators,
functions, and data processing procedures.
Prerequisites:
CIS105 or permission of instructor. CIS105 may be waived for students
transferring to an in-state university that does not require CIS105.
Transfers: to ASU as Computer/Statistics (CS) elective.
Also satisfies requirement for CIS ATP, which requires CIS159 or CIS163AA.
Contact the Computer Science department at ASU to determine the transferability
to the Computer Science or Computer Engineering programs.
Required Textbook:
- Visual Basic 2008 for
Windows, Mobile, Web, Office, and Database
Applications: Comprehensive, 1st Edition
- Gary B. Shelly | Corinne
Hoisington
- ISBN-10: 1423927168 | ISBN-13:
9781423927167 | © 2009 | Published
- Course Technology/Cengage
Required Software:
Microsoft Visual Basic
.Net 2008 Standard Edition (included with textbook) or download the free
Microsoft Express Edition at
http://www.microsoft.com/express/vb
Optional Software: Microsoft Visual Studio .Net 2008
Professional includes VB, C++, C#, J#, and Crystal Reports (Educational Price
Around $100.00) or purchase from MCC's MSDN Academic Alliance membership
http://www.mc.maricopa.edu/dept/d07/promo_msdnaa.html CD prices range from
$9.99 - $26.70, and shipping options begin at $5.75.
Required Supplies:
(1) Student ID Card required for lab access. Available at the Kirk Student
Center.
(1) 512MB or larger USB Flash RAM / Mobile Drive
A storage
device is NOT required for students working at home.
Grading:
Grading is based on total points earned divided by total points possible. Those
points are applied to the following grading scale:
|
90% - 100% = A
80% - 89% = B
|
70% - 79% = C
60% - 69% = D
59% - lower = F
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Points can be accumulated
through computer assignments, tests, quizzes, group activities and discussions,
extra credit, and other assignments. The grading can be changed at instructor's
discretion. Advanced notice will be given regarding the change. For detailed
information on the points for each assignment, refer to the Assignment
checklists for this course.
Students that wish to earn a
Pass/Fail (P/Z) grade in this course instead of a standard grade must
inform me of this right away. We must file a
Letter-Grade Contract form by the end of the second week of classes.
Course Guidelines and Requirements:
WebCT (BlackBoard Learning System):
- WebCT is a course management
tool that will be used to submit assignments, facilitate discussions,
monitor grades, and take exams over the Internet.
- When an MCC email account is
created, a WebCT account is also created. Both use the same username and
password.
- Important: Pop-up
and Ad blockers will need to be disabled in order to use WebCT.
WebCT opens separate windows for various functions (tests, discussions,
etc.), and pop-up blockers prevent these functions from working correctly.
- Some functions also require
Javascript, so make sure that Javascript is NOT disabled.
- If you experience any other
technical problems with WebCT or any part of the course, be sure to inform
your instructor right away.
- If a technical problem on the
MCC servers prevent you from completing or submitting an assignment on
time, an extension may be granted.
- Students must retain copies
of all assignments just in case electronic data is loss and MCC is not
able to be restored from backups.
In Class Student Attendance and Conduct:
- Attendance is required. If
you miss the first class meeting or if you miss three or more class
periods total, I plan to withdraw you from the course. If you want to be
certain you've been withdrawn from class, you should file the appropriate
paperwork. Otherwise, you run the risk of receiving an "F,"
rather than a "W." See the current college catalog for more
information.
- Cellular phones should be
turned off in the classroom. No talking on the phone or text messaging. If
you need to use your phone, please do so outside of the classroom.
- When we are in a classroom
with computers, please do not work on the computers while I am lecturing.
The typing and printing disrupts the entire class.
- Be respectful to your fellow
classmates.
Homework:
- All work generated using a
computer must have your name included in the source code and the
output generated by the program.
- Homework assignments will be
submitted electronically through WebCt, a course management tool. All
assignment projects folders must be zipped
and uploaded in the correct assignment drop box to receive points (see instructions on how to
submit assignments on the WebCT CIS159 homepage).
- Assignments are due before
midnight of the due date. The
assignment dropbox will be open for an additional week past the due date
for late submittals, except for the last week of class. No late assignment may be submitted on the
last week of class, only current assignments may be submitted that week!
A penalty of 10% will be assessed for each late assignment.
After the one week late grace period, the assignment dropbox for that
assignment will be closed (do not ask me to open up a closed assignment
dropbox or email me the assignment when you have missed the extended
deadline).
- Since 50% of the total
points possible come from homework, it is important that homework be
completed and turned in on time. In addition, the homework will help you
prepare for the exams. If a situation arises and you need additional time
to complete the assignments, be sure to see me to get an extension on the
homework due dates. Depending on the situation, a late penalty may still
be assessed.
- All homework will be graded
and recorded in the electronic grade book. You should save all graded
homework until the end of the term just in case there is a discrepancy
between what you have turned in and what is recorded in the grade book.
This is also a good reason to save all of your work on your storage device.
- Programming courses require
lab time. Lab time will vary by assignment and will mostly depend on how
prepared you are when you go to the lab. On average schedule at least 5
hours per week of lab time. Sometime it may take 1 hour of lab time, and
sometimes it may take 10 hours.
- IMPORTANT FOR ONLINE STUDENTS: For
online students that are having problems
with their programs, please contact me my email for assistance. Please include in your email your zipped
project assignment so that I can review it and make comments directly in
your code. In addition to
myself, we have
scheduled times for different lab instructors that know programming, to be
in the lab at the Dobson and Southern campus to assist the programming
students. Just call the MCC lab to
get the times that they will be in the lab. If you need assistance face-to-face with
me, then please email me to set up an appointment so that I can arrange a
time to meet you in the lab.
- If
you are having difficulties, please do not wait until the last minute for
help because you could end up missing the assignments deadlines.
Withdrawing:
- If you fall behind and have 3
assignments outstanding, I plan to withdraw you. It is to your benefit to
keep up, and students are rarely able to catch-up.
- I will not carry students on
the roster that are behind to meet financial aid or other requirements,
and I will not issue a grade of "F" if the student is withdrawn
for not meeting the course requirements. Students must fully participate
in the courses they are enrolled in.
- If a student is continually
late in submission of assignments and/or has not contacted the instructor
for more than two weeks, he/she will be subject to withdrawal from the
course. It is the student's responsibility to inform the instructor
if the student needs to be withdrawn. Students must actively
participate in the class to receive a letter grade. Students who do not
participate in coursework will receive a "W". If you participate
in coursework and are unable to continue in the class, you must notify me
if you want to be withdrawn. The student must not assume that the
instructor will automatically withdraw a student if assignments are no
longer submitted. No student may be withdrawn from the course with a
passing W grade without prior approval as well as signature from the
instructor. See the MCC schedule for exact dates and instructions on
how to withdraw from classes, last day to withdraw with a full refund,
etc.
- Beginning Spring 2008,
students will be charged tuition and fees when dropped from classes after
the 100% refund period (whether through the purge process for non-payment
or instructor removal for failure to attend).
Exams:
- All of the exams &
quizzes will be
completed online in webct.
- The exams & quizzes consist of
True/False and Multiple Choice questions. You will have 50 to 75 minutes to
complete each exam, depending on the type of exam or quiz given. Important:
Pop-up and Ad
blockers will need to be disabled in order for you to take the quiz and
exams. When you open an exam by clicking on it, the timer
begins. You must complete the exam or quiz at that time, because the timer will
continue to run even if you exit the browser. In other words, no
previewing of exams.
- Exams & Quizzes may test you over
anything covered in the textbook, lectures, handouts, and homework
assignments.
- Exams & Quizzes will be a combination of
concepts and terminology, and possibly include the use of the computer to
solve some computer exercises.
-
Dates of exams are on the course schedule. Make sure
you take the exam by the due date or you will get a zero for the exam.
- Online Students:
At this time, online students will NOT have to come in to have exams or
quizzes
administered by a proctor. However, online students must complete the exam
or quiz during the scheduled week. There will not be any make-up exams,
unless you have an excused absence. There will be no makeup of
the Final exam.
Other
Policies and Services:
- Academic Honesty:
Students are encouraged to work with each other to develop solutions to
the various assignments. However, every student must develop their own
programs, and students must not share soft or hard copies of their work
with other students. If very similar programs are turned in by two or more
students, I reserve the right to question whose original work was turned
in. In some cases I may ask for the students' storage devices for
verification of the softcopy. The first offense may result in a written
warning and a zero for the assignment, with subsequent offenses leading to
withdrawal from the course for all students involved. If you find
yourself in such a situation, and you are not sure how to handle it,
please feel free to see me. An instructor may remove a student
from class meetings for disciplinary reasons resulting from academic
dishonesty or disrupted behavior (MCC Catalog, 2007).
- Appropriate Behavior: You are expected to exercise responsible,
ethical behavior when submitting Discussion board discussions and
assignments and when using the classroom, computing facilities, and
campus. The General Standards Governing Use of Maricopa County Community
College District Computing Resources Handbook with regards to use of
Maricopa™s computing resources specifically prohibits: Transmitting,
storing or receiving data, or otherwise using computing resources in a
manner that would constitute a violation of state or federal law,
including (but not limited to) obscenity, defamation, threats, harassment,
and theft.¯
- Harassment
The policy of Maricopa Community Colleges is to provide an
educational, employment, and business environment free of unwelcome sexual
harassment as defined and otherwise prohibited by local, state, and
federal law. Violations of this policy may result in disciplinary
action up to and including suspension or expulsion for students. See
the MCC student handbook.
Sexual Harassment Policy:
www.dist.maricopa.edu/legal/harassment/
- Disabilities:
Any students with special needs, including learning
disabilities, should inform the instructor of any assistance that will be
required. In order to accommodate your needs, you will need to give
proper notice as to what accommodations will be necessary. Special
arrangements can be made regarding seating, hearing devices, testing time,
as well as many other concerns. If there are any other concerns you
have, please address them with me. If you have difficulty learning, you
must register with the MCC disability office.
- Contact the
MCC Disability
Resources department.
- Copyright infringement
is expressly prohibited by the US Copyright Act. Anyone who infringes
another's copyright in a creative work is subject to liability, and could
be required to pay large sums in damages. Violations of this law may
result in disciplinary action up to and including suspension or expulsion
for students.
Copyright Policy:
www.dist.maricopa.edu/legal/ip/
- Computing Resources
Standards: The General Standards Governing Use of Maricopa County
Community College District Computing Resources Handbook with regards to
use of Maricopa's computing resources specifically prohibits:
"Transmitting, storing, or receiving data, or otherwise using
computing resources in a manner that would constitute a violation of state
or federal law, including (but not limited to) obscenity, defamation,
threats, harassment, and theft." Violation of any provision of the
Standards, which are detailed in the Handbook, could result in immediate termination
of a user's access to Maricopa's computing resources, as well as
appropriate disciplinary action.
Computing Resources Standards:
www.dist.maricopa.edu/legal/it/
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Learning Enhancement Center: Many students find that college
coursework provides new academic challenges. Students who wish to deepen
their understanding of course concepts, extend their skills, and improve
their performance in this course are encouraged to use the free tutoring
and other support services in the Learning Enhancement Center on the first
floor of the Elsner Library and High Technology Complex. Tutors are there
to help students with assignments in almost all subject-area courses. If
you have any questions about tutoring, you are welcome to call the
Learning
Enhancement
Center
at (480) 461-7678.
-
Student Update Information:There are times when the instructor
or department may need to contact you by phone or U.S. Mail. Please verify
and update your contact information in the Student Information System
using the online records site:
http://www.mc.maricopa.edu/1update_contact_info.html
From the list of colleges, select Mesa Community College.
-
Miscellaneous: Food and
beverages are NOT permitted in the classrooms and labs.
- Computer lab hours: Subject
to change during the holidays.
Only open Monday - Thursday during the summer.
Student Acknowledgment:
- The student
accepts responsibility for reading and understanding the information in the
syllabus and college catalog. Any questions or concerns must be addressed
within the first week of the course.
Subject to change:
- The topics and
schedule for the course are subject to change as needed during the course. I
will make verbal or electronic announcements of any changes.
Revised: Aug 2008 - Surber_cis159-VB
Level I |