CSI201: Introduction to Computer Science

Location: University at Albany, State University of New York
Terms: Fall 2008, Spring 2009
Class size: ~ 180-220 students/term

CSI201 is an introduction to computer science for majors using Java and the media computation framework developed by Mark Guzdial and Barbara Ericson. Students learn about core topics in computer science and programming (problem solving, iteration, recursion, search, sort, decomposition, etc.) while learning to manipulate digital media files (images, sounds, and videos) using the Java programming language.

Reading Materials

  • Guzdial, M., & Ericson, B. (2007). Introduction to computing & programming with Java: a multimedia approach. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.

IST361: Web Development

Location: University at Albany, State University of New York
Terms: Fall 2005, Spring 2007, Fall 2007, Spring 2008, Spring 2009; Fall 2009
Class size: ~ 30 students/term plus an additional ~15 graduate student collaborators

IST 361 is capstone course applying HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to the creation of websites for use by K12 students in the Albany City School District, Albany, New York. Undergraduate students from IST361 work with graduate students in school library media, K12 educators (teachers and school library media specialists), and K12 students collaborate to establish the site design, or “look & feel,” of the final site. Graduate students provide their undergraduate teammates with details of the website’s goals, as negotiated with the K12 educators and students. Undergraduate students, in turn, develop several distinct user interface designs appropriate for the grade level and subject area involved.

Reading Materials

  • Berkun, S. (2005). The Art Of Project Management: O’Reilly Media.
  • Freeman, E., & Freeman, E. (2005). Head First HTML with CSS & XHTML: O’Reilly Media, Inc.
  • Gerantabee, F., & AGI Creative Team. (2007). Dynamic learning, Dreamweaver CS3 : with video tutorials and lesson files (1st ed.). Sebastopol, CA: O’Reilly Media.
  • Lynch, P. J., & Horton, S. (2008). Web style guide: basic design principles for creating Web sites. 3rd. Retrieved January 1, 2010, from http://webstyleguide.com/

IST424: Hardware & Operating Systems

Location: University at Albany, State University of New York
Terms: Spring 2006, Fall 2009
Class size: ~ 35 students/term

IST424 introduces students to the fundamentals of computer hardware (transistors, integrated circuits, components, devices, interfaces), software (execution cycle, programming methodology), and operating systems (Windows, Macintosh, Linux).

Reading Materials

  • Burd, S. D. (2006). Systems Architecture (5th ed.): Course Technology.

KUIT250: Enhancing Websites with PHP

Location: Kaplan University, Online
Terms: 1
Class size: ~ 10 students/term

Students in IT250 learn the fundamentals of programming in PHP to enhance websites. Topics covered include fundamentals of programming, processing HTML form data, database connections using MySQL, and using MySQL as a backend data store.

Reading Materials

  • Meloni, J. C. (2004). PHP 5: Fast & Easy Web Development (3rd ed.). Boston, MA: Thomson Course Technology.