I’m back! This week’s Course Exam introduces readers to CMIS 311: Supporting End-User Computing.
Overview
CMIS 311 is a three-credit, senior-level course offered by the Faculty of Business. It has no official prerequisites, though completion of CMIS 245 or previous experience with Microsoft Office is recommended. The course consists of three units and five assignments with no midterms or final exams.
Summary
CMIS 311 dives into the inner workings of information technology (IT) support. Who are the people behind the service desk, and how do they know what support a customer requires? This course answers those questions by identifying the crucial skills a helpdesk technician should possess. Moreover, it discusses the plethora of tools, technologies, and applications that analysts can access to solve problems. Lastly, it clarifies the larger organizational structure and functions of an IT career in the 21st century.
Content
The course is broken down into three units comprised of two to four sections that directly correspond to chapters in the textbook. There are various forums for peer discussion, tutor updates, and assignment-related posts.
Evaluation
The final grade is determined by five assignments worth 20%. Three of these are scheduled after each unit, while the other two are larger projects designed to be compiled throughout the duration of the course.
Assignments are marked promptly and fairly by the course tutor. Feedback is provided for each component so students can understand what they did well and what needs improvement.
Materials and Costs
This course is based around A Guide to Customer Service Skills for the Service Desk Professional by Donna Knapp. As such, a Course Materials Fee is included within tuition. Students are encouraged to download the eText to VitalSource as soon as possible after the start date. Alternatively, a physical copy may be purchased.
Furthermore, students must have access to Microsoft Office 2013 or newer. Fortunately, AU provides the suite free of charge for current registrants who do not possess it already.
The Course Fee Calculator can be used to determine the cost of any undergraduate course. More information about tuition and fees can also be found on AU’s website under the Applications and admissions tab.
How Does the Course Fit Into AU at Large?
Unlike CMIS 245 and 351, 311 is not a required course for undergraduate programs in the Faculty of Business. Rather, it is a popular elective for students from any faculty. It is a great middle-ground option for people who are interested in computers and information systems but lack the highly technical proficiencies. It teaches many transferable skills, such as workplace communication, active listening, troubleshooting, and portfolio management.
Who Should Take This Course and Why?
I was drawn to CMIS 311 because of its positive reputation in online spaces (e.g., Reddit, AUSU Peer Course Reviews) and the pertinence of end-user support for any public-facing job with a digital component.
Of course, there are numerous other courses of a similar nature offered by AU—what makes CMIS 311 stand out amidst a sea of options? I got in contact with Terry Taylor, current tutor and course author, to gauge his thoughts. He emphasized that CMIS 311 is ideal for anybody who wants to expand their general knowledge of user support. The course does not delve into detailed support strategies but rather focuses on the service desk as a whole. It introduces learners to user support as a broad profession with many interpretations. Students will learn universal communication skills, customer service approaches, and stress management techniques, among other things. If you are naturally skilled in these areas and want to become a support worker in any capacity, CMIS 311 may be a good fit.
How Can Students be Successful in This Course?
Like with any AU course, CMIS 311 requires dedication, effort, and perseverance. In this course specifically, students should be comfortable with personal reflection, self-assessment, and collaboration through forums. They must inhabit the mind of a service desk technician in order to write out step-by-step procedures and interact with users politely and professionally.
Additionally, Terry Taylor stresses the need for prerequisite experience in digital literacy and basic computer science. There is a fair amount of writing involved, and it takes on many forms: journaling, interviewing, reporting, etc.
After completing the course myself, I have some wisdom to pass on to future students:
- For any assignments that require your peers to respond to your forum posts, I urge you to get ahead of these early on in the course. You never know how long it will take other students to reply to you.
- If you encounter ambiguity or dead ends in assignment instructions, check out the General Discussion and Course Updates forums—it is likely that other students experienced the same issues before you did.
- For the fifth and final assignment, the chapter summaries and key terms in the textbook will be your best friend. Trust me.
My Experience
While CMIS 311 is a popular course for students in the Faculty of Business, I enrolled as a curious mind from the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. I have always been naturally skilled with computers and technical writing, so I decided to give it a try.
The course was laid out logically and easy to navigate. The chapters were heavy on common sense and a bit rudimentary, but I appreciated the format of them. The assignments had multiple moving parts, which deceived me at first, though the instructions were easy enough to follow. While I put in considerable effort, they did not take long, all things considered. The tutor was incredibly fast with marking while still managing to provide feedback. He was always easy to reach and seemed very knowledgeable about the field. I definitely got the sense that the course was a staple in the Faculty of Business—it seemed established and had a clear idea of what it wanted to teach students. Ultimately, this was the second course I completed at AU, and I believe it provided me with several skills that I will carry forward in my career.
Conclusion
The end! If CMIS 311 is any indication, the Faculty of Business has lots to offer—even to non-Business students.
I want to thank Terrence Taylor for his input.
If you are looking for a straightforward course that can be completed in a reasonable timeframe, check out CMIS 311.