| I101
Introduction to Informatics |
|
| I101
Introduction to Informatics |
Monday 3:30-5:00pm. I am in office room 206F, Hunt Hall. You can also make an appointment to meet with me. Please email me or call me for an appointment. Students are always welcome to knock on my door when I am not busy.
Section: 7793, 7795 room: SM 201 (Hunt Hall)
This course is designed to allow you to develop an assortment of computer-based skills, including a broad range of terminology. It is specifically about problem solving with information technology. As such, there are introductions to information representation, relational databases, system design, propositional logic, and cutting edge technologies. Hardware and software tools are overviewed including: CPU workings, operating systems, and networks. Laboratory time covers items such as programming, MS Office applications, databases, spreadsheets, and other campus computing tools. Student responsibilities in the course will include reading and writing summaries/critiques of academic papers, presenting topics, conducting a research project, and completing regular homework assignments and exams.
The official textbook for this course is R. White, How Computers Work, 2001, 6th Edition, Que Publishing, ISBN 0-7897-2549-5, 416 pages. It is available from the bookstore as well as amazon.com.
Your grade in this class will be based on the following:
(Note that these percentages are only approximate and are subject to change, but by no more than 10%.)
| Discussion Participation | 5% |
| Quiz | 20% |
| Assignments | 20% |
| Test 1 | 15% |
| Test 2 | 15% |
| Test 3 | 15% |
| Project | 10% |
| Extra Research (OPTIONAL) | 5% |
The grading scale is as follows (+ and - modifiers will be applied as appropriate):
| 97-100 | A+ |
| 93-96 | A |
| 90-92 | A- |
| 87-89 | B+ |
| 83-86 | B |
| 80-82 | B- |
| 77-79 | C+ |
| 73-76 | C |
| 70-72 | C- |
| 67-69 | D+ |
| 63-66 | D |
| 60-62 | D- |
| 0-59 | F |
The time to ask questions is during class. Please participate actively. You are responsible for knowing and following University regulations. This includes such areas as withdrawals, incompletes, pass/fail options, and ethics. Start early in case the unforeseen happens near grading dates (disk failure, working overtime, or whatever). Make backup copies as needed.
Exams will cover the material in the text (mostly) and lectures (some questions not in the readings). Graded items missed for a valid reason are handled by taking a makeup. Makeup exams will use your individual score to calculate both individual and team components of the exam value (9% & 6% respectively). Quizzes taken late will have extra requirements to adjust for the student having had additional preparation time.
Learning computing skills is supported by in-class small group activities, but you will likely need to devote additional time towards building proficiencies prior to being graded on individual skills. This is your homework assignment, after readings are done.
NONE
Please refer to the statement on academic integrity given below. Any evidence of cheating will result in a 0 grade for the assignment/exam, and the incident will be submitted to the department for further review.
I expect you to attend class and to arrive on time. Your grade may be affected if you are consistently tardy. If you have to miss a class, you are responsible checking the course website to find any assignments or notes you may have missed. Students may leave after 15 minutes if the instructor or a guest lecturer does not arrive in that time.
Any assignment submitted after its deadline is considered late. Assignments that are submitted within 24 hours after the original deadline are considered to be "one day late," within 48 hours "two days late," etc. Weekends count just like weekdays in determining the number of days late.
Five percent (5%) of the assignment's total value will be deducted for each day an assignment is late. Assignments will not be accepted after they are more than 3 days late. I reserve the right to specify that late submissions will not be accepted for any assignment.
Students should activate their IU Kokomo e-mail accounts and check them every day. If a student chooses to have his/her messages forwarded to another account, it is the student's responsibility to take the necessary steps to have them forwarded.
Please be respectful of your classmates and instructor by minimizing distractions during class. Cell phones must be turned off during class. Disruptive classroom behavior will not be tolerated. This includes unnecessary chatting, text messaging, the use of a cell phone during lecture/exams, etc. Be respectful of the learning environment.
Make-ups for graded activities are possible only with a valid written medical or university excuse. It is the student's responsibility to give the instructor the written excuse and to arrange for any makeup work to be done. A makeup exam may be different (and possibly more difficult) than the regularly scheduled exam.
Please turn off or silence your cell phone during class. The use of cell phones, ipods, MP3 players, or any other electronic devices will be strictly forbidden during the exams and during lectures. Only non-programmable calculators will be authorized during exams.
In compliance with PL94-142 and more recent federal legislation affirming the rights of disabled individuals, provisions will be made for students with special needs on an individual basis. The student must have been identified, as "special needs" by the university and an appropriate letter(s) must be provided to the course instructor. Provision will be made based upon written guidelines from the university "special needs students" resource office. All students are expected to fulfill all course requirements.
The course website should be your first reference for questions about the class. The schedule will be updated throughout the semester with links to assigned readings. Announcements and frequently asked questions (FAQ) will also be posted to the course website.
The best way to get help is to come to office hours. If you cannot make office hours, please send an email to setup an appointment. I am available via email, but do not expect or rely on an immediate response.
