CDAE 85 COMPUTER APPLICATIONS SYLLABUS

Spring 1999 (3 credits)

 

Lecture A: Tuesday 12:30 - 1:45 CODE 10954, Lafayette Building, Rm. 108

Lecture B: Thursday 12:30 - 1:45 CODE 10956, 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 Instructor

 

A110961 Monday 2:30 - 4:30 113 Q Waterman Thom Patterson

B110963 Tuesday 9:30 - 11:30 005 Morrill Jonathan Leonard

C110967 Tuesday 2:00 - 4:00 113 Q Waterman Jonathan Leonard

D110975 Wednesday 9:05 - 11:00 113 Q Waterman Yi Zheng

E110976 Wednesday 2:30 - 4:30 005 Morrill Yi Zheng

F110980 Thursday 9:30 - 11:30 113 Q Waterman Jonathan Leonard

G110981 Thursday 2:00 - 4:00 005 Morrill Eric Black

H110982 Friday 9:05 - 11:00 113 Q Waterman Eric Black

I110983 Friday 2:30 - 4:30 005 Morrill Jonathan Leonard

 

Continuing Education: Monday 5:30-8:30 pm Lecture and Lab: CODE 10001,

Room 005 Morrill Hall: Microcomputer Lab. Instructor: Jonathan Leonard.

 

INSTRUCTORS:

Jonathan Leonard Thom Patterson Eric Black Yi Zheng

106B Morrill Hall 106C Morrill Hall eblack@zoo yzheng@zoo

656-2979 656-0042 654-7137 656-8289

434-3787 (Home) 658-7496 (Home) 769-7199

jleonard@zoo.uvm.edu tpatters @zoo. uvm.edu Office hours by appointment

Office: Tues. 8:15-9:30am 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.

  1. Demonstrate proficiency with electronic communication: e-mail, messenger, and Chat.
  2. Understand the role of programming languages and be able to write a simple program.

 

 

SPECIFIC COURSE OBJECTIVES (continued):

 

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 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.

 

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 September 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, 30 April 1999 (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, Spring 1999

 

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 February 16, 18

 

5. Programming Languages & Binary Numbers, Why compute? OS Video 2 Chapter 12

 

6. What is byte? ASCII Chapter 2

Software Licenses

 

No Lecture March 2 and March 4 (Town Meeting), but Labs will meet all week incl. Tues.

 

7. Good/Bad about computers / Privacy Video Chapter 13

Internet Literacy, Chapters 25-27

 

8. The Web, Protocols, Error checking Chapter 6

How Hackers Break In Sci. Am. October 1998

 

9. EXAM #2 March 23, 25 Internet Literacy, Chapters 15-22

 

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

Putting computing in perspective: History

 

FINAL EXAM: Friday, 7 May, High Noon, Gym Tennis Courts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DEADLINES FOR FINAL LAB PROJECT AND EXTRA CREDIT

 

 

Friday 23 April (4 pm): EARLY HAND IN FOR FINAL LAB PROJECT, 10% EXTRA

BONUS POINTS. If later than 4pm, no bonus.

 

Friday 30 April : FINAL LAB PROJECT DUE, 4pm

OPTIONAL TERM PAPER/PROJECT DUE, 4pm

 

5% OFF, LATE PENALTY PER DAY Including Saturday and Sunday!

 

Friday, 7 May: 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

 

Spring 1999 CDAE 85 LAB SCHEDULE

 

WEEK BEGINNING ASSIGNMENT

(NO LABS THE FIRST WEEK OF CLASSES)

Jan. 25 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. 3. Sign up for an AOL Instant Messenger account.

 

Feb. 1 [DUE: PRINT OUT OF YOUR WORKING DISKETTE DIRECTORY & TEXT

FILE, AOL Messenger Account in-lab check (20 points)]

Learn how to connect to ZOO via telnet software and send electronic mail (E-mail) with pine and Eudora. Install and set up the Eudora e-mail client. Use AOL instant messenger service. 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: Send 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).

 

Feb. 8 [DUE: E-MAIL TO YOUR LAB INSTRUCTOR, QBASIC lab-check (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, lab section (day & time), and the name of the program file on the diskette).

 

Feb. 15 [DUE: DISKETTE WITH BASIC PROGRAM (30 points)] Learn Antivirus

software. 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).

 

Feb. 22 [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.

 

March 1 [DUE: SPREADSHEETS & Graph (30 points)] Tuesday labs Meet!

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.

March 8 [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.

 

March 15-19 Spring Recess, no lectures, no labs (Study for Quiz in lecture)

 

March 22 [DUE: A print out of your home page and html source code. Include the

zoo URL (http:// address). (30 points)]

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.

 

March 29 [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, April 23, Friday (4 pm)

 

April 5 Graph details, pitfalls of project. Work on Project.

 

April 12 Work on Project.

 

April 19 Work on Project.

 

Friday, 23 April, 4pm: EARLY HAND IN FOR FINAL LAB PROJECT, 10% EXTRA

BONUS POINTS. (Final Lab Project Worth 150 Points)

 

Friday, 30 April, 4pm: FINAL LAB PROJECT DUE, OPTIONAL TERM PAPER /

PROJECT DUE. 5 % OFF EACH DAY including Weekend days, LATE PENALTY.

 

Friday 7 May: ABSOLUTE DEADLINE! All late projects due (with -35% late penalty). Work will not be accepted after 4pm.