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Syllabus contents: | Fluency With Information Technology CSE 100/INFO 100 Fall 2001 |
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Syllabus Instructor:
David M. Levy [dmlevy@u.washington.edu] Class Meeting Times and
Location: | |
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Course Description: The Fluency Vision CSE100/INFO100
is an introductory class that implements the recommendations of the
National Research Council’s study Being Fluent With
Information Technology [National Academy Press, 1999]. The report describes
the knowledge and experience a person should possess to be fluent in
information technology, where fluency is a more ambitious goal than
computer literacy.
Literacy
vs. Fluency Computer
literacy has traditionally meant proficiency with a few contemporary
computer applications such as email, word processing and the like. Though
such literacy instruction enables students to use computers directly, it
does not have the staying power needed to accommodate the rapid changes in
Information Technology. Components of Fluency The NRC
report identifies three types of knowledge that are essential for
fluency: Skills – competence
with contemporary computer applications and tools; this component
approximates traditional computer literacy. An example is learning
to use a word processor, or to transfer files across networks.
Concepts –
fundamental principles on which information technology is founded,
including basic ideas related to computers, networks, etc. An example is
the understanding of the digital representation of information, or how
networks operate. Capabilities - the
ability to apply information technology in complex and sustained
situations, which encapsulate higher-level thinking in the context of
information technology. An example is to engage in sustained
reasoning. The
report lists the 10 top priority items of each type of knowledge. Notice
the three types of knowledge are co-equal and
interdependent. Project Learning Though skills have been successfully taught in conventional literacy courses, and concepts have been taught in standard computer science and information systems classes for years, the capabilities present an instructional challenge. In order to teach the capabilities, to provide a context to learn the concepts, and to facilitate the acquisition of skills, Fluency With Information Technology is a project-based course. The main content is delivered through the formulation and implementation of sustained (multi-week) projects using information technology. No
previous experience with computers is required for this
course. 4% Computer lab and
Assignments 20% 4 Quizzes (each worth
5%) 56% 4 Projects (each worth
14%) 20% Final
exam (December 14th, 8:30 - 10:30 AM) Coursework, Workload and Late Policy Coursework
entails readings, computer labs, four computer projects, four quizzes and
a final exam. Attendance at lecture (M,W,F
One 1-day late policy: You may turn in one project
1-day late without penalty. No other late projects will be accepted. To use this late policy, you must notify your TA in advance by email. Required Reading Materials Snyder,
L. Fluency with Information Technology. Suggested Reading Materials Castro, E. (2000). HTML 4 for the World Wide
Web (4th
edition). Peachpit Press;
ISBN: 0201354934. Smiley, J. (1998). Learn to Program with Visual
Basic 6. Active Path;
ISBN: 1902745000. Computer Lab Each computer lab section meets two times a week.
Attendance is
required. The labs are integrated
with the lecture material. Hands-on computer skills needed to complete the
projects will be taught in the labs. In addition, important information
about the projects will be discussed. The labs and the assignments that
are part of them will be graded; they account for 4% of your final
grade. If you miss a lab, do not expect the TA to provide you with an equivalent lab session during their consulting hours. Be prepared to go through the lab on your own and then, if you have specific questions not answered by your classmates, ask your TA. How to Communicate with Others in the Class… Bulletin BoardEvery student will be able to post to the class bulletin board from the course website . You can post a message or discussion on a particular project, on lecture or on labs. You may also post any question that a fellow student may be able to answer. The Bulletin Board will be the main communication tool between the Instructor, the TAs and all students. Check often for new postings, they may be very helpful. This is different from the class listserv, where the information comes directly to your email account. Every student must have a UW email account to
send messages to the instructors and other students. All enrolled
students are automatically a part of the class list serve. All
important announcements will be sent to this list. This may be the
only official class notice you will receive
in some cases. Be sure to read these postings regularly. You will
be responsible for the content. Anonymous EmailThere is a link from the class Web site that will allow you to send anonymous email to the Instructors, the TAs or both if you wish. Anonymous email means you can send mail without the Instructors or TAs knowing who you are. It’s not
uncommon for people who use technology to find themselves stuck. Indeed,
one of the most useful skills you may learn from this course is "how to
get unstuck." In the real world, successful people who find themselves stuck do several things such as: (1)
systematically play around with the technology, (2) ask a
co-worker or friend for help, or (3) ask
an expert for help. Hopefully
you’ll explore all three means to get unstuck in this course.
Here are
some suggestions: Debugging When you first
"get stuck," take a deep breath! Step back for a moment. Look carefully at
the work you have just done. Try changing one thing and see what effect it
has. You may also want to check the class bulletin board to see if others
have encountered (and solved) a similar problem. We’ll talk more about
this sort of strategy – called "debugging," during the
course. Ask a classmate…Get to
know two or three students in the course; exchange email addresses; ask
each other for help when you get stuck – try to share ideas about how to
figure out the problem rather than telling your classmate the answer. You’ll learn
as much by helping others else find their mistakes as you will by
finding your own. Consult with the InstructorYour Instructors and Teaching Assistants will hold regular office hours each week. You can also make a separate appointment if needed. You will get more out of your time with the Instructor if you come prepared with a specific question in mind. You may also email your question. It is
valuable to work with a friend or classmate when learning a new
application or working out a problem. However, the work that you
perform in FIT100 for a grade must be your own work unless "working in
groups" is explicitly allowed.
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Last Updated: |
Questions? gbw@u.washington.edu |