Lecture A: Tuesday  12:30 - 1:45 CODE 10595,  Lafayette, Rm. 108
Lecture B: Thursday 12:30 - 1:45 CODE 10596,  Lafayette, Rm. 108

AGRI 85 LAB SCHEDULE:  All students are REQUIRED to attend one 2-hour lab per week during the semester.  The nine lab are listed below.
 

GENERAL COURSE GOAL: To prepare students with a solid foundation of information technology skills and knowledge to enable them to use current and future software and hardware.

SPECIFIC COURSE OBJECTIVES: Upon satisfactory completion of AGRI 85, students will:
1.  Become familiar with information technology hardware including types of computers and telecommunication hardware.
2.  Understand the role of Operating Systems and demonstrate knowledge of command-line UNIX, and Windows98.
3.  Understand, detect, and eliminate Computer Viruses.
4.  Demonstrate proficiency with electronic communication: e-mail, signature files, listservs, messengers, and Chat software.
5.  Be able to download and install software from the web.
6.  Demonstrate proficiency in presentation graphics applications by giving a presentation in front of a class.
7.  Demonstrate proficiency in word processing applications.
8.  Demonstrate proficiency in spreadsheet and graphics applications.
9.  Understand and demonstrate how to present and interpret data in graphic form.
10.  Explore and find useful data on the Internet and interpret those data.
11.  Create World Wide Web Pages.
12.  Understand the history and legacy of computing.
13.  Appreciate the utility, benefit and limitations of computers.
14.  Improve writing skills.

Required Text:

Discovering Computers 2002: Concepts for a Digital World,  by Gary B. Shelly, Thomas J. Cashman, and Misty E. Vermaat.  Course Technology, Cambridge, MA 02142,  ISBN 0-7895-6185-9, Copyright 2001.

 One copy of the text is available for 2-hour loan from the Reserve Desk at the Bailey-Howe Library.

GRADE POLICIES: The following categories contribute to your course grade as weighted below:
 

AUDITS:  Persons wishing credit for auditing the class are required to attend at least 9 of the 14 lectures and labs.

Exams will cover material from the reading assignments as well as discussion in lecture, and material from lab.  The format of the exams will be multiple choice.  You must be on time for exams.  If you are late for exams, you will lose points.  See Lecture Syllabus for schedule.

Exam Reschedule or Make Up Policy: Any requests to take the exam at other than the scheduled time must be discussed with Jonathan Leonard at least one week prior to the exam. Only in the case of medical emergency, death in the family, or other extreme circumstance are missed exams excused and re-taken.  In such extreme circumstances you are to notify Jonathan Leonard within 48 hours of the event.  Keep your old graded exams for one year after the course.

Computer Lab Assignments vary in point value; the Final Lab Project is worth 150 points, the other assignments vary from 10 to 30 points each.  Exceptionally creative work may earn a grade above the point value of the assignment.  Lab assignments should be stapled together and handed in at the beginning of scheduled lab time.  YOUR NAME AND LAB SECTION MUST APPEAR ON ALL ASSIGNMENTS.  You may re-submit assignments for re-grading WITHIN TWO WEEKS OF THE DUE DATE (not accepted later); please include your old, already graded assignment, along with the re-done work.  The sooner you re-submit, the more generous your lab instructor will be in re-grading.  Save your graded homework assignments until August 2002.

 LATE PENALTY:  10% off the value of the assignment per week, up to two weeks from the due date.  If the assignment is any later, NO CREDIT.

Attendance, Participation and Attitude:  Five percent of your grade is determined by attendance, class participation (how you contributed to the class), and your attitude.  In order to earn full credit you must attend all the lectures and labs and contribute to the class in a positive way by helping other students and participating in class discussions.  Unexcused absences will result in a deduction of 1 % of your course grade per unexcused absence.  Absences are excused only in cases of sickness (Physician's note), death in the family, or other extreme circumstances.  In such circumstances, notify your lecture and lab instructor within 24 hours of missing class.

Optional Term Paper of at least ten word processed, double spaced pages can be elected for extra credit of up to 10% of your grade in addition to what you have earned in the course.  The term paper must be on a computer-related topic approved by Jonathan Leonard and cannot be for another class.  You must cite references in the text for any information that is not common knowledge.  Draft of Term Paper or Project due Friday March 1, 4 pm. Term Paper or Project due Friday, April 26, 2002 at 4 pm.  You may not hand in this extra credit assignment if you miss the draft deadline of Friday March 1st.

PLAGIARISM:
It is expected that you will help your fellow students with techniques of computer use, but always hand in original work.  For example, if the assignment for the week was to write a 3-page paper, you are expected to help students who are not as familiar as you with the use of the word processor, i.e. how to re-format the page, re-arrange paragraphs, delete words, check the spelling, etc..  This does not mean that you can copy work or take it off the Internet without crediting it to the original source.  ALL STUDENTS ARE EXPECTED TO HAND IN THEIR OWN ORIGINAL WORK.  Students have been severely penalized in the past for not following these instructions.

LAB USE POLICY:
Students may use the labs whenever there are no scheduled classes or workshops.  Schedules are posted on lab doors.  Morrill Hall Lab schedule is distributed in lecture every month.

LAB ROOM HOURS (Unless posted otherwise):

  http://www.uvm.edu/~jleonard/labsched.html

  http://cit.uvm.edu/labs/wat_hours.html

LAB HELP POLICY:  There will be some lab assistant help available in the lab during most hours.  Lab assistants may not be able to help you with all your problems with the course.  When not in a formal lab, you will be expected to rely on classmates, software manuals, class notes, online help, and lab assistants when available.  If you need extra help, make an appointment with your lab instructor.  Formal tutoring may be available.

WORK LOAD TO EXPECT:  In order to complete the work in this class you can expect to spend (on average) 6-10 hours per week OUTSIDE OF CLASS AND FORMAL LAB TIME studying and working in lab on AGRI 85 assignments.

SOFTWARE USE POLICY:  It is illegal to use the software available in the computer labs outside of the labs.  The University of Vermont offers the use of this software in the lab under the copyright agreements of the software companies who own the software.  The University of Vermont and the computer labs do not own the software.  The use of the software is licensed.  Therefore, it is illegal to copy, distribute, sell, or loan copies of the software or manuals, or to use the software or manuals outside of the computer labs.

HINTS ON DOING WELL IN AGRI 85:
You don't have to be a "rocket scientist" or "computer wiz" to do well in this class.  This is a course where you will do well if you go to class, follow instructions, do all your lab assignments on time and spend time reading and studying.

There will almost always be a rush on the computers the last few days before a major assignment is due.  This would be true unless we had a computer for every person in the course.  Plan ahead.  Use the lab in the off times, arrive early to be assured of a machine when the lab opens.  Don't wait to the last minute for completing an assignment.  If you have a job or other commitments outside of regular school work or a heavy course load be sure your work hours allow enough time to complete your assignments.

The instructions on how to complete lab assignments will be given in the formal labs.  It is your responsibility to take notes during formal lab time and make sure you understand how to complete the assignments.  Part of the learning experience in this class is using the software manuals and fellow students as references.  Although some of the Lab Assistants will be able to help, they will not be able to help you at all times; they will not do the assignments for you.

This course is designed not only to give you experience on the PC, but also to teach you computing concepts so you will be able to work through any software on any personal computer and many servers and host computers.
 
 

AGRI 85 LECTURE SYLLABUS, Spring 2002

Week / TOPIC	READING IN Discovering Computing:
1. Intro to the course, Timeline 1     OS Video 1	Chapter 1
2.   Timeline 2       Anatomy of a Personal Computer       Types of Computers       OS Video 2	Chapters 4, 8
3. Anatomy of the PC     Units of Memory & Storage      History of the Internet Video	Chapters 2, 7
4. Exam Prep     Memory & Storage     Class Computer OS exercise     Writing Exercise: good/bad of IT     History of the Internet Video	Chapters 5, 6
5.  EXAM  #1, February 12, 14	EXAM  #1, February 12, 14
6.  Programming Languages & Binary            Numbers,       Good/bad of IT?  Privacy Video	Chapters 10, 11, 15, A.2-A.4
7.  What is a byte?  ASCII, Security.       Software Licenses, Internet History      Video	Chapters 2, 3, 4, 12, A.1.  How Hackers Break In  Sci. Am. October 1998. Username: your last name in lower case, Password: last 7 digits of barcode
8.  The Web, Protocols, Error checking,        Physical Media: Cables and Wires,.	Chapter 9.
9. Exam #2, March 12, 14	Exam #2, March 12, 14
10.   Satellite Imaging, Error checking,       Image Compression	Voyager II article, Sci. Am. Nov. 1986 Username: your last name in lower case, Password: last 7 digits of barcode
11.  Buying a computer: pointing devices, monitors	Chapters 5, 6, 8.42
12.  Buying a computer: System Unit        Network computers	Chapters 10, 11
13. Security and Risks       Giant Brains video       Putting computing in perspective:       History	Chapter 13, 14, 16
FINAL EXAM: Monday 6 May	Lafayette 108

 
 

DEADLINES FOR FINAL LAB PROJECT AND EXTRA CREDIT PAPER:

Friday 1 March (4 pm): Draft of Extra Credit Term Paper or Project due.

Friday 19 April (4 pm): EARLY HAND IN FOR FINAL LAB PROJECT, 10% EXTRA BONUS  POINTS.  If later than 4pm, no bonus.

Friday 26 April (4pm): :  FINAL LAB PROJECT DUE,  OPTIONAL TERM PAPER DUE, If late: 5% OFF PER DAY Including Saturday and Sunday!

Friday, 3 May (4pm): ABSOLUTE DEADLINE for all late projects (35% off).  Projects will not be accepted after 4pm.

Other courses you may wish to take after AGRI 85:

World Food Population and Sustainable Development, CDAE 002
Computer Aided Drafting and Design (CADD), CDAE 101
Research Methods for Applied Economists, CDAE 250
Advanced Computer Aided Drawing and Design, CDAE 195
 
 

 Lab Table of Contents