CPS 107-01: Introduction to
Computer Science
Spring Semester 2011 3 credits
Section 01 Meets: T Th 9:00 – 10:15am
21A Miriam Hall
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Prerequisites:
A burning desire to learn.
Catalog Description:
An introduction to the field of Computer Science is
presented covering the important aspects of the topics of computer hardware,
networking, operating systems, computer programming, artificial intelligence,
database theory, and computation.
Motivation:
Computer Science is a field that touches virtually all
other disciplines of study. It is a
discipline that centers on the representation, manipulation, processing, as
well as the creation of information. In
many ways it mimics techniques and principles of cognitive science (which
codifies these activities as they occur in the human brain).
In this course, an introduction to the field of
Computer Science is presented by embracing an interleaved approach where we
study theory and practice it by learning computer programming in the language
ALICE. We commence our study with tangible ideas about the machine itself and expolore topics such as computer hardware, computer
networks, and standard application use, and then progress through many of this
discipline’s areas including computer programming, artificial intelligence,
database, and computation theory. We
will learn basic software engineering by formalizing
program development into three phases:
planning, implementing, and maintaining.
Objectives:
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To learn some of
the parlance along with some of the acronyms of computer science.
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To learn the
fundamental hardware of any von Neumann computing device
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To learn the
fundamental programming constructs of any imperative programming language
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To master some of
the important underlying discrete mathematical essentials on which Computer
Science theory is based
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To learn the
hardware and software construction of the World Wide Web
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To write computer
programs using the Alice programming language
Subject
Matter (Tentative list and schedule of
coverage):
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Week |
Date |
Topics |
Readings |
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1 |
1- Tues, 1/18/11 |
Getting Excited
about Computing |
CSIL Preface, Chapter
1 |
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2 -Thur, 1/20/11 |
Getting Started with Alice |
AIA Preface, Chapter 1 |
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2 |
3- Tues, 1/25/11 |
Binary Numbers |
CSIL Chapter 2 |
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4- Thur, 1/27/11 |
New Worlds in Alice |
AIA Chapter 1 |
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3 |
5- Tues, 2/1/11 Quiz |
Data Representation |
CSIL Chapter 3 |
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6- Thur, 2/3/11 |
People Objects |
AIA Chapter 1 |
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4 |
** Mon, 2/7/11 |
Last day to
withdraw without record |
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7- Tues, 2/8/11
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Digital images, music,
and movies |
CSIL Chapter 3 |
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8- Thur, 2/10/11 |
Scene
Division and Dummy Objects |
AIA Chapter 2 |
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5 |
9 - Tues, 2/15/11 |
Hardware: Gates and Circuits |
CSIL Chapter 4 |
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10 - Thur, 2/17/11 |
Thinking in 3D |
AIA Chapter 2 |
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6 |
11- Tues, 2/22/11 |
Hardware: Computing Components |
CSIL Chapter 5 |
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12- Thur, 2/24/11 |
Variables in Alice |
AIA Chapter 3 |
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7 |
13- Tues, 3/1/11 Midterm 1 |
Midterm 1 Test on material covered so
far. |
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14- Thur, 3/3/11 No Class |
Midterm
Break – No Class |
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8 |
15- Tues, 3/8/11 |
Computer Networking |
CSIL Chapter 15 |
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16- Thur, 3/10/11 |
Vehicles and Functions in
Alice |
AIA Chapter 3 |
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9 |
18- Tues, 3/15/11 |
The World Wide Web |
CSIL Chapter 16 |
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19- Thur, 3/17/11 |
Building your own Web Page |
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10 |
20- Tues, 3/22/11 |
Problem Solving and
Algorithms |
CSIL Chapter 7 |
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21- Thur, 3/24/11 |
Flow Control in Alice |
AIA Chapter 4 |
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11 |
22- Tues, 3/29/11
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High Level Programming Languages |
CSIL Chapter 9 |
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23- Thur, 3/31/11 |
Controlling
Loops in Alice |
AIA Chapter 4 |
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12 |
** - Mon 4/4/11 |
Last day to
withdraw with grade of ‘W’ |
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24- Tues, 4/5/11
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Computer Programming: Hand Simulation |
CSIL Chapter 9 |
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25- Thur, 4/7/11 |
Conditionals in Alice |
AIA Chapter 4 |
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13 |
26- Tues, 4/12/11 |
Artificial Intelligence |
CSIL Chapter 13 |
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27- Thur, 4/14/11 |
Groups and Events in Alice |
AIA Chapters 5 and 6 |
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14 |
28 - Tues, 4/19/11 Midterm 2 |
Midterm 2--Test
on material covered since last midterm |
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29- Thur, 4/21/11 |
Easter Break – No Class |
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15 |
30- Tues, 4/26/11 |
Final Projects |
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31- Thur, 4/28/11 |
Final Projects |
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16 |
Tuesday,
5/3/11 10:10am – 12 noon |
Cumulative
Final – Miriam Hall 21A |
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Saturday, 5/7/11 |
Graduate
Student GRADUATION
12:45pm |
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Sunday, 5/8/11 |
Undergraduate
Student GRADUATION
9:45am |
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Required Texts: Computer Science
Illuminated—Fourth Edition
By, Nell Dale
and John Lewis
ISBN #: 10- 0-7637-7646-6
Alice
in Action Programming
with Animation
By, Dann, Cooper, and Pausch
Thomson CourseTechnology
ISBN: 10-1418837717
4
GB Flash Memory Stick – dedicated to this course
Grading (Approximate distribution of credit):
Quiz 10%
Midterm #1 – 15 %
Midterm #2– 15 %
Final Project -- 10 %
Final
Exam –
15 %
Course Flash Drive -- 8%
Homework and Programming Assignments 22%
In-Class Grade 05%
(includes class participation, pop quizzes, and in-class exercises) note: these cannot be made up
Attendance: Attendance is required. Bring your textbooks and flashdrive to every class unless directed otherwise.
Conduct Rules:
Students may share ideas in doing assignments and composing programs, but may not copy them from one another. There is no sharing of work, only ideas. Plagiarizing work will result in a zero for that assignment. ¨ If you copy a file from another student, the assignment will receive a grade of zero. If you supply another student with your file, you also will receive a grade of zero. If you persist in behavior that is academically dishonest, you will automatically fail the course.
Email Communication and Class Computer Accounts:
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Email: I prefer to conduct communication
through email. My email address (as indicated above) is seitzer@.udayton.edu.
Please feel free to write me anytime. I try to check my email many times
through the day.
· Class Email List: Along with web page postings, I regularly send my classes email via the respective Class Email List. Please make sure you have the correct address logged with the university to receive all class emails. These lists are maintained by the university at address.udayton.edu.
·
Lab Work and Programs: Programming assignments may be written
using the platform of your choice in any lab of your choice so long as the
system on which you are working has an operational installation of the Alice interpreter. You may download your own at www.alice.org
Course Web Pages and
Isidore Site:
·
The
course has its own web page that can be found at URL http://homepages.udayton.edu/~jseitzer1/cps107.
The majority of the class work, assignments, and handouts will be posted
on http://isidore.udayton.edu.
Course Flash Drive
You are required to purchase a dedicated 4 GB memory stick (flash drive) for this course. You should save all work on your flash drive from both your personal computer and the lab computers. It is a convenient device that will enable you to maintain and transfer your work from machine to machine. It will also enable you to keep a permanent repository of your semester work. Your drive will be collected and graded at the end of the semester as a compendium of your work in this course.
You must keep a copy of all your completed work on your class flash drive even if it was graded during class. Failure to put completed assignments on your flash drive may result in no credit.
University of Dayton
Honor Code
The University of Dayton Academic Honor Code: A Commitment to Academic Integrity
I understand that as a student of the University of Dayton, I am a member of
our academic and social community, I recognize the importance of my education
and the value of experiencing life in such an integrated community, I believe that the value of my education and
degree is critically dependent upon the academic integrity of the university
community, and so in order to maintain our academic integrity, I pledge
to:
- Complete all assignments and examinations by the guidelines given to me by my
instructors,
- Avoid plagiarism and any other form of misrepresenting someone else's work as my own
- Adhere to the Standards of Conduct as outlined in the Academic Honor Code.
In doing this, I hold myself and my community to a higher standard of
excellence, and set an example for my peers to follow.
Signed:
Dated: