955 Using the Internet 80 Classes
Course
Description:
While developing English
language skills, this course introduces students to the structure of the
Internet and provides direction and practice in using the Internet correctly to
obtain valid information for personal, for business, and for academic use. The course emphasizes good searching skills
and includes practice in developing a personal web page.
Objectives: By the end of the course, students should be able:
Instructional
Methods: Classes include language
development and critical thinking sessions followed by hands-on practice and
drills. Students will complete periodic
summary exercises that require application of all skills learned to date. Each student will create 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 |
|
1 |
Mapping the text and course: introduction to the course and the book,
including learning aids. Language
preparation: basic direction words Introduction to the
Internet and WWW: Internet history;
Internet ethics and netiquette, establishing an Internet connection, Web page
basics |
Read Lesson 1 and Appendix C Write at least five
complete sentences beginning with direction given to you. Exercises: 2. Use complete sentences to answer each
question. Create a set of guidelines
for working on the Internet. |
|
2-3 |
Using the Internet Explorer
Web Browser: opening, navigating, and
closing web pages; storing links to favorite web pages; moving between links
and web pages; finding text on a web page, using Explorer tools and menus;
saving and downloading Web pages in a variety of formats; etc. Using enumerating
transition words to give directions. |
Turn any list of 5 or more sequential directions in the text
into a paragraph, using ordinals: first,
second, third, etc. Read Lesson 2 text. Do
Lesson 2 exercises. Explain the purpose of the
Quicken portion of exercise 6 and explain what information can be found on
the Quicken.com web site. |
|
4-5 |
Searching the Web: using search engines and choosing
appropriate search engines; choosing keywords and narrowing and expanding a
search; creating search strings; using natural language queries; finding and
using different advanced search options; &developing other search
techniques. Using other transition
words in giving directions. Individual oral
reports: results of Internet
search. Viruses and Trojans. Plagiarism. Individual oral
reports. |
1.
2.
Turn any list of 4 or
more sequential directions from Lesson 2 into a paragraph, making use of some
or all of transition words like: first,
next, then, after, last. 3.
Read lesson 3 and
Appendix B. 4.
Lesson 3 exercises. 5.
Choose a subject you
explored in the exercises and write a brief report about it. Be prepared to give a brief oral report,
as well. 6.
Write a brief summary
in which you define "viruses" and "Trojans" and explain
ways to deal with them. 7.
Look up the dictionary
definition of "plagiarism."
Write a paragraph or more in which you report on what you have learned
about plagiarism and ways to avoid it.
|
|
8-9 |
Using Outlook Express: using e-mail effectively; enabling HTML
formatting, applying stationery, inserting a picture and/or links; using
address book; etc. Individual oral report—the
most useful thing learned so far about the Internet. Review for exam. |
Read Lesson 4. Complete Lesson 4
exercises. Describe everything you now
know about the Internet, following the guidelines in exercise 4. Be prepared to give a brief oral
report. Bi-monthly Exam, week
16. |
|
10-11 |
Information literacy: searching automated library catalogs and
periodical databases; constructing a valid search; narrowing and expanding
your search; applying criteria to distinguish valid from invalid information.
Obtaining a public library
card (handout). |
1.
Explain three shared
features of Internet, electronic library catalog, and periodical database
searches. 2.
Go to one of the
college library links on the Institute Library homepage and search for books
on a certain topic. Explain three features shared by the external library
search software and that used by the Spanish-American Institute Library (include bookmaking 3.
Show your public
library card to your instructor. 4.
Define a search topic
for your individual final project.
Explain the topic you will research using one library automated
catalog, a full-text periodical database, and one or more Internet sites. |
|
12-14 |
Creating a Web page: authoring & publishing a web site;
using Work templates; inserting pictures & other items, designing,
formatting, & saving a document as a web page; etc. |
Read Lesson 5 Lesson 5 exercises. Create and publish a
personal web page. |
|
15-16 |
Complete the final project
using on-line library, periodical database, and Internet sources. Review for test. |
1. Explain your topic and how you constructed
your search. Describe how you refined
your topic. List the titles of at
least two books you located for your topic, explaining why they should be
useful. Do the same for two on-line
periodical courses and two Internet sources.
2. Make sure that you have demonstrated the
following to your instructor: a
public library card, a personal web page, and the search results in 1, above. 3. Bi-monthly Exam, week 16. |
rev. 2/04, 3/07