Updating the Seidenberg CIS 101

CourseDaniel Reicher & Mary Courtney

Introduction

Computers are permanently integrated into our society.

Undergraduates are expected to understand current technologies to a certain degree.

Pace University accomplishes this task by requiring (most) of its undergraduate students to enroll in a particular course.

CIS 101: Introduction to Computing

The Goal: To ensure the most appropriate information is being taught in the ‘Introduction to Computing’ course.

CIS 101: Introduction to Computing

Three credit course.

Two Hour Lecture (1x/Week) + Online Discussion Board

All undergraduates (except Computer Science Majors) must pass this course to fulfill their degree requirements.

Curriculum (as of May 1, 2015)

Microsoft Excel

HTML/JavaScript

Basis of Research

Two criteria

Outward: Inspecting the curricula of Pace University's “Benchmark Schools”

9 Different Schools in the Northeastern United States (7 of which are used).

Inward: Gathering opinions about CIS101 from within the Pace community

Student Surveys, Faculty Surveys, Personal Tutor Experience

I. Benchmark Schools

Nine Schools

Fordham University

Northeastern University

Drexel University

Seton Hall University

Hofstra University

DePaul University

Adelphi University

* The New School

* St. Johns University

* These two schools provided me with no valuable information*

The Similar Courses

Four schools offered courses that are similar to CIS 101

Hofstra, DePaul, Adelphi & Seton Hall Universities

Offered courses for the general student body, areas of knowledge included:

Web Design (HTML/CSS/JavaScript)

Spreadsheet Analysis (Microsoft Excel)

Word Processing (Microsoft Word)

Database Systems (Microsoft Access)

Presentation Software (PowerPoint)

The Internet

The Dissimilar Courses

Three Schools Offered Courses that are not similar to CIS101

Fordham, Drexel & Northeastern Universities

Still related to Computing, less general, geared towards Computing majors.

Areas of knowledge included: Algorithmic problem solving

Boolean algebra

Sets, functions, probability & logic.

II. Personal Accounts (at Pace University)

Three aspects

1. Surveys distributed to students

2. Surveys distributed to faculty/professors.

3. Personal tutoring experience.

The Students’ Opinion

Only gathered responses from one class

Rather small sample size (23 students).

Statistical information was rendered irrelevant for this reason.

Students seemed to enjoy the “follow-along” method of teaching.

This depends on a lab environment

Student Survey & Findings

The Faculties Opinion

Surveyed Seven faculty members in total.

Agreements

Lab environment is crucial.

Materials are fine (there is enough as is)

Concerns

Too much emphasis on Excel

8 out of 14 weeks are being devoted to one program.

“Introduction to Microsoft Excel?”

Discussion Board needs to be dissolved or reevaluated.

Faculty Survey & Findings

Personal Opinion (as a CIS Tutor)

Students need to learn how to use a computer before they are expected to learn software.

Use one class or even half a class to cover the following:

Keyboard/Mouse Skills Hotkeys (CTRL-C, CTRL-V, CTRL-X, CTRL-Z, CTRL-Y, Alt-Tab)

Right Click vs. Left Click

Windows Environment Using the start menu

Logging in/Logging out of Windows

File Management (Save vs. Save as, Copy vs. Cut, Renaming, File Properties)

Peripherals USB Drive navigation

Example of ‘Basic Computer Skills’

http://www.unm.edu/~ssljacks/IT%20101%20Course%20Information.pdf

III. Collaborative Suggestions Benchmark Schools

Confirm that we are teaching the right materials.

4/9 Schools offer courses that are nearly identical to our CIS101.

Students Feedback Use a follow-along method, this depends on a lab environment.

Professor Feedback

Remove or re-structure the discussion board.

Keep the lab environment, lecture halls are inappropriate.

Cut back on Microsoft Excel, its over emphasized.

Focus on concepts instead of “hit this key”

Divide the course into sections, allow students to choose the technology they want to learn.

My Feedback

Introduce fundamental computer skills in the beginning of the course.

IV. Conclusion

These are only suggestions based on my findings over the past three months

I do not assert any of the suggestions/information as the best course of action.

Technology is in constant evolution, this course will be too.