 |
The Internet: A Practical GuideCAPP-385 (3) |
UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND UNIVERSITY COLLEGE Electronic Distance Education Heidelberg, Germany |
|
DE Term 3, 1999-2000; 1 Feb.
- 12 May 2000
|
||
(3 sem. hours via Electronic Communications)
| How better to move into the new Millennium than with a course on the Internet. |
If you have specific questions about the course,
contact me by email.
|
ICQ: 56469537 |
Course Goal:- Each student will
- Progress from "novice" Internet user to "basic journeyman" level;
- Understand the structure and facilities available on the Internet;
- Be able to design, construct, activate and maintain a WWW site and pages using tools learned in this course;
- Be able to use general and special purpose software and hardware to access the wide variety of sites and files available via the Internet; and
- Be able to use the variety of facilities on the Internet in a skillful, systematic, and purposeful fashion.
An introduction to the Internet and the World Wide Web. Topics include basic principles and protocols of the Internet; configuration and use of graphical web browsers, application programs such as telnet, FTP, email, and Usenet readers; finding and retrieving information on the World Wide Web, use of portals and search engines; introduction to HTML and web page design. Internet security measures are discussed as are social, ethical, and political issues related to the growth of the Internet. Students will design and implement web pages.
Prerequisite: CAPP 100A or equivalent. CAPP 100K recommended. Extensive computer use by students.
This is an upper-division, elective course in the Computer Studies Bachelor degree programs, including CMIS and IFSM, and in Management Studies.
Required Texts: |
|
| Quercia, V. Internet in a Nutshell. Cambridge, MA: O'Reilly, 1997. [ O'Reilly Web & Internet Center Internet in Nutshell ]. | Neou, V. HTML 4.0 CD with JavaScript. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall: 1999. [ HTML 4.0 CD w/JAVASCRIPT ] |
| At Bigwords.com, use B-code B-2BHSEZ for an extra 5% discount on these books which are also sold as used books at a substantial discount. | |
Required Resources:(You do not need to be proficient in the use of all software prior to the start of this course. However, we do jump into the use of both browsers and utility software early in the course and you need to plan some extra hours for learning how to use unfamiliar software.) |
|
|
Consistent, reliable Internet access for email, newsgroups, web browsing, chat (via WebTycho or directly), and encryption. Netscape Communicator and Microsoft Internet Explorer (MSIE), latest versions of each for your machine. It is not sufficient to have or know the capabilities of just one of these browsers. [Netscape Navigator 3.x and MSIE 3.x are desirable tools for validating web pages if you can keep several versions of browsers available.] Internet Relay Chat (IRC/ICQ) capability. Students in deployed locations should make sure you have the I-chat plug-in for WebTycho, for ICQ/IRC itself is often prohibited. |
FTP-Explorer or an alternate File Transfer Protocol (FTP) program with which you are familiar. You will need access to a Telnet program as well; for Windows operating systems, WinTel is incorporated into your system. Pretty Good Privacy (PGP) and digital signature software (freeware/shareware). Optional: Internet telephony and videoconferencing software (NetMeeting
included with Microsoft Internet Explorer software is good).
|
|
Further Requirements: Prior to the course, visit download.com,
tucows.com or another freeware/shareware
software site on the Internet, download the current version of your
favorite Internet software (as a minimum, the two dominate web browsers,
an ftp, telnet, and IRC/ICQ program and ), and confirm to me via email
the programs and versions installed on your computer.
|
|
In this class we focus on helping you develop your existing knowledge and skills concerning the Internet. Hence a certain basic level of knowledge concerning the operation of computers, dial-up and networked access to the Internet, hardware and software requirements for web browsing, email and communications is assumed.
Course Focal Points:
| Accessing and working on remote UNIX computers | Search engines and searchbots |
| E-mail clients (POP), Webmail servers, Listservers | Security and the Internet |
| HTML tools, e.g., Web editors and image editors, mappers and viewers | Security tools, e.g., anti-virus scanners, e-mail encryption |
| Locating and buying Internet software on the Web, installing, and using | Videoconferencing and telephony (for students with appropriate hardware) |
| Internet tools -- FTP, telnet, ping, finger, traceroute | Topical discussions on the Internet |
| Networking concepts | Web site development and maintenance |
| On-line and off-line browsers | WWW search engines, agents, robots. |
|
We can reach our mutual objectives in this course only through joint effort. To help us understand the wider implications of the Internet, we will discuss supplemental material you and I find on the Internet and elsewhere related to this course. [HINT: Use the Internet search facilities built into your web browser (or a special purpose utility) to find something for each class related to the topic under discussion during that period.] As you explore the tools and techniques available and required to exploit the power of the Internet, you will report to the class on your findings. This sharing will take place in our virtual classroom, WebTycho. You will create presentations in HTML and post them on a remote server. You will build your Web site on the Student Server in Heidelberg, Germany. You may of course pattern your work on that of others (there are many models) as long as you give appropriate credit and gain necessary permissions. (See my comments below and the UMUC policy statement on plagiarism.) You will not be programming web pages from scratch. Instead we will focus on using available web authoring tools for the initial page creation and then improving the appearance of the page by adding or changing the HTML code. Although you may not have a specific interest in programming, I think you will agree that you may well need to know how to prepare a presentation to be shared with others on a corporate or organizational Intranet or LAN. HTML is an excellent tool that is being adopted far and wide for such purposes. Recall that HTML viewers (web browsers) are widely available for a wide variety of different brands of computers and operating systems; moreover, web browsers are commonly freeware. So HTML is a perfect vehicle with which to build in-house presentations that can be shared across those platforms and operating systems. Moreover, HTML is as easy a way to get into programming as there might be. Course Requirements:This class depends upon active, consistent student involvement. There will be both individual and small group work. In addition to studying the assigned text, you must satisfactorily demonstrate an understanding of course concepts as you complete the following:
|
The Flow of the Course:
We will spend the first week practicing procedures and making sure we are all comfortable with UM WebTycho, our first home on the Web for this class. Our second home will be the class web sites on the UMUC Heidelberg student server. (More on this later.) In the following five weeks we will become familiar with different web browsers; Internet security issues, sites and software; Internet Service and Access Provider; WWW search engines; web page construction (without really knowing how to 'write a program)'; WWW home page and site construction (on the UMUC Heidelberg student server); and e-mail discussion groups/mailing lists and newsgroup sources. We will also establish IRC/ICQ or I-chat contacts with each other so we can communicate directly in small groups at prearranged times. Although we will not be learning programming as such, we will focus on selected HTML "tags" and learn how to troubleshoot and correct web pages that do not want to cooperate with us. We end this part of the course with an On-line, Open Book Mid-term Exam which will be completed during Weeks 6-7 (essentially the week prior to the mid-term break). During the second half of the course we will refine our skills. We look at different web page authoring programs and site management issues, the use of color and images, file handling, helper programs and plug-ins. We return to the use of HTML tags to improve the appearance or efficiency of our web pages. We look at several free/low-cost services on the Web including file storage, Internet telephony and video-conferencing. We also briefly survey the use of frames (some will already have discovered this facility I am certain), style sheets and commands, animation, sound, forms, and scripting. |
| A major part of the course will be the course project through which you will create and update a web site on a topic of particular interest to yourself. We will create the site in phases that use the information we develop about the Internet itself. You will be able to submit a draft of each assignment for my comments prior to final submission and grading. Although this is a four-part project, there is an optional fifth part. | |
| Alistair Cooke's weekly "Letters from America" radio series has often been mimicked. So I am not ashamed to ask you to send me your own letters from your "Virtual Chair" in our virtual classroom on the 15th and last day of each month beginning 15 February. These letters should take the form of paragraphs of a journal - a chronicle of your journey through this course. Record memorable items - not facts you want to memorize so much as your reaction to course content. Step back and put the course into the context of your life. What lessons from the course relate to your life? How can you use what you are learning in your personal and professional life? The content of these semimonthly letters is similar to that described in my Journal handout. |
Your On-line, Open Book Final Exam will be completed within a 48-hour period during Week 15 (which essentially coincides with Week 7 of Term 4 of the UM classroom courses).
This UMUC Distance Education course is delivered on the UM WebTycho site on the WWW augmented as needed by email with attachments exchanged directly between class members and our Heidelberg Student Server site. All course documentation and policies can be found on my web site (right here). Just follow the "Yellow Brick Road."
I NEED YOU TO TELL ME WHEN YOU HAVE PROBLEMS either with the delivery method or the course content. Speak up early so you do not get behind in your work.
Dr. W. Edwards Deming echoed the often stated belief that work should be fun. How many of us find it anything but fun? I want you to enjoy this course because you will both learn and remember the lessons much better. I hope this course does sound like fun to you. Let's enjoy the exploration together. (For more details see the full course syllabus.)
|
Weekly Small Group Assignments: |
20% |
|
Individual Assignments including Journal Reports: |
20% |
|
Web Page & Site Project (4 phases): |
20% |
|
Mid-term:
|
15%
|
|
Final Exam: |
25% |
|
Total: |
100%
|
Learning Methods: This distance learning course has very broad guidelines. It is offered in asynchronous format so that you can study on your own and join the class as and when you can. But this does not mean you can skip a month -- or even a week or two -- and make it up later. Remember, CONSISTENT, QUALITY participation and effort are essential if both you and the class as a whole are the reach our goals. I intend to spend most of my time answering your questions and engaging in both small and large group discussion on assigned questions and some of the less obvious concepts in the readings. But you will control this.
We spend the first week to ten days establishing reliable communications, allowing for books to get to students who registered late, and practicing class procedures on WebTycho, ICQ/IRC/I-chat and email.
[Certain aspects of the course are synchronous by nature, such as IRC/ICQ/chat, or near synchronous such as the final exam.]
Also during the first week of the course, I will need you to consider and share with each other what is needed for this course to be a high quality learning experience for you. In addition, I need you to share with the group what your personal and professional goals are in taking this course. To the extent possible, I wish to arrive at a consensus on these goals and determine how you and I can, with relative objectivity, know you have achieved these goals. Where the class can demonstrate a need, I will adjust the assignments and evaluation instruments.
If you have your texts, get acquainted with them. Survey the holdings of your library < whatever facilities you have> and email me the grim news. Check out the author's and publisher's resources on-line; visit the UM library and database resources on-line. Check out other on-line libraries and review their holdings; see Useful URLs / Links. Start your journal and make weekly or more frequent entries which chronicle your journey through this course.
Remember, within broad guidelines, you are in control of this course.
Bring your questions to our electronic discussion on WebTycho. We will share them and get you answers.
Do not fall behind. Work ahead if possible. Do some work on this course every day. Set aside time to do this. If confused, in doubt, or in need of a clarification on any aspect of the course, contact me first.
| Schedule & Assignments | ICQ: 56469537 |
| Phil Richardson; prichard@faculty.ed.umuc.edu |
Revised 15 January 2000
|