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STA/CIS
Bulletin
- Winter '95
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CIS 101 - COMPUTER
INFORMATION
SYSTEMS
[Textbooks] | [Sequence
of Topics] | [Laboratory Sequence] | [Class
Requirements
[Class
Schedule] | [Weekly Objectives] | [Class
Rules] | [Laboratory Schedule]
Textbooks:
Package from Prentice-Hall, including:
Computing by Long and Long
Exploring Excel 97 by Grauer & Barber
Custom textbook including Pace University
Software Exercises
by Catherine Dwyer
Customized version of A Brief Course in Visual
BASIC
5 by Schneider
Booklet on the Internet
Sequence
of
Topics for lecture/discussion & Readings:
Introduction & Overview (Long
& Long,
chapters 1, 2, & Schneider 2)
Hardware (Long & Long, chapters 3, 4,5)
Software, Multimedia Internet (Long & Long,
chapters
6, 7, Internet guidebook)
Computers in Society (Long & Long, chapter
13, 14)
Lab
Sequence:
Procedural programming (Visual Basic)
Spreadsheet (Excel)
Web (Netscape)
Multimedia authoring (production of web pages
using Word,
HTML Assistant Pro and Paint Shop Pro).
You will have to work outside of class to
complete lab assignments.
In addition, you will do e-mail and access the Internet (Netscape for
full
World Wide Web access through Pace server) outside of class. You will
have
homework assignments from lab and lecture.
Requirements:
This class requires thinking. We aim
to prepare
you to apply concepts of computer information systems now and in the
future.
The equipment and products will always be changing! We all must keep
learning.
There will be a short quiz, homework, and/or
in-class
group exercises EVERY CLASS. Attendance and class participation in
Lecture
and Lab counts. Over 3 absences means a 5 point deduction. A lateness
counts
as half an absence.
You must obtain an ID in order to use
electronic mail
(e-mail) for class assignments. YOU NEED THIS IMMEDIATELY to
send
Dr. Thomas the topic for the essay during the first two weeks of
classes.
Students may sign up in room W 202 during their first lab session.
There
will be a specific assignment using the Internet later in the semester.
A two-page essay on computers will be due
Week 5. It should
be done using a wordprocessing program, such as Microsoft Word or
WordPerfect.
You should have at least two sources of information in a list of
references.
Current newspapers and magazines are the best source for computer
industry
information. You may write about the use of computers in movies or on
television,
issues affecting the computer industry as they apply to you, how
computers
are used in your major field, new or improved uses for computers in
your
daily life, etc. Reference titles should either be in bold-faced print,
italics, or underlined. Students without word processing experience may
go to the Electronic Learning Labs on the second floor of 41 Park Row
or
to the Academic Computing Center in room W202 for instruction and
assistance.
NOTE:
There will be homework and in-class
exams in
the Lab; and
There will be a group project using
multimedia.
Approximate weighting for grade:
- Classwork/homework (10)
- Midterm (10)
- Programming (15)
- Essay using word processing (10)
- Spreadsheet work (10)
- Multimedia group work/project (15)
- E-mail/Internet (10)
- Final (20)
CIS 101
SCHEDULE
Weekly Objectives
Week |
Class Topic |
Homework |
1 |
Introduction
Computers are programmed! |
|
2 |
Programming languages,
algorithms, flowcharts,
conditionals, email |
Schneider, chapter 1 |
3 |
The World of Computers
Arithmetical and logical
expressions, data representation, ASCII, repetition |
L&L. chapter 1
Computers & Cars Assignment |
4 |
Inside the Computer Binary
numbers and arithmetic,
arrays. |
L & L chapter 2
History of Computers Assignment |
5 |
Software: Telling
Computers What to Do Databases
and files |
L&L chapter 3
ESSAY Assignment DUE |
6 |
Storing and Retrieving
Information Machine
example, inside the computer, I/O devices |
L&L chapter 4
Describe computer use (e.g., ATM, grocery
scanner) in
terms
of I/O |
7 |
Input/ Output: Computers
in Action Spreadsheets
and databases |
L&L chapter 5
Year 2000 Assignment |
8 |
Midterm |
Review L&L appendix
(Windows) |
9 |
Networks and Networking:
Linking the World,
Communications and networks, The Internet |
L&L chapters 6
Internet booklet |
10 |
Going Online: The Net,
Information Services
and More
Introduction to HTML |
L&L chapter 7
Competency Assignment |
11 |
Computers in Society:
Today |
L&L chapter 13
Internet Assignment |
12 |
Computers in society:
Tomorrow
Computers for the disabled, computer
security, privacy |
L & L chapter 14
Spreadsheet Lecture Assignment |
13 |
Final |
STUDY FOR FINAL!!!!! |
CIS
101: How this class will operate
CIS 101 is a core course required for all Pace
undergraduates.
Students will acquire:
- conceptual understanding and operational
skill in the basics
of computer hardware and software. This will include actual use of
common
application packages and introductory procedual programming.
Fundamental
concepts will be covered through classroom exercises, homework and
lecture
and discussion.
- general problem-solving and communication
skills, and experience
in working in teams to solve problems. This will include the
appropriate
use of computers to accomplish tasks and the use of systematic ,
analytic
thinking to address problems that may not be appropriate for automation.
- awareness and insight into the pervasive
presence of computer-based
technology in working and everyday life. This will include discussion
and
analysis of current applications and potential trends.
What does this mean in practical terms for the
two-hour ‘lecture’
part of the course?
- I expect you to come to class on time. It
is
a large class
and late arrivals are disruptive.
- I expect you to come to class prepared to
work. This means
that you will have done the reading assigned along with any homework.
- The homework will be prepared in a
professional manner--this
includes thought in the creation process and proofreading and polishing
for the final presentation.
- I welcome questions on the reading. Most
of
the time, I will
not review the reading if there are no questions. I also welcome
questions
and observations relating to your experiences. This includes events
covered
in the news.
Working also means that in practically all
classes, I will
assign a question or task to small groups to work on together and then
report to the whole class. In general, the questions will be open-ended
and require you to take time defining how you will address the problem.
You will not know ‘the answers’ before you have begun this work. To put
this another way, do not worry if you cannot immediately produce the
final
product or if your group appears to proceed in a different manner from
other groups.
It is important to know when to talk and
when not
to talk. When you are working in groups, you will be talking and also
listening
to the people in your group concerning the task assigned. But before
and
after these activities, you must be quiet and await your turn at
talking.
Disruptive students will be asked to leave and it will have an adverse
effect on their participation marks. It is especially important that
you
be quiet and attentive when a student is reporting from a group other
than
your own and I am responding to what that group is presenting. Apart
from
the fact that questions on quizzes and exams may be posed from these
discussions,
everyone can learn from these exchanges.
Making effective use of computer
technology requires
a mixture of general understanding, discipline and a willingness to
experiment
and to ask questions to get specific information. The most important
thing
you can learn in university is learning how to learn. If you put in the
effort, you will be rewarded, in CIS 101, your other courses, and your
career and life after Pace!
Have a good term!
CIS
101 Laboratory (Lab. Instructor: Heather Schneider)
Week |
Topics |
Lab 1 |
Visual Basic Introduction |
Lab 2 |
Visual Basic, assignment statements and
formulas |
Lab 3 |
Visual Basic, conditionals and select
case |
Lab 4 |
Visual Basic, repetition, for and while
loops |
Lab 5 |
Visual Basic, arrays |
Lab 6 |
Visual Basic, databases |
Lab 7 |
Simple machine |
Lab 8 |
Excel introduction |
Lab 9 |
Excel addressing |
Lab 10 |
Excel, printing spreadsheets, graphs |
Lab 11 |
HTML tutorial |
Lab 12 |
HTML project |
Lab 13 |
HTML project |
Method of teaching in the lab is primarily
helping individual
or pairs of students when they have problems, but some ‘front of the
room’
demonstrations would be appropriate. In addition, lab sessions are
appropriate
times to require students to give presentations to the whole class
using
the same projection equipment used by the instructor.
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