Week

Topics to be covered

• Orientation to the UC-IT computer system
• Review exercises for the "Introduction to Computers" lectures
• Discussion of assignment submission mechanism
• Description of Assignment 1
• Introduction to MS-Excel 2007: the ribbon interface, formatting effects, adding cell comments, using the auto fill feature, freezing cell panes

• Using pre-created functions
• Defining arbitrary functions
• Determining the format of cell data
• Using lookup functions
• Defining tables
• Absolute vs. relative cell addressing
• Creating charts
• Performing what-analysis of data
• Pivot tables
• Working with older/newer versions of Excel spreadsheets
• Performing multi-threaded calculations
• Description of Assignment 2

• Logical operations: NOT, AND, OR
• Overview of Access 2007
• Storing information: databases vs. files
• Designing a database: choosing tables and determining relationships between tables
• Primary keys
• Ensuring database integrity through input masks and field validation
• Storing non-text information in a database
• Database documentation
• Methods of entering information into a database: form and datasheet view
• Databases queries: single table, multiple tables, using logical operators (NOT, AND, OR)

• Wildcards: single and multiple character
• ERD diagrams
• Database normalization
• Simple cross tab queries
• Creating reports in Access
• Going over selected solutions to the first midterm exam
• Introduction to Alice
• Students complete Alice tutorials 1 (Ice skater) & 2 (Rabbit defending nap time): these are the tutorials that comes built into Alice

• Students complete Alice tutorials 3 (Musical penguins) & 4 (space probe): these are the tutorials that comes built into Alice
• Students complete Alice exercises (paper handouts given in lecture): 2-1 (adding instructions), 2-2 (primitive methods), 2-3 (program design cycle), 2-4 (inserting comments), 2-5 (instructions executing simultaneously).

• Programming concept in Alice: Branches
• Specifying programming instructions graphically (flowcharts: start, end, instructions, branches)
• Students complete Alice exercises (paper handouts given in lecture): 3-1 (creating and using variables), 3-2 (creating set instructions for a variable), 3-3 (using an ask function), 4-1 (using the if-else instruction: requires the PenguinIceExample), 4-2 (using the a relational operator: requires the GumdropBigFishExample)

• Programming concept in Alice: Loops
• Specifying programming instructions graphically (flowcharts: loops)
• Students complete Alice exercises (paper handouts given in lecture): 4-3 (using the loop instruction: requires the ClockLoopExample), 4-4 (using the while instruction: requires the "RescueAtSeaExample"). Students can also work through the SoccerGoalExample for extra practice).