Computer Literacy
CSC 101, Spring 1997
Ileana Streinu
Gunnar Blix
Joe O'Rourke
This course is designed to expose students
to a broad view of computer science, by examining computers at
different levels: from hardware and theory to history and societal
impact. This is not a programming course; CSC 111 is an introduction
to programming. The lecture material is supplemented by weekly
labs. There are three primary aims to the course:
(1) Learn
various computer skills:
Word, Excel, and HyperCard, generally familiarity with Macs and
PCs(Windows 95), email and basic understanding of the Internet,
including the World Wide Web. We will use both Macs and PCs in
this class. We will also use the UNIX machine sophia, but mainly
for email and for posting your own web page.
(2) Understand
how a computer works. Few
computer literacy courses attempt this, but we consider it a major
component of the course. It is an intellectual challenge to understand
how the intricate components of a computer fit together to produce
the behavior we see. We will discuss the "machine language"
used by computers, the components of the hardware, and how it
all fits together. We will also discuss the low-level workings
of computer networks.
(3) Gain
a feel for what computers can and cannot do.
We will discuss artificial intelligence, whether computers can
learn or be creative, what is an algorithm and a computer program,
what is the underlying structure of a computer network, and if
time allows, we will talk about computer crime, and the impact
of computers on society.
No prior experience with computers is
assumed. There are no prerequisites, mathematical or otherwise.
Lecture: Tuesdays 9:00 - 10:20, Seelye 201
Lecture: Thursdays 9:00 - 10:20, Seelye 201
Lab sec A: Thursdays 1:00 - 2:50, Seelye 411 or Burton B01 and B17
Lab sec B: Thursdays 3:00 - 4:50, Seelye 411 or Burton B01 and B17
Lab sec C: Thursdays 7:30 - 9:30, Seelye
411 or Burton B01 and B17
Helene G. Kershner, Computer Literacy, (Second Edition), D.C. Heath & Co.
Bruce McLaren, Understanding and Using the Internet, (1997 Edition), West Publishing Co.
Each student needs two blank high-density
(HD) diskettes. They may be purchased at the Grécourt Book
Store.
The class will meet twice a week for lectures, on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, and once a week for a lab (on Thursday). Lectures will be held in Seelye 201. There are three lab sections, all meeting in Seelye 411 during the first month. Then we switch to the PC labs in Burton basement, rooms B01 and B17. We will get back to the Mac lab later in the semester, when we will integrate files created on various platforms into web pages.
There will be 10 assignments, many an extension of the lab in some way. The assignment will be distributed at the Thursday lab, and will be due by Wednesday at midnight, the following week. Some students will find it possible to complete some of the assignment during the lab period in which it is distributed.
The labs are to be done with a partner, but for the homeworks we expect individual work. Each lab requires something to be turned in the following Wednesday, when the homework is also turned in. Both labs and homeworks usually will be turned in electronically. The lab and homework are given a single letter grade.
There will be two written in-class quizzes,
February 27 and April 3, and a self-scheduled final exam (May
6-9).
Examples of old lab and homework assignements and old exams are available
through links
from the instructor's home page. You can consult them if you want to have
a feel of where the class is going, but they do not imply in any way that the
current ones will be similar.
Lateness and Common Mistake Policy
Labs and Homeworks are handed in in class on Thursday morning.
The lab should be done
during the
Thursday afternoon/evening lab session, but if not finished,
you can come back later and work on it on your own. If you miss the lab, you
should be aware that
the TAs are not meant to replace
the assistance of the instructors during the regular
lab hours and
should not expect to have them explain what was done in class
or during the labs.
There will be
something to turn in for each lab, which is due the following
Wednesday by midnight. Late lab assignments will NOT
be given credit.
The homework is due on the following Wednesday by midnight.
Everyone is granted a total of three free "late
days" for homework assignments. The late days are cumulative and
may be used in increments of whole days.
Assignments handed in after the late days are
exhausted are subject to a grading penalty proportional to lateness
(one letter grade per day). Extra late days will be
granted only with a Dean's excuse.
It is your responsibility to finish the lab and homework assignment in time.
On Sunday through Wednesday evenings two TAs will be
available in the lab (Seelye 411 or Burton B01/B17)
to assist you and answer your questions.
A packed lab on Wednesday evenings is
NOT an excuse for not turning in the homework in time.
Most of the software used in this class is available from computers
on campus outside the class labs and you can go there and get started on your
homework early on. In the few cases when the software will be available ONLY
in the class labs (Burton B01/B17), it is your responsability to find the
time when there are computers available for doing your work. A hint: do not
start working on your homework on Tuesday of Wednesday - chances are that the
labs will be packed on those evenings and the TAs less available to assist you.
The handout specifies how you should submit your work.
It is your responsibility to read the instructions carefully and to submit
it as specified. If you make errors in naming your lab or homework files,
drop them in the wrong folder or make mistakes with email submissions, you
should notify the class/lab instructor as soon as you realize it happened.
You are granted one free mistake.
After that, there will be a penalty of a letter grade for submission mistakes.
The homework is meant as individual work. Not doing so is a violation of the
Honor Code and will be treated as such.
Homework (60%); Quiz 1 (10%); Quiz 2 (10%); Final (20%)
Class attendence is required and will be taken into account for the final grade.
You will get feedback on how you did on the lab/homework
one week after the homework was due. We will post a grading guide and a table
with an explanation of how you performed. You will be emailed a code for
reading your entry in the table: this will
NOT be the same as your class account. It is your responsability to check
this information weekly. This being a new system, errors are possible - and
you should notify us if this happens. However, other than when
grading or system errors occur, there will be no alterations of the grade (in
particular, later changes to your work or
redoing the lab or homework will not be accepted).
There will be an orientative
grade assigend to the homework and you can see how you did as compared
with the others in the class. This grade might be weighted at the
end of the semester, with easier homeworks given less weight than more
difficult ones.
| A | Exceptional: highly creative, perfect technical skills in all hwk and lab work. |
| A- | Outstanding: perfect technical skills, creative. |
| B+ | Very good: good technical skills, but makes occasional mistakes; shows creativity. |
| B | Good: good technical skills with occasional mistakes; average quality of work. |
| B- | Good, but frequent mistakes, average quality of work. |
| C+ | Modest technical skills, average quality of work. |
| C | Modest technical skills, modest quality of work. |
| C- | Low technical skills, modest quality, but did the work and attended the classes. |
| F | Fail: missed many classes/homeworks/labs/exams, didn't show any interest in the class. |
Ileana Streinu : course coordinator
Office: McConnell 210
Phone: x3827
Email: cs101b@sophia.smith.edu (use for all class related correspondence), streinu@cs.smith.edu (use only for special problems or to keep in touch with me when the class is over).
WWW: http://cs.smith.edu/~streinu
Office: McConnell 211
Phone: x3858
Email: cs101b@sophia.smith.edu (or blix@cs.smith.edu).
WWW: http://www-ilg.ai.uiuc.edu/~blix
Office: McConnell 212
Email: cs101b@sophia.smith.edu, orourke@cs.smith.edu
WWW: http://cs.smith.edu/~orourke
Berit Oskey,
Katie Moriarty,
Maureen Murray,
Diana Calderazzo,
Sharon Seun and
Sumaiya Hassan.
Office/Lab
hours
(TA lab
hours subject to weekly adjustment)
| When | Who | Where |
| Sun 7-10 | Sharon | Seelye 411 or Burton B01/B17 |
| Mon 7-10 | Maureen | Seelye 411 or Burton B01/B17 |
| Tues 7-10 | Berit, Sumaiya | Seelye 411 or Burton B01/B17 |
| Tues 3-5 | Ileana | McConnell 210 |
| Wed 7-10 | Diana, Katie | Seelye 411 or Burton B01/B17 |
| Tues 1-2
Fri 1-2 | Gunnar | McConnell 211 |
Go to the class Home Page
Last updated on March 24, 1997.