This course develops information technology fluency through concepts, capabilities, and skills to enable students to continuously adapt to the rapid changes in information technology.   Students will develop these capabilities by completing a series of theoretical and applied projects.   This course assumes basic computer literacy, such as word processing, spreadsheets, presentation graphics, the Internet, and electronic mail.
   Note: This course may not be used to satisfy the Computer Literacy core requirement.
   Note: This course is one of two foundation courses required in the minor in Information Technology in the Arts and Sciences.   The same course is offered through the Interdisciplinary Studies Department under the number IDS 181.
   Prerequisites: Basic computer literacy (as stated above).

Goals:
      This course is intended to

• help students develop the ability to continuously adapt to rapid changes in Information Technology;
• help students develop a level of proficiency and understanding of Information Technology sufficient for lifelong self-education.

• compare and contrast information, information technology, information processing, and the information processing cycle;
• describe the role of people in the information technology field;
• identify and use applications of information technology;
• develop the confidence and skills necessary in solving problems using unfamiliar applications.

• Fundamentals of Information Technology
  • What is information technology?
  • functions of information technology
  • benefits and responsibilities of information technology
  • opportunities for information technology
  • relationships of capabilities, concepts, and skills
  • IT primary procedures (Operations, Backup & Recovery, Security, Development)
• Advanced Internet Skills and Applications
  • advanced search techniques
  • using advanced communication tools
• Web Page Development
  • web page development tools
  • basic tags of HTML (hypertext markup language)
  • creating and publishing a custom web page
  • adding hyperlinks to a web page
  • maintaining and promoting your web site
  • technical aspects
• Database Architecture and Management
  • principles of data storage
  • relational database concepts
  • understanding Access
  • creating data access pages for data entry
  • creating data access pages for data analysis
  • integrating a database with a web page
  • importing an HTML document as an Access table
• Trends in Information Technology
  • technology trends
  • industry and legislative trends

Student opportunities:  
Project-based Learning
The main content is delivered through the formulation and implementation of sustained, multi-week projects.   Students will complete five projects for this course.   Some projects will be developed individually, others collectively.

1. problem-solving strategies and advanced Internet techniques
2. creating a student Web page
3. research proposal project
4. designing and managing a database structure based on research
5. electronic portfolio
     (an integration of all projects for the semester, presented in an electronic portfolio/updated Web page)

Testing and grading:

Problem-solving strategies Creating a student web page Research proposal project Designing & managing a database structure Electronic portfolio

15% 15% 20% 25% 25%

• Carey & Carey.   New Perspectives in Creating Web Pages with HTML  Second Edition, Comprehensive. Course Technology, 2001.
• Castells.   The Internet Galaxy: Reflections on the Internet, Business, and Society.   Oxford University Press, 2001.
• Celko, Joe.  Jow Celko's Data & Databases: Concepts in Practice.   Morgan Kauffman Publishers (Elsevier), 1999.
• Compaine, Benjamin.   The Digital Divide.   MIT Press, 2001.
• Curtin, D.   Information Technology: The Breaking Wave.   Irwin/McGraw-Hill, 1998.
• DiSessa, Andrea.   Changing Minds.   MIT Press, 2000.
• Dreyfus, Hubert.   On the Internet (Thinking in Action).   Routledge, 2001.
• Kanter, Rebecca.   Succeeding in the Digital Culture of Tomorrow.
• Long, Larry; Long, Nancy.   Computers: Information Technology in Perspective.   Prentice Hall, 2002.
• Morrison & Morrison.   Database-Driven Web Sites.   Course Technology, 2000.
• Newton, Harry; Howak, Ray.   Newton's Telecom Dictionary: The Authoritative Resource for Telecommunications, Networking, the Internet and Information Technology.   18th Edition.   CMP Books, 2002.
• Ohler, Jason.   Taming the Beast: Coice and Comtrol in the Electronic Jungle.   TECHNOS Press of the Agency for Instructional Technology, 1999.
• Shelly, Cashman, Repede.   Netscape Comnposer Creating Web Pages.   Course Technology, 1998.
• Stubbs, Barksdale, Crispen.   Web Page Design.   Course Technology, 2000.
• Wresch, William.   Disconnected: Haves and Haves-not in the Information Age.   Rutgers Universioty Press, 1996.
• Yourdon, Edward.   Byte Wars: The Impact of September 11 on Information Technology.   Prentice Hall, 2002.