Spanish-American Institute

925 Database Management 80 classes

Prerequisite(s): None

Textbooks: Faithe Wempen, Learning Microsoft Access 2002, DDC Publishing, Prentice Hall, 2002 (or comparable text).

Course Description: This course teaches English in the context of an introduction to Microsoft Access. The course focuses on the English language skills needed by beginning Access users. Students learn English when reading about and discussing databases, in general, and Access, in particular; when following directions to complete exercises; and when asking questions and finding answers to Access related topics.

Objectives: By the end of the course, students should be able:

to read about Access and understand what is being discussed or described;
to read and follow directions in English when practicing textbook exercises;
to read documents and descriptions of situations in English and decide how to use Excel spreadsheet applications to organize and present information;
to ask questions in English concerning concepts and implementation;
to write simple explanations in English of procedures used or results obtained;
to practice speaking English when explaining the content of Access database elements;
to understand the basics of creating an Access database;
to understand how Access can be applied to real world situations; and
to understand how to navigate toolbars, use menus to customize Access, and use other Access features.

Instructional Methods: Classes include language development and critical thinking sessions followed by hands-on practice and drills. Students complete periodic summary exercises that require application of all skills learned to date. Each student creates a portfolio of finished output.

Grading: The final grade is based on the following:

Class Participation	25%
Assignments	50%
Exams	25%
Total	100%

The grading scale is: A=90-100%, B+=85-89%, B=80-84%, C+=75-79%, C=70-74%, D=65-69%, F=60-64%.

Course Outline:

Week

Topics

Assignments and Tests

Mapping the text and course: introduction to the course and the book, including learning aids

Basics: databases, database management systems, and Access

Creating a database form: using Access, windows, menus, commands, toolbars, dialog boxes, etc.

Close reading: on the job scenarios.

Write at least five complete sentences beginning with direction words from the following list: TBA

Exercises: 1-3.

2-3

Planning and creating a database: opening and navigating an Access database; entering records; planning a database and creating a new database file; creating Table using the Table Wizard; formatting; creating a form; exporting and publishing an Access object to an Excel and/or Word document.

Using enumerating transition words in giving directions

Close reading: on the job and critical thinking situations.

Turn any list of 5 or more directions in the text into a paragraph, using numerical transition words: first, second, third, etc.

Exercises 4-11.

4-5

Basic database editing and printing: adding, deleting, moving, and renaming fields; adding a lookup value list field; using form design toolbox; formatting; importing, copying, and linking data within Microsoft suite; etc.

Close reading: on the job and critical thinking situations.

Turn any list of 4 or more directions from Lesson 3 into a paragraph, making use of some or all of the following transition words: first, next, then, after, last.

Exercises 12-19.

6-7

Finding information in a database: using wizards and switchboards; finding and replacing data, working with multiple sorts; filtering; etc.

Close reading: on the job and critical thinking situation.

Exercises 20-26

In a paragraph or more, explain why you needed to keep information on your clients and what you did to create a client database.

8-9

Working with queries:

Oral practice: explaining the information in the "orders" table in Exercise 30.

Close reading: on the job and critical thinking situations.

Review for exam.

Exercises 27-31.

Look up the word "query" in the dictionary. Then write a paragraph or more explaining its meaning and why it is a good description for what you do when you use an Access query.

Write a paragraph or more in which you describe the information in the "Orders" table in exercise 30 and describe the table was organized.

Bi-monthly exam, week 8.

10-11

Working with reports: creating reports; using design view; formatting reports; creating a report from a query, creating labels, etc. .

Close reading: on the job and critical thinking situations.

Oral practice: explaining to others what the Bicycle Shop client reports tells you about the company in exercise 34 or in exercise 36.

Exercises 32-38.

Look up the word "wizard" in the dictionary, then write a paragraph or more in which you define the word and explain its use in Access.

One-half the class will explain orally the information about the company in the report in exercise 34 and one-half will do the same for the report in exercise 35.

Write a paragraph or more describing at least two ways you grouped information for decisions as manager of the Bicycle Shop.

12-13

Advanced table and form design: using OLE data type; data validation; working with formats and zero length property; indexes; working with hyperlinks; using properties, other objects, form controls, subforms/subreports; etc.

Oral practice: explaining data sets on tables.

Close reading: on the job and critical thinking situations

Exercises 39-47.

One-half the class will explain orally the information about the information in the table in illustration A and one-half in B in exercise.

Describe the database created for Expose, Inc. (exercise 47) and how you went about creating it.

Working with advanced queries: parameter queries, syntax, action queries, SQL queries, etc.

Close reading: on the job and critical thinking situations.

Exercises 48-53.

Advanced calculations: creating a total query, using time functions, changing values, using domain aggregate functions, etc.

Close reading: on the job and critical thinking situations.

Exercises 54-59.

Describe in writing any single database created this week and how you went about creating it

Automating access: creating and using buttons, macros, and toolbars; passwords and encryption; using the table analyzer wizard.

Close reading: on the job and critical thinking situations.

Review for exam.

Exercises 60-68 (TBA)

Exam

rev. 2/04, 2/07