Syllabus - Expanding Your Vision on the World Wide Web

Instructor:          John Baker
Phone:               (630) 369-7992
E-Mail:              jbaker1@condor.depaul.edu
                     

Address:             1154 Johnson Drive
                     Naperville, Illinois 60540

Competencies:        HC-D, PW-3, WW.
Quarter Hours:       4
Capus:               Oak Brook
Term:                Winter, 1997
Dates:               6/17 - 8/19
  	     	

I.  Course Objective:

To provide the student with hands-on Internet experience. 

Each session will focus on a specific element or elements of the internet
in detail.  The goal will be to familiarize the student with internet tools
and how they facilitate information gathering and network development.
Guest speakers will enhance and reinforce the learning process with
presentations of their use of the internet.

During the majority of the class sessions, we will be working in the 
computer lab, where everyone will have access to the internet via
DePaul's modem pool.

To whom will the course appeal?

The course is directed toward students with basic understanding of PCs 
and their components.  It is expected that a student will have only minimal
experience with the Information Highway.  Students will pass through these
steps:

    An overview of the Internet and World Wide Web and its basic
    components will be provided through lecture and discussion.  A basic
    review of the history of the Internet, how it works, who owns it, how
    it is maintained, and the game rules (ethics, courtesy) is important
    as a foundation for further understanding and use of this tool.

    
II.  Readings:

The Course Work Book
Szczerba, Patricia A.  The Internet Made Easy - Training Manual, availalble
at DePaul Bookstore only.  If it is released before the beginning of the 
course, we will use the update for Netscape version 4.

During course sessions, material from other reference books will also be 
used.  See attached reading list for books and periodicals that will be of 
interest to the Internet student.

When relevant, articles or clippings will be distributed in class on the 
topic under discussion.  Students are encouraged to participate in 
the process, bringing materials that they feel will be of interest to 
the class.

III. Requirements

Read all assigned chapters prior to class.

Each student will need access to a PC that is connected to the Internet.  

Computer System Requirements

Processor:       486SX or DX           Pentium is recommended
Memory:          8MB minimum           16MB recommended
Disk Space:      6MB minimum           8MB recommended
Modem:           14.4 minimum          28.8  recommended

You will need to connect to the Internet through a service provider
offering a PPP Account.  An Email account will be required as well.
Most of these resources are provided through DePaul's computer
lab.  Work at home is highly recommended.  The ideal situation
is for each student to have his/her own home computer, and
to purchase DePaul Online services for $25.00 per quarter.
DePaul Online affords access to Netscape 3.0, and Eudora Lite Email.
All students will be provided with a SLIP account with access
to Shrike Email 

Each student should bring a 3.5 inch, formatted disc to each class 
session.

IV   Competence Achievement and Evaluation

Mid-term quiz - 20%
Homework Assignments - 20%
Class Project, Research paper or Web page development - 20%
Project Presentation - 20%
Final quiz - 20%

Relevant Competencies

Course may be taken for two of the competencies listed below:  

World of Work (WW) Developed by the student with the advice of the
Academic Committee.      
     
Physical World (PW-3)  Can describe the elements of a computing
system and develop or adapt applications to solve problems.     

Human Community (HC-D)  Can evaluate the role and impact of mass media
on society.

     Evidence of achievemement of competencies can be collected in
     test scores, lab work, and project development.  These measures,
     when taken together, demonstrate the student's understanding
     of the basic elements of the Internet.  Beyond this, it can be 
     assumed, that a student can apply skills learned in the work and
     academic environment.

     The student will be expected to create something tangible, that
     will demonstrate the use of the Internet as a problem solving tool.
     This can be achieved in various ways:  by creating a web page,
     or developing a project paper documenting goal achievement, or
     problem resolution.


V.  Course Outline and Schedule

SESSION 1   06/17/97

Course overview:  Introduction, Objective, Internet Project and competencies
explained:

Internet Overview:
Reading:  Module 1, pp. 4 - 11
History and background of the Internet and the World Wide Web
Hardware and software required
Communications, Protocol types - Service Providers
Various ways to access the Internet:
(A.O.L., CompuServe, Prodigy, Windows 95 - Internet Explorer)

The World Wide Web, Web Crawlers, Netscape familiarization

Lab:  Module 2, The Netscape Home page, pp. 12 - 31
Review screen functions


SESSION 2  06/24/97

Netscape Electronic Mail
Reading:  Module 4, pp. 64 - 77
This one of the Internet's most important communication tools. 

Lab:  Netscape Email-- Practice preparing, sending documents, programs,
web pages.  Review Mail Box management.  Review Pine Email.


SESSION 3  07/01/97

Module 3, "Surfing the Internet", pp. 32 - 46
Reading Internet Addresses (URLs)
Accessing and Getting Information.
Search Engines

Lab:  Module 3, pp. 47 - 62,
"Using Search Engines" Developing Effective Search Skills, finding what you
need, Managing searches using Bookmarks.

Practice exercises using URLs, Search Engines, Bookmarks
Homework assignments can be accomplished in DePaul lab, or at home with
DePaul Online or its equivalent.


SESSION 4  07/08/97

Guest Speaker:  Allison Elms, DePaul Library Web Site

Newsgroups
Reading:  Module 5, pp 80 - 89
Newsgroup review.  The focus here is to find an area of inerest to you.  
You can then begin to create your network and gain experience and 
knowledge in a specific area.

Learn Usenet strategies of the Saints, Wizards, Flamers, and Lurkers.

Additional Subjects:
MailList vs. USENET news.  MailLists, what they are, and what they can
do for you.  How to select, How to subscribe.

Lab:  Visiting Newsgroups 


SESSION 5  07/15/97

MidTerm Quiz
Practice exercises with electronic mail, Newsgroups.
Homework asignments
Can be accomplished in DePaul lab, or at home with DePaul Online or
its equivalent.


SESSION 6  07/22/97

Module 6, FTP (File Transfer Protocol),  pp. 90 - 99
FTP sites, What to download  (Eudora Light can be downloaded via an FTP site.)
WS_FTP review
How to download.

Lab:  Using FTP and WS_FTP

Additional Subjects:
Let's browse with the old Net Tools:  Gopher, Veronica, Jughead, WAIS, 
Archie.  you may be using some of these tools while browsing, and not
know it.  (Think about how you can use these tools to get what you
want.)

Lab:  Using Gopher, Archie, to locate specific FTP sites



SESSION 7  07/29/97

Guest Speaker:  Javier DeLeon, Information Technology, Chicago Tribune,
Mr. DeLeon will discuss and demo the latest in web technology.



SESSION 8  08/05/97

Additional Subjects:
Online Career Center-- how to get your resume online, and get calls
from organizations all over the country.

Lab:  Create a resume for online distribution.

Additional Subjects:
HTML explained and de-mystified.  Create your own web pages.  What
tools do you need?  How will your page communicate to others?
Local internet programs.  "Intranet" page development.  Put HTML to
work for you.  Learn to organize and gain access to data at home, 
work, anywhere through your own intranet site. 

Lab:  Create a simple "intranet" page.


SESSION 9  08/12/97

Practice exercises with WS_FTP, Resume writing, Web Page develpment
Homework assignments
Can be accomplished in DePaul lab, or at home with DePaul Online or
its equivalent.


SESSION 10 08/19/97

Final Quiz