Nature of Computing

CSCI 104 (Section 04), Spring 2014

Instructor: Dr. Shieu-Hong Lin (ext 5146),

TA: Jonathan Oh

Textbook: (i) Python Programming: free online Wikibook available at

http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Python_Programming/

(ii) Digital Planet: Tomorrow's Technology and You, Introductory, 10^th Ed.

(iii) Introduction to databases for all majors.

Web Page: csci.biola.edu/csci104Lin/

Learning Objectives:

• Learn the fundamental concepts of digital information processing, computer hardware, computer software, and computer networks to gain a clear understanding of how modern computer systems work.
• Cultivate the basic programming skill using the Python programming language and learn to use Excel and Access for simple numerical computation and database management.
• Examine the accomplishment and limitation of computer science in developing artificial intelligence and gain a deeper appreciation of the human cognitive capability and intellectual capacity as wonderful gifts we receive.

Components of the grade:

Reading and participation (See the weekly cumulative progress report)	15%
Faith and learning reflection assignments	15%
Lab assignments and programming assignments	35%
Tests and Exams	35%

To get this Grade	Reach this percentage
A	93%
A-	90%
B+	87%
B	83%
B-	80%
C+	77%
C	73%
C-	70%
D+	67%
D	63%
D-	60%

Tentative Schedule

Week	Subject of Exploration	Reading
1	Can we make the computer think and act like humans?	2001: A Space Odyssey
2	How does the computer store and process information?	Chapter 2: Hardware Basics: Inside the Box
3	How does the computer perceive the world and interact with it?	Chapter 3: Hardware Basics: Peripherals
4	How do we program the behavior of the computer Part I (storing information in variables)?	Chapter 4: Software Basics Reading on programming
5	How do we program the behavior of the computer Part II (simple input/output)?	Chapter 5: Productivity Reading on programming
6	How do we program the behavior of the computer Part III (operations and expressions)?	Chapter 6: Graphics Reading on programming
7	How do we program the behavior of the computer Part IV (conditional statements)?	Chapter 7: Database Reading on programming
8	Review and Midterm
9	How do we program the behavior of the computer Part V (loops)?	Reading on programming
10	How do we program the behavior of the computer Part VI (functions)?	Reading on programming
11	How can we have the computers communicate with each other?	Chapter 8: Networking
12	How can we make the computers in the world work together as a global community?	Chapter 9: The Evolving Internet
13	What are the risk and security issues in the world of computers	Chapter 10: Computer Security
14	Review and more on Computer Science
15	Final exam

Weekly Progress Report for the Reading and Participation Credit:

Download the template of cumulative weekly progress report. Keep updating this cumulative weekly progress report as a file throughout the semester. By the end of every Wednesday, you should incorporate information of what you have done and the amount of time you spent for the reading, the lab assignment, the programming assignment, or other written assignments since last Wednesday into the cumulative progress report. This file serves as the basis for you to gain the credit of “Reading/Participation”, which accounts for 15% of the total grade weight.

Submission of the Weekly Progress Report:

By the end of every Wednesday, you should email the cumulative progress report as an attachment to the TA.

Due Dates and Late Policy

Due dates of various assignments will all be on Wednesdays. In order to get full credit for an assignment, you must send it in by the end of due date. Late submission up to 7 days late will end in 50% reduction in the points received. Assignments turned in more than 7 days late will not be accepted and will receive no point.

Lab and Assignments

You should attend the class regularly. Since we will explore a lot of things using the computers in the lab, you are expected to learn many basic concepts and computing skills by following and applying what we demonstrate in the lab. Your weekly assignments typically require you to apply these concepts and computing skills. This means you will have a hard time to catch up if you do not attend the class regularly.

Course Website and Online Course Information

Check the course website (http://csci.biola.edu/csci104Lin/index.htm) regularly for course announcements. The class web page will contain the most up-to-date information on class assignments, things to do, and due dates. Records of the points you got from the assignments, test, and exams will be posted online on the Biola Blackboard system.

ACADEMIC HONESTY POLICY: We are committed at Biola University to ethical practice in teaching, scholarship, and service. As such, plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. Please see the undergraduate/graduate student handbook and/or the departmental/program/school policy on academic honesty. It is imperative that you present all written, oral, and/or performed work with a clear indication of the source of that work. If it is completely your own, you are encouraged to present it as such, taking pleasure in ownership of your own created work. However, it is also imperative that you give full credit to any and all others whose work you have included in your presentation via paraphrase, direct quotation, and/or performance, citing the name(s) or the author(s)/creator(s) and the source of the work with appropriate bibliographic information. To do otherwise is to put oneself in jeopardy of being sanctioned for an act or acts of plagiarism that can carry serious consequences up to and including expulsion from the university.

Students desiring accommodations on the basis of physical, learning, or psychological disability are to contact the Learning Center (x4542) located in room U137, on the upper level of the library.