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Course Objectives

Prerequisites

Approach

Typical Text

Course Outline

Course Objectives
Students will study the nature of computers, their capabilities and limitations, and their impact on society; use a personal computer for simple, nonmathematical applications; and do some elementary programming.

Develop understanding of what an algorithm is, what computers can and can't do, and the impact of computers on society. Develop the ability to use a personal computer for simple applications. Achieve exposure to the challenges of programming.

Prerequisites
This course has no prerequisite. In particular, it is assumed that students have never used a computer before. Students who seek to develop skills in computer programming should begin with COMP 110 or COMP 121.

Approach
Two interleaved subcourses, one conceptual and one practical, each taking one of two weekly 75-minute lectures. This will allow low-pressure laboratory use of personal computers to be spread over the entire semester. A weekly discussion section will provide exegesis for the lectures and guidance for the laboratory. Simple programs will be written; documentation will not be emphasized.

Typical Text
Long, Introduction to Computers and Information Processing
Reiss, Computer Literacy
Sanders, Computers Today
Shelly and Cashman, Computer Fundamentals for an Information Age

Supplementary materials would also need to be acquired or written for the specific computer system used.

COMP 101 is an alternative to COMP 110 as a prerequisite to COMP 380.
COMP 101 is not prerequisite to COMP 110.

The example programs named in the outline of the practical subcourse are based on using the IBM PC. If another computer is used instead, different examples would be appropriate.

Course Outline

Overhead (4 75-minute lectures)

• Introduction to course
  
• Midterm examination
  
• Discussion of midterm
  
• Summary and conclusion
  

Conceptual Subcourse (12)
Practical Subcourse (12)

Outline of Conceptual Subcourse

Computers (2)


• history
  
• organization
  
• basic operations
  
• role of binary representations
  
• storage media
  

Algorithms (3)


• definition
  
• examples
  
• programs
  
• languages
  
• compilation
  

Capabilities (1)


• notions of capacities, speeds, and costs
  
• range of applications
  
• pervasiveness
  

Limitations (1)


• technically infeasible
  
• solution unspecifiable
  
• problem too big
  
• theoretically impossible
  
• economically infeasible
  
• socially infeasible
  

Impact on Society (5)


• roles of the computer
  
  • authority
    
  • scapegoat
    
  • place to hide
    
• accuracy and privacy
  
• crime
  
• education
  
• employment and productivity
  
• funds transfer
  
• support for the handicapped
  

Outline of Practical Subcourse

Using a Computer (6)


• Applications [the following are examples]
  
  • reconciling checks
    
  • maintaining Christmas card list
    
  • writing an English theme
    
  • logging car expenses
    
  • preparing bibliography
    
  • preparing resume
    
  • drawing pictures
    
• Tools
  
  • filer (e.g. PC-DOS)
    
  • editor and simple formatter (e.g. EasyWriter)
    
  • spelling checker (e.g. Spellix)
    
  • turtle graphics (e.g. IBM Logo)
    
  • spreadsheet (e.g. Lotus 1-2-3)
    

Creating Programs (6)


• Programming concepts
  
  • subprograms: TO
    
  • parameters
    
  • sequential execution: [ ]
    
  • conditional execution: IF
    
  • repetitive execution: REPEAT
    
  • variables and literals: MAKE, NAME
    
  • expressions and assignment
    
• Programming Assignments