Hi Everyone,
I'm still grading everyone's Spark assignments, but I should be done this week. I'll post those scores and your Unit 4 average ASAP.

Everyone needs to complete your Module 2 assignment and quiz by tonight for the topic you are working on.

Python and Advanced Excel students:  Your Module 3 assignment and quiz are also due Friday night this week.

Adobe CC students: You have a combined unit 3 & 4 which is due next Wednesday, 4/18. You have a lot of time to do it because it takes a lot of time to complete, so please get going on it sooner rather than later.  It also counts as two modules, so you want to do well on it (but you'll like it - it's cool things in PhotoShop.) Also, if you need to use a campus computer, Adobe Creative Cloud is installed on the newer computers in the library upstairs outside Honors as well as the ones at TAC.

As always, let me know if you have any questions or want any older assignments opened back up for late credit.
Mrs. Ferner

Good Morning!
I hope you all enjoyed the long holiday weekend!

This week we begin the last unit. If you did not indicate a preference, you are in the Adobe group. I have put a line item in the Blackboard gradebook showing which unit you selected (or defaulted to) for this last unit. You should see three new links in Blackboard. Remember, you only complete one of these options.

If you are doing Adobe, you can go ahead and get started.

If you are doing Advanced Excel or Programming/Python, I will need to give you a new MindTap code (free of charge) because these resources are from different books. Do not purchase a new code. The codes have been ordered, and I will send them out as soon as I receive them later today.

For all options, Module 1 assignments are due Wednesday, and Module 2 assignments are due next Monday.

Have a great week!
Mrs. Ferner

Hi Everyone,
Unit 4 wraps up Wednesday with the Adobe Spark assignment due at 11:59pm. Spark will include any references you used from within Spark. You only need to add references if you used other material.

The last unit begins after the long weekend. You get to pick your topic from among the three described below. Please indicate your selection in Blackboard by tonight.

Just below the Spark Project assignment in Blackboard, you'll see a link called "Select your Unit 5 Topic." It starts out looking like a test, but it's just one multiple choice question asking what you want to study for this last unit. As a reminder, the choices are:

• Advanced Excel: this will contain the next four modules of the Excel MindTap material. It covers Pivot tables/charts, macros, advanced functions, and Excel applications. The format will be the same as the other MindTap units: 4 Modules with reading, quiz, SAM Path followed by one a Capstone Project at the end.
• Introduction to Programming: This option will make use of another MindTap to teach you some beginning programming techniques using the Python language. Instead of SAM Paths, there are 1-3 coding exercises for each of the four modules along with quizzes and a Capstone Project at the end.
• Adobe Creative Cloud: Did you know that UNCW students are now licensed to use Adobe products for free? This option will introduce you to Adobe Acrobat DC, Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign. This is not a MindTap module. It consists of videos and tutorials which walk you through how to create various assets in the application. You will submit one for each of the 4 modules and take a quiz. There will also be a Capstone Project at the end integrating the applications.

Let me know if you have any questions, and enjoy the long weekend!!
Mrs. Ferner

Hi Everyone,
The PowerPoint modules wrap up with the Capstone Project due tonight.

Then take a look at Adobe Spark. It is a free product which can be used as a presentation tool. In the MindTap Unit 4 folder, you will see a folder for Module 3: Adobe Spark.

1. The first item in the folder is an Adobe Spark page containing all of the information for the module. There are four videos and some links at the bottom. When you launch the Spark page, scroll down, and continue scrolling down, reading the textual elements and viewing the videos as you go. When you get to the end, there is a link to the assignment and a link showing you how to get started.
2. The second item in the list is the quiz which is due Friday, 11:59pm. Like the other MindTap quizzes, you have 3 attempts per question.
3. The third (and last) item in the list is to remind you that there is an assignment at the end of the Spark Page for you to complete by next Wednesday, 3/28. You will submit this into Blackboard instead of MindTap.

Looking ahead, for Unit 5, you can select what you study. Your choices are:

• Advanced Excel: this will contain the next four modules of the Excel MindTap material. It covers Pivot tables/charts, macros, advanced functions, and Excel applications. The format will be the same as the other MindTap units: 4 Modules with reading, quiz, SAM Path followed by one a Capstone Project at the end.
• Introduction to Programming: This option will make use of another MindTap to teach you some beginning programming techniques using the Python language. Instead of SAM Paths, there are 1-3 coding exercises for each of the four modules along with quizzes and a Capstone Project at the end.
• Adobe Creative Cloud: Did you know that UNCW students are now licensed to use Adobe products for free? This option will introduce you to Adobe Acrobat DC, Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign. This is not a MindTap module. It consists of videos and tutorials which walk you through how to create various assets in the application. You will submit one for each of the 4 modules and take a quiz. There will also be a Capstone Project at the end integrating the applications.

Please indicate your selection in Blackboard by next Monday, 11:59pm.

Have a great week!
Mrs. Ferner

Hi Everyone and welcome back!
I hope you all had a great spring break!!

Unit 3 is now complete, and updated grades are available in Blackboard along with a current course average.

The next unit is about creating professional presentations.  Modules 1 and 2 cover Microsoft PowerPoint.  Although most of you have used it, you may not know all of its more advanced features.  Hopefully, you will find some new tools and techniques with PowerPoint that you weren't already aware of.

These two modules are like the other Office modules with reading, a SAM Path and a quiz. The PowerPoint SAM Paths are slightly longer that the others (~40 tasks) so plan accordingly:

• Module 1 reading, quiz, SAM Path are due this Wednesday, 3/14
• Module 2 reading, quiz, SAM Path are due this Friday, 3/16
• The Capstone Project is shorter than the other two and is due Monday, 3/19.

For those working ahead, Module 3 of this unit introduces you to a free Adobe product called Spark. In the Unit 4/Module 3 folder, you will see a web link to a complete tutorial about Adobe Spark. The tutorial is viewed in a browser, you just need to scroll down to see all of it.  In it, you’ll find links to videos and other information about Spark.
One of the videos is about Copyright Law and Creative Commons licensing.  There is a short quiz in the same MindTap folder regarding that material.  Like the other MindTap quizzes, you have 3 attempts per question. This quiz is due next Friday 3/23.

Lastly, don't forget that you may redo or submit any missed assignments for a maximum grade of 80%. The Word and Excel Capstone Projects count half of the Unit score.  If your score is significantly lower than 80%, you might want to avail yourself of that option.  You can use the same file and instructions and pick up where you left off.

Have a great week!
Mrs. Ferner

I mentioned that "The rest of the week is for the Excel Capstone project" but forgot to add that it is due Friday, 3/2 (that's this week) 11:59 pm. Get it done early, and you're set until after spring break!

Hi Everyone,
The last Excel Module reading, quiz, and SAM Path are due tonight. The rest of the week is for the Excel Capstone project. Please don't wait until the last minute to do it. I'll be unavailable for help after 1:00 on Friday, so if you have problems Friday afternoon/evening, you'll need to contact Cengage Tech Support for help.

Then you are off for Spring Break! There is no work you need to do for this course (unless you just want to work ahead or make up any missed assignments.) Have a safe and fun week off!!
Mrs. Ferner

Hi Everyone,
You should now be working on Excel Module 3 which gives you lots of great tools for working in Excel using formulas and functions. Spend some time on this Module. This is material most employers would expect you to be able to do. The reading, quiz, and SAM Path are due this Wednesday.

Then you should start working on Module 4 which shows you the great visual aids you can add to your spreadsheets. That Module's quiz and SAM Path are due next Monday, 2/26.

There is a grade estimate in Blackboard which includes Units 1 & 2.

Have a great week!
Mrs. Ferner

Hi Everyone,
I was mistaken in last week's email about the first Excel Module. It isn't due until tonight, so you still have time to work on for full credit. Since Excel is less familiar than Word to most of you, I've spread these assignments out to give you some extra time to complete them. So:

• Excel Unit 1 reading, SAM Path, and quiz are due tonight.
• Excel Unit 2 reading, SAM Path, and quiz are due Friday.

Also, you are able to complete any missed work, or any assignment on which you scored less than 80% for late credit (80% being the maximum grade available for late work.) If you are unable to access the assignment because you started it and now find it closed, please send me an email, and I can remove the attempt so you can work on it again. You will get the higher of the original grade or the newer grade with the 20% late penalty applied.
Have a great week!
Mrs. Ferner

Good Morning!
This week we will wrap up the Word Unit with the Capstone project due Wednesday. This requires the actual Office 2016 program which is available for free through the University.

SAM projects give you a chance to apply what you learned in the previous modules using the actual program. The basic idea is to download a starter file, the instructions, and sometimes some other files to be used. You then complete the tasks described in the instructions using Microsoft Word and upload it to SAM for scoring. Once it is scored (in a minute or two), you can generate a detailed report showing what, if anything, you missed, along with links to review the specific skill. You can then make corrections if necessary and resubmit up to four more times. The idea here is to get immediate feedback, interpret any error reports, revise your work and resubmit it.

Sometimes just one typo will deduct a lot of points. Don’t panic. It’s just part of a larger task. Review the report, revise the original document, and submit again for regrading. Because this is computer graded, it is essential that your text matches exactly what is expected. It’s not picky, there's just no such thing as “close” to a computer. It either matches or it doesn’t. This is why you have multiple attempts. Beginning this project sooner rather than later would be a really good idea.

Also recall from the syllabus:
"Please be aware that the SAM Project grading system encodes the downloadable files and compares the submitted work with the original. If the encoding does not match, the software flags the submission as a possible integrity violation. Both parties are identified even if students are in different sections, courses, or even schools. In such a case, both parties will receive a grade of zero. 'Borrowing a friend’s computer' and accidentally submitting your friend’s project file instead of your own is not an excuse. You and your friend will both receive grades of zero. Leaving a file available for others to access, even inadvertently, can result in a zero for the project."

Thursday and Friday of this week, you'll begin Unit 3 and learning about spreadsheets in Microsoft Excel. It is a widely-used, and powerful tool, for working with numbers and charts. The format is the same. There is reading, a quiz, and a SAM Path for each of the four units followed by a Capstone Project. Remember that a SAM Path is just a customized tutorial, and that your SAM Path score is the sum of the pre and post tests. So, if you aren't familiar with Excel, it is perfectly fine to open the pretest, submit it, and go straight to the training. The first Excel SAM Path and quiz are due Friday.

As always, let me know if you have questions!
Mrs. Ferner

Hi Everyone,
Here are some links you may find helpful as you work on the Word Capstone project:

• Get Microsoft Office (http://people.uncw.edu/mferner/CSC105OL/SAM/Office365.htm)
• Completing SAM Projects (https://youtu.be/wcNi_VIY9Lw)
• SAM Project Reports (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ms4Fct6jFZU&feature=youtu.be&t=1m14s)
• Help and FAQs (http://people.uncw.edu/mferner/CSC105OL/SAM/WordCapstoneHelp.pdf)

I will add to the last one as questions arise, so check back there if you’re stuck.
Mrs. Ferner

Good Morning!
This week we will wrap up the Word Unit with the Capstone project due Wednesday. This requires the actual Office 2016 program which is available for free through the University.

SAM projects give you a chance to apply what you learned in the previous modules using the actual program. The basic idea is to download a starter file, the instructions, and sometimes some other files to be used. You then complete the tasks described in the instructions using Microsoft Word and upload it to SAM for scoring. Once it is scored (in a minute or two), you can generate a detailed report showing what, if anything, you missed, along with links to review the specific skill. You can then make corrections if necessary and resubmit up to four more times. The idea here is to get immediate feedback, interpret any error reports, revise your work and resubmit it.

Sometimes just one typo will deduct a lot of points. Don’t panic. It’s just part of a larger task. Review the report, revise the original document, and submit again for regrading. Because this is computer graded, it is essential that your text matches exactly what is expected. It’s not picky, there's just no such thing as “close” to a computer. It either matches or it doesn’t. This is why you have multiple attempts. Beginning this project sooner rather than later would be a really good idea.

Also recall from the syllabus:
"Please be aware that the SAM Project grading system encodes the downloadable files and compares the submitted work with the original. If the encoding does not match, the software flags the submission as a possible integrity violation. Both parties are identified even if students are in different sections, courses, or even schools. In such a case, both parties will receive a grade of zero. 'Borrowing a friend’s computer' and accidentally submitting your friend’s project file instead of your own is not an excuse. You and your friend will both receive grades of zero. Leaving a file available for others to access, even inadvertently, can result in a zero for the project."

Thursday and Friday of this week, you'll begin Unit 3 and learning about spreadsheets in Microsoft Excel. It is a widely-used, and powerful tool, for working with numbers and charts. The format is the same. There is reading, a quiz, and a SAM Path for each of the four units followed by a Capstone Project. Remember that a SAM Path is just a customized tutorial, and that your SAM Path score is the sum of the pre and post tests. So, if you aren't familiar with Excel, it is perfectly fine to open the pretest, submit it, and go straight to the training. The first Excel SAM Path and quiz are due Friday.

As always, let me know if you have questions!
Mrs. Ferner

Hi Everyone,This is a busy week. You will continue working on the word processing unit, and hopefully, learn how to optimally use the many tools MS Word provides.

• Module 2 is due to tonight.  It covers some basic formatting and navigation skills as well as some useful editing and referencing tools.
• Module 3 is due Wednesday and covers Word Tables and longer document formatting skills. It shows you how to do many things the "right" way. These are skills that most employers would expect you to know how to do.
• Module 4 is due Friday.  It covers transitioning from word processing to desktop publishing to make your documents look more professional.

Remember, there are three things to do for each module:

1. Reading from New Perspectives Microsoft Office e-text.
2. SAM Path (pre-test, training, post-test)
3. Quiz

If you missed Module 1, you can still complete it for 80% credit. 

If you need to review information about completing SAM Paths, see: http://people.uncw.edu/mferner/CSC105OL/SAM/AboutSAMPaths.htm

Have a great week!
Mrs. Ferner

Good Morning!

The Intro Unit wraps up today with some information about other Office 365 apps and a tutorial about OneNote. There is just one SAM Path for this Module - no quiz.

Then we begin Unit 2: Microsoft Word. You will may already be familiar with some of the material in Modules 1 and 2, but you may learn a new way to do something or understand better some things you "sort-of" knew already. Modules 3 and 4 should give you a great opportunity to explore some of the more advanced features in Word.

These modules are a little bit longer than the Unit 1 modules, so you've got some extra time for this first one. Plan accordingly for the rest, and work ahead if you have time. Module 1 is due Friday, and Module 2 is due Monday.

There are three things to do for each module:

1. Reading
2. Sam Path (Please review the details about SAM Paths at: http://people.uncw.edu/mferner/CSC105OL/SAM/AboutSAMPaths.htm
3. Quiz (three tries per question).

These modules do not require the actual Office program. They are done entirely in MindTap through a browser. Remember, the pre-test score is added to the post-test score to get the SAM Path score, so your pre-test score by itself doesn't matter as long as you do the training and post-test. Refer back to the syllabus if you need to review how SAM Paths are scored.

Also, beginning this week, any late submissions will incur a 20% late penalty.

Have a great week!
Mrs. Ferner

Good Morning!

I hope you all enjoyed the long weekend! Hopefully, you’ve now had a chance to get started with the introductory material. It's a lot to take in at first, but once you get everything configured correctly and get comfortable navigating MindTap, it gets easier.

Last week's material was the syllabus quiz, and then Unit 1 Module on File Management.

This week continues with some simple introductory material in Unit 1:

• Module 2: Internet Essentials and Information Literacy is due Wednesday. It consists of a reading, a quiz, and a SAM Path.
• Module 3: Essential Concepts is due Friday. This one is just a reading and a quiz. There is no SAM Path for this unit.

For assignments having both a quiz and a SAM Path, you may do them in either order, but I have put them in the order that I recommend for the specific module. You can work on all material from this week and last week until Sunday without late penalties. Feel free to work ahead as well.

Let me know if you have questions!
Mrs. Ferner

Hello and Welcome!!
You are receiving this message because you are currently registered to take CSC 105 this semester. I am very excited to have you on board. This course has been updated to better enhance the technology skills we think you will need for success in college and in your future careers.

The course is open and ready for you to begin. Please go to my web page at http://people.uncw.edu/mferner/CSC105OL/CSC105SP18.htm and read the material there, particularly the course syllabus which contains lots of information.

This course is fully online. There are no scheduled meetings, although I'm happy to meet with you during office hours or any other mutually agreeable time. I send out a weekly email to remind you what is due that week, but you can always check the calendar on the course website or in Blackboard.

Please check your UNCW email regularly for important announcements and reminders. I hope this will be a great course for you!
Best regards,
Mrs. Ferner