2008 Paper Outline for 158.100

MASSEY UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF SCIENCES

 

 

Paper Number & Title:     158.100: Computer Applications and the Information Age

 

Credits: 15 Semester:  2  Campus: Albany       
Mode:  Internal

 

What do I do? Each week, students attend one lecture, read one textbook chapter, and do one online WebCT quiz based on the chapter. The quiz and the chapter are for the NEXT lecture – this is so you get the most from the lecture and can also ask questions. You also go to Tutorials designed to introduce you IT ideas, and do Computer Labs designed to help you do practical things with computers. The Tutorials and the Labs together give you the skills needed to complete a Group Website Assignment. Note: computing is a big and important subject today, so this is a busy course. There is a lot of information, but if you come to class, read the book, do the quizzes, attend the tutorials and do the practical computer labs you will find that you will learn a lot and do well. If you don’t do any work ..... don’t be surprised if you don’t do too well!

 

Lecture: Friday 1-3pm, Neil Walters 200

 

Paper Coordinator:

 

Dr. Brian Whitworth

Senior Lecturer

Office:

QA2.03

Office Hours

Friday 2:00-5pm. Or email me for an appointment.

Phone:

(09) 414 0800 ext 9486

E-mail:

b.whitworth@massey.ac.nz

 

Other Contributing Staff:

 

Judy Le Heron

Senior Tutor

Office:

QA2.08

Phone:

(09) 414 0800 ext 9493

E-mail:

j.l.leheron@massey.ac.nz

 

 

Indu Sofat

Tutor

Office:

QA2.04

Phone:

(09) 414 0800 ext 9519

E-mail:

i.b.sofat@massey.ac.nz

 

Check you can log onto WebCT for 158.100 as soon as possible: If you cannot log on to WebCT or find 158.100 listed in your list of papers, go to Massey Contact and check you are properly enrolled in the paper. If you are enrolled and still cannot access the website, call ITS HelpDesk and tell the WebCT coordinator as soon as possible. Remember, you need access to WebCT for the weekly quizzes, and they start right at the beginning of semester.

For logon problems: http://www.mymassey.com/ WebCT home page http://webct.massey.ac.nz/

 

Advice: PRINT OFF LECTURE NOTES FROM WEBCT AND USE IN CLASS - Note: You learn more if you actively write down thoughts in class (on the lecture notes) rather than just passively sit in class and listen. Also you learn more if you ask interesting questions.

 

Textbook and Recommended Reading:

 

The course text is ‘Discovering Computers 2008: Complete’ by Gary B. Shelly, Thomas J. Cashman and Misty E. Vermaat, published by Thomson (2007). You need the textbook for the quizzes and the exams, however 3copies have been placed on reserve in the Albany campus library (two hour use)

 

Aim: To provide a foundation paper for the new Information Technology Major within the College of Sciences that is also suitable as an elective paper for students across the College of Sciences and other colleges, covering relevant aspects of information technology and computing to support their disciplines.

 

Calendar Prescription: A broad based and practical introduction to the applications of IT and computers that pervade today’s society. A range of software applications will be studied in their context of use, enabling an understanding not only of technical issues but also the social, ethical and organisational aspects of applied computing.

 

Learning Outcomes:

A student who successfully completes this paper will:

1.           Understand the role of Information Technology, computers and their applications today

2.           Recognise the key technologies of modern computer systems

3.           Understand the major socio-technical issues of computer applications and their contexts

4.           Experience software to support their work and leisure activities

5.           Understand how computer applications are specified, built and used

 

Prerequisite(s): None

Corequisite(s): None

Restrictions: None

 

Assessment: Students’ understanding of the role of IT and computers, together with key technologies and socio-technical issues, will be tested in the tutorial assessment and final exam. The lab assessment will be used to test the learning outcomes related to understand how software supports work and leisure activities. 

 

WebCT quizzes: 10%

Lab work: (weekly task achievements within the computer labs): 15%

Group Website assignment: 15%

Final exam: 60%

The final exam will be two hours and will involve 60 multiple choice questions for 60% and 20 short answer questions for 40%

 

Weekly WebCT Quiz must be completed in the designated week, during the time from Friday 00.05am to Thursday 11.55pm. The aim is quite simple - to get you, the student, to read the text book (and learn some useful stuff). The questions are on the upcoming lecture, and based on a given chapter of the text-book. The quiz can be done from anywhere in the world, even if a student is overseas, using the Internet. It helps you prepare for the exam, and also helps me focus the class lesson on what students don’t know. As this is computer processed, no paper, email or other submissions can be accepted, nor can late or early submissions be accepted. This participation assessment is an event, so cannot be redone. Don't ask to "resit" it, because it doesn't work that way, as after the week is over, all the answers are released. You get the points (1% per week) for participating in that week - it is not a score test. Students must have a "fair go" at the quiz, not just randomly answer (25%). You must get a quiz score of 50% or over get the participation points for that week. If you cannot get into WebCT in the first week, ask another class member to print the quiz, and submit a printed hard copy with your answers in class (only for weeks 1 and 2).

 

Deadlines and Penalties: Penalties for late submission of lab and tutorial work will apply.

 

Requirements to Pass the Paper:

To pass the paper you must submit all required assignment work, whether laboratory based or written, and attend the final examination. A pass rate of 50% overall is required. Failure to complete any of these requirements will lead to a DNC unless covered by the Aegrotat Regulations.

 

Learning Programme and Schedule:

 

 

E-learning Category: web enhanced

Outline of Lectures

Note: The quizzes for next week’s lecture open on the day of the lecture, and close the day before the next lecture

 

Lecture

Week

Topic

Student Activity

8

 

Week 1: 18July

The History of Computing & the Web

·    Read this course outline!

·    Get a text book

·    Get onto WebCT

·    Read Chapter 1, Do Quiz 1

·    Choose a Tutorial Group

1,2

Week 2: 25 July

Introduction to Computers (Ch1)

·    Read Chapter 2, Do Quiz 2

·    Attend Tutorial 1

·    Complete Lab 1/2

·    List of Group Assignment members and topic emailed to Indu by 5pm on  25 July

3, 4

Week 3: 1 August

The Internet and the World Wide Web (Ch2)

·    Read Chapter 3 & 10, Do Quiz 2

·    Attend Tutorial 2

·    Complete Lab 2/3

5, 6

Week 4: 8 August

Application Software (Ch3), Computer Security, Ethics and Privacy (Ch10)

·    Read Chapter 4 & 5, Do Quiz 4

·    Attend Tutorial 3

·    Complete Lab 4/5

9, 10

Week 5: 15 August

The components of the system unit (Ch4), Input & Output (Ch5)

·    Read Chapter 6 & 7, Do Quiz 5

·    Attend Tutorial 4

·    Complete Lab 6

·    COMPLETE LABS 1-6 BY AUGUST 21

11, 12

Week 6: 22 August

Storage (Ch6),  Operating Systems and Utility Programs (Ch7)

·    Read Chapter 9, Do Quiz 6

·    Attend Tutorial 5

·    Complete Lab 7

MID-TERM BREAK 25 August - 7 September

13,14

Week 7: 12 September

Databases (Ch9)

·    Read Chapter 8, Do Quiz 7, with Web Search

·    Attend Tutorial 6

·    Complete Lab 7/8

15,16

Week 8: 19 September

Communications and Networks (Ch 8), Human Factors in computing

·    Read Chapter 11 (p423-443), Do Quiz 8

·    Attend Tutorial 7

·    Complete Lab 8

17,18

Week 9: 26 September

Programming languages (Ch11)

·    Read Chapter 11 (p405-422), Do Quiz 9, and web search

·    Complete Lab 9/10

19,20

Week 10: 3 October

Managing Software Development (Ch11)

·    Read Chapter 12, Do Quiz 10

·    Group Assignment: Print copy of Website with cover sheet at start of class, plus link to uploaded and working website

22

Week 11: 10 October

Enterprise computing

·    Complete Lab 10

·    COMPLETE LABS 7-10 BY OCTOBER 16th

 

Week 12: 17 October

Review Lecture

·    Any questions??

EXAM

 

31st Oct AM

 

 

Tutorials run as follows:

Group 1: 

Wednesdays 2-3pm QB6

Group 2:

Thursdays 10-11am AT5

 

You pick to be in Group 1 or in Group 2 in Lesson 1.

 

Labs run in QB Lab 4

Choose your own time: Wednesdays 3-4pm or Thursday 2-3pm on a first come basis

You must do labs 1-6 before August 21st, and labs 7-10 before October 16th.

 

See elsewhere in WebCT for more details.

 

Conditions for Aegrotat Pass: 

If you are prevented by illness, injury or a serious crisis from attending an examination, or another compulsory assessment element that occurs at a fixed time and place, you may apply for an aegrotat consideration. You must provide some physical evidence, e.g. doctors certificate.

 

To qualify for an aegrotat pass on the final examination, you must have attempted at least 40% of the total formal assessment and your performance must be well above the minimum pass standard, so that the examiners can be confident that you would have passed the paper if you had completed the final examination. You may also apply for aegrotat consideration for other compulsory assessment elements that occur at a fixed time and place if you are prevented by illness, injury or a serious crisis from attending.  You must apply on the form available from the Examinations Office, the Student Health Service or the Student Counselling Service.

 

Conditions for Impaired Performance:

If you consider that your performance in, or preparation for, an examination, or another compulsory assessment element that occurs at a fixed time and place, has been seriously impaired by illness, injury or a serious crisis, you may apply for an impaired performance consideration.  You must apply on the form available from the Examinations Office, the Student Health Service or the Student Counselling Service.

 

Student Time Budget:

This is a 15-credit paper; therefore you will be expected to put in 187.5 hours of work over the semester (12.5 hours per week). The 15 week semester covers 12 weeks of lectures and 3 weeks of study breaks.

 

Attendance at lectures, labs and tutorials (See timetable)

48 hours

4 hours per week (x 12)

Reading course material and other relevant sources

48 hours

4 hours per week (x 12)

Performing practical exercises and tutorial preparation outside of formal lab or class times

48 hours

4 hours per week (x 12)

Final examination preparation

43.5 hours

 

 

Timetable: The 48 hours of timetabled contact time are made up of the following:

·        Lectures: Two hours of lectures per week, times and locations to be advised

·        Tutorials: One tutorial discussion per week – 1 hour. Time and location to be advised

·        Laboratories: One practical lab session per week – 1 hour. Time and location to be advised

 

Preparation for these activities includes reading the relevant chapter or other recommended text before the lecture and tutorials. Students are also expected to begin the lab work before the lab session. Details of relevant material can be found on WebCT.

 

Plagiarism:

Massey University, College of Sciences, has taken a firm stance on plagiarism and any form of cheating.  Plagiarism is the copying or paraphrasing of another person’s work, whether published or unpublished, without clearly acknowledging it.  It includes copying the work of other students.  Plagiarism will be penalised; it is likely to lead to loss of marks for that item of assessment and may lead to an automatic failing grade for the paper and/or exclusion from enrolment at the University.

 

Proposed Feedback and Support for Student Learning:

Formal feedback will be provided for assessed work, and informal feedback will be provided during the supervised laboratory session. In addition student learning is supported by a class WebCT site available for you to view all materials for the course. Regular checking of the class WebCT site is ESSENTIAL, as this is where course updates, support material and notices will be posted.

 

It is your responsibility to ensure that you keep up to date with the delivery of the course by accessing the WebCT site weekly.

 

There is a WebCT discussion forum available for all students enrolled in this course. It is the main mode of support for students and is moderated by the staff assigned to this course. Whilst the discussion forum is the preferred method of posting questions to staff members, questions or problems of a personal nature may, of course, be e-mailed directly to a staff member.

 

Any student posting offensive or inappropriate material to the discussion forum will be dealt with severely.

 

Details for accessing the discussion forum are available on the class web site and will be given in lectures.

 

Staff members will be available for student support during their advertised office hours. Staff will also be on hand during lab and tutorial sessions to provide assistance and answer student queries.

 

The turnaround time for assignments will be no more than three weeks from the due date.  It is important to note that the specified timeframe applies only to those assignments submitted by the due date, and does not necessarily apply to those submitted late.

 

Grievance Procedures:

A student who claims that he/she has sustained academic disadvantage as a result of the actions of a University staff member should use the University Grievance Procedures.  Students, whenever practicable, should in the first instance approach the University staff member concerned.  If the grievance is unresolved with the staff member concerned, the student should then contact the College of Sciences office on his/her campus for further information on the procedures, or read the procedures in the University Calendar.

 

Additional Information and Advice:

Software applications will be used for practical sessions. Students will require access to the Internet plus the following software:

 

These applications are available to students via the university network. In addition, students may have access to copies of Microsoft Visual Studio via the Microsoft Developer Network Academic Alliance (MSDNAA).