Course Objectives
- Describe ways in which computing enables innovation.
- Discuss the ways in which innovations enabled by computing affect communication and problem solving.
- Analyze how computing influences and is influenced by the cultures for which they are designed and the cultures in which they are used.
- Analyze how social and economic values influence the design and development of computing innovations.
- Discuss issues of equity, access, and power in the context of computing resources.
- Communicate the legal an ethical concerns raised by computational innovations.
- Discuss privacy and security concerns related to computational innovations.
- Explain positive and negative effects of technological innovations on human culture.
Assignments
A Summary of Unit Assignments is listed below:
- Unit Project: Human Computer Interaction
Using the Internet as a research tool, students will explore purchasing a computer and corresponding software packages. They will use critical search skills to examine the validity and reliability of computer reviews, specification pages, and price comparisons. They will also analyze the level of computational power, memory, input devices and peripheral devices needed for a specific type of computing purpose or population (i.e. data analysis, gaming, college studies, person with visual impairments, etc.), and list the necessary software required to meet this the specific needs of the population. The final product will be a research report, including Excel tables and graphs, recommending the hardware, software, and pricing for the assigned purpose.
- Unit Project: Problem Solving
Students will be presented a unique computing-related problem and develop a strategy for solving this problem. As part of this problem-solving process, students will need to write algorithms that use simple and complex logic statements, including relational operators and Boolean operators. These algorithms must include a specification of a step-by-step process that produces a desired result, must specify each step unambiguously, must have a clear starting point, and must have a clear stopping point. Students will also need to consider social and ethical issues for solving a particular problem. Examples of problems might include a) designing a medical database for patients that includes pertinent medical information for each patient but also considers privacy issues and conflicts of interest between medical practitioners and insurance companies; b) creating the best route from destination A to B using subway and bus schedules for a minimal cost; or c) using police data to analyze claims of racial profiling in particular communities.
- Unit Project: Web Design
Students will create user-friendly and functional Web sites that apply good Human Computer Interface practices. These Web sites should also recognize hardware and software constraints of potential client machines and/or environments. Students will also be required to apply good code documentation that follows professional standards. The final product will be the working Web site accessible on the Internet.
- Unit Project: Programming
Students will code, text, and execute a computer program that corresponds to a set of specifications. Using Alice software, they will use Java to tell a story that makes use of data types, loops, conditional statements, and other fundamental programming concepts. They will conclude the project by presenting their “story” to the class and describing the coding methodology used to enact this narrative.
- Unit Project: Logic and Programming
learn fundamental concepts of object-oriented programming with Jeroo, including
- Instantiating and using objects
- Writing methods to extend behavior
- Selecting and using fundamental control structures
- Unit Project: Python Programming
Develop a 2D game using Python syntax, variables, pygame libraries, loops, and lists
- Final Exam
Students will be tested on the major objectives of the course twice a year – at the end of each semester. They will be assessed on computing terminology, technical skills, foundation knowledge of algorithms and computer programming, web design knowledge, understanding of problem solving strategies, connections to mathematics, and use of appropriate presentation formats to communicate information.