IT 130 The Internet and the Web

Fall 2011

Instructor

Dr. Craig Miller
Loop Office: 745 CDM Building, 312-362-5085
Lincoln Park Office: 332 Student Center
Email: cmiller@cs.depaul.edu
Office Hours: Announced on Web page

Course Meeting

• Section 104 (15091)
• Tuesday and Thursday 2:40 to 4:10 in SAC 240

Overview

Students learn about the Internet and the Web through the creation of interactive Web pages. Weekly assignments include developing pages using HTML and Javascript. Incrementally, programming concepts are learned and practiced to create interesting dynamic pages. General concepts of computing are explored throughout the term.

This course satisfies the Scientific Inquiry Elective Liberal Studies Requirement.

Prerequisites

This course has no prerequisites.

Texts

All required sources will be posted online. No additional texts are required.

Goals

The primary goal of this course is to provide a general understanding of computing by focusing on the Web and its technologies. Specific goals include:

• Understand how Web sites are organized
• Develop useful Web pages
• Write simple programs
• Learn how to look up documentation to learn on your own
• Diagnose problems in computer code by tracing program states, predicting output and explaining any discrepancies between predicted output and actual behavior.
• Understand the role of programs and algorithms for solving scientific problems.
• Identify difficulties and limitations of using computer technology for solving problems.

Grade Determination

Students receiving more than 90% of possible points are guaranteed at least an A-, more than 80% at least a B-, more than 70% at least a C-, and more than 60% at least a D.

Policies

Students are expected to attend every class. Attendance will be informally kept even though it is not a part of the course grade.

Tests and quizzes can be made up with a serious documented excuse (e.g. illness, death in the family) and must be arranged as soon as possible. Arrangements involving other excuses require prior permission from the instructor.

The goal of assignments is to practice the concepts taught in class. You are expected to do your own assignments. However, some collaboration with other students is allowed and even encouraged. The following types of collaboration are allowed:

• Discussing strategies for solving a problem
• Explaining why a Web page does not work
• Reviewing and testing someone else's Web pages
• Using HTML and Javascript code provided by the instructor and texts

The following types of collaboration are not allowed:

• Copying someone else's HTML or Javascript code
• Literally telling someone what code to write

Engaging in these last two types of collaboration will be considered a violation of the university's policy on academic integrity. Violators will receive a 0 for the corresponding assignment and will be reported as required by the policy.

Late assignments will be accepted without penalty until 2pm the day following the due date. Assignments turned in later than 2pm the day following the due date will not be accepted.

Additional assignments for extra credit will not be offered.

School policies on instructor evaluation, email, plagiarism and incompletes.

Tentative Schedule

Final Exam

The final exam is scheduled for Tuesday November 22, 2:45 - 5:00 pm, O'Connell (1036 W. Belden) room 330.