Urban Computing in the Information age

Netiva Caftori
CS-109

Fall 2010

 I hope we'll have a great first semester together
           

Welcome to
First Year Experience!

We all have something to contribute to each other. Let's do it with generosity and smile.

CS 109 The Information Age:

Its Impact on Chicago's Culture

The 21st century has seen the genesis of the information age.
Advances in computer technology have made immediate access to information and sophisticated processing of information commonplace in business, science, medicine, education, various professional areas, and many aspects of personal life.
This course focuses on how this has impacted Chicago's culture and its diverse communities.

Codito ergo sum: I code, therefore I am

First Year experience: Hurdles and successes (PowerPoint). YouTube on learning nowadays.
Stats for provost and Report for Dean in Word

Instructor's Office hours Fall / Spring Course schedule Post your movie on YOUTUBE
Course description Reading assignments Textbook
Grading Philosophy Assignments Sample exams
email me at n-caftori@neiu.edu How to create a web page
Field trips Students' teams Core curriculum
home Your suggestions Blogging suggestions
    In this class we will learn:
  • how computers are used in our society and in Chicago in particular
  • to use the Internet for navigation, blogging and research,
  • word-processing using Word for Windows,
  • spreadsheets using Excel for Windows,
  • database using Microsoft Access,
  • a presentation using PowerPoint,
  • Basic html to create your own web page,
  • Create movies and add them to YouTube,
  • and much theory describing I/O, memory, peripherals, processor, networks, and programming using Alice.
    See some Alice examples by my students JD and Roberto.

You are encouraged to contribute.

The general theme, Diversity in Chicago, will enable students to come to know themselves: as individuals, as members of a community, and as citizens of the larger global context (i.e., Chicago as a global city). Through engaged pedagogy and collaborative learning, students will have opportunities to understand their own place in society and develop a deeper understanding and appreciation for the diversity that pervades all aspects of the city and environs of Chicago (through the particular disciplinary lens), their own place within that system, and its position as a global center.

Course description

In this course we'll work in teams and individually and share findings with the whole class (Thanks JD for the youtube:). Students will keep a daily journal of their readings and encounters with computers that will be shared in their teams, and on the web.
Field trips will be taken to different institutions in Chicago.
Since there is so much to learn and do the different teams will concentrate on specific topics by group interests such as movie production, web page design, programming, etc.
One emphasis of the course is diversity. We'll explore the diversity of our own class and make an effort to learn of the backgrounds and particular cultures of our students. We'll also look into the diversity of Chicago communities and computing institutions within them. Maybe we will even discover the diversity of computer systems, software, hardware and usage.
When we break into teams we'll make an attempt to form as diverse teams as possible. The instructor and the peer helper will be available to students in a neutral place such as the cafeteria or Cafe Descartes. How about lunch during activity hour (1:40-2:40) if there are no other activities planned?
Make sure your team meets with one or the other a couple times during the semester.
Suggestions for improving the course curriculum are welcome. Call or email either one (773-442-4718 and n-caftori@neiu.edu).

Field trips possibilities:

All First-Year Colloquium courses include a field experience. The field experience facilitates students' general academic preparation by adding a practical component to classroom work through research, civic engagement, service learning, or some other type. Furthermore, it situates the FYE Colloquium as a bridge to the university experience and higher education, as well as a matrix for future development and active participation in society.
  • Theater or other entertainment centers
  • Factory such as cars
  • Auto show
  • Businesses
  • Library
  • University
  • Park districts
  • Hospitals or clinics
  • Prisons or rehabilitation centers
  • Data centers
  • Gaming industry
  • Zoo
  • More?

    • Readings and lectures:

    We'll start reading from our textbook: College Success Strategies by S. L. Nist-Olejnik and J. P. Holschuh one chapter a week. We'll cover ch. 1-6, 10-11, 16-17. See our schedule
    A few topics are as follows:
    Thanks for reading and being ready for class
  • Time management (Semester plan on Word using a table, and weekly worksheet on Excel)
  • Critical thinking
  • The Myers & Briggs test
  • Gender issues in computing
    		• time is money
  • Note taking ~ ~ review your class notes ASAP

    We will proceed to reading from our computer textbook, which has only 4 chapters: The Computer Continuum by Kurt Lauckner.
    A custom edition of the 4th edition. You will be quizzed on these chapters.

    Other presentations include:

    1. A sport outing: (what did you learn? any suggestions for a future outing?)
    2. The representative from the advisement office (turn in a signed worksheet)
    3. A representative from the writing lab (Make an appointment)
    4. A librarian (Jill Altage)
    5. A visit to the Science and Industry Museum or WTTW or another place your team has chosen.
    6. Lecture on choosing a career
    7. A representative from the International office
    8. More later:)

    For each of the above a small paragraph summary is requested of you on a weekly basis.

    In the past we read from the Alice textbook but now programming alone with help from the Internet and myself will us with:
    1. Exploring Alice and Object-Oriented Programming
    2. Developing Software Methods
    3. Programming with Logical Structures
    4. Event-Driven Programming in Alice

    		Alice

    The following are Fall 2010 teams:

    Business team

    Nov. 18: Brendon, Jeremiah, Matt, and Ke Ke.

    Schools team

    Nov 11: Javier, Brian, Eric, and Dianna.

    Automotive team

    Nov 23: Andrew, Edward, and Nicole .

    Medicine team

    Oct 26th: Tayyiba, Akif, Cody, Kendall, and Maha.

    Computers

    Nov 16: David, Kamil, Steve, and Israel.

    The following are Fall 2009 teams:

    Business team

    Nov. 24: Dean, Melissa and Greg.

    Schools team

    Nov 12: Jessica L. and Angelica M.

    Music team

    Dec. 1st: Victor, Eduardo, Raj, Guillermo, Terry.

    Cars/Military team

    Nov 17: Pawel, Matt, Cristal.

    Forensics team

    Nov. 19: Lluvia, Jessica B., Jenny.

    Computer building team

    Dec. 3rd: Leo, Geio, Bryan, Vlad, Chuck.

    		"What is important is to keep on learning, to enjoy challenge, and to tolerate ambiguity.
    In the end there are no certain answers"
    - Martha Horner, President of Radcliffe College

    "I will study and get ready, and perhaps my chance will come." - Abraham Lincoln

    "The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will."
    - Vince Lombardi

    The following are Spring 2009 teams:

    Business team

    April 16th?: Grace, Suse, Nick, Matt, George.

    Schools team

    April 7th?: Anita, Shurina, Art, Julia, Gerard.

    Museums team

    April 2nd: Ryan, Lawryn, Jigar, Noreail, Gaurang

    Sports team

    April 16th: Manar, Victor, Miguel, Luis, Andrew.

    The following are Fall 2008 teams:

    Business team

    Nov. 6th: Ali F., Vicky, Yvonne. Unzip ppt presentation.

    Education team

    Barbara, Luz, Chris, Mike.

    Hospital team

    Nov. 13th. Naznin, Aldo, David

    Fire dept. team

    Nov. 18th. Ramina, Reema, Tony, Hassan.

    Gaming team

    Nov. 20th. Jon, Jesus, Joby, Osman, Peter
    Unzip presentation.

    Museum team

    Svetlana, Ali A Nov. 11th.

    The following are Spring 2008 teams:

    Cars team

    March 11: JJJJ: Julien, Jeremy, Jorge, Jefrye

    Music team

    April 1st: Cinthya, Maggie, Anthony, Naram, Noreal

    Math and Computer science team

    April 3rd: JD, Roberto, RJ

    Teams youtube by JD

    The following are Fall 2007 teams:

    Data center possible team

    Nov. 8th: Kyle, Thomas, Miguel, Alex

    Pharmaceutical/ health-related possible team

    Nov 29th: Pilar, Breanna, Cortney, Ingrid, Conor, Matt, Arlene, Ben, Desmond

    Police department

    Nov. 15th: Phil, Tony, Alejandro, Thiru

    Education

    Nov. 20th: Firas, Martin, Janitza, Jesus , Nicolas

    Let me know of any corrections to the above.

    The word education means to "draw out of". It does not mean "shovel into". A good education teaches you to think for yourself. It teaches you to ask good questions and then how to find the answers on your own. A good education does not give you a diploma for learning how to seek out an expert for any question you have. It teaches you how to both listen to authorities and come to your own conclusions. (-Al Siebert and Bernadine Gilpin from Learning Styles: They can help or hinder)

    Last updated: 10/25/09

    Email your teacher at n-caftori@neiu.edu (just copy this address and paste into your email letter.)

    Go back on top or

    Go back to front page.

    Student suggestions

    Thanks for your eagerness:)

    Core components

    
 First-Year Experience
Freshman Colloquium Core Components 
       (revised 2/6/2007)

FOR YOUR REVIEW:

The following had been chosen for inclusion in all the FYE Freshman Colloquium courses:

1. "College Makes the Difference"  
a) differentiating the general differences between high school and university related to academic, behavioral, and social expectations; 
b) understanding the expectations and benefits of a general education curriculum; 
c) recognizing potential benefits of a higher education for future career success and community involvement.

2. "Learning Styles"  
a) identifying own preferences/strengths; 
b) recognizing instructors' preferences of delivery modality; 
c) learning to adapt/expand repertoire of learning styles through active engagement.

3. "Skills for Academic Success"  
a) developing appropriate listening and participating expectations; 
b) developing effective note-taking skills for content area; 
c) enhancing productive standards (i.e., writing and oral presentation) for the content area and general education.
d) planning for upcoming assignments, tests, etc., and utilizing time effectively; 
e) understanding specific language in directions and what it is asking.

4. "Time Management"  
a) budgeting of time for academic success and finding a balance between study, work, and relaxation; 

5. "Critical Thinking"  
a) learning to read material critically; 
b) learning to evaluate sources; 
c) analyzing and synthesizing various materials for similarities and differences.

    Fall season

    Les feuilles mortes

    by Yves Montand