CS 301: Computer Mastery (Spring 2006)

COURSE OBJECTIVES

• for students to understand fundamental concepts of computer systems, their applications in different areas and their impact on our society.
• for students to develop their analytical, critical thinking, and problem solving skills through class discussions and hands-on exercises.
• to familiarize students on using software packages such as Microsoft® WORD/EXCEL/ACCESS.
• for students to learn important computer science concepts, e.g. networking, database, and data representation and manipulation etc.
• for students to learn how to develop web pages and basic programming concepts and skills using JavaScript.
• to make students fluent in current information technologies and prepare for a lifetime of expanding their use of IT.

TEXTBOOKS

1. “ Exploring Microsoft Office 2003 ” (enhanced edition) by Robert T. Brauer and Maryann Barber, Prentice Hall 2006 (required)
2. “ Fluency with Information Technology ” (2nd edition) by Lawrence Snyder, Addison Wesley 2005 (required)

ANNOUNCEMENTS

5/3    Final Project Presentation (Final report due)
        Final Exam Review

5/1    Lab "Reports and Queries".
         Read Chapter 3 of "Microsoft Access 2003"
         Assignment 13 (Due on 5/3)

4/26  Lab "Tables and Forms".
         Read Chapter 2 of "Microsoft Access 2003"
         Assignment 12 (Due on 5/1)

4/24   Lecture "Database Queries".
         Read Chapter 15 of "Fluency with Information Technology".

4/19   Lab: "Introduction to Microsoft Access".
         Read Chapter 1 of "Microsoft Access 2003"
         Bring the textbook “Exploring Microsoft Office 2003 ”
         Assignment 11 (Due on 4/24)

4/17  Lecture: "Introduction to Database Concepts".
         Read Chapter 14 of "Fluency with Information Technology".

4/12   Lab: "A Basic Animation"
         Assignment 10 (Due on 4/17)
         Download here the GIF files "WhiteBox.gif" and "RedBox.gif"

4/10   Lecture: Lecture: "Animation" and "Case Study".
         Read Chapter 21 and 22 of "Fluency with Information Technology"
         The Busy webpage and the Smooth Motion webpage
         The Coin Flip and Five Trials webpage

4/5     Lecture: Lecture: "Iteration Principles".
         Read Chapter 21 of "Fluency with Information Technology".
         The Busy webpage

3/22   Lab: "Storyteller".
         Review Chapter 19 and 20 and read the Lab before the class.
         Assignment 9 (Due on 4/5)

3/20   Lecture: "Thinking Big - Abstraction and Functions"
         Read Chapter 20 of "Fluency with Information Technology".
         Memory Bank webpage

3/15   Lab: "Conditionals". Assignment 8 (Due on 3/20)
         Review Chapter 18 on conditional statements and Read the Lab before the class

Midterm Review Topics (Midterm Date 3/13)

3/8    Term Project Assignment

3/8     Lecture: "Graphical User Interface".
         Read Chapter 19 of "Fluency with Information Technology".
         The Bean counter webpage

3/6     Lab: "Getting Started with JavaScript". 
         Assignment 7 (Due on 3/8) Read it before the class

3/1     Lecture: "Fundamental Concepts in JavaScript".
         Read Chapter 18 of "Fluency with Information Technology".

2/27   Lecture: "How does a Computer work?" and "Algorithmic Thinking".
         Read Chapter 9 and 10 of "Fluency with Information Technology"

2/22   Lab: Graphs and Charts in Excel Read Chapter 3 of "Microsoft Office Excel 2003".
         Assignment 6 (Due on 2/27)

2/20  Lecture: Bits and Bytes and Representing multimedia digitally
        Read Chapter 8 and 11 of "Fluency with Information Technology".

2/15 Lab: Gaining proficiency of Excel  Read Chapter 2 of "Microsoft Office Excel 2003" (page 345-374)
        Assignment 5 (Due on 2/20)

2/13  Lecture: Introduction to debugging  
        Read Chapter 7 of "Fluency with Information Technology".

2/8    Lab: Introduction to Excel  Read Chapter 1 of "Microsoft Office Excel 2003" (page 281-333)
        Assignment 4  (Due on 2/13)

2/6    Lecture: Searching For Truth    
        Read Chapter 5 and 6 of "Fluency with Information Technology".

2/1    Lab2 & Assignment 3: Basic HTML (Due on 2/6)
        Read the assignment before class

1/30  Lecture: HTML Primer
        Read Chapter 4 before class

1/25 Lab 1: Internet Basics.(part 2 and 3 updated) Read the lab assignment
        Assignment 2 Due on 2/1 (changed)

1/23 Lecture: The Basics of Networking.
       Read Chapter 3 of “ Fluency with Information Technology ”

1/18 Lecture Notes: About CS301J, Chapter 1 Terms of Endearment, Chapter 2 What the digerati know
       Assignment: Homework 1 (due on 1/23)
       Read Chapter 1 and 2 of “ Fluency with Information Technology ” and
       Chapter 1 "Getting started with Microsoft Windows XP" of “ Exploring Microsoft Office 2003 ”.