Heather's ePortfolio

CSI 1020 online class

In the fall of 2011 I took an online computer class.  The class had five sections: Technology in Action,  Windows 7& Office Fundamentals, Word 2010, Excel 2010 and Power Point 2010. Each section was designed to teach you how a computer works and how to use Microscoft Office 2010. There were two book that went with the class Technology in Action  and Exploring Microsoft Office 2010 Vol 1 . 

The first section was Technology in Action. In this section you went through chapters 1 to 12. With each section you read the book then take a test. The book was informative and provided me with  knowledge and information to understand how computers and the digital world works. This section of the class was helpful and easy to understand.

The second section of this class was Windows 7 & Office Fundamentals. In this section there were two practice tests and one real test, a virtual reality that allowed you to learn through hands-on. For this section I had to get my  computer configured to work with MYitlab, an online site through Pearson Education. Once I had it reconfigured there were still glitches that followed  through the entire course. The glitches made it frustrating and sometimes impossible to complete an assignment. In this section I learned more functions of Office than I realized there were.

In the third, fourth and fifth section there were four practice tests, four projects and one real test  that were virtual reality. These sections included Word 2010, Excel 2010, and Power Point. This section uses the book Exploring Microsoft Office 2010 Volume 1. The projects in theses sections were a bit difficult. The book did not have good explanations but rather broad overviews of how these products work. Apparently, learning is supposed to occur through trial and error, hence the number of practice tests(which can each be taken five times!). This class was difficult even though you had a lot of hands on some techniques were hard to figure out and there was no one to ask for help. Thank goodness for eHow and Ask.com, these online help sites were more helpful than the Microsoft Help site and the text book.  Unfortunately, even with this outside help without prior experience with Excel, particularly, it was hard to have a good grasp and therefore the final project was difficult. The glitches in the program caused problems in the learning process. This class was great if you already knew all there is to know about a computer.  However, if you still needed to learn there should have been more instruction, namely a visual presentation for each topic.

This discs that were included in the Microsoft textbook were not instructional and, in fact, were embarrassing to watch.  A Hispanic female supervisor offering a male subordinate the keys to her St. Thomas condo if he solved her computer spreadsheet problem borders on harassment!

I have been using Word and Power Point the past five years so it has been part of my school and life experience.  I have picked up some useful tools that I was not aware of before so this class has helped me, especially since I am a Teacher Aide and do use the computer for work.  Excel is not something I have had to use and probably will not use but it was helpful to know there is a tool that I can use if I ever need to develop a spreadsheet.

Below see one of the assignments for CIS 1020 that was not about Microsoft Office but how to use the computer in other ways.