AGRI 195 Syllabus
 Fall New Beginnings: Information Technology

Course Philosophy:  We, AGRI 195 students and instructors, are engaged in an experimental course to develop skills that are necessary for college success.  These skills have, in the past, been taught in separate courses.  Beginnings (AGRI 99) is required of all first-year students in the College of Agriculture and Life Science, while Information Technology (AGRI 85) and Communication Methods (AGRI 183) have traditionally been taken at any time during a student’s undergraduate program at UVM.  Thus, the opportunity to build on the skills taught in these courses has been limited.

By introducing all first-year students to these skills in their first year at UVM, we hope to be able to develop upper-class courses that will compliment and build upon these base-line competencies.  Few undergraduate programs are capable of this feat today, so we have an interesting and provocative challenge ahead of us.
 

General Course Goals:   The overall goal of Fall New Beginnings is twofold:

1. To help you discover and learn about what the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) and UVM have to offer, how you fit in here, and how you can develop to the fullest of your potential.

2. To establish a baseline competency in Written Communication and Information Technology that you will build on in subsequent classes to help you succeed at UVM.

Specific Course Objectives :  Learning objectives for AGRI 125 are:

New Beginnings:

1. Increase your understanding about UVM, its history, mission, organization, rules and regulations, people, services, resources and opportunities for student development.

2. Increase your understanding about the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, its mission, structure, curriculum and opportunities for students.

3. Make a positive adjustment and assimilation into the University and CALS.

4. Develop a positive relationship with your CALS academic advisor.

5. Better understand the developmental changes involved in the transition into and out of the first year of college.

6. Improve your attitudes and behaviors toward the teaching/learning process

7. Better understand and utilize the full resources of the library.

8. Develop positive student-to-student interactions and become a contributing member of the CALS and UVM community.

9. Develop critical thinking skills through reading, reflection, discussion, oral presentation and writing.

10. Begin developing a personal career planning process.

11. Learn a set of study and interpersonal skills for succeeding in college.

12.  Develop connections to UVM and the greater Burlington community.

 

Written Communication:

1.  Demonstrate competency in writing.

2.  Be able to give and receive constructive feedback on writing.

3.  Understand the creative writing process.

4.  Demonstrate proper grammar, syntax and spelling.

5.  Be able to construct a defendable written argument.
 

Information Technology:

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 UNIX, Windows98 and Windows XP.

3.  Understand, detect and eliminate Computer Viruses.

4.  Demonstrate proficiency with electronic communication: e-mail, signature files, listservs, and WebCT courseware.

5.  Demonstrate proficiency in presentation graphics applications by giving a presentation in front of a class.

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 and find useful data on the Internet and interpret those data.

10.  Create World Wide Web Pages.

11.  Understand the history and legacy of computing.

12.  Appreciate the utility, benefit and limitations of computers.

1.  Keep an electronic journal through the WebCT Diecussion Board and Email functions--reflecting on your readings, class presentations and discussions and your personal and academic progress at UVM and CALS.   Click here for journal guidlines and read Lawry, pp 1-3.  Minimum expectations are two quality and thoughtful discussion/journal  entries per week .  At least one of the journal entries should be a reflection on the Lawry reading due that week.  Private entries may be addressed to your lab instructors through the use of WebCT email.

2.  Complete all the information technology assignments.

3.  Complete library assignment.

4.  Give and critique PowerPoint presentation, a culminating event for the semester.

5.  Complete assignments based on College 101 by John D. Lawry.

6.  Complete the reading assignments in Discovering Computers 2003.
7.  Join a UVM club or group.  This must be some type of UVM sponsored organization, club, or society.  Membership in this group must be verifiable and you'll have to provide proof of the membership to your TA in writing.  This must be accomplished before the last day of class.

8.  Meet with your Academic Advisor at least twice during the Fall 2002 semester.  Your advisor must sign and date a form to be turned in to your TA.  Click here to view form.   (Hint:  Print it out)
9.  Attend all classes and actively participate in large and small group activities.
 
N.B.  It is strongly recommended that you purchase a "Week at a Glance" academic year calendar to record your class schedule, assignment due dates and other academic and social activities for the semester.  There are several models available at the bookstore.

Required Texts and Readings

Lawry, John D., College 101 A First-Year Reader.  (New York:  McGraw-Hill College, 1999).

Shelly, Gary B., Cashman, Thomas J., Vermaat, Misty E., Discovering Computers 2003 . (Boston:  Courst Technology, 2002)

Office Hours  Jonathan's regular office hours are Tuesday, 8:30 - 10:30 and Tom's office hours are Thursday, 8:30 - 10:30.  It's best to make an appointment to see Jonathan or Tom although if you drop by, we will make time for you if we possibly can.  Get your TA's phone number and e-mail address at your first lab meeting.  Our numbers are listed on the first page of this syllabus.  Send either of us an e-mail message or give us a call.  We  have voice mail at UVM, so if we're not in the office, be sure to leave a message.  If you can't reach us in the office and you need to speak with one of us after hours, don't hesitate to call us at home (but not after 9:00 pm).  

Attendance  You are expected to come to all classes and be in your seat on time.   Unexcused absences are grounds for a reduction in one letter grade for each absence.  Absences are excused only in cases of sickness (Physician's note), death in your immediate family, or other extreme circumstances.  In such circumstances, notify Tom,  Jonathan, and lab instructor within 24 hours of missing class. Your TA will know the rules.  Contact your TA before missing class.

Grading Policy  No grade at UVM is automatic--you will have to work for the grade that you deserve.
 
 

a. Lab Assignments	50%
b. 3 Exams (2 in lecture, 1 final)	30%
c.  Journal	10%
d. UVM group membership and advisor meetings	5%
e. Attendance, punctuality and attitude	5%
f.  Optional extra credit paper	+5%

Download grading template here.

Lab Late Penalty and Resubmission:  Lab assignments are due at the beginning of lab.  If they are late, -10% the first week, -20% the second week, No Credit thereafter.  Lab assignments may be redone and resubmitted for regrading within TWO WEEKS of the due date (not accepted later).

Exams: Exams will cover material from lecutre, lab, and readings.  Questions will require students not only to be familiar with the material, but also to apply concepts, information, and skills they have learned to new problem situations.  Students must be on time for the exams, or they will lose points.  Any requests to take the exam at other than the scheduled time must be discussed with Jonathan Leonard and Thomas Patterson at least one week prior to the exam.  Only in cases of extreme emergency such as death in the family, extreme illness, or near fatal accident, are exams excused and re-taken.  In these cases students must contact their instructors within 24 hours of the exam.

Optional Extra Credit Paper:   Students may write an extra credit paper on an Information Technology topic for up to 5 additional percentage points added to their final grade for the course.  The topic must be approved by the course instructors before the paper is submitted.  The paper must be between 5-10 pages in length (no credit for fewer than 5 pages).  A first draft of at least 5 pages is due before 4pm Novenber 15, 2002.  No extra credit will be earned if a first draft is not turned in.  Drafts will be edited and available for pick-up before 4pm Friday November 22.  Final draft with editorial changes due 4pm Wed. Dec 4 (last day of classes).

Fall 2002 LECTURE Readings and Assignments  
 

Monday Section	Tuesday Section	Material Covered	Reading Due	Weekly Lab Assignment Due
Aug 26	Aug 27	Welcome!, Introductions, Essential Skills for Life and Work, Overview of New Beginnings structure, Classroom Code of Conduct, Cat's Tale , Academic Honesty, IT Knowledge Quiz	None
Labor Day Sept 2	Sept 3	Justin Morrill Video, CALS Mission & Structure .	Cat's Tale   CALS Mission & Structure . Starting Out, Family Ties, Lawry pp xvi, 1-6, 177-206 Chapters 1, 8 in Discovering Computers 2003	Min. 2 Journal Entries
Sept 9	Sept 10	Comparison of High School Teachers versus College Professors Information Technology in Perspective: Time Line 1,  Types of Computers , Lab review.	Community, Lawry, pp. 115-130 Chapter 4 in Discovering Computers 2003	IT Lab Directory printout Assignment Min. 2 Journal Entries
Sept 16	Sept 17	Anatomy of PC, Operating systems, Units of Memory and Storage OS History Video Lab Review	Conflict, Resources, Lawry, pp. 131-174 Chapter 7 in Discovering Computers 2003	Meet with Academic Advisor, IT email Lab Assignment Min. 2 Journal Entries
Sept 23	Sept 24	IT as Communication, Timeline 2. Difference between memory & storage.  Anti-Virus strategies, OS History Video Lab review	Friendship & Romance, Lawry, pp. 93-114 Chapter 3 in Discovering Computers 2003	Lawry Paper draft  Min. 2 Journal Entries
Sept 30	Oct 1	First Exam!  You must be on time for class or lose points!	Academic Concerns, Lawry, pp. 9-56	Lawry Paper Final Min. 2 Journal Entries
Oct 7	Oct 8	Exam Return.  Programming & Binary Numbers.   History of the Internet Video . Lab review.	Students & Teachers, Lawry, pp. 57-88 Chapter 15 & Appendix in Discovering Computers 2003	UVM Student Profile Excel Assignment Min. 2 Journal Entries
Oct 14	Oct 15	Exam Return.  Percentage of Internet users world-wide. Programming & License Agreements.  Graph Critique.  Software Licenses. Lab review	Identity, Lawry pp. 207-234 Chapter 13 in Discovering Computers 2003	Library Exercise Min. 2 Journal Entries
Oct 21	Oct 22	QBASIC Demo, First-Year Survey, Class Evaluation.  ASCII, Why 8-bit bytes? Text files versus binary files.   History of the Internet Video . Lab review	Spiritual Quest, Lawry, pp. 235-265 Chapter 14 in Discovering Computers 2003 How Hackers Break In  Sci. Am. October 1998. Use your zoo login name and password to view online	College Student Profile Excel Assignment Min. 2 Journal Entries
Oct 28	Oct 29	QBASIC Demo (Tuesday), History of the Internet Video (Monday) . Core Curriculum.  Exam review and preparation .	Chapter 2 in Discovering Computers 2003 Voyager II article, Sci. Am. Nov. 1986 Use your zoo login name and password to view online	1st UVM Personal Web Page Min. 2 Journal Entries
Nov 4	Nov 5	Second Exam!   You must be on time for class or lose points!	Chapter 10 in Discovering Computers 2003	Meet with Academic Advisor, 2nd UVM Personal Web Page Min. 2 Journal Entries
Nov11	Nov 12	Packet Anatomy Error Checking: Check Sum, Parity, Voyager II.  Modems, How they work. Lab review	Chapter 11 & 12 in Discovering Computers 2003	Lawry PowerPoint Presentation Min. 2 Journal Entries
Nov 18	Nov 19	TCP/IP stack, Modems (how they work), IT Networking: Physical Media.	Chapter 9 in Discovering Computers 2003	Lawry PowerPoint Presentation 5-7 Page Paper Min. 2 Journal Entries
Nov 25	Nov 26	Thanksgiving Recess.  No Lecture, No Lab	Chapter 16 in Discovering Computers 2003
Dec 2	Dec 3	Class Evaluations	Chapters 5 & 6 in Discovering Computers 2003	Min. 2 Journal Entries
Monday Section	Final Exam	9 December, Monday, 4pm, 103 Rowell Building
Tuesday Section	Final Exam	10 December, Tuesday,  12-Noon, 103 Rowell Building
Wednesday Section	Final Exam	9 December, Monday, 4pm, 103 Rowell Building