Radford Department of Information Technology

Syllabus • ITEC 490 IT Professionalism • Fall 2015

intro | section | texts | topics | goals | homework | assessment | responsibilities | attendance | courtesy | honor code | disabilities | changes | emergency | expectations | schedule

Instructor: Don Braffitt
Office: 015 Davis
E-mail: dbraffitt@radford.edu
Phone: 540.831.5072
Office hours: Mon/Wed/Fri 9-10am (015 Davis and online), Thu 3-4pm (online only), Fri 4-5pm (online only), and by appointment
Instructor home page: http://www.radford.edu/dbraffitt/
Syllabus: http://www.radford.edu/~dbraffitt/itec490/2015/fall/
Desire2Learn (D2L): https://learn.radford.edu/d2l/home/75420

Radford University, Department of Information Technology
ITEC 490. IT Professionalism.
Credit Hours: (1)
A seminar series designed to aid in the transition from the university to the workplace. Includes topics in resume preparation, research, ethics, and oral and written communication.
ITEC 490 official course description.

Prerequisite: Senior standing in Computer Science and Technology or Information Science and Systems.

Majors: ITEC 490 serves as a program requirement for the Computer Science and Technology (CSAT) and Information Science and Systems (ISAS) majors.

Course Section  toptop

Texts, Online Materials, labs, LARC, other links  toptop

Textbook cover

Topics  toptop

Goals and Objectives  toptop

Students successfully completing ITEC 490 will be able to do the following:

Homework  toptop

Homework must be submitted by Sat 8pm each week. The exception is the last Homework (Final) which must be submitted by Thu 8pm during Final Exam week after you complete participation in the debates Thu 2:45-4:45pm during Final Exam week. Homework (which includes class attendance and participation) will be worth 100% of the final grade. Students are expected to submit their own work for all homework by the due date. If you get any help in solving a homework problem, include the source of that help (ITEC tutor name, LARC tutor name, instructor name, library resource, web resource, etc.) in your homework submission. If you used no outside resources other than the texts, supplementary text materials, and supplementary materials provided in D2L, include a statement in your homework submission that you received no outside help in completing your homework. No homework submission is complete without a statement about outside help to complete the homework (even if there was no outside help).

Assessment  toptop

The assessment will be weighted as follows:

The assessment will be according to the following scale: 

    A  = 90% to 100%
    B  = 80% to  89%
    C  = 70% to  79%
    D  = 60% to  69%
    F  = 59% and below

During the semester, grades will be provided to students via D2L. Any questions about a particular grade must be resolved via email within 48 hours after that grade is posted in D2L.

Student Responsibilities  toptop

Students are responsible for the information that is included in the assigned readings, lectures, discussions, homework, and any additional information discussed in class or posted in D2L. Students are encouraged to take advantage of the instructor's office hours.

Excused absences are granted in cases such as emergency, illness, religious holiday, Radford-sponsored travel, or other Radford-related activities (i.e. internship and job interviews) that may cause a student to miss a class provided the student notifies the instructor via email prior to the class absence. All required class work must be submitted via D2L by the due date whether or not a student has an excused absence for a particular class.

No late work will be accepted.

Attendance and Participation  toptop

Class attendance is required. Absences (excused or otherwise) do not relieve students from the responsibility for subject matter missed or homework to be completed. If the university cancels class for any reason such as inclement weather, the assigned work for the week is still due as specified in the syllabus and D2L.

The course is taught by lectures and discussions. Regular homework exercises are assigned and discussed in class.

Class Courtesy Policy  toptop

Please set cell phones, pagers, and notebook computers to silent during class. Students are encouraged to bring computers to all ITEC 490 classes. Computers should primarily be used for work relevant to ITEC 490 during ITEC 490 classes. Please refrain from any activities while in class that would be disruptive to the class.

Honor Code  toptop

In accepting admission to Radford University, each student makes a commitment to support and uphold the Honor Code without compromise or exception. Violations of this academic integrity will not be tolerated. Refer to your Student Handbook for details. This class will be conducted in strict observance of the Honor Code. All work you submit for a grade must be your own work including You may ask for help on homework from a tutor, but you must document in your homework submission any help you receive on homework problems. You are responsible for understanding your work. You cannot learn the material for this class unless you complete the homework assignments. You need to be able to understand and explain the work you submit for a grade.

Ask the instructor if you have any questions about what resources you may use to complete homework assignments.

Students With Disabilities  toptop

If you are seeking academic accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act at Radford University, you are required to register with the Disability Resource Office (DRO). To receive academic accommodations for this class, please submit your documentation to the DRO in the lower level of Tyler Hall suites 54-69, by fax to 540.831.6525, or by email to dro@radford.edu. After submitting documentation to the DRO office, you will set up an interview with a Disability Services Specialist to discuss accommodations. You will be notified via email once your accommodation package is complete and ready to be picked up. Once you have picked up your accommodation package, you will need to meet with each course instructor during their office hours to review and discuss your package. For more information and/or for documentation guidelines, visit http://www.radford.edu/content/dro/home.html or call 540.831.6350.

Changes to Course Syllabus or Class Schedule  toptop

All changes to either the course syllabus or the class schedule will be posted in D2L and usually announced in class. Students are responsible for any announced changes even if absent or tardy when the announcements are made. Sometimes changes will be posted in D2L prior to a class announcement (e.g., schedule adjustments if the university closes due to inclement weather or an emergency).

In Case of Emergency  toptop

In the event of a university-wide emergency, course requirements, classes, deadlines, and grading policies and procedures are subject to change. Potential changes that could occur include alternative delivery methods, alternative methods of interaction with the instructor, accessing class materials and/or classmates, a revised attendance policy, and a revised semester calendar and/or grading schedule. In the event of a university-wide emergency, please refer to the course materials in D2L.

Course Expectations  toptop

Schedule  toptop

Class starts Mon 31-Aug in 151 Davis.
Fri 23-Oct (end of 8th week of classes) is the last date to withdraw from an individual class with a grade of W.
Topics Text Chapter Guest speakers Homework
(due Sat 8pm)
Week 1
31-Aug		 Introduction
Resume development		 Graves
Communication		 Chapter 1 Wed: Carolyn Sutphin and John Liptak HW 1
Week 2
07-Sep		 Resume development
Cover letter		 Graves
Communication		 Chapter 1 HW 2
Week 3
14-Sep		 Library research Graves
Communication		 Chapters 2-3 Mon: Greg Caufman, Solers
Wed: Travis Smith and Amy Lett, Eastman Chemical		 HW 3
Week 4
21-Sep		 Library research Graves
Communication		 Chapters 2-3 Mon: Kathy Claytor and David Danco, Corvesta HW 4
Week 5
28-Sep		 Effective written
communication		 Graves
Communication		 Chapters 4-5 Wed: Meghan Dembrosky, Rackspace HW 5
Week 6
05-Oct		 Effective written
communication		 Graves
Communication		 Chapters 4-5 Wed: David Gaines and Russell Barron, eIntern HW 6
Week 7
12-Oct		 Effective oral
communication		 Graves
Communication		 Chapter 13 Mon: Brian Walter, Modea HW 7
Week 8
19-Oct		 Effective oral
communication		 Graves
Communication		 Chapter 13 Mon: Tracey Irving, IBM Rocket Center
Wed: Phillip Pfeiffer, East TN State U		 HW 8
Week 9
26-Oct		 Transition to industry
Ethics		 Baase
Ethical issues		 Chapter 1 Mon: Jeff Pittges
Wed: Joe Chase		 HW 9
Week 10
02-Nov		 Business etiquette Baase
Ethical issues		 Chapter 1 Mon: Kathleen Harshberger HW 10
Week 11
09-Nov		 Negotiating Baase
Ethical issues		 Chapter 2 Mon: John Liptak
Wed: Jeff Pittges		 HW 11
Week 12
16-Nov		 Transition to work Baase
Ethical issues		 Chapter 2 Mon: David Danco, Corvesta HW 12
Fall Break
23-Nov		 Fall Break week
Week 13
30-Nov		 Oral presentations Graves
Communication		 Chapter 13 HW 13
Week 14
07-Dec		 Oral presentations Graves
Communication		 Chapter 13 HW 14
Final
17-Dec (Thu)		 Debates Final
(due Thu 8pm)

Revised: 30-Nov-2015   Don Braffitt Home   ITEC Home   CSAT Home   Radford Home   toptop