Syllabus & Calendar
Course Title: Adobe Acrobat
Instructor Contact Information
Instructor: Julie Clarke
Contact via email using Moodle QuickMail. After class is over, contact via email at julie.clarke@viu.ca
Technical Support
Online Development Team, Vancouver Island University, Nanaimo
Email: online@viu.ca
Administrative Support
Julie Clarke, Vancouver Island University, Powell River
Email: julie.clarke@viu.ca
Telephone (toll-free) 877-888-8890 or 604-485-8032
Course Description
Sharing documents can sometimes be an issue when people are using various hardware and software platforms. Adobe Acrobat allows businesses to simplify document processes using Adobe Portable document format (PDF). A standard adopted by governments and enterprises worldwide, Adobe PDF is a reliable format for electronic document exchange that preserves document integrity to that files can be viewed and printed on a variety of platforms.
This course will instruct you on the basics of using Adobe Acrobat to help you increase your marketability as a technical writer or desktop publisher. You will learn the basics of using one of the most popular document-sharing software programs on the market today, so that you can integrate this knowledge into your document design and web design process.
Goals & Objectives
- To introduce students to Adobe Acrobat software and how it can be used in the world of technical communication and desktop publishing.
- To train students in the creation of Adobe Acrobat PDF's from a number of software applications.
- To instruct students in the various capabilities of Adobe Acrobat software for document sharing and collaboration.
- To prepare students for further study into more advanced options available from Adobe Acrobat.
Texts and Materials
You can access the course manual online. Different levels of subscriptions are available through Safari Bookshelf, starting at approx. $25 USD per month (this gives access to multiple books online).
If you prefer, manuals are available in a print edition - from the Vancouver Island University Bookstore, Amazon.ca, Amazon.com, or your local bookseller.
Required manual: "Adobe Acrobat 9 for Windows and Macintosh: Visual QuickStart Guide". John Deubert (Peachpit Press). ISBN-10: #0321552954.
The instructor will also provide a lecture and a list of web resources for each topic. Students will be instructed on how to download the free Adobe Reader and the trial version of Adobe Acrobat Pro to perform various assignments and learn about the software.
Instructor Bio
Julie Clarke has an extensive background in computers and computer software, having spent a large part of her working career programming, developing, and maintaining computer software and hardware of all types. Currently responsible for Continuing Education co-ordination for Vancouver Island University's Powell River Campus, she has also taken on responsibility for online courses for several of the college's campuses. With a Masters in Business from the University of Toronto, she is in touch with both the day-to-day functioning of a wide variety of computer software as well as the large picture of how software can be an invaluable tool in Technical Writing applications. Julie is keen to share her knowledge of computers and software!
Our Moodle Classroom
Our Moodle space is our online classroom. Here you'll find the following:
News Forum - The news forum is a general discussion forum used for the delivery of class news and events. Check here for any date changes or news of general class interest.
Course Syllabus - You are currently reading the Course Syllabus. It will be posted in your online classroom to give you an overview of the online classroom setup and the week-by-week schedule for your class.
Water Cooler - The Water Cooler is a discussion area used for non-course-related topics.
Lectures - sometimes called 'Lessons' or 'Tutorials', this is where you'll find your main course materials every week, delivered as HTML or PDF files. If you have any problems accessing these, please let the instructor or administrator know.
Additional Reading/Resources - Related reading or web links as posted by your instructor. Please read this material if it is of interest to you, or if it has been assigned as required reading by your instructor.
Assignments - The Assignment area is where you will upload your completed assignments. If more than one file is required, you will need to zip the files before uploading.
Discussions (also known as 'Forums') - Be sure to visit the Discussion area for each week's lesson. Topics will be posted for each week. You will be expected (as part of your grading for the course) to contribute. For more information on what's expected here, see the 'Grades' area below.
Grades is where you'll check your points to date.
Grading Criteria and Total Components of a Grade
Each student will be graded by earning points for class participation, for assignments, and for the final examination. Grades will be assigned as follows:
97 - 100 points = A+
93 - 96 points = A
90 - 92 points = A-
87 - 89 points = B+
83 - 86 points = B
80 - 82 points = B-
77 - 79 points = C+
73 - 76 points = C
70 - 72 points = C-
65 - 69 points = D
Less than 65 points = Fail
Points will be distributed as follows:
Participation in class discussions: 30 points possible
Students should participate in class discussion by posting their comments or questions and by responding to at least one other classmate each week. The instructor expects each student to contribute at least two thoughtful, quality postings per week (including the response to a classmate). Just logging on and reading other people's postings is not considered participation, nor is mere agreement with others' postings.
Quality of postings is more important than their sheer frequency, length or grammatical form. Quality includes, but is not limited to:
- commentary on the lecture for the current topic;
- detailed sharing of a student's experience or research relative to the week's topic;
- opinions on the topic that are backed with compelling facts and reasoning;
- raising questions that help the class better understand the topic, particularly by proposing; and explaining implications that might have been overlooked in the lecture, or in previous discussion.
Quality participation also means conveying your experience, research, opinions, questions or commentary in a professional manner. Disagreements among discussion participants are expected and often valuable, but they should be expressed tactfully, not in a confrontational tone.
Assignments: 50 points possible
Points per assignment are listed in the Course Schedule, below.
Assignment instructions will be added to the end of each lecture. Completed assignments should be uploaded in the Assignments section under Assessment Tools (available from the Homepage), or submitted via email, depending on the Assignment instructions. Depending on the assignment, upload either a pdf file, html document (save as web page), or rtf document (save as rich text format) as the format for your completed assignment.
Late assignments will automatically have one point subtracted for each day late, unless prior arrangements have been made with the instructor for late submission due to extenuating circumstances.
Final Project: 20 points possible
The Final Project may cover any topic discussed in the class and will be posted in the last week's lesson. Follow instructions in the final less to submit your final project.
Final grade in class
Your unofficial grade in the class will be posted in Grades (accessible from the Homepage) by the instructor no later than one week after the class ends. Your official final grade will be sent to you via 'snail mail'.
Extra-credit: The instructor may offer opportunities for extra-credit points. Participation in extra-credit opportunities is strictly optional.
Feedback Schedule
The instructor will post general feedback on the assignments in the appropriate discussion forum, and specific feedback and points awarded on graded assignments will be posted in the Grades area within one week of the due date for that work, unless otherwise noted in the assignment instructions. Late submissions may take longer. Students should check under 'Grades' for feedback and points awarded for each assignment.
The instructor does not normally participate in real-time chat discussions, but students are welcome to use this feature on their own.
The instructor normally logs onto the course discussion forums at least once daily, Monday through Friday. Exceptions are the instructor's travel or sick days, which may be posted as an announcement on the Homepage.
The instructor's office hours are anytime Monday through Friday via Moodle Quickmail.
Student Conduct
Vancouver Island University students are expected to behave in a responsible manner respectful of the learning environment inside the classroom, whether attending in person on online. This policy applies to all Vancouver Island University campus and off-campus locations where Vancouver Island University sponsored activity is occurring. For further information, link to Vancouver Island University Student Conduct Code pages.
Course Topics and Assignments Outline
Week 1
Topic: Adobe Acrobat - The Evolution
What is the history behind Acrobat? Why was it developed and who uses it? Why do I need to know about this software? We’ll answer these types of questions and look into the evolution of Adobe Acrobat to gain an understanding of the unique properties of this software and its potential uses.
Assignment 1: Acrobat site - What's Available (10 points)
Discussion thread: Introduce yourself in the Week One discussion thread by the end of week one.
Week 2
Topic: Adobe Acrobat Reader
Many Acrobat users start out using the Acrobat Reader (recently renamed 'Adobe Reader'). It has become a standard plug-in for Internet users who wish to view pdf files. This week we will download and work with the free Adobe Reader and learn about its features and limitations.
Assignment: Using Acrobat Reader (10 points)
Discussion thread: What kinds of uses can you envision from Acrobat Reader? What other features would be useful in your line of work?
Week 3
Topic: Acrobat Interfaces and Accessibility
One of Acrobat's best features is the number of software products and platforms that Acrobat can interface with and run on. We will look at a number of software programs that can be used with Acrobat, how these products work with Acrobat.
Assignment: Creating a pdf document (10 points)
Discussion thread: Resources and add-ons
Week 4
Topic: Organizing a pdf Document/Navigation Aids
A number of issues need to be addressed to ensure that your pdf document is accessible, streamlined, and easy to read. This week we will look at organization techniques and navigation aids which enhance readability of pdf documents.
Assignment: Organize This! (10 points)
Discussion thread: Tips and Tricks
Week 5
Topic: Document Collaboration
A major use of pdf's is in document collaboration. Situations where a document needs to be reviewed and edited by a number of parties is a natural fit for Adobe Acrobat. We will look at the collaboration and editing features available this week.
Assignment: Collaborative Editing (10 points)
Discussion thread: Avoiding Chaos - stories from the front line
Week 6
Topic: Advanced features
A number of advanced features are available in Adobe Acrobat, some of which you may use more often than others, depending on the work environment you are in. We'll introduce some of these advanced features and point you towards more information on using these features.
Assignment: Final Exam: TBA (20 points)
Discussion: Open forum.
Questions, comments, or concerns? Please contact Instructor via Moodle Quickmail.
Copyright 2004 © Julie Clarke