TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Course Requirements	Exams
Course Description	Grading
Official Signing in to the Course	Class Procedures
Projects and Cases	Professor's Information

Course Title: CIT209B (User Support Skills and Technology)

Professor: Contreras de Finch

REQUIRED TEXTBOOK: A Guide to Computer User Support for Help Desk & Support Specialists (Third Edition) by Fred Beisse,
ISBN Number: 0-691-21510-0

The textbook is available at the CCSN Cheyenne bookstore, at Course Technology and/or some Internet bookstores.)
Here is the CCSN bookstore web site:
Here is the Course Technology web site:
Here is the Internet bookstore web site:

Note: NO MAKEUPS ... NO INCOMPLETES ... NO WITHDRAWALS given as final grade. Student may drop/withdraw from the class by going to the Admissions and Records office on or before October 30, 2008.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

• Frequent access to the Internet.
• Depending on the assignment, all assignments must be sent as attachments using Word, Excel, PowerPoint - 2003 or higher, No exceptions!
• Must complete the SIGN IN information in the Study Guide (located in the WebCT course site) by the Friday of the FIRST week of class!
• Textbook: A Guide to Computer User Support for Help Desk & Support Specialists (Third Edition) by Fred Beisse, ISBN Number: 0-691-21510-0
• Work with a classmate on one project
• Assessment exam (will use Yahoo account to e-mail results)

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COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Introduction to the help desk and help desk industry. Provides a solid foundation for newcomers to the industry and builds skills and knowledge for advancement in the industry. Prerequisite: CIT 201B or CIT 202B or CIT 203B or equivalent experience.

At the completion of this course the student will be able to:
Course Objectives: At the successful completion of this course, the student will be able to
1. Articulate the common concepts of the help desk
2. Demonstrate knowledge of the different types of customer service and support organizations, including the roles and operations of internal and external help desks
3. Identify the wide array of tools and technology used in help desks
4. Explain how information is used as a resource in a help desk
5. Develop positive communication and listening skills
6. Use a web browser to access sites, to follow hyperlinks and to search for information about:
Help desk tools
Software service packs
Hardware and software upgrades
Software and/or hardware pricing
Technical answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Measurements:
• End of chapter case projects
• Chapter exams

Click here for more information on: End User Support Degrees

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OFFICIAL SIGNING IN FOR THE COURSE (CLASS)
Complete the Sign In information on the Study Guide in the WebCT course site by Friday of the first week of the semester. Until this information is received, you are NOT considered to be officially logged into the course.
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PROJECTS / CASES (Please check Web-CT course site for further details.)
(ABSOLUTELY NO MAKEUPS!)
Projects must be sent via WebCT e-mail by 4:00 pm on Tuesday (except for Chapter 12).
Can skip 3 projects. That is, a total of 10 projects are required with 3 exceptions:
CANNOT skip Projects 4, 5 or 6.
In other words all students must do projects 4,5 and 6, no exceptions. So look at them very carefully! Only 10 projects will be used in the calculation of the final grade.

Chapter Titles	Chapters/Projects	Due Dates Tuesday
Introduction to End-User Computing	Chapter 1, Pg. 33-34, Project 1-9, Research computer history - Project 1-9 is the number of the project!!!! It is not 9 projects!	Sept. 09
Introduction to Computer User Support	Chapter 2, Pg. 68, Case Project #4 Productivity at Re-Nu-Cartridge	Sept. 16
Customer Service Skills for User Support Agents	Chapter 3, Pg. 97, Project 3-7, Evaluate a help desk phone incident	Sept. 23
Troubleshooting Computer Problems	Chapter 4, Pg. 133, Project 4-3, Provide Explanation (CANNOT SKIP)	Sept. 30
Common Support Problems	Chapter 5, Pg. 169, Project 5-4, Troubleshoot a bug in Excel (CANNOT SKIP)	Oct. 07
Help Desk Operation	Chapter 6, Pg. 203, Project 6-3, Assign priority codes to help desk problems (CANNOT SKIP)	Oct. 14
User Support Management	Chapter 7, Pg. 241, Project 7-3, Write a classified ad for a user support position (user support specialists)	Oct. 21
Product Evaluation Strategies and Support Standards	Chapter 8, Pg. 279-280, Case Projects-3, Invoicing Software for Columbia Sand & Gravel	Oct. 28
User Needs Analysis and Assessment	Chapter 9, Pg. 322, Project 9-3 Design an input form	Nov. 04
Installing End-User Computer Systems	Chapter 10, Pg. 368, Case Project 3, Software Installation for a Time Synchronization Utility	Wed. Nov. 12
Training Computer Users	Chapter 11, Pg. 406, Case Project 2, Design a Training Module	Nov. 18
Writing for End Users	Chapter 12, Pg.447-448, Case Project 3, Templates for Rocky Mountain Consultants	Nov. 25
Computer Facilities Management	Chapter 13, Pg. 498 Case Projects-3, How to Manage Spam E-Mail at Re-Nu Cartridge	Dec. 02

Please check the Project Details in the Web-CT course site for more information.

Note: Professor reserves the right to change the above assignments.

All projects are sent as an attachment via Web-CT e-mail, using Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint 2002, or higher. Attachments sent in any other type of Format result in a zero on the project. Must use Web-CT e-mail to send projects! All projects are due on the date by 4:00 pm Pacific Time (PST)

Grades will be posted on the following week, please see project details in the Web-CT site.

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TESTS

Access the chapter tests anytime between Friday 11:00 am through Sunday 8:00 pm (PST). Exception: Last test (Assessment) starts on Mon. - Wed. Can skip 3 chapter tests. ONLY 10 chapter tests will be calculated for the final grade. CANNOT skip Assessment exam!!

ABSOLUTELY NO MAKEUPS!!! Do NOT wait until Sunday to take a test!

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GRADING

NO EXTRA WORK...NO EXTRA WORK...NO CURVING....NO MAKE UP...

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Academic Dishonesty: The CSN 2008 General Catalog and Student Handbook it is written: "...The following conduct, being incompatible with the purposes of an academic community, is prohibited and shall constitute cause for discipline and may lead to the procedures and disciplinary sanctions established in Chapter 6 of the Nevada System of Higher Education(NSHE) Code...Acts of academic dishonesty, including but not limited to cheating, plagiarism, falsifying research data or results, or assisting other to do the same." In this class, cheating results in dismissal from the class with a grade of F! Copies of the NSHE Code and Board of Regents Policy are available from the Vice President for Student Affairs and/or from the Board of Regents web site at: http://system.nevada.edu/Board-of-R/Handbook/TITLE-2---/T2-CH06---Rules-and-Disciplinary-Pro.pdf

Note: CSN provides software to search for plagiarism!!

Respect towards the Professor and students is very important. Confrontational and disrespectful students are not tolerated in this WebCT course. Student committing such violation will be notified and removed from the course site. Read the NSHE code.

RETENTION SERVICES: The Office of Student Retention (651-2626 at Cheyenne or 651-7367 at West Charleston or Henderson) offers a wide array of services and programs to help make your experience at CSN a successful and rewarding one. Among them are:
• Coyote Student Coaches - Free Tutoring on a walk-up basis during posted hours. Student Coaches are available in the D lobby at the West Charleston campus, in the student Lounge at the Cheyenne campus, and in the C building at the Henderson campus.
• Success Planning Appointments - The staff of the Retention Office is committed to helping you succeed at CSN by sitting down with you, assessing your needs and getting you plugged in to CSN's many resources.

DISABILITY RESOURCE CENTER: If you have a documented disability that may require assistance, you will need to contact the Disability Resource Center located in the Student Service Center on each campus. The DRC can be contacted at the following numbers: Cheyenne Campus 651-4045, Henderson 651-3086, and West Charleston 651-5089. For those students that would like to earn a little extra cash, stop by the Disability Resource Center to fill out a job interest card. This office hires students as note takers, readers, proctors, scribes, lab assistants, and research assistants as needed.

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**********QUESTIONS? * PROBLEMS? * LET'S TALK!**********

Professor Contreras de Finch:

OFFICE:
Summerlin Center (333 S. Pavilion Center Dr.) Suite 122B

Office Hours:
Monday 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm or by appointment.
Office Phone/Voice Mail: 651-4275

Office Hours on Web-CT site:

Other concerns, please e-mail me using WebCT e-mail facility.

E-mail: Use Web-CT or if Web-CT is not working use alternate e-mail address:
              susanacit133@yahoo.com      
If using the alternate e-mail address, please make sure to put on the subject line: CIT209

Fax: 651-4960
Department Chair: Prof. Mike Connally, Office located at Cheyenne Campus, phone number: 651-4670.

Professor Contreras de Finch is in the WebCT course site Tuesday and Thursday
2:00pm-3:30pm (PST)

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