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The Internet: A Practical GuideCAPP-385 (3) |
UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND UNIVERSITY COLLEGE Electronic Distance Education Heidelberg, Germany |
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DE Term 3, 1999-2000; 1 Feb. -
12 May 2000
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(3 sem. hours via Electronic Communications)
How better to move into the new Millennium than to straddle New Year's with a course on computing. (If you have specific questions about the course, contact me by email.)
ICQ: 56469537
Stephen Covey has reminded us of the requirement that leaders -
>>>> Begin with the End in Mind. <<<< So ...
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 ] |
Required Resources:Consistent, reliable Internet access for email, newsgroups, web browsing, chat (via WebTycho or directly), and encryption. Current versions of Internet 'freeware/shareware' software (as a minimum, the two dominate web browsers, ftp, telnet, email, newsreader, IRC/ICQ, encryption and digital signature programs). |
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. |
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:
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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.)
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Weekly Small Group Assignments: |
20% |
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Individual Assignments including Journal Reports: |
20% |
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Web Page & Site Project (Four phases): |
20% |
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Mid-term:
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15%
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Final Exam: |
25% |
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Total: |
100%
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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.
[Certain aspects of the course are synchronous by nature, such as IRC/ICQ/chat, or near synchronous such as the final exam.]
Bring your questions to our electronic discussion on WebTycho. We will share them and get you answers.
| Instructor / Lecturer Contact Information |
ICQ:
56469537
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| Phil Richardson; prichard@faculty.ed.umuc.edu |
Revised 15 January 2000
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