SOUTHWESTERN ILLINOIS COLLEGE

COURSE SYLLABUS
SQL, CIS 179-001
Spring, 2019

GENERAL INFORMATION

Instructor: Eric Bosaw

Class time: Mon, Wed. 5:30 PM – 6:45 PM
Semester hours: 3 Lecture Hours: 3 Lab Hours: 0
Class Location Campus: BLV Room: IS2165
Toll Free in Illinois: 1-866-942-SWIC (7942)
E-mail: Eric.Bosaw@swic.edu Website: www.swic.edu

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course will enable students pursuing a help desk career to provide high-quality technical customer
support in any situation. They will develop the skills they need to interact effectively and appropriately with
customers, whether face-to-face, on the telephone, or in written documents.

PREREQUISITE
None

COURSE OBJECTIVES

 Understand the role of the help desk employee

 Explore what is involved in delivering excellent help desk support
 Learn to perform basic command-line editing operations
 Understand that business, technical, soft, and self-management skills are all required in today’s
dynamic technical support setting
 Understand the importance of Web-based service, e-mail, remote control technology, and
knowledge bases
 Learn techniques for handling difficult situations
 Learn to work in teams due to the complexity of the work and the diversity of skills required
 Learn to deal with the stress that is often present in the help desk environment

COLLEGE-WIDE CORE COMPETENCIES

Students who complete a degree from SWIC will gain competency in skills related to communication,
reasoning, and citizenship. In this class, students will develop skills or be exposed to the following
competencies:
Citizenship Skills Communication Skills Reasoning Skills
Civic & Social Accountability ☐ Computer Literacy ☒ Critical Thinking ☒
Personal Accountability ☒ Oral Communication ☐ Quantitative Literacy ☐
Writing ☒

Revised Jan 2019

TEXTBOOK(S) AND MATERIAL(S)

A Guide to Computer User Support for Help Desk & Support Specialists 6th edition by Fred Beisse, Course
Technology 2014.

Additional supplies:
USB Flash drive.

EVALUATION

10 lab assignments (10 pts each) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 points

1 Essay (50 Points) . . . . . . . . . .. . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Points
4 Exams (50 points each) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200 points
TOTAL . . . . . 350 points
Grading Scale: A = 90%
B = 80%
C = 70%
D = 60%
F = < 60%
Quizes and other assignments may be assigned at the instructor’s discretion. The overall total points and grade
calculation will be updated accordingly.

SAMPLE GRADE COMPUTATION: Points accrued 311/350= 89% (B)

*The instructor will determine the number of homework projects and quizzes needed for a particular class.

Student Responsibility
 Students are expected to attend all classes. Failure to attend classes or complete assignments can result in
dismissal from the course in accordance with college-wide policy.
 Students are expected to conduct themselves in accordance with the published SWIC conduct code.
 You are expected to read the assigned chapters before the material is covered in class.

ATTENDANCE POLICY

College Policy: You are expected to be present for all assigned classes, lectures or laboratory sessions. If
you are absent, you must show your instructor that your absence has been for a good cause. If you are
absent more times during the semester that the number of times the class meets per week, you may be
dropped from the course at the discretion of the instructor. When a student is dropped by an instructor with
an effective date before the midterm date of the class a “W” will be recorded. When a student is dropped
for non-attendance by an instructor with an effective date after the midterm date, the instructor will have the
prerogative to assign a grade of “WF” or “W”.

Revised Jan 2019

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Disability & Access Center - Students with disabilities who believe that they may need accommodations
are encouraged to contact the Disability & Access Center at 618-222-5368 or 618-234-3347 (TDD) to
ensure that such accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion.
Student Learning Outcomes - The assessment of student learning is an integral part of the educational
experience at Southwestern Illinois College. To this end, the faculty continually assess student learning to
improve student success. Occasionally you will be requested to participate in college-wide and discipline
specific assessment activities. Please take these assessments seriously. The data that is collected will
provide valuable information to faculty and will be used to improve student learning at SWIC.

Academic Dishonesty-College Policy - Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to cheating,
plagiarism and forgery, failure or refusal to follow clinical practice standards, and soliciting, aiding,
abetting, concealing, or attempting such acts. Plagiarism is defined as the act of representing the work of
another as one’s own. Plagiarism may consist of copying, paraphrasing, or otherwise using written or oral
work of another without proper acknowledgment of the source or presenting oral or written material
prepared by another as one’s own.

Phones in Classroom – All cell phones and electronic devices should be turned off or silenced prior to
entering the classroom.

Academic Rigor Statement - You are enrolled in an academically rigorous college course. Your success in
this course will require a significant investment of time outside of the class. According to the Administrative
Rules of the Illinois Community College Board (section 1501.309), it is assumed that the student will invest
two hours of outside study time for each hour of classroom lecture time and one hour of outside study time
for each two hour laboratory session.

Policy for Inclement Weather Conditions – During times of inclement weather, Southwestern Illinois
College has three options for dealing with the situation: cancel classes and cease all business, exercise the
delayed-start option, or keep the college open. If the college chooses to use the delayed-start option rather
than close, the college will open at 10 a.m. The decision to cancel classes or exercise the delayed-start
option will be posted on the home page of Southwestern’s Web site at www.swic.edu as well as broadcast
on FOX 2 (KTVI), KMOV-TV Channel 4, KSDK-TV Channel 5, and radio stations KMOX-AM 1120 and
WIL-FM 92.3.

Revised Jan 2019

SCHEDULE

WEEK # Dates CHAPTER Topic

1 1/14 – 1/16 Ch 1 Overview, Start Ch 1
2 1/21 – 1/23 Ch 1 1/21 – Closed, 2/14 -- Intro to Help Desk Concepts

3 1/28 – 1/30 Ch 2 Customer Service Skills

4 2/4 – 2/6 Ch 3 Writing for end-users

5 2/11 – 2/13 2/12 –Closed, 2/14 --Test Ch 1 - 3

6 2/18 – 2/20 Ch 4 Skills for troubleshooting computer problems

7 2/25 – 2/27 Ch 5 Common Support Problems

8 3/4 – 3/6 Ch 6 Help Desk Operation

9 3/11 – 3/13 CLOSED – Spring Break

10 3/18 – 3/20 3/19 – Test Ch 4 – 6, 3/21 – Start Essay

11 3/25 – 3/27 Ch 7 User Support Management

12 4/1 – 4/3 Ch 8 Prod. Evaluation Strategies and Support Stds
13 4/08 – 4/10 Ch 9 End-User Needs Assessment Projects
14 4/15 – 4/17 4/16 – Test Ch 7 – 9, 4/18 – Essay Review

15 4/22 – 4/24 Ch 10 Installing and Managing End-User Technology

16 4/29 – 5/1 Ch 11 Technology Training for Computer Users

17 5/6 – 5/8 Ch 12 User Support Utility Tool Kit

18 5/13 – 5/15 Review, Essay Due, Test Ch 10 – 12

Revised Jan 2019