Essentials of MS Outlook

NSTRUCTOR:         Marilyne Cleeves (She/her)
ADDRESS ME:         Marilyne, Ms. Marilyne, or Professor Marilyne 
OFFICE HOURS:     Flexible (as needed)

PHONE:                    772-7336 (leave message)
EMAIL:                     MCleeves@cuesta.edu

Welcome to CIS 154 Intro to MS Outlook. I am excited to embark in this journey where we will work as a team to help you succeed and develop your skills using Outlook on your PC.  I am confident that with your inspiration and dedication to learn week after week, you will be able to achieve your goals for this course and improve your ability to work with Microsoft Outlook online and on your computer.

Course Meetings

This course is asynchronous and does not require weekly meetings.  You will find live video lectures for each of the project assignments you will be submitting.   You are encouraged to watch the videos and work alongside where you feel it is necessary.  Please don’t hesitate to contact me through Canvas mail. 

Diversity Statement

Inclusion, diversity, and equity are hallmarks of a safe, supportive, and educational classroom environment.  Part of my objective for this course is to create that safe space that enables all students to engage openly, respectfully, and equally with their classmates, and their instructor, for their education.  Please help me create this space with your own positive actions towards others as well.

How to Succeed in the Course

In this course, there are a lot of small reading activities that require your input. The lessons build off each other. I strongly advise that you set a regular schedule for completing your assignments every week.

• Use the Canvas Calendar – Consult the Canvas Calendar or the course summary on the home page of the course to see all the dates for upcoming tutorials, discussions, and projects.
• Use your Personal Calendar – Setup a personal calendar system on your laptop, tablet, or phone (or on paper!) to block out time to complete readings, get yourself ready for tutorials, discussions and to complete assignments.
• Finish Early – Build some lead time so that if something unexpected happens in your life, you can handle it and still have time to complete your work.
• Read Ahead – Try to read a week ahead in the class if you can.  It will help you to understand and create your weekly discussion post if you read the requirements for the post early in the week.  
  • Unit Overview – This is a page at the beginning of each module.  It includes the links you need to the videos, lectures, assignments and reading materials.  This is the best starting point for each unit.  
  • Student Led Discussions – These are in the form of online forums.  You are given some examples and discuss the content you have learned in this content.
• Ask for Help – If you get in a tough spot and need an extension on an assignment, email me through Canvas mail. I am willing to work with students that need additional help on an assignment.   If you are stuck on an assignment, you can ask your peers for help as well.  Sometimes a quick note to a classmate in Pronto may be an instant answer for a question someone else has just resolved.  
  • Students Help Each Other – You are encouraged through the addition of extra credit to help other students.  This type of interaction compliments the learning for both the person giving the assistance and the student that is lend a hand.
• Online Video Tutorials -- To help you with the learning process, I have created supplemental video demonstrations.  I suggest you follow these steps to watching the videos:

1. 1. Watch the Entire Video
   2. Work the assignment with the video.
   3. Pause the video during each step and proceed to the next step.

Topics and Scope

1. Introducing the electronic management program with an overview of what can be done with the various components.
2. Adding contact information, organizing the contacts list and viewing its information in various ways.
3. Using the e-mail component of the electronic management program to send, read and respond to e-mail messages, as well as organize messages for maximum efficiency.
4. Using the calendar component to schedule appointments, set up a recurring appointment, allocate time for longer events, plan meetings and send out meeting requests.
5. Keeping track of tasks and projects in an electronic to-do list by managing and prioritizing tasks.
6. Finding information on the World Wide Web, exploring electronic newsgroups, discussing online etiquette; also, chatting, collaborating and videoconferencing using NetMeeting.

CPAS - Student Learning Outcomes

1. Demonstrate the use MS Outlook to organize and manage academic, personal and professional communications.
2. Describe how to compose, send and respond to email messages - including attachments.
3. Identify how to schedule meetings, appointments and maintain calendars.
4. Explain how to create and maintain contact information for individuals and/or companies.
5. Utilize Outlook’s Task feature to track information about assignments and jobs.

Objectives

Upon completion of this course the student will be able to:

1. Recognize knowledge of technical vocabulary relevant to subject matter of the course.
2. Arrange and set up contacts.
3. Compose with e-mail.
4. Formulate a schedule for new and recurring appointments.
5. Set up items for logging and using journal tracking.
6. Apply electronic integrated personal management program using the Internet.

Add Policy

Students will be added as space permits. The Last day to add is posted online in the Cuesta Academic Planning Calendar. It is generally the end of the second official class week.  

Required Text

Microsoft Outlook 365: In Practice, 2021 Edition
By: Michael-Brian Ogawa and Randy Nordell

ISBN#: 9781264582297 

For this course, we are participating in Cuesta's First Day Access program, where you receive discounted course materials inside Canvas, and there are no codes. You will be billed for access as follows:   You will be billed $59.88 for your required SIMnet course materials after the add/drop date (approx. 2 weeks after classes start) to your student account. 

Please note that there is language with the option of "Opting Out" but you should stay with SIMnet as you will need it to complete your course work online.   You do not need to go to the bookstore, unless you want to purchase the optional looseleaf textbook, which will be  $38.50 in the store.  

Withdrawal Policy

• A student may drop a class without receiving a “W” grade if the drop is processed before the Census date of the semester for regular semester course or within the first 20 percent of the class for short courses and summer sessions courses (See policies and forms on the Student Services website).
• A student my drop a class with a “W” grade before 60 percent of the semester or session has completed.
  Check the Cuesta Academic Calendar Links to an external site. for the current dates to drop the class with our without a W.
• If the student has not arranged with the instructor to complete minimum course requirements, A grade other than a “W” must be awarded with an “F”. Drop forms are available in the Admissions and Records Office at any campus location and on the Cuesta College website.
• If you should choose to drop the class, you are responsible for filling out the add/drop form.
• If you do not check into the course or miss 4 consecutive assignments, you are in jeopardy of receiving an instructor-initiated drop.  This will appear as a W on your transcripts. 

Do not leave it up to the instructor!

Repeatability Policy

• Repeatable Course – a student my repeat a course designated a repeatable course including variable credit open-entry/open-exit courses up to the maximum number of allowed repetitions for that course.
• Alleviate Substandard Academic Work – a student may repeat a course in an effort to alleviate substandard academic work a maximum of two (2) times. No more than two (2) substandard grades may be alleviated from the student’s grade point average for a course.  If a student has repeated a course two or more times, the first two substandard grades will be excluded in calculation of the student’s grade point average.
• Withdrawals – a student may earn no more than a maximum of three withdrawals (“W” symbol) in a non-repeatable course.

Attendance

Attending class and participating fully in class discussions and interactive activities is a fundamental part of your learning.  As such, your attendance and participation is essential. According to State Law, grading may also be influenced by class attendance, and in this class, it will. Missing class will result in a lower grade. Please make arrangements with me ahead of time if you are going to be gone.

Class Work

Chapter activities and progress-check assignments will be accepted up to one week past the due date with a 15% reduction in earned grade.  A zero grade will be assigned for anything more than one week past due.

Make-up Exams and Retests

If for any reason you miss an exam, you may take a make-up exam.  You may only make up ONE exam.  Make-up exams are subject to a 15% deduction and must be scheduled in advance with the instructor.

There are no Scheduled Times to Makeup Quizzes or Discussions!

Assignment, Examination Schedule and Calendar

The Canvas Course Syllabus page contains a full summary of the assignments.  This summary is updated throughout the course.  Please refer to the Course Summary.

Caveats

This syllabus and schedule are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances. If you are absent from class, it is your responsibility to check for announcements made while you were absent. The online course room will have updates with reference to any schedule changes.  Please take the time to review all updates. 

Additional Information

This course uses the guidelines as they are posted on the Cuesta website for students.  A full outline of classwork, examination schedules, and additional college policies is available on the Canvas course page for the class.  Attached is a copy of a detailed course syllabus: Click here to download CIS-154 Syllabus.pdf