CSCI 1000 (Spring 2012)

"Introduction to Computers"

Prof. N. Adlai A. DePano

Preliminary Remarks

Welcome to CSCI 1000, "Introduction to Computers". This course is intended to be a beginner’s look at what computers are, what they can do (and, as importantly, what they can not do), and how they can be used for relevant tasks. We will have the opportunity in the course to sample a handful of application programs that have high potential value because they can help you not only with schoolwork but also with other activities (in the office, at play, or at home). The listed prerequisite for this course is "eligibility for enrollment in MATH 1115."

Required Text

The required text for this course is Discovering Computers 2011: Brief, by Shelly, Cashman, and Vermaat (ISBN13: 978-1-439-07942-3), Thomson Course Technology, 2010. Most of the lecture material will be based on this text. At times, we might augment this with topics from other sources. In such an event, handouts will be provided to students through Moodle. Lab sessions will be guided by lab activity sheets to be made available to students at the appropriate time.

Course Topics

    1. Defining Computer Literacy
    2. History and Development of Computers
    3. The Internet and World Wide Web
    4. Application Software
    5. Computer Components (I/O, Storage, etc.)
    6. Operating Systems (Windows, Unix, etc.)
    7. Communications and Networks
    8. Computers and Society
    9. Computer Careers
    10. Word Processing (e.g., Microsoft Word)
    11. Spreadsheets (e.g., Microsoft Excel)
    12. Database Management Systems (e.g., Microsoft Access)
    13. Computer Graphics, Video, and Audio (e.g., Miscorosft Paint and Microsoft PowerPoint)
    14. Elementary Computer Science (Binary Number System, Logical Circuits, Computability)

Course Format

The course will be conducted primarily using two formats -- lecture and laboratory sessions. The lectures will be delivered to the combined assembly of all sections in MTH 102 while the lab sessions will be conducted in MTH 212 (Data Engineering Laboratory) at each section’s assigned time. Student attendance and timely work in both components is a must. Independent assignments relevant to the topics being discussed in class will be assigned over the term. Two written tests will be administered and may cover both lecture and lab material. Two graded lab exams (hands-on) will be given as well and will constitute a significant percentage of the final course grade (see section on Course Grades below). After all, as we hope to exhibit in the course, computer literacy does involve the ability to make use of computers to assist one in various tasks. The final exam will be held during the assigned hour in MTH 102.

Course Grades

Grades will be based on a final exam, two written tests, two lab exams, and homework. The weights assigned to these grade components are as follows:

 

        Final exam             20%
        Written Tests (2)      30%
        Lab Tests (2)          30%
        Independent Work (>=3) 20%

 

Numerical grades translate to their letter grade counterparts using the following table:

 

        90 - 100        A
        80 - 89         B
        60 - 79         C
        50 - 59         D
        below 50        F

Test Policy

Tests (both written and hands-on) will be announced ahead of time. Make-up tests will be administered only if a valid excuse is presented. Make-up tests will incur an automatic 10% penalty to discourage the practice (too often seen in the past) of missing tests to buy additional time for preparation. Make-up tests should be scheduled within two days after the missed test. If a student knows ahead of time that s/he would miss a scheduled test, an alternative would be pre-testing, that is, taking the test prior to the scheduled date. No penalties would be applied to these tests. Arrangements have to be made ahead of time if this option is preferred.

Laboratory Sessions

"Hands-on" lab sessions are a crucial part of the learning process in this course. It is by "getting one's hands dirty" that one learns how to use a tool -- and the computer is indeed a tool, a powerful and most versatile one without a doubt! The lab (MTH 212) is available 24/7. The University Computing Center, the library, and various other locations on campus also have machines that may be used by CSCI 1000 students but these are not administered by the department and may or may not have lab personnel during their "open" lab hours. Additionally, their machines may be set up differently than the ones in MTH 212 (it is best to inquire with the appropriate personnel in charge of those sites).

It must be emphasized here that the scheduled lab sessions are often insufficient for true novices to complete the lab activity scheduled for that time slot. Students are expected to augment this limited time with extra sessions at their own convenience.

Office Hours

The instructor should normally be available for consultation at his office (MTH 308) during the following times:

 

        M,W        12:00 noon – 2:00 p.m. & 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
                   other times by appointment only

 

You are encouraged to make use of these times for your personal profit and for me to get to know students better. Questions and suggestions are especially welcome at these schedules. The instructor may be contacted as well through the following channels:

 

        Office phone: (504)280-7370 (desk phone), (504)280-6594 (Dept. Ofc.)
        FAX:          (504)280-7228
        URL:          http://www.cs.uno.edu/~adlai
        e-mail:       ndepano@uno.edu  or
                      adlaidep@yahoo.com.

Attendance Policy

The UNO Senate (Feb. 20, 2002) has made the taking of attendance a requirement for "developmental, 1000, and 2000 level courses." (See Appendix B from: http://senate.uno.edu/minutes/2001_2002/01_22_02.pdf). Although not specifically included as one of the criteria for the final grade, attendance can have an impact on borderline cases. Good attendance is an indication of the dedication of the student to the learning enterprise. This will be taken by the instructor into consideration in such cases.

Academic Dishonesty

As a matter of policy, we call your attention to the University's rules regarding academic dishonesty (http://studentaffairs.uno.edu/pdfs/AcademicDishonestyPolicy.pdf). Academic dishonesty includes cheating, plagiarism, and collusion. In particular, it includes "the unauthorized collaboration with another person in preparing an academic exercise" and "submitting as one's own any academic exercise prepared totally or in part for/by another."  In the event of academic dishonesty, the student will be assigned a grade of 0 on the exam or exercise, the student will be informed in writing of the action taken, and a copy of this letter will be sent to the Assistant Dean for Special Student Service.

Students With Special Needs

Finally, we provide here a link to the University's Office of Disability Services webpage (http://www.uno.edu/~stlf/Policy%20Manual/disabilities_policy.htm).  As expressed therein, the University pursues two primary objectives:  (1) to ensure compliance with Section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in regard to equal access for qualified students to academic programs; and (2) to uphold the academic integrity of UNO.  Part of this policy regulates the accommodative testing services.  These accommodations are made available in  the ODS Accommodative Testing and Adaptive Technology Center (ATATC), located in the Library Room 120.


Again welcome to the course and I hope you will find it worth your time and effort.