Pierce College at Joint Base Lewis-McChord

Course Syllabus
Course dates: July 2nd – August 31st, 2018
COURSE TITLE: Computer Operating Systems

ABBREVIATION: CIS 134

CREDIT HOURS: 5 INSTRUCTIONAL HOURS: 50

INSTRUCTOR: James Johnson

INSTRUCTOR INTRODUCTION:
I have worked within the IT community since 1984 in various capacities ranging from desktop and
network support, statistical analyst and network engineer, to technical manager. I earned a
Masters of Arts degree in Organizational Leadership from Chapman University, and a Bachelor of
Arts in Business and Management from the University of Maryland. I also hold or have held several
professional certifications including: Microsoft Certified Network Administrator, Microsoft Certified
Systems Engineer, Microsoft Certified Trainer, Certified Technical Trainer +, and A+ Certified
Technician. Since 1994, I have owned a small business and network systems consulting firm in
Puyallup, WA. In 1998, I began teaching for Pierce College and in that capacity, have served as
the lead trainer for the Authorized Academic Training Partner and IT Academy programs in
partnership with the Microsoft Corporation, and currently teach introduction to computing,
networking, and Microsoft technology classes for Pierce College.

COMMUNICATIONS: All course communications will be through the Canvas course inbox.

PREREQUISITE: CIS 121 each with a grade of at least 2.0, or instructor permission.

CATALOG DESCRIPTION: Introduction to the function and use of command line and graphical
user interface (GUI)-based microcomputer operating systems. A combination of classroom
discussion and hands-on lab exercises provides practical knowledge and experience in various
operating system features.

REQUIRED TEXT AND MATERIALS: Guide to Operating Systems, Tomsho, 5th Edition, Course
Technology, 2017. Textbooks are available through the college bookstore.

COURSE GUIDANCE:
1. Online Elements: This is a fully online course and is available in Canvas,
http://piercemil.instructure.com.
2. Technology Prerequisites: This course requires some basic knowledge of computer
technology. You will gain some skill and knowledge during this program; however, at a
minimum, you need to be able to:
a) create and save MS Word documents; see MS Word tutorials for PC users (all
versions); Word Help for Mac users
b) find basic resources on Internet; see Internet Tutorials
c) create and organize files & folders
d) send, receive, and manage email.
3. Access and Disabilties: Your experience in this class is important to me, and it is the policy
and practice of Pierce College to create inclusive and accessible learning environments
consistent with federal and state law. If you experience barriers based on disability, please
seek a meeting with the Access and Disability Services (ADS) manager to discuss and

Syllabus Format as of March 4th, 2016

 address them. If you have already established accommodations with the ADS manager,
please bring your approved accommodations (green sheet) to me at your earliest convenience
so we can discuss your needs in this course.
ADS offers resources and coordinates reasonable accommodations for students with
disabilities. Reasonable accommodations are established through an interactive process
between you and the ADS manager, and I am available to help facilitate them in this class. If
you have not yet established services through ADS, but have a temporary or permanent
disability that requires accommodations (this can include but not be limited to; mental health,
attention-related, learning, vision, hearing, physical or health impacts), you are encouraged to
contact ADS at 253-964-6526 (Fort Steilacoom) or 253-840-8335 (Puyallup and JBLM).
4. Proctoring: This course may have online proctoring required for assessments. I will furnish
proctoring information very early in the course so you can make necessary arrangement well in
advance of the proctored assessment(s).
5. Course Expectations: As a student, you can expect that I will respond to your e-mail within 48
hours and will grade assignments/tests/quizzes within four (4) days. Exceptions will be
announced in advance. Please contact me immediately if you have not heard from me within
these timelines.
6. Introductions: Students are expected to post a short (one paragraph) introduction to the
course Discussions Area during the first week of the course. I have guidelines within the course
for the introduction located in the first Module.
7. Discussions: This course may have discussions as part of the curriculum. Students may also
desire to discuss topics with other students in an unscheduled manner. I, as part of the
course, may publish discussion questions/topics and require your input. Should you desire to
hold a discussion with other students enrolled in your course, you may be authorized to create
your own discussion topics.
8. Course Content: The course is made up of eight (8) modules. Each module corresponds to
one or more chapters in the textbook. Module exercises and projects are crucial for the
successful completion of this course.
9. Course Schedule: This course is NOT self-paced. Our course runs for nine weeks. Each
week begins on Monday. Assignments are due by the end of the Sunday of each week, unless
approved in advance. For example, all work for Module 1 is due by the first Sunday of the
course. There is limited time in this course to complete all the work. Staying on schedule
ensures you complete on time. Pace yourself to complete at least one module per week of the
course. Again, see the course schedule, below, for more information.
10. Assignment Submissions: Submit all assignments in Word .doc or .docx format *only*. If
you do not have Microsoft Word, consider downloading OpenOffice at
http://www.openoffice.org . Be sure to save your submissions in the correct format.
11. Grade Challenges: I grade Homework submissions manually, as the system looks for a 100%
match. After I have reviewed and graded your Homework submission, if you believe you
received an incorrect grade for a submission, feel free to contact me. In your message indicate
exactly which submission you are challenging, which question and evidence from the textbook
that supports your case. I will review the challenge and adjust your score as appropriate. I will
send you a response to the challenge regardless of the score outcome.
12. Late Submission Policy: I expect you to access the course on a regular basis, and
submit assignments and activities no less than on a weekly basis. You should pace
yourself to complete at least one module per week of the course. Material for each week is
due no later than the end of the week, based upon your registration date. Late submissions
will receive penalties if turned in by Wednesday after the due date. Material submitted after
Wednesday after the due date will lose 25% of the earned points. Submissions will not be
graded, and receive a Zero (0.0) grade if submitted in excess of 1 week after the due date.
Exceptions will be discussed on a one-on-one basis. Multiple submissions (in excess of
three (3) at the same time, or waiting until the last minute of the course to submit your
work will result in reduced points and a delayed submission of your grade.
13. Course Incompletes: are not automatic and must be requested from me. Incompletes must
be approved and arranged with me. Should unforeseen circumstances cause need for an
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 Incomplete Grade/extension to be issued, this can be arranged between us. However,
Incompletes are not automatic, and will not be assumed and/or guaranteed. An
Incomplete grade will only be granted if requested prior to the end of the course. To qualify
for an Incomplete, you must have completed at least 50% of the coursework with a
minimum of a 2.0 average of all work submitted at the time of the request. You must have
demonstrated continued progress throughout the course to receive consideration for an
extension. Last minute bulk/multiple submissions will not be considered for extensions.
Requests submitted after the end of the course will not be considered. Special circumstances
may be taken under consideration at my discretion.
14. Student Responsibilities: Please remember that it is your responsibility to notify me of
major changes in your circumstances (e.g. deployment) that affect your ability to complete all
course work within the course timeline. Although I send out weekly announcements, you should
strive to make contact with me once a week, at a minimum.
15. Plagiarism software: Plagiarism software may be in use during your course. The goal of the
course is for you to learn and be able to understand, explain and show how you have achieved
the course outcomes. Unfortunately, some believe it's okay to copy answers found in other
locations and submit it as their own work as proof of their learning. Conduct such as this is
unacceptable. Submissions believed to be plagiarized will be returned the first occurrence, and
you will be allowed to attempt the activity one more time. Should there be a second occurrence
during the course, the submission will receive a 0 (zero) grade. A third occurrence will result in
an immediate 0.0 for the course. To be sure you know, here is Pierce College’s page on
plagiarism
16. Office Hours: Since we are an online class, I do not schedule regular Office Hours sessions. I
am available for contact via course mail or by coordinated on-line chat. We can coordinate
meetings via chat, or Blackboard Collaborate, at mutually agreeable dates and times. I can also
be contacted in the Pierce College office on JBLM-Main for arranged meetings.
17. Etiquette for classroom and online courses is the same. Treat others as you would like to be
treated, respectfully and compassionately.
18. Academic, Student and Technical Support: Academic, Student, and Technical Support
resources are available for students at Pierce College. See the Start Here document in the
course for more details on the services offered.

STUDENT OUTCOMES: Upon successful completion of this course, you should be able to:
1. Compare and contrast different operating systems.
2. Use terminology and functions of operating systems such as command line versus GUI and
different versions.
3. Explain the boot process and create normal and emergency boot files.
4. Demonstrate intermediate skills in effectively utilizing operating systems such as format,
scandisk, defrag, use of switches, back-up and recovery.
5. Compare and contrast system support files such as DLL, VxD, OLE, INI.
6. Describe general backup, recovery, and protection procedures.
7. Troubleshoot ambiguous hardware and software operating system problems.
8. Compare and contrast standalone versus network systems.
9. Describe the impacts that development of different generations of microcomputer chips have
had in the development of more complex/feature rich operating systems.
10. Describe various ways of defining/changing settings within different operating systems.
11. Compare and contrast multiswitching with multitasking, and preemptive versus cooperative
multitasking.
12. Explain options to customize the operating system to accommodate other language w/physical
limitations.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

1. All students will post an Introduction during the first week of the course. Submissions in
Week 2 will receive no more than 80 points. Submissions after Week 2 will receive no
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 points. See the discussion topics within the course for more information. This is a graded
item and worth 100 points!
2. You are responsible for reading all Module materials, appendices, resources and any Instructor
Notes for each module prior to the beginning of each module.
3. This course consists of eight (8) Modules. Each Module represents approximately a
week’s worth of materials for the course and may cover one or more units from the
textbook. Staying on pace will ensure you complete the course on time.
4. There is a total of 2,525 points available for the course. Each chapter may have one or more
hands-on projects, review questions assignments, and quizzes. Your grade is weighted. See
the grading scale to determine your grade
a. There is an introduction discussion assignment worth 100 points.
b. There are Module discussions for each module, worth 50 points each. Discussions
are only open for a week, so timeliness as well as thoughtful postings are needed.
c. Hands-on Projects are very time intensive, and are worth 50 points each. Schedule your
time accordingly. Read the instructions for each of the lab assignments for more
information. Note: All Hands-On Labs must be successfully completed to pass the
course. (550 points possible)
d. Review Questions Assignments are worth 25 points each. (275 points possible)
e. Quizzes are worth 100 points each and consist of multiple-choice and multiple-selection
questions. (1,100 points possible)
f. At the end of Module 4, you will complete a Mid-Term exam. The Mid-Term exam is
worth 250 points.
g. At the end of Module 8, you will complete a Final Exam. The Final Exam is worth 250
points.
5. Hands-on Lab assignments are conducted online using the VMware server. All labs must be
successfully completed to pass the course. See the course for more specific information
regarding accessing the online labs.
6. My grading policy is that all work is based on the textbook-based lessons, supplemental
instructor resources and material, and additional reading assignments. To be consistent and
fair, all answers for assessments, projects, and assignments will be from course materials as
described above, unless otherwise noted. Use caution when responding to written answers –
use your own words and do not copy/paste from the textbook or other sources.
7. See the Course Schedule, below, for due dates of submissions and activities. Material for
each week is due no later than Sunday of the week it is presented. It is crucial you stay on
pace with the course schedule.
8. I am available for contact via e-mail or by coordinated on-line chat.
9. If you are having trouble, contact me immediately so we can work through it!

GRADING:
Each assignment and assessment will be given a specific point value. The earned value of all
possible points will determine grade, per Pierce College published policy (see the Policies and
Procedure section)

WEIGHT OF ASSIGNMENTS/ASSESSMENTS:

Component # per module # per course Value

Introduction (100 pts. each) ~ 1 per course 100 pts total

Module Discussions (50 pts each) 1 8 per course 400 pts total
Hands-on Projects (50 points each) Varies per module 11 per course 550 pts total
Review Questions (25 pts. each) Varies per module 11 per course 275 pts total
Quizzes (100 pts. each) Varies per module 11 per course 1,100 pts total
Mid-Term & Final Exams (250 pts. each) ~ 1 each 500 pts total
Total points for all course work = 2,925 points.
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Note: Divide your total points by the value of the assignments/assessments to calculate your
current %. Multiple your total points by .1 to calculate your %.

GRADE SCALE:

Grade Point: 4.0 - 3.9 Letter Grade: A Percentage: 100 – 95%

Grade Point: 3.8 - 3.5 Letter Grade: A- Percentage: 94 – 90%
Grade Point: 3.4 – 3.2 Letter Grade: B+ Percentage: 89 – 87%
Grade Point: 3.1 – 2.9 Letter Grade: B Percentage: 86 – 84%
Grade Point: 2.8 – 2.5 Letter Grade: B- Percentage: 83 – 80%
Grade Point: 2.4 – 2.2 Letter Grade: C+ Percentage: 79 – 77%
Grade Point: 2.1 – 1.9 Letter Grade: C Percentage: 76 – 74%
Grade Point: 1.8 – 1.5 Letter Grade: C- Percentage: 73 – 70%
Grade Point: 1.4 – 1.2 Letter Grade: D+ Percentage: 69 – 65%
Grade Point: 1.1 – 1.0 Letter Grade: D Percentage: 64 - 60%
Grade Point: 0.0 Letter Grade: F Percentage: < 59%

COURSE SCHEDULE:
You will are expected to accomplish each module's learning objectives, which align with the course
outcomes, by completing the readings and assessments as listed in the schedule, below.

Chapters 1 and 2 Hands-On Projects,

Chapters 1 Outcomes 1,
Week 1 Module 1 Review Questions, Quiz
and 2 2, 4, 11
and Module 1 Discussion
Chapter 3 Hands-On Projects,
Outcomes 1,
Week 2 Module 2 Chapter 3 Review Questions, Quiz
9
and Discussion
Chapter 4 Hands-On Projects,
Outcomes 1,
Week 3 Module 3 Chapter 4 Review Questions, Quiz
2, 11
and Discussion
Module 4,
and Chapters 5 Chapters 5 and 6 Hands-On Projects,
Outcomes 1
Review and 6, Review Questions, Quiz
Week 4 through 6, 7,
Chapters Review All and Discussion
8, 10, 11
1 through Materials Mid-Term Exam
6
Chapter 7 Hands-On Projects,
Outcomes 4,
Week 5 Module 5 Chapter 7 Review Questions, Quiz
5
and Discussion
Chapters 8 and 9 Hands-On Projects,
Chapters 8 Outcomes 1,
Week 6 Module 6 Review Questions, Quiz
and 9 7, 8, 10
and Discussion
Chapter 10 Hands-On Projects,
Outcomes 5,
Week 7 Module 7 Chapter 10 Review Questions, Quiz
6, 8
and Discussion
Chapter 11 Hands-On Projects, Outcomes 6,
Week 8 Module 8 Chapters 11
Review Questions, Quiz 10, 12
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 and Discussion
Review
Chapters Review All Outcomes 1
Week 9 Final Exam
7 through Materials through 12
11

CONSENT AGREEMENT:

A Pierce College course requires frequent interaction with your instructor. It is, therefore, essential
that you agree to the conditions set forth in the course syllabus. After you have read the course
syllabus, let us know (do not wait) if you do not agree with the course conditions and requirements.
If we do not hear from you within three (3) days from the start of the course, we will assume you
agree with the conditions set forth in this syllabus.

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES:

Access Pierce College at Joint Base Lewis-McChord and Pierce College District here:
www.pierce.ctc.edu/military/canvas/Policies/index.html

Syllabus Format as of March 4th, 2016