I.  Thoughts about the course.

I hope you have enjoyed and found this course was a worthwhile investment of our time and effort.  As you reach the end, even if you are not an IT major, I hope that you feel much comfortable with the many concepts and applications of computers and information systems.  You should now know the meaning and necessity for being computer fluent - literate plus adaptive as inevitable changes in technology come.  You should be able to explain to others differences between hardware and software, even what a WORM (device) is :)   You should understand the input devices, the output devices, the storage devices, the whole system unit as well as portable devices and the peripherals.  You should know a little about the wealth of the Internet (the Cloud) and its history - from the DoD ARPAnet in 1969 up to today; the basics of the communications infrastructure that supports it; the software aspects of the World Wide Web - and its history and its content as well as how you can build and improve your own X/HTML pages (and upload them!).  You should also have a feel for how to use the various software tools - at least the basics of how to control your operating system, how to create painted pictures, word processing documents, charts and spreadsheets, and graphic slides and slide shows; you should know the terminology of and how to work with databases - their tables, their queries, their reports, and their forms.  Finally, you should have an appreciation for the many privacy, security, and ethical issues that underlie the realities of dealing with software, services, and the Internet.

II. Thoughts on being a scholar and a professional, no matter which field you enter….

Remember the many products and processes that go into creating quality goods and services – from the initial thought process and structuring of the problem or opportunity to the final customer support.  Always treat problems, opportunities, decisions, and goal-setting as a system – study them, think them through, and try to do it right the first time (although reality says that you can always go back and improve it).  Explore the possibilities and "think outside the box," at least sometimes.

In any professional field into which you will go, remember that there are three key aspects of being a professional which have an altruistic side as well as a legitimate self-interest. (In the Golden Rule, to "do unto others as you would have them do unto you" or "love your neighbor as yourself," you must first love yourself and consider as important your own interests). These aspects of a professional are:

1. A professional is competent. Passing grades, graduation, and degrees usually set the standard for minimum competence. In almost any field, our competence will never be total and will demand constant effort to update - "life-long learning" which is a key objective of collegiate studies. But your real competence will ultimately earn you respect, esteem, and other rewards, including advancement, perhaps setting some terms and conditions of employment, and better financial return for all of your efforts.
2. A professional is ethical. Knowing and performing according to standards accepted by most real professionals may not be comfortable or expedient, but the satisfaction of quality and the long-term goal is the reward. Whether your honesty and sense of fair play in all things is based on your faith, your morality, or your values - your ethics and your integrity reflect your true personal worth and your efforts to build a better world.  We will often fall a bit short of perfect, but growth is part of a sound sense of evolution and the journey.
3. A professional regards service as a requirement. Again, like competence and ethics, service will ultimately earn you respect, esteem, and self-satisfaction.

If you ever need assistance in future courses, for whatever reason, just call me or send me an e-mail. I will tell you if the area is within my competence. If you need advice about courses, the path to graduation, or the real pre-requisites for a course (given your background) again just call me or send me an e-mail – I will be glad to serve as your advisor - even if on just an informal basis. In your future courses and endeavors, I wish you success (hard work and systematic thinking will reduce your need for "luck.")

Oh, before I forget, the reason why you probably read this far - the Final Grade Sheet.  If you are concerned or disappointed after you study the whole spreadsheet, remember that even Final Grades aren't always final!  If you have any questions about these grades - errors or remedies - or anything else, just call me or e-mail me.  I don't quibble over grades -  if I think that you might be right, I will usually adjust them to your benefit.

cwk