CDAE 85 COMPUTER APPLICATIONS SYLLABUS
Fall 1998 (3 credits)
Under Construction
Lecture A: Tuesday 12:30 - 1:45 CODE 90228, Lafayette Building, Rm. 108
Lecture B: Thursday 12:30 - 1:45 CODE 90229, Lafayette Building, Rm. 108
CDAE 85 LAB SCHEDULE: All students are REQUIRED to attend one 2-hour lab per week
during the semester. The nine lab are listed below.
Lab Section Day Time Place
A1 90231 Monday 2:30 - 4:30 113 Q Waterman
B1 90233 Tuesday 9:30 - 11:30 005 Morrill
C1 90235 Tuesday 2:00 - 4:00 113 Q Waterman
D1 90236 Wednesday 9:05 - 11:00 113 Q Waterman
E1 90237 Wednesday 2:30 - 4:30 005 Morrill
F1 90238 Thursday 9:30 - 11:30 113 Q Waterman
G1 90239 Thursday 2:00 - 4:00 005 Morrill
H1 90241 Friday 9:05 - 11:00 113 Q Waterman
I1 90243 Friday 2:30 - 4:30 005 Morrill
Continuing Education: Thursday 5:30-8:30 pm Lecture and Lab: CODE 92730,
Room 005 Morrill Hall: Microcomputer Lab. Instructor: Jonathan Leonard.
INSTRUCTORS:
Jonathan Leonard Thom Patterson Eric Black
106B Morrill Hall 106C Morrill Hall eblack@zoo
656-2979 656-0042 654-7137
434-3787 (Home) 658-7496 (Home) 769-7199
jleonard@zoo.uvm.edu tpatters @zoo.uvm.edu
Office: Tues. 8:30-10:30 Office: Thrs. 8:30-10:30am
GENERAL COURSE GOAL: To prepare students with a solid foundation of computer skills
and knowledge to enable them to use current and future software and hardware.
SPECIFIC COURSE OBJECTIVES: Upon satisfactory completion of CDAE 85, students will:
1. Become familiar with computer hardware and types of computers.
2. Understand the role of Operating Systems and demonstrate knowledge of
UNIX, and Windows95.
3. Understand, detect and eliminate Computer Viruses.
4. Demonstrate proficiency with electronic communication: mail, signature files and Talk.
5. Understand the role of programming languages and be able to write a simple program.
6. Demonstrate proficiency in word processing applications.
7. Demonstrate proficiency in spreadsheet and graphics applications.
8. Understand and demonstrate how to present and interpret data in graphic form.
9. Explore, find, and report on useful data from the Internet.
10. Create World Wide Web Pages.
11. Understand the history and legacy of computing.
12. Appreciate the utility, benefit and limitations of computers.
13. Increase writing skills.
Required Texts:
Discovering Computers 98: A link to the Future, 1998, by Gary B. Shelly, Thomas J. Cashman,
Gloria A. Waggoner, and William C. Waggoner. Course Technology, Cambridge, MA 02142,
ISBN 0-7895-4531-4.
Internet Literacy, 1998 Edition. By Fred T. Hofstetter. Irwin, McGraw-Hill Publishing Company.
ISBN 0-07-029387-2.
One copy of these texts are 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:
Three Exams (2 in class, 1 Final) 35%
Computer Lab Assignments 60%
Attendance, Participation & Attitude 5%
100%
Optional Term paper/project 10% extra credit
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
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.
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. 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 May 1999.
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.
Optional Term Paper or Project of at least ten typed, 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. Or, you may use computer software to complete a project that is approved
by Jonathan Leonard. Term Paper/Project due Friday, 24 April 1998 (4 pm).
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. 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):
005 Morrill: Check the following Web Pages
http://www.uvm.edu/~jleonard/labsched.html
Waterman 113: Monday - Thursday................8 am - 11:45 pm
Friday ...................8 am - 5:45 pm
Saturday ................12 noon - 5:45 pm
Sunday ..................12 noon - 11:45 pm
http://mole.uvm.edu/cit/courses/labs.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 CDAE 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 CDAE 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.
CDAE 85 LECTURE SYLLABUS, Fall 1998
Week / TOPIC READING IN Discovering Computing:
1. Intro to the course, Timeline 1 Chapter 1
2. Anatomy of a Personal Computer Chapters 3, 8
Types of Computers
Operating Systems
Timeline 2
3. OS Video, E-Mail, Telnet, Unix, Internet Literacy, Parts 1-4 Pages 1-118
Class Computer OS exercise
4. EXAM #1 September 22, 24
5. Programming Languages & Binary Numbers,
Why compute? OS Video 2 Chapter 12
6. What is byte? ASCII Chapter 2
Software Licenses
7. Good/Bad about computers /
Privacy Video Chapter 13
Internet Literacy, Chapters 25-27
8. EXAM #2 October 20, 22 Internet Literacy, Chapters 15-22
9. The Web, Protocols,
Error checking Chapter 6
10. Satellite Imaging,
Error checking,
Image Compression Chapter 7
Voyager II article, Sci. Am. Nov. 1986
Internet Literacy, Chapters 11-14
11. Buying a computer:
pointing devices, monitors Chapters 4,5
12. Buying a computer: System Unit,
Network computers Chapters 10, 11
13. Security and Risks,
Giant Brains video Babbage article, Sci. Am. February 1993
Putting computing in
perspective: History Atanasoff article, Sci. Am. August 1988
FINAL EXAM: Friday, 18 December, High Noon, Gym Tennis Courts.
DEADLINES FOR FINAL LAB PROJECT AND EXTRA CREDIT
Tuesday 24 November (4 pm): EARLY HAND IN FOR FINAL LAB PROJECT, 10% EXTRA
BONUS POINTS. If later than 4pm, no bonus.
Friday 4 December : FINAL LAB PROJECT DUE, 4pm
OPTIONAL TERM PAPER/PROJECT DUE, 4pm
5% OFF, LATE PENALTY PER DAY Including Saturday and Sunday!
Friday, 11 December: ABSOLUTE DEADLINE for all late projects (35% off). Projects will
not be accepted after 4pm.
Other courses you may wish to take after CDAE 85:
Internet Applications for Agriculture and Life Sciences, CDAE 195,
Summer 1999, Taught by Jonathan Leonard.
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
Fall 1998 CDAE 85 LAB SCHEDULE
WEEK BEGINNING ASSIGNMENT
(NO LABS THE FIRST WEEK OF CLASSES)
Sept. 7 Learn elementary components of the Personal Computer. Using the
Operating System learn elementary Windows95 commands including how to
FORMAT diskettes, Create Folders and COPY files from the Hard disk to
the diskette, and BACKUP your diskette. Learn to use the text editor
notepad/wordpad. Due next Week: 1. Printout of your diskette directory,
2. Printout of the text file you created explaining your previous
computer experience and what you want to get out of CDAE85.
Sept. 14 [DUE: PRINT OUT OF YOUR WORKING DISKETTE DIRECTORY & TEXT FILE
(20 points)] Learn how to connect to ZOO via telnet software and send
electronic mail (E- mail), create a signature page, address book, and
TALK to other users. Learn how to locate Information on the Web with a
browser, and use search engines. Learn to copy a text file from your
instructor's zoo account; edit it, and insert it in an e-mail message.
Due next week: Download QBASIC.EXE to your working disk, and: An e-mail
message including 1. The file copied from your lab instructor's account
where you have filled in the blank spaces, 2. Your signature file, and
3. Describe to your lab instructor what you found on the Internet (at
least a paragraph) and how to reach the data (include the URL).
Sept. 21 [DUE: E-MAIL TO YOUR LAB INSTRUCTOR (20 points)] Learn to
create a graphics program using QBASIC programming language. Create
your own program that tells a story in pictures. Due Next Week: a
diskette with your source code (write your name and the name of the
program file on the diskette).
Sept. 28 [DUE: DISKETTE WITH BASIC PROGRAM (30 points)] Learn MS-Word 97
for windows. Create your resume in the format given in the Lab
Notebook. Print your resume on a letter quality printer. Upload your
resume and e-mail it to your lab instructor. Due next Week: Hard copy
of your resume (20 points) and your resume e-mailed (10 points).
Oct. 5 [DUE: RESUME hard copy (20 points) & e-mail Resume (10 points]
Learn to create an Excel 97 spreadsheet with approximately 300 cells (30
rows X 10 Columns, or 10 rows X 30 Columns). Due next Week: 2 Hard
copies: 1. Spreadsheet display and 2. Spreadsheet showing Formulas. 3.
Appropriate graph of some of the data from the spreadsheet.
Oct. 12 [DUE: SPREADSHEETS & Graph (30 points)] Learn to import the
spreadsheet table and chart into Word 97. Learn how to create a title
page using MS-PowerPoint. Due next Week: PowerPoint title page, a
Printout from the word processor that contains: spreadsheet Table,
Graph, and a discussion about the graph. Also you need to include had in
a photocopy of the original data.
Oct. 19 [DUE: PowerPoint Title Page. Spreadsheet, graph & discussion
integrated and printed from a Word Processor (30 points)] On the Web,
find the documents that explain how to create your own HTML documents
(Web Pages). Learn to set up your own home page. Due next Week: A
print out of your home page including the Zoo URL (http:// address) and
the html source code.
Oct. 26 [DUE: A print out of your home page and html source code.
Include the zoo URL (http:// address). (30 points)] NOTE: Tuesday labs
will meet. Create a new web page. Learn to set up hyperlinks to other
URLs and include pictures in your new web page. Due next week: A print
out of your new Web page including the Zoo URL (http:// address) and the
html source code.
Nov. 2 [DUE: A print out of your new Web page and html source code.
Include the zoo URL (http:// address). (30 points)] Introduction to the
FINAL LAB PROJECT: View the web page of instructions given to you by
your lab instructor. Read the instructions carefully. You may wish to
print them. FINAL LAB PROJECT DUE, Dec 5, Friday (4 pm)
Nov 9 Graph details, pitfalls of project. Work on Project.
Nov. 16 Work on Project.
Nov. 23 Work on Project.
Tuesday, 24 November, 4pm: EARLY HAND IN FOR FINAL LAB PROJECT, 10% EXTRA
BONUS POINTS. (Final Lab Project Worth 150 Points)
Friday, 4 December, 4pm: FINAL LAB PROJECT DUE, OPTIONAL TERM PAPER /
PROJECT DUE. 5 % OFF EACH DAY including Weekend days, LATE PENALTY.
Friday 11 December: DEADLINE! All late projects due. Work will not be
accepted after 4pm.