Beginning Keyboarding

Course Materials:

Textbook: KEYBOARD MASTERY On the Computer, Barbara Ellsworth.

Cost: $42.08 purchased from MCC Spartan Bookstore

$42.08 + 6.95 ground shipping online from Spartan Bookstore

$38.95 from Ellsworth Publishing – no shipping charges

$18.00 access code ONLY – see below

PLEASE NOTE: If you purchase this book from an online textbook supplier, BE SURE IT HAS A VALID ACCESS CODE. If not, you’ll have to supplement your book purchase by purchasing the access code from the publisher.

Student Learning Outcomes:

Demonstrate the ability to touch type using correct finger placement by achieving 98-100% accuracy on all drills.
Demonstrate proficiency in accuracy achievement and speed building by comparing and contrasting each skill exercise with previous results.
Apply proper techniques to avoid muscle strain, eyestrain, and fatigue to maintain proper positioning at the computer to meet accuracy standard of 98-100%.

Important Dates:

Last day to drop with no grade on permanent record................................... September 6

Last day to drop class and be eligible for refund........................................... September 6

Last day to petition for certificate or degree.................................................. September 26

Last day to ADD a BOT course...................................................................... October 25

Last day to drop with “W”.............................................................................. November 20

Last day to submit assignments.................................................................... December 12

Policies:

1. Students with disabilities, whether physical, learning, or psychological, who believe that they may need accommodations in this class are encouraged to contact Disabled Students Programs & Services as soon as possible to ensure that such accommodations are implemented in a timely manner. Their phone number is (760) 795-6658, and they are located in Building 3000 Student Services, Room 3009, adjacent to Parking Lot 3C.

2. Students who have not consistently submitted assignments during the semester will be dropped on November 20, 2008.

3. Students should be aware of the MiraCosta plagiarism statement in the catalog. A submitted assignment, which is determined to be the work of a person other than the student, will receive no credit.

Contacting the Instructor:

BOT Associate Instructor: Kathy Van Pelt

Email address: kvanpelt@miracosta.edu

Lab Hours: SEC 106 Tuesday 6 – 8 p.m.; OC 4803B Thursday 1-4 p.m.

When contacting the instructor through email, please identify the purpose of your email in the SUBJECT line along with the course and your name. Here is an example of how you should key the subject: QUESTION BOT 100 Susan Smith. The instructor will respond within 48 hours.

Submitting Assignments:

All lessons are saved in the program on the Internet. Students do not need to submit any files to the instructor. Instructor will review lessons from the Internet. All comments will be sent to the student through the program Message Board or through Blackboard. If the instructor has sent a comment to the student through the Message Board, a message notice will pop up as soon as the student has logged into the program.

Blackboard: The course syllabus can also be found on the Blackboard site. To login to Blackboard you can either go to the MiraCosta home page and click on Online courses or go directly to blackboard.miracosta.edu and login using your SURF login. Course announcements will be sent from the Blackboard site. You do not need an assignment sheet for this course because progress is recorded on the program website on the Internet.

Grading:

This is a Pass/No Pass course. Students will receive a grade of PASS if all 24 lessons and timings #1 and #2 are completed before December 12, 2008. Final keyboarding speed does not determine the grade. Students who can achieve a speed of 40 wpm or more after Lesson 11 will have the opportunity to test out by completing the 2 timings.

Getting Started:

You must access the program from the Internet. Also, you must purchase the book to get an access code to the website. The access code is under the CD in the back of your book. You should not buy a used book unless it contains a valid access code.

If you have a friend who has taken the course and has given you the book, you can purchase JUST the access code from the publisher. To purchase only the access code follow these directions. When the program opens from the Internet, before you login look at the menu selections in the left column. Click on Pricing and Policies, then click on Retail, then click on the Keyboard Mastery “Online Access Serial Code” and ADD TO CART. The price is $18 and you must have a debit or credit card to purchase the code. Ellsworth Publishing will send the access code to your email address.

PLEASE NOTE: Your book comes with a CD which contains the keyboarding program. Because you have purchased the book, you have rights to the program. For this course you must work from the Internet. DO NOT INSTALL THE PROGRAM FROM THE CD until you have completed the course.

Open Internet Explorer
In the Address key: www.keyboardingonline.com
Click on LOGIN.
The Login and Password for fall 2008 semester is: mira Then click the Sign In button.
Click on the link for your course (click on the book or words).

· Click “Yes” to the Warning-Security box.

Click Open, choose your semester, select your name, click the Open button.
Enter your ID/Password (MCC student ID number starting with 0 (replace the W with a 0) and click OK.
The screen shown below will open with your name in the toolbar.
The menu bar on the left contains all the software information.
First click on USER INFO. Enter your contact information. DO NOT CHANGE YOUR PASSWORD.
Each one of the menu items is explained below.

[1]

SETUP

The course standards have been entered in the Setup menu by the instructor. Click the Setup tabs to review your course standards. Make note of the number of errors allowed for each drill. This is important to know so that you can restart a drill if you have exceeded the number of errors allowed. The backspace key has been disabled. You cannot correct errors by backspacing; you need to restart a drill if you exceed the allowed errors.

TIMING	ERRORS ALLOWED
15 seconds	0
30 seconds	1
1 minute	2
2 minute	3
3 minutes	5

THE INTRODUCTION

Read and follow the prompts. This is a tour of the program.

THE LESSONS MENU

Ø Click the closed book symbol “&” in front of “LESSONS MENU” to open the lesson menu.

Ø Open your textbook to Lesson 1 and begin keying Line 1.

Ø The timer begins when the first key is depressed.

Ø If you “mess up” and want to begin the exercise again, just click on the TIMER button at the bottom of your screen.

Ø If you are able to complete the line within the errors allowed (see SETUP standards above), go to the next line. If not, repeat the line until you are able to key within the error limit. The on screen instructions tell you to complete each line 3 times – ignore this. You will complete each line ONE TIME within the errors allowed for the timing.

TIMINGS

ü Click the closed book symbol “&” in front of “OPTIONAL TIMINGS” to open the timings menu. Timings #1 and #2 are required.

ü Pages E-2 and E-3 in your textbook contain the text for the timings.

ü Indent paragraphs by hitting the TAB key. This will start the timer.

ü Space two times after all punctuation.

ü Strike ENTER two times between paragraphs. If you do not follow the above formatting directions, you will have additional errors on the timings.

PROGRESS REPORT

Click the closed book symbol “&” in front of “PROGRESS REPORT.”
At the sub-menu, select Simple Report. You should see your scores displayed. If the scores do not appear, your timings had too many errors and the speeds were not recorded.

GRADE REPORT

Click the closed book symbol “&” in front of “GRADE REPORT.”
Click FINAL GRADE—After all required lessons and timings have been completed, your average speeds will appear next to the Lessons as well as your timings.

MESSAGE CENTER

If the instructor has sent you a message, the message screen will appear when you open your file. After you enter your password and press enter, the message screen will pop up. Each week the instructor will review your completed lessons. Progress and tips and suggestions will be sent through the Message feature. You can respond to the instructor by entering your response and clicking SEND.

TO QUIT AND EXIT THE PROGRAM

Click the “Save and Close File” button on your toolbar. Scores are saved automatically

When you have completed all the required lessons:

· Please notify the instructor by email.

· Your instructor will view your Progress and Grade Report from the Internet. Do not print.

· The instructor will email your certificate of completion including your final speed.

· You can now install the software on your home computer to continue to practice.

· THERE IS NO BUY BACK FOR YOUR TEXTBOOK.

HOW TO INSTALL THE SOFTWARE AT HOME:

Remember – this is only after you have completed the entire course.

· Insert the CD into your computer.

WAIT—The instructions should load automatically.

If not, select the CD drive and click “Mastery.exe.”

· View the Software Tutorial.

· Click on Install Software, and follow the prompts.

· Exit your CD.

· Double click your course icon that was automatically placed on your desktop.