Syllabus

Note: If you have a disability that may require an accommodation for taking this course, please contact the Learning Assistance Center (758-5929) within the first two weeks of the semester.

General Course Objective:
Introduction to the basic concepts of computer programming and problem-solving.

Course Descrption (from the Bulletin):
(4h) Lecture and laboratory. Introduction to the basic concepts of computer programming and problem-solving for students with varied background and no prior programming experience. The programming language used and the focus vary by instructor. Topics may include multimedia programming, game programming, graphic animation, and scientific computing. Does not count toward the computer science major or minor.

About this Section:

Computer programming topics:
The computer programming concepts and constructs covered in this section include:
expressions, variables, functions, procedures, arrays, data types, mouse and keyboard events and event handling, conditions (if/else, switch), loops, object-oriented programming (classes, inheritance, encapsulation, polymorphism), sorting and searching algorithms, recursion

Additional topics:
animation basics, controlling the timing of animation, basic concepts in digital images and audio, frame events (specific for Flash), collision detection, 3d perspective

Approach/Focus:
The types of programming examples and assignments are:
Game Programming & Interactive Multimedia Programming

Language:
The language used in this section: Flash Actionscript

Format of this Section:
The format of classroom activities take the form of a traditional lecture and a new workshop format.

Textbooks:

• Foundation ActionScript Animation: Making Things Move!
  by Keith Peters
  Publisher: friends of ED (October, 2005)
  ISBN: 1590595181
   
• Object-Oriented ActionScript For Flash 8
  by Peter Elst and Todd Yard
  Publisher: friends of ED (February, 2006)
  ISBN: 1590596196

References:

• Supplementary handout (Digital Media Primer, Chapter 8)
• Flash 8 Help menu

Evaluation:

10%: final exam
35%: quizzes and tests, broken down as follows:
           ~24%: three 1-hour tests
           ~11%: weekly 10-min short quizzes
15%: homework exercises and worksheets
15%: term project and oral presentation
25%: lab

Attendance: Mandatory. Unexcused absences for lecture or lab will affect the final grade.

Pandemic Plan: In the events of campus closing due to pandemic flu outbreaks, I will try to email you or call you before the campus closes. After the campus closes:

• If the electronic communications, such as emails and internet, are still available, the lecture and lab will continue through emails and Web.
  • The class and lab materials can be downloaded from this course Web site.
  • The lab files can be turned in by uploading to Blackboard as usual.
  • Homework assignments can be turned in by emailing to me (ylwong@wfu.edu)
     
• If the electronic communications, such as emails and internet, are NOT available, the lecture and lab will continue through postal mails.
  • The class and lab materials will be mailed (weekly or biweekly) to your home address that you gave me at the beginning of the semester.
  • The lab files can be turned in by putting them on CD and mailing to my home address.
  • Homework assignments can be turned in by mails to my home address.