CSCI-130: Computing: Science and Its Applications Spring 2010
(Introduction to Computing for Non-majors)
Link to Lab and
Lecture Schedule
[Link to
TA Schedule]
INSTRUCTORS:
|
Noreen Herzfeld Office: 207
Peter Engel Science Center (SJU) Email: nherzfeld@csbsju.edu Phone: 2693 Homepage: http://noreenherzfeld.v2efoliomn.mnscu.edu/Home Office Hours: 10:00 – 11:00 even days and by appointment |
John
Miller Office:
213 PENGL(SJU) Email: jmiller@csbsju.edu Phone: 3155 Homepage: www.users.csbsju.edu/~jmiller Office Hours:
9:15 - 10:15 on days 2 and 4 or by appointment |
Ellen Albares (Lab Instructor) Email:
ealbares@csbsju.edu Ellen
is the Lab Instructor for labs meeting on days 3 and 5. |
TEXT
BOOK(required; a $13 fee will be
charged to your student account): Computer
Concepts and Applications for Non- Majors
By Noreen Herzfeld, with supplemental material by John Miller,
Joshua Trutwin, and Lynn Ziegler
COURSE OVERVIEW & OBJECTIVES:
This course is an introduction to computing, both in theory and in practice. We will examine questions of how computers work, what they are good at doing, what they don't do well, why they sometimes don't work as expected, and how they can best be used. We will consider both the “how” and the “why” of problem solving using a computer. Students will gain insights into the structure and use of computers that will serve them however they may decide to use computers in the future. Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
· describe the basic components and workings of a computer system,
· demonstrate awareness of the capabilities and limitations of computers,
· design, read, write and understand Visual Basic programs, and
· design and implement solutions to simple spreadsheet and database problems
LAB COMPONENT:
This is a core natural science course, and like all such courses, it has a required laboratory component. Students will complete lab problems in the time specified and demonstrate their completion to the instructor before leaving the lab. Those in attendance who do not complete the problems during the allotted lab time may still earn credit for the lab by showing their solutions to their lab instructor any time before or at the beginning of the next scheduled lab. Attendance at all labs is required; any student who must miss a lab for reasons beyond his or her control must arrange for a makeup time in advance. No credit will be received for unexcused absences. After the first missed lab, each lab missed will lower a student’s final grade by 2 percentage points, in addition to the loss of points incurred for the unexcused absence. A Total of 3 unexcused lab absences will automatically result in a failing grade for the course.
Assignments,
PROJECTS, EXAMS, & Quizzes:
There will be several assignments during the course, which include
assigned readings (see schedule below), in-class exercises, and homework. There
will be two major projects for which each student will design his or her own
application and write up complete documentation for that application. One
project will be in Visual Basic and a second will be in either Excel or Access,
(your choice). There will be three in-class exams all of which are closed book,
three in-lab open-book exams completed during lab periods, and eight in-class
closed-book quizzes. You will be allowed to drop the lowest two in-class quiz
grades. Under no circumstances will make-up quizzes be given. The syllabus
lists all quiz and exam times; you are responsible for keeping those times
clear in your schedule. There is no final exam. Students will be allowed to
make up a missed exam only in the case of a documented emergency and at the
discretion of the instructor. No late work will be accepted (assignments, labs,
homework, and projects.)
COURSE EVALUATION:
|
The final grade for the course will be based on the following
percentages: ·
In-class
Exams
40% ·
Lab
Exams 20% ·
Projects
15% ·
Quizzes 10% ·
Labs 10% ·
Assignments
5% |
In general, the letter
grades are assigned using the following guidelines except in certain
situations where the instructor sees a need for adjustments. A
90% Highly competent
performance B
80% Fairly competent
performance C
70% Fair comprehension of the
material D
60% Partial comprehension of
the material F
< 60% Unsatisfactory performance Grades of AB, BC, and CD may
be given at the instructor's discretion for borderline cases. |
SPECIAL
ACCOMMODATIONS: Students needing special accommodations or who
have special needs are invited to share this information with the instructor as
early as possible.
ACADEMIC HONESTY: Work must be completed in a
manner consistent with the College of Saint
Benedict’s & Saint John’s University's codes for academic honesty.
All outside work and/or ideas used in any part of this course must be properly
attributed; all forms of plagiarism including – but
not limited to – copying the ideas and the written and/or spoken words of
others and copying or annexing computer files from other people are strictly
prohibited. All acts of plagiarism, cheating,
or other academic misconduct are considered forms of academic dishonesty and
are strictly prohibited. Such instances of academic dishonesty will be reported
to the appropriate personnel and officials. Please refer to the most recent
version of the College of Saint Benedict’s & Saint John’s
University's Academic Catalog for further relevant
information and guidelines on this matter.
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE FOR CLASS AND LAB MEETINGS
|
DATE |
DAY |
Topic |
HW |
READING |
|
|
1 |
Tue
1/12 |
2 |
Introduction, Overview, & begin with algorithms |
1.1 - 1.5 |
|
|
2 |
Wed
1/13 Thu 1/14 |
3 (or 4) |
Lab1: Intro to PC use and file management |
|
|
|
3 |
Thu
1/14 |
4 |
Algorithms, program design, Intro to Visual Basic |
6.1 - 7.4 |
|
|
4 |
Fri
1/15 Mon 1/18 |
5 (or 6) |
Lab2: Intro to VB |
|
|
|
5 |
Mon
1/18 |
6 |
calculations, variables, input & output, formatting |
7.1 - 7.6 |
|
|
6 |
Wed
1/20 |
2 |
Visual Basic - Decisions |
7.7 |
|
|
7 |
Thu
1/21 Fri 1/22 |
3 (or 4) |
Lab3: VB decisions |
|
|
|
8 |
Fri
1/22 |
4 |
Visual Basic - loops … |
7.8 |
|
|
9 |
Mon 1/25 Tue
1/26 |
5 (or 6) |
Lab4: VB loops (& files) |
|
|
|
10 |
Tue
1/26 |
6 |
Visual Basic - arrays & file I/O |
7.9 |
|
|
11 |
Thu
1/28 |
2 |
Visual Basic - Searching arrays |
7.10 |
|
|
12 |
Fri
1/29 Mon
2/1 |
3 (or 4) |
Lab5: Arrays & searching in VB |
|
|
|
13 |
Mon
2/1 |
4 |
Visual Basic - Sorting arrays |
7.10 |
|
|
14 |
Tue
2/2 Wed
2/3 |
5 (or 6) |
Lab6: sorting in VB |
|
|
|
15 |
Wed
2/3 |
6 |
VB - multiple forms, other I/O methods … |
7.11 |
|
|
16 |
Fri
2/5 |
2 |
Modules, Public variables,dynamic
picture loading |
|
|
|
17 |
Mon 2/8 Tue
2/9 |
3 (or 4) |
Lab: review for exam |
|
|
|
18 |
Tue 2/9 |
4 |
Exam 1 |
||
|
19 |
Wed 2/10 Thu
2/11 |
5 (or
6) |
Lab Exam 1 |
|
|
|
20 |
Thu 2/11 |
6 |
Data Rep: representation of integers |
2.1 -
2.5 |
|
|
21 |
Mon
2/15 |
2 |
Representation of real numbers |
2.6 |
|
|
22 |
Tue
2/16 Wed
2/17 |
3 (or 4) |
Lab7: Numeric data representation |
|
|
|
23 |
Wed
2/17 |
4 |
Representation of non-numeric data |
2.7 - 2.10 |
|
|
24 |
Thu 2/18 Fri
2/19 |
5 (or 6) |
Lab8: Non-numeric data representation |
|
|
|
25 |
Fri
2/19 |
6 |
Boolean logic, electronic gates, circuits … |
3.1 - 3.5 |
|
|
26 |
Tue 2/23 |
2 |
Designing and simplifying circuits |
3.1 - 3.5 |
|
|
27 |
Wed 2/24 Thu
2/25 |
3 (or 4) |
Lab9: Circuit design |
|
|
|
28 |
Thu 2/25 |
4 |
VB Projects Due - Demo in class |
||
|
29 |
Fri
2/26 Mon
3/8 |
5 (or 6) |
Lab: no lab |
|
|
|
30 |
Mon 3/8 |
6 |
Excel
- Introduction to spreadsheets quiz 4 (circuit, truth tables, simplifying circuits) |
8.1 -
8.5 |
|
|
31 |
Wed 3/10 |
2 |
Basic Excel functions, conditional functions, using graphics
& multiple sheets … |
8.1 - 8.5 |
|
|
32 |
Thu 3/11 Fri
3/12 |
3 (or 4) |
Lab10: basic Excel |
|
|
|
33 |
Fri 3/12 |
4 |
Excel -- Applications, simulation and forecasting |
8.1 -8.5 |
|
|
34 |
Mon 3/15 Tue
3/16 |
5 (or 6) |
Lab11: Excel… forecasting with spreadsheets |
|
|
|
35 |
Tue 3/16 |
6 |
Excel - recording and programming macros … |
8.6 - 8.8 |
|
|
36 |
THU 3/18 |
2 |
Excel - more macros |
8.6 - 8.8 |
|
|
37 |
Fri
3/19 Mon 3/22 |
3 (or 4) |
Lab12: Excel macros |
|
|
|
38 |
Mon 3/22 |
4 |
Excel - more macros … |
8.6 - 8.8 |
|
|
39 |
Tue
3/23 Wed
3/24 |
5 (or 6) |
Lab13: Excel more macros |
|
|
|
40 |
Wed
3/24 |
6 |
review Data Rep, Circuits, and Excel;
and then intro to databases |
9.1 - 9.3 |
|
|
41 |
Fri 3/26 |
2 |
Exam 2 Data Rep, Circuits, Excel |
|
|
|
42 |
Mon 3/29 Tue
3/30 |
3 (or
4) |
Lab Exam 2 Data Rep,
Circuits, Excel |
|
|
|
43 |
Tue
3/30 |
4 |
Intro to databases and Access - queries, reports |
9.4 - 9.6 |
|
|
44 |
Wed 3/31 Tue
4/6 |
5 (or 6) |
Lab14: Introduction to Access |
|
|
|
45 |
Tue
4/6 |
6 |
Access - advanced queries
and reports |
9.5 - 9.6 |
|
|
46 |
Thu
4/8 |
2 |
Access-relational databases |
9.7 |
|
|
47 |
Fri 4/9 Mon 4/12 |
3 (or 4) |
Lab15: Access…queries
and reports |
|
|
|
48 |
Mon
4/12 |
4 |
Access - forms and macros … |
9.8 -9.9 |
|
|
49 |
Tue
4/13 Wed
4/14 |
5 (or 6) |
Lab16: Access…advanced queries |
|
|
|
50 |
Wed
4/14 |
6 |
Access - more macros!!! |
9.8 -9.9 |
|
|
51 |
Fri
4/16 |
2 |
Processor design and machine language |
4.1 - 4.4 |
|
|
52 |
Mon 4/19 Tue
4/20 |
3 (or 4) |
Lab17: Access…macros |
|
|
|
53 |
Tue 4/20 |
4 |
Machine and assembly languages |
4.4 - 4.6 |
|
|
54 |
Wed
4/21 Thu
4/22 |
5 (or 6) |
Lab18: Machine Language programs |
|
|
|
55 |
Thu 4/22 |
6 |
Operating systems and data storage … |
5.1 - 5.4 |
|
|
56 |
Mon 4/26 |
2 |
Review Session |
|
|
|
57 |
Tue
4/27 Thu
4/29 |
3 (or 4) |
Lab19: Assembly Language programs |
|
|
|
58 |
Thu
4/29 |
4 |
Excel/Access Projects Due - Demo |
|
|
|
59 |
Fri
4/30 Mon 5/3 |
5 (or
6) |
Lab Exam 3 (Access and Assembly Language) |
|
|
|
60 |
Mon 5/3 |
6 |
Exam 3 ( Access and Assembly Language) |
|