Course Syllabus

Welcome to CAOT 085 (Excel 2013) for the Fall, 2016 Semester!

Hi!  I'm Dr. Steven Mark Sachs ("Professor Steve"), professor emeritus of Psychology, Computer Applications Office Technology, and Counseling at Los Angeles Valley College.  In CAOT 085 (often just called CAOT 85; "CAOT" refers to Computer Applications Office Technology), we will study Microsoft Excel 2013, which is the most-used "spreadsheet" software in the world.  And it's great fun!

Modules and Units

You will notice that there are several "Modules" and "Units" listed below all this text.  The way to succeed in this course is to work your way through all of the modules, from the first to the last, in order.  In fact, you'll have to do most of them in order because that's the way the course is set up.  Do the "SuperModule" first.  Then move on to Module 1:  Getting Ready for Class, which has all of the introductory information you will need, including stuff about the textbook, the online training and testing, and much more.

Here's how to get into a Module:  Either click on the Modules link on the link bar that appears vertically along the left side of your screen, or use the blue links below to get in.

Even though you'll see a due date for the SuperModule and Module 1, you can (and should) complete these even earlier than the due date.  You won't be able to move on to the actual subject matter modules until these two are completed.

Actually, you can begin your SAM textbook work earlier; you'll learn about that in Module 1.  SAM is not part of a module, and neither is the actual textbook homework.  Nevertheless, I'll list them below just as reminders of when to do them.

Once you have committed to the class, or even just to check out how the class will operate, I encourage you to go through the Getting Ready Module immediately.  If possible, do this long before the semester begins.  In this way, you will have the easiest time ramping up to the subject matter, and you will be most comfortable with this computer interface we'll be using (it's called Canvas).

Each Module typically has one or more Units, so please don't get confused about which is which.  By the time you have worked through all of the Modules, you'll be essentially done with the class!

For Module 1's Units, you'll need to complete the preceding (earlier) Unit to have access to the later one.  The way you get access to the newer material (that is, the way you complete a Unit) is by passing the preceding Unit's associated ridiculously-easy Quiz.  These are usually just one question each, and you can re-take the quiz if you get it wrong!  Just don't cheat yourself by skimming the material in the Units; you'll really benefit from going though all of it at least one time. The system is set not to permit you to go on until you pass the quiz, so do re-take it until you get it right.  Don't worry; it really is easy.

This will become obvious as you go through the Modules and Units.  Some Units do not have Quizzes, so just read and understand them.

You will see that the Supermodule plus all of Module 1's Units and super-easy Quizzes have a very early due date.  That's because all this stuff's job is to get you ready to do the class right.  But they don't actually teach Excel; that comes once you have completed these two get-ready Modules.  Remember:  You can start a Module or Unit long before its due date.  In our class, we focus mostly on a pair of chapters at a time.  So the units for Excel Chapters 3 and later have delayed availability dates.

Please remember that YOU CAN (and should) COMPLETE ANY MODULE and/or UNIT  BEFORE ITS DUE DATE, as long as the module and/or unit has already been made available to you!  If possible, do NOT wait for the due date!  This is also true for Quizzes.  The exceptions are Minor Exams and Major Exams.  Minor Exams are only available during a specific span of time (usually more than one week, and you can choose when within that time span to take the Minor Exam).  Major Exams can only be accessed and completed on their one-evening assigned dates).  Modules and Units still remain available even after their due dates; I just want you to be able to keep up by respecting those published dates.  If you're a few days off of the Module or Unit due dates, don't sweat it.  Other things in class have "harder" due dates.

Also, although you could begin work on later chapters early, I recommend strongly that you wait for chapters 3 and later until you have completed your Minor and Major Exams on Chapters 1 and 2.

You can check the Calendar for almost all first-available dates, but not for Minor Exam first-available dates.

You will see a Canvas Announcement when each Minor Exam first becomes available, so be sure to check the Announcements very frequently.  The last date to take a particular Minor Exam does appear in the list below and in the Calendar, but it's called a SAM Path.  That's right:  A Minor Exam is called a "SAM Path."  Major Exams are called -- you guessed it -- Major Exams!  I know that sounds confusing, so I put more information about that later in this Module.

Note that you can always come back to this Syllabus, which is also the opening page of this class in Canvas, to re-check stuff and to navigate to wherever you want to go.  There are generic choices at the far left of the screen, and choices specific to our class are listed essentially chronologically right under this text.

You can re-read any Module or Unit whenever you want to, and you can search them, too, for what you need.

If you go to the Canvas opening screen (or choose "Modules" or whatever else you want from the linkbar at the left of the screen), you can go over information you have already read.  Remember that, if Canvas doesn't give you a search box for a given document, you can do Ctrl-F (hold down the Ctrl key and tap the letter "F" as in "Find") to search for a text string in which you're interested.

A Final Note

There are two linkbars at the far left of the Canvas screen.  The one at the far left, with a gray-black background, is pretty much always on the screen.  However, the white linkbar bar at the left of this screen (just inside the gray-black one) does not "float."  That means that it stays attached to the top part of the web page.  So if you want to use one of those links from the white linkbar, sometimes you will have to scroll back to the top of the web page to see them.  Although most of the design of Canvas is pretty slick, this is one area that I find unimpressive.  So it goes.

May you enjoy and prosper greatly for the investment you are making in yourself by taking this class!

. . . Professor Steve

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