CSC 101, 101L:
Overview of Computer Science (EuroTour)
2007 Syllabus
4 Hours
Division V Divisional Credit
William H. Turkett,
Jr.
Wake Forest
University
Summer 2007
Course Objectives:
This course is designed to integrate the European travel
experience with a broad introduction to the field of Computer Science. Two fundamental topics will drive the
material of the course – an investigation into differences in beliefs between
European countries and the United States
on technology-based ethical, moral, societal, and legal issues, and an
investigation into how mobile computing technology is viewed and used in European
countries in comparison to the United
States.
As an example, we will explore the issue of software and
digital media copyrights and piracy. Who should actually own the rights to
digital information, information that has become trivially easy to copy and
share? While we can analyze this from a legal standpoint (EU versus US laws),
it should also be very interesting to analyze from the social acceptance viewpoint. Is pirated music more prevalent in the US, in Europe as a whole, or only in certain
parts of Europe? What can you find in street-markets in New York versus those in Budapest
versus those in London?
It is impossible to investigate these types of questions
without a fundamental understanding of modern technology. Accordingly, by the end of the summer, we
will also have satisfied the objectives outlined for the current on-campus version
of the CSC 101 course:
- Development of a thorough
understanding of the organization and functioning of digital computers
including computer architecture, computer theory, logic, and software
programming.
- Development of a thorough understanding
of the organization and use of networks, the Internet, and the World Wide
Web.
- Development of a thorough understanding
of digital media and networking as methods for information exchange.
- Development of an
appreciation and understanding of the ethical, moral, societal and legal
issues surrounding computers and computer networks.
- Discovery of a historical
perspective on modern digital technologies.
- Development of an awareness
of the many facets of the discipline called “computer science”.
Besides answering the two motivating questions described
above, the EuroTour course will also attempt to integrate the experiential
learning atmosphere of European travel with the CSC 101 course objectives by
- Exploiting
the rich history of Europe’s role in the
history of Computer Science in framing the course topics
- Exploiting
the WFU mobile computing infrastructure as a framework for learning about
computer architecture, networks, and the Internet
- Exploiting
the traveling aspects of the tour as a practical motivation for learning
digital media skills (image and video processing) and web and programming
skills (creating web pages documenting your trip).
- Exploiting
the accessibility of science and technology museums, technology companies,
and major universities in the cities that are visited to gain personal,
direct insight into the course topics and questions being examined.
While a detailed syllabus is still being developed for the
course, it is anticipated the following activities will be expected of the
students:
Pre-Trip:
- Gaining
familiarity with WFU mobile technology
- Background
reading framing the two motivating questions for the course
- Selection
of a particular sub-question you are interested in answering during the
trip.
During Trip:
- Group
discussions on topics relevant to the motivating questions and on topics
that allow you to understand those questions better
- Readings related to
the course topics
- Maintenance
of an electronic journal or online weblog recording your experiences
during the trip
- Site
visits for gathering data relevant to your topic of interest
- Site
visits that reinforce the fundamental CS topics
Post-Trip:
- Finalization
of digital media components of the course
- Completion
of your research and writing up of a report on your particular
sub-question of interest