First Year / Sophomore 102: Software Everywhere

Spring 2009 Syllabus

Allegheny College

Department of Computer Science

Dr. Gregory M. Kapfhammer

Instructor Office Hours

For more details about my schedule, please refer to http://www.cs.allegheny.edu/~gkapfham/schedule/.

Instructor Contact Information

Please feel free to contact me via email if I am not in my office. If you need to schedule an appointment, you may call my office or my home. I am often able to schedule student meetings at times outside of office hours.

Course Meeting Schedule

Lecture and Discussion: Monday, Wednesday, Friday 11:00 - 11:50

Course Catalog Description

An examination of the pervasive nature of computer software and the impact that computer technology has on society. Drawing on articles from the popular press and the computer science literature, this course examines the technical and ethical challenges that face a culture that regularly uses computer software applications. Sample topics include the Internet, Google, iPods, online music, and electronic commerce. This seminar develops written and oral communication skills with an emphasis on persuasive communication.

Grading Policies

The grade that a student receives in this class will be based on class participation, grade on the final exam, the grade for all of the short writing and presentation assignments, and the grade for the first and final major papers. The grade breakdown will follow the form below. All percentages are approximate and it is possible for the assigned percentages to change if a need to do so presents itself.

Assignment Submission Policy

All assignments will have a given due date. The printed version of the assignment is to be turned in at the beginning of the class on that due date. Late assignments will be accepted for up to one week past the assigned due date with a 10% penalty. All late assignments must be submitted at the beginning of the class that is scheduled one week after the given due date.

Class Attendance Policy

It is mandatory for all students to attend class. If you will not be able to attend a class session, please see the Instructor at least one week in advance to describe your situation. Students that miss more than five unexcused classes will have their final grade in the course reduced by one letter grade. Students who miss more than ten unexcused classes will automatically fail the course.

Preparation for Class Sessions

The study of the writing, speaking, and the computer science discipline is very challenging. During the coming semester even the most diligent student will experience times of frustration when they are attempting to understand a challenging concept or complete a difficult writing assignment. In many situations some of the material that we examine will initially be confusing : do not despair! Press on and persevere!

In order to minimize confusion, students must invest time to prepare for class discussions and lectures. During our class periods, the Instructor will often pose demanding questions that could require group consultation, the creation of a presentation, or a vote on an interesting issue. Only students who have prepared for class by reading the assigned material and reviewing the short writing and presentation assignments will be able to effectively participate in these discussions. More importantly, only prepared students will be able to extract the knowledge that is needed to be successful in this course.

In order to help students to remain organized and effectively prepare for classes, a class schedule will be maintained with reading assignments and additional Instructor notes. The writing and presentation assignments will be directly integrated into the class schedule. Throughout the class sessions students will also be required to download and use software applications, visit and read Web sites, use software tools to conduct experiments, and leverage traditional computer programs to prepare written documents and presentations. Please see the Instructor if you are concerned about using software tools such as Web browsers (e.g., Internet Explorer or Firefox), document editors (e.g., Microsoft Word or OpenOffice Write), spreadsheets (e.g., Microsoft Excel or OpenOffice Calc), presentation tools (e.g., Microsoft Powerpoint and OpenOffice Impress), and Google applications (e.g., Mail, Notebook, and Earth).

Remember this motto, semper paratus!

Disability Services

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights protection for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the Learning Commons at 814-332-2898.

Honor Code

The Academic Honor Program that governs the entire academic program at Allegheny College is described in the Allegheny Course Catalog. The Honor Program applies to all work that is submitted for academic credit or to meet non-credit requirements for graduation at Allegheny College. This includes all work done in class (such as examinations, quizzes, and laboratory work), all papers, and any other material that might be assigned in this class. All students who have enrolled in the College will work under the Honor Program. Each student who has matriculated at Allegheny College has acknowledged the following pledge:

I hereby recognize and pledge to fulfill my responsibilities, as defined in the Honor Code, and to maintain the integrity of both myself and the College community as a whole.

Unless otherwise specified, this work is licensed under a Creative Commons License