FALL 2000 HUM 2305 CRN 10086 MW 1:00-2:15 Hagen L K HUM 2305 10087 TR 01:00-02:15 Hagen L K HUM 2305 CRN 10088 MW 05:30-06:45 Hagen L K COURSE DESCRIPTION An overview of computer hardware and software applications for students in programs in the Humanities, English, Social Sciences and Teacher Certification. The course emphasizes hands-on experience in word processing, basic productivity, web publication, educational software and multimedia development. CLASS INFORMATION This is an introductory course in computing for students who plan to focus their studies on English, the Arts, Speech Communication, Drama, Foreign Languages, Psychology, Education, Sociology, Social Science, History, or Criminal Justice. Students in other areas may take the course as well if they have received permission from their advisors. The course assumes no prior experience with personal computers. Nonetheless if you do have some experience with PC's, you should still feel free to enroll. The lab maintains open hours, to be announced, during which students can work on their projects. INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION Dr. Hagen 713-221-8628 Office and open hours in the lab, N950, TBA. MATERIALS 1. Robin Williams, The Little Mac Book (LMB, Berkeley: Peachpit Press). 2. Various handouts from the professor. 3. Three High Density (HD 2.0 Mb) diskettes. 4. One ream (500 sheets) Xerox 8 1/2 x 11 4200 DP 20 lb. white document paper. COURSE REQUIREMENTS Word Processing: Format a paper according to specifications. (10%) Word Processing: Write a resume with a cover letter according to specs.(10%) Spreadsheet: Prepare a grade summary for a hypothetical college class.(10%) Web page: On a topic of your choice. (10%) Midterm exam. (15%) Multimedia: Programming project. (20%) Final exam. (25%) Time permitting, we will have a series of mini-lectures on graphics, image processing, audio and video capture, BeOS and Linux. NOTES ON ATTENDANCE While there are no formal attendance requirements for this course, it is recommended that you not take this course if 1) you anticipate being absent frequently this semester, or 2) if you have had problems attending classes regularly in the past. Students are responsible for all the material whether they are in class or not. Like every other class in every university, it is fully expected that students will spend time working on class material outside of normally scheduled times. Thus you are expected to work on your projects regularly during open lab hours. All students should note that there are no provisions for make-up exams, extra credit, or dropping of lowest grades, and that late assignments are not accepted. TENTATIVE LIST OF ACTIVITIES Numbers in brackets below refer to chapters in Williams, The Little Mac Book. Material in the book generally will not be discussed or reviewed in class unless students have specific questions. However, in writing your midterm and final exams, the professor will assume that you have read and fully understood the assigned chapters. Ask questions if you don't understand any material in the book! WEEK 1 (Starts AUG 21): Turn on the machine [2], Open and close windows [7], Drag and resize windows [8], Open and close icons [9], Create folders [10], Open and close applications [13], Open, close and save documents [15],[17], Format diskettes [1], [18], Backup protocol. WEEK 2 (AUG. 28): Basic word processing operations, Typing [14], Using your menu bar [3],[5], Selecting, copying, cutting and pasting [11], Formatting, Deleting [12]. WEEK 3 (SEP. 4): Using functions from the keyboard [6], Printing [16], [21], [27], Managing your desktop [4], [8], [19], Word processing tools. TURN IN ASSIGNMENT #1. WEEK 4 (SEP. 11): Introduction to web page design. TURN IN ASSIGNMENT #2 WEEK 5 (SEP. 18): Basic HTML. Memory management [1],[24],[30]. Operating systems [1],[20],[30] WEEK 6 (SEP. 25): Using paint tools, Importing graphics and converting graphics [32],[33],[34]. WEEK 7 (OCT. 2): Basic Spreadsheet. TURN IN ASSIGNMENT #3 WEEK 8(OCT. 9): REVIEW, MIDTERM EXAM. TURN IN ASSIGNMENT #4. WEEK 9 through WEEK 14 (OCT. 16 through NOV 24): Basic principles of multimedia development: Read your documentation! xCard properties: Projects, Windows, Cards, Fields, Buttons, Backgrounds and graphics. START WORK ON YOUR PROJECT (details TBA). Basic xTalk, Handlers, Commands, Chars, words, strings, chunks, properties. More basic scripting, importing graphics, PICTS, TIFFS, GIFS. Basic-to-intermediate scripting, variables, conditional structures, repeat structures. Debug your projects. WEEK 15 (NOV. 27): Add final touches to your projects. FINAL REVIEW. WEEK 16 DEC. 4): TURN IN PROJECTS. THE FINAL EXAM WILL BE GIVEN ON THE DATE AND TIME SPECIFIED BY THE UNIVERSITY. FINAL EXAM SCHEDULE HUM 2305 CRN 10086 MW 1:00-02:15 DEC. 4, 2000 1:00pm-3:30pm HUM 2305 CRN 10087 TR 01:00-02:15 DEC. 5, 2000 1:00-3:30pm HUM 2305 CRN 10088 MW 05:30-06:45 DEC. 6, 2000 5:30 - 7:30pm The University of Houston-Downtown adheres to all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and guidelines with respect to providing reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities. Students with disabilities should register with Disabled Student Services and contact their instructors in a timely manner to arrange for appropriate accommodations.