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=Hello!= This is the wiki for Info173 Introduction to Computers in Business at MSU. Please read the full instructions on Blackboard, Assignments. //To contribute to this wiki, you have to a) join (upper right) wikispaces and get an id/pw and then go to 'join' again and join this wiki (please do NOT create your own wiki in the process joining WikiSpaces - you are only joining to edit THIS wiki!). Note to Fall2012 students - this wiki includes entries from previous classes doing other types of assignments regarding Office - most of that material is directly relevant to Office 2010. You might want to do a search or browse through those contributions for information and ideas.//

In short:
//This wiki is used for two purposes: a) For students to begin creating an ePortfolio - a demonstration of what they can do with Microsoft Office to potential colleagues or employers and b) to organize and provide information that can be used by students in the future to get up to speed in using Microsoft Office for future classes, personal projects or employment.// =//ePortfolio://= Do numbers 1 & 2 twice this semester, i.e., two times before the end of the semester to get full credit. Number 3 is simply posting 5 comments on your colleague's work by the end of the semester (click HERE for a quick how-to page and pdf file): //1. Post any Microsoft Office File that you personally produce - a creative use of Microsoft Office. The purpose is to reflect your skill set with Microsoft Office, but another purpose is simply to use Microsoft Office for something you are personally interested in. You would use this in the future to demonstrate to someone your level of knowledge and capability in using Microsoft Office. There will be no thorough instructor evaluation of this submission - it's up to the student to take advantage of this exercise. The only requirement is to post a document and a short explanation of the purpose of that document. The document should also have as much explanation in it to make it clear what each element is there for and what skill set it demonstrates (using comments in the document is a good way of doing that, amongst others).// //Add a page to this wiki describing your personal project using Office 2010, and add the file to the wiki (upload it to your page) (click on Pages and Files on the left). When you add a page, you will be given the opportunity to add "tags" - please add the following tags: ePortfolio and PersonalProject. In addition, please add a tag that indicates which application your contribution concerns, i.e., either Excel2010, Word2010, Access2010, PowerPoint2010, Office2010. Add other tags as desired. You will be posting a file reflecting your unique project, and a short explanation of how it illustrates your skill set in using Office 2010. You will also examine and comment on 5 other student ePortfolios.// //2. Add a new page. Make sure the page has the following tags: ePortfolio and References. Add reference materials that might be useful to you int he future when trying to use Office 2010 to meet requirements for a class or for work (or a personal task). One, two, five years from now you may have an opportunity that depends on using Excel or a database or doing a PowerPoint presentation - you'd like to have some reminders and references from your old Info173 days - pull that stuff together and publish it now! You'll have access to this wiki for the forseeable future (or you can copy your work and post it elsewhere). What materials, links, information do you think would be essential to getting up to speed or discovering new features in the future? Post files, post links, create pages with information.// //3. Comment on 5 other ePortfolios - the project submitted and/or the reference pages. **This is done only once this semester**, or in other words, just do 5 by the time the semester ends - you don't have to do it "twice", i.e., 10 times, like in steps 1 and 2. Click HERE for info about how to 'comment'.//

Rubric - guide to goals and evaluation
How will your contribution be evaluated? Please see the rubric. In general, what constitutes a substantial contribution to this Wiki? Others looking at your contribution should feel that it is worth their time because you put work into making it accessible, easy to understand and chose something that demonstrating experience and advanced skill. Make th ose browsing the wiki feel that they are making a good investment of their time. Make your work something you will find insightful and easy to use in the future when you need to refresh your Office skills in future classes, employment or personal projects.
 * 1) ======Avoid contributions that are easily found in the tutorials or text ======
 * 2) ======When you add something, you must present it in a compelling way - why did you find it interesting? Why might other students find it interesting? ======
 * 3) ======Did you put some time into formatting, reviewing spelling and grammar? ======
 * 4) ======Did you make it fun - add a little humor, color, graphics, illustrations, use widgets, embed videos, etc... ======
 * 5) ======Upload a file other students might find interesting - like the Microsoft Templates that you can download. The file would have the work already done on it to do something useful - for example, an Excel file that helps you make a decision about whether a job in NYC is worth taking, given extra taxes, commuting costs, commuting time. ======

Ideas for reference pages.

 * __Here are some ideas for contributions for reference pages. In creating reference pages, aalways describe why they were useful, i.e., compared to what? What problem did it solve for you? Why is it especially useful to you and perhaps others in the future? __****__: __**
 * **Links to useful websites, videos or web resources.**
 * **Documents or links to documents (pdfs or other documents) with useful information.**
 * **Provide examples that are useful and potentially interesting to other students. These examples would be ways students have found helpful in thinking about Office functions and tools.**
 * **Bugs/problems/misunderstandings - Report on a particular Office (or computer problem directly related to using Office ). Report on troubleshooting steps taken, or alternatives taken to get around the problem. If possible, a solution or strategy for avoiding problems should be included.**
 * **Report on an efficiency in using software: Shortcuts, habits, tips/tricks for being more effective in less time in accomplishing tasks using Office .**
 * **Describe and post a file that provides a useful and interesting example of how Office can be used. A student might create an application for him or herself - a template - and offer it via this wiki.**

What is a wiki?:
This is the home page for the Info173 Wiki. A Wiki is just a bunch of pages that people post, usually providing valuable information about a topic, like an encyclopedia (see [|WikiPedia.org]for an example). It is valuable in that contributions are by students who have taken the class previously. Therefore, the topics discussed might be of particular interest as regards the tasks required for this course. In addition, it might be of interest because those contributing are fellow students, who may be somewhat more likely to have similar interests as you do (i.e., as a student at MSU). Sharing information by a group of people is variously called 'social cognition', 'crowd sourcing', 'organizational memory/knowledge', etc. Many companies today require use of computer based tools for knowledge sharing and document sharing - if not Wiki's in particular, then software such as Microsoft Sharepoint, which is becoming increasingly popular. The purpose of this Wiki is twofold - to give students exposure to the practice and concept of social sharing of information, and secondly, to provide a chance to take on the role of instructor for a moment - to create material helpful to others. As they say, you learn as much if not more when you teach!