Instructor:  Dr. Victor Fay-Wolfe Email: wolfe@cs.uri.edu Phone: 874-2701 Office: 258 Tyler Hall Office Hours: By appointment

TA:  Jessie Barrett Email: tajessie101@yahoo.com Help Hours: TBD by email appointment Help hours in Tyler 036 Comp. Lab

Meeting Times and Rooms

• Lecture Room: Bliss 305
• Lecture Time: T,TH 11-12:15pm
• Lab Section 1 Mondays 2-3:00pm
• Lab Section 2 Wednesdays 2-3:00pm
• Lab in Tyler 036 Comp. Lab
  
  Course Homepage: http://homepage.cs.uri.edu/courses/fall2005/csc101s1

Goals

• Computer Concepts This course will start from the on-switch and cover the basics of how computer hardware, software, and the Internet work; as well as the concepts behind using computers and the Internet.
  
  
• Information Gathering With The Computer. You will use the computer to gather information from sources such as the Internet and on-line libraries. This information may be of various media including text, numbers, graphics, pictures, sound, video, and other computer programs.
  
  
• Problem Solving With The Computer. You will use computer applications such as spreadsheets to solve problems and support your ideas and arguments.
  
  
• Communicating With Computers. Once you have developed an idea, the computer can be a powerful tool for communicating it. You will use the computer to create effective documents and oral presentations.
  
  
• Fun With Computers. We will look at topics such as computer games, surfing the Internet for information on fun topics, and joining international electronic discussion groups on just about any passion you might have!
  
  
• Social Issues Concerning Computers. We will discuss the impact these machines are having on our society in the new millenium.
  
  
• Introduce Computer Science. We will look at the discipline of computer science, including: programming, algorithms and data structures.

Prerequisites

Class Format

Course Topics

• How a Computer Works (hardware and software)
  
• The Internet (how it works, how to best use it to gather information and communicate)
  
• Problem solving (computer applications and techniques)
  
• Multimedia (text, numbers, graphics, photos, sound, video, hypermedia, voice)
  
• Presenting solutions (computer aided publishing and oral presentations)
  
• Intro to Computer Science (programming, hardware and software logic).

Text & Supplies

• There is no typical textbook for the course. CSC101 uses on-line readings and tutorials developed specifically for this course. See the CSC101 Homepage contents for a list of the on-line readings and tutorials. There is a $40 fee for use of the CSC101 materials and access to online CSC101 resources. You must pay the materials fee within the first two weeks of the course. You will be issued a password to access CSC101 materials and resources during the first two weeks of the course.

• Tutorial CD: An optional CD of tutorials is available from the course TAs. The cost is $10. These tutorials are installed in the Computer Science lab, so buying the CD is not required.

• You may want to have some form of storage media (floppy disk, Zip disk, USB thumb drive) to bring to lab, although it is not necessary.

Course Work

• Reading. Reading from the on-line text and tutorials will be assigned in most classes. Reading will be discussed during the next class.
  
  
• Quizzes. There will be short in-class quizzes on the reading and class discussions in most classes. No makeup quizzes will be given. The two lowest quiz grades will be dropped.
  
  
• In-Class Exercises. There will be graded in-class exercises that involve demonstrating a skill or concept that has been taught.
  
  
• Homework Assignments. There will be 6-8 homework assignments that require you to exercise a particular computer skill (e.g. drawing, Internet access, programming).
  
  
• Labs. Most labs will involve hands-on use of a computer in a URI lab. Some labs will have graded exercises.
  
  
• Final Project. You will be given a topic (with input of the topic choice from you) involving an aspect of computer and networking concepts. You will use technology to present your findings in both web and oral multi-media forms. Oral presentations will be held during the final exam slot and the lab final exam slot.
  
  
• Attendance and Class Participation. You are expected to attend class and labs, come prepared, be on time, stay for the duration, and participate.

Course Grading

• Homework assignments: 45%
• Exercises and Quizzes: 25%
• Final Project: 20%
• General class participation: 10%

Computer Facilities

Assignments, demonstrations, and discussions in the course will assume Windows-based personal computers (PCs). Use of personally owned computers, including Macintoshes, will be accommodated as much as possible, but it may be necessary to use URI lab Windows-based computers for some work. Use of URI computer labs requires a valid URI ID card. Information on the URI computer facilities can be found on the course web page.

We anticipate using at least the following software applications in CSC101: Notepad (standard on all Windows-based PCs), Microsoft Internet Explorer Version 5 or higher, Microsoft Word 2000, Micrsoft Excel 2000, Microsoft PowerPoint 2000, and Adobe Photoshop Elements. All of this software is available on computers in URI labs. Older versions of the software will probably be fine for most assignments. Additionally we will use some special programs that are available for free download from the course web page.

Policies

Assignments are to be the result of your individual efforts, unless you are told otherwise. It is easy to copy material on the computer, such copying constitutes plagiarism and will be punished accordingly. If you need help with an assignment, or are not sure if something is acceptable, discuss it with a CSC101 staff member.


Assignments must be received by the specified staff member, in the specified format, by midnight of the due date unless otherwise specified. An assignment one day late is penalized 5%, two days 10%, three days 15%. Weekends do not count (e.g. an assignment due Friday handed in on Monday is one day late). If you need an extension on the assignment due date, you need to request it from a CSC101 staff member well in advance of the due date. No assignment will be accepted more than three days late without a valid excuse. A computer malfunction is not a valid excuse. To avoid problems with computer malfunctions, start early, save work regularly, and maintain backup copies in several places.


Do not print copies of the tutorials or readings on University printers. Printing on non-URI personal printers is allowed. If you feel that you need a printed copy and don't have access to a personal printer, talk to your instructor.


Students are not to use lab computers during scheduled lab time for anything that is not directed by the lab instructor (e.g. personal IM, email, games, web surfing are not allowed) without permission of the lab instructor.


Questions on grading should be made in writing (email is acceptable) to the TA within one week of receiving the grade. If the question can not be resolved with the TA, the question should be made in writing to the instructor.

Tips For Success

• Contact your instructor or a TA in person or via email to talk about anything. It is better than frustration!
  
• Do all assigned reading before class.
  
• Start assignments as soon as you receive them.
  
• Save work regularly, maintain backup copies of files in several places.
  
• Check the course web page regularly.
• Attend CSC101 Staff help hours (listed on the course web page) if you have questions. Make sure that you come to those hours with enough time to get assistance (coming in the last two minutes of a scheduled help hour will usually not be sufficient - TAs are students with schedules too...).

Preliminary Staff Contact and Help Hours