Syllabus for COS-352-OL
OPERATING SYSTEMS
Description | Objectives | Materials | Structure | Assessment | Grading | Strategies
Operating Systems provides an understanding of operating systems, and therefore, an understanding of the workings of the entire computer system, because it is the operating system that manages each and every piece of hardware and software. In this course, you will learn what operating systems are, how they work, what they do, and why. Comparison of the major operating systems is included. Due to the nature of this course, it is advisable for you to have already taken an introductory course in computers and to have experience with programming in at least one computer language.
After completing Operating Systems, you should be able to:
You will need the following materials to do the work of the course. The required textbook is available from the college's textbook supplier, MBS Direct.
Required Textbook
Operating Systems is a 3-credit, online course. You are required to read the text as assigned, complete 6 written assignments, and 2 proctored online exams: a midterm and a final. You are also required to take part in the online discussions.
For the course's assignment modules (reading assignments, online discussions, and written assignments), go to the Modules area of the course Web site.
Consult the course Calendar for assignment due dates.
You are required to participate in graded online discussions and an ungraded "Introductions" forum, which occurs during the first week of the semester. Each module includes written exercises and a discussion forum.
For the course's assignment modules (study assignments, online discussions, and written assignments), go to the Modules area of the course. The quizzes are found in the Tests & Quizzes area of the site. See also the Course Calendar for an overview of the assignments and for all due dates.
Consult the course Calendar for assignment due dates.
Written Assignments
Operating Systems has six (6) written assignments, one for each module of the course.
Take the time to familiarize yourself with the Modules area of the course Web site, and read through the written assignment questions before you begin each lesson. Your answers to the assignment questions should be well developed and convey your understanding of the course materials. Formulate responses in your own words (do not merely copy answers from your reading materials), citing text materials where appropriate and in an appropriate manner.
Prepare your written assignments using whatever word processing program you have on your computer. Include your name at the top of the paper, as well as the course name and code and the semester and year in which you are enrolled.
Before submitting your first assignment, check with your mentor to determine whether your word processing software is compatible with your mentor's software. If so, you can submit your work as you prepared it. If not, save your assignment as a rich-text (.rtf) file, using the Save As command of your software program. Rich text retains basic formatting and can be read by any other word processing program.
Go to the Submit Assignments area of the course website to submit all written assignments.
See the Student Handbook for additional help regarding preparing and submitting assignments located within the General Information section of the course website.
Online Discussion Forums
Operating Systems has six (6) graded online discussions, each focusing on a different subject. There is also an ungraded but required discussion in Module 1 titled "Introductions." All class discussions take place on the class Discussion Board.
Communication among fellow students and with the mentor is a critical component of online learning. Participation in online discussions involves two distinct activities: an initial response to a posted question (discussion thread) and subsequent comments on classmates' responses. Meaningful participation is relevant to the content, adds value, and advances the discussion. Comments such as "I agree" and "ditto" are not considered value-adding participation. Therefore, when you agree or disagree with a classmate, the reading, or your mentor, state and support your agreement or disagreement. You will be evaluated on the quality and quantity of your participation. Responses and comments should be properly proofread and edited, professional, and respectful.
Deadlines for posting discussion threads on the class Discussion Board are given in the course Calendar.
For posting guidelines and additional help with discussion board assignments please see the Student Handbook located within the General Information section of the course website.
Examinations
You are required to take two (2) proctored online examinations: a midterm and a final. Both exams require that you use the College's Online Proctor Service (OPS). Please refer to the "Examinations and Proctors" section of the Online Student Handbook (see General Information area of the course Web site) for further information about scheduling and taking online exams and for all exam policies and procedures.
The midterm is an open-book, proctored exam. It is two hours long and covers material in Modules 1, 2, and 3. It consists of essay type questions. If you have concerns about the format and/or content of the examination, please contact your mentor at least a week in advance of the scheduled test.
The final is an open-book, unproctored exam. It is two hours long and covers material in Modules 4, 5, and 6. It consists of essay type questions.
Exams are administered in the Tests & Quizzes area of the course Web site. Consult the course Calendar for the official dates of your midterm and final exam weeks.
Statement about Cheating
You are on your honor not to cheat during the exam. Cheating means:
- Looking up any answer or part of an answer in an unauthorized textbook or on the Internet, or using any other source to find the answer.
- Copying and pasting or in any way copying responses or parts of responses from any other source into your online test. This includes but is not limited to copying and pasting from other documents or spreadsheets, whether written by yourself or anyone else.
- Plagiarizing answers.
- Asking anyone else to assist you by whatever means available while you take the exam.
- Copying any part of the exam to share with other students.
- Telling your mentor that you need another attempt at the exam because your connection to the Internet was interrupted when that is not true.
If there is evidence that you have cheated or plagiarized in your exam, the exam will be declared invalid, and you will fail the course.
Your grade in the course will be determined as follows:
To receive credit for the course, you must earn a letter grade of D or higher on the weighted average of all assigned course work (e.g., exams, assignments, discussion postings, etc.).
You will receive a score of 0 for any work not submitted. Letter grades for online participation, written assignments, and examinations are based on the following numerical grades:
| A | = | 93-100 |
| A- | = | 90-92 |
| B+ | = | 88-89 |
| B | = | 83-87 |
| B- | = | 80-82 |
| C+ | = | 78-79 |
| C | = | 73-77 |
| C- | = | 70-72 |
| D | = | 60-69 |
| F | = | Below 60 |
First Steps to Success
To succeed in this course, take the following first steps:
Study Tips
Consider the following study tips for success:
To stay on track throughout the course, begin each week by consulting the course Calendar. The calendar provides an overview of the course and indicates due dates for submitting assignments, posting discussions, and scheduling and taking examinations.