... part of the Web Site of George North . . . . . Last update: August 31, 1998
Computers in Education
EDCI 4993, Fall 1998
4:30 to 7:15, Mondays
Syllabus
as of August 31.
Links to Explore -- Take a Test -- Search the Web
Why do you want to print this syllabus? It is linked to many other important documents -- your printed copy is linked to the death of trees.

Important Dates | Top | Texts and Resources | Course Description | Objectives |
| Evaluation | Grading | Who is George North | Class Web Pages |

Date Description
Monday, August 24 see Old Syllabus
Monday, August 31





Monday, August 31





Monday, August 31





Monday, August 31





Monday, August 31





Monday, August 31





Monday, August 31





Monday, August 31





Monday, August 31
House Keeping
  • Assignment 1 turn-in, "What I learned from EdWeb."
  • Who is George North?
  • Class participation, what I expect.
  • Projects, what I expect.
  • You need to sign, with your full name, all e-mail to me, so that I don't mistake you for someone else.
  • Absent last week!
  • Your class web page doesn't have a picture?
  • No E-mail address on class web page, not a member of Emmit? Who is Emmit?
  • The World Wide Web, a ubiquitous Information Network
  • What we learned from EdWeb? ... a review of EdWeb
  • What is an Information Network? This is your assignment for next week.
  • What is HyperText?
  • Who is Ted Nelson?
  • What is Xanadu?
  • Who is Douglas Englebart?
  • Why should I care about HyperText?
  • What is W3C?
  • Who is Tim Berners-Lee?
  • What is a Web server?
  • Why should I care about the Web?
  • What is the Internet? 1 2 Time Line
  • In the Information Age, learning is an occupation, and Education is an industry!

    Every week in class
  • Update your class web page.
  • Fill in the Comments section of your class web page with the answer to this week's question. You MUST repeat the question as part of your answer, so that I may know you are answering the right question.
  • Add at least two Links to your class web page.
  • This week in class

    A presentation:
    This takes place one year in the future. I am a salesman for a new startup company. At a major internation convention of educators, I make a brief presentation of a new product. Besides educators, the audiance of interested parties includes book publishers and bookstore managers. The product is Digital Paper.

    Due next week:

    Write a two paragraph response to the question -- What is an Information Network? ... or to the question -- How do you feel about Computers in Educaiton? Read about bonus points for using E-mail to turn in your class assignments.

    Monday, September 7 Labor Day, no class
    Monday, September 14 Computers in Education, a student resource? ... or a teacher resource?
    Monday, September 21 Multi-media ... creating complex documents using word processors and presentation programs. Using scanners and video cameras with drawing programs.

    Last date to turn in topics for in class Presentation 1, and a list of who are group members.
    Monday, September 28 TBA
    Monday, October 5 Topics and group members for Semester Projects must be approved on, or before this date
    Monday, October 12 Midsemester examination period
    In class presentations -- The One Computer Classroom.
    Monday, October 19 One-page outline of Semester Project due at beginning of class (4:30).
    Tuesday, October 20 John Dewey's Birthday
    Thursday, October 22 Final Drop Date?
    Monday, October 26 TBA
    Thursday, October 29 My Wife's Birthday, visit her Web Site
    Monday, November 2 TBA
    Monday, November 9 TBA
    Sunday, November 15 My Father's Birthday, visit his Web SIte
    Monday, November 16 TBA
    Monday, November 23 TBA
    Thursday, November 26 Thanksgiving
    Monday, November 30 Our last regular class: Semester Project due at beginning of class (4:30 PM)
    In class presentations -- The Computer Lab ... using a classroom full of computers
    Wednesday, December 2 Last day of regular classes
    Friday, December 4 Final Exams begin
    Monday, December 7 Our Final Exam: Self-evaluations due
    In class presentations -- The Computer Lab ... using a classroom full of computers




    Texts & Resources | Top | Important Dates | Course Description | Objectives |
    | Evaluation | Grading | Who is George North | Class Web Pages |


    There are no required texts for this class. From time to time we will mention and discuss some of the available texts covering this topic. You are encouraged to bring to class any books you find interesting and share these with the rest of us. Bring books and other recourses to class is one way to satisfy the class participation requirement.



    Course Description | Top | Important Dates | Texts & Resources | Objectives |
    | Evaluation | Grading | Who is George North | Class Web Pages |


    This course is intended to help educators become as comfortable with "Computers in Education" as they are with books and blackboards. The truth actually is that computers are no longer the issue. Computers just happen to be the first tools that provide easy access to global Information Networks.

    Information Networks:
  • provide educators with access to abundant resources;
  • provide students with new ways to participate in knowledge creation;
  • provide simultaneous access to information and publishing;
  • bring us closer to the goal of Universal Education;
  • empower students, decreasing the roll of teachers as purveyors of knowledge;
  • make teachers and students partners in learning;
  • join together teachers, students, parents, and community members;
  • build Communities of Learners in a single location (the classroom);
  • join learning scenarios with abundant resources;
  • The goal is learning -- taking place in a social context where knowledge is created from information with action guided by pedagogy.



    Objectives | Top | Important Dates | Texts & Resources | Course Description |
    | Evaluation | Grading | Who is George North | Class Web Pages |


    Helping educators develop the skills needed for effective integration of computing resources in the classroom is the foundation for the objectives of this class.

    Students will be given the opportunity:
  • To develop the vocabulary needed to understand the terminology found in computing.
  • To improve competency in identifying appropriate uses of computers in the classroom.
  • To improve conceptual understanding of the different kinds of computer software.
  • To improve the computer skills needed to aid in classroom management.
  • To improve the computer skills needed to teach computer skills.
  • To demonstrate competency in a broad range of computer programs.




  • Evaluation | Top | Important Dates | Texts & Resources | Course Description |
    | Objectives | Grading | Who is George North | Class Web Pages |


    Please note that it is possible to earn more than 100 points. This is done to allow students flexibility in choosing areas of concentration. Read carefully each of the five evaluation areas below. Hint ... follow the links to details of each area.

  • 15 points - In class presentation -- "The One Computer Classroom."
  • 15 points - In class presentation -- "Using a Computer Lab."
  • 20 points - Class participation
  • 30 points - Semester project.
  • 30 points - Skills competency, 10 points each (area of concentration)
  • Semester project is due at the beginning of class -- Monday, November 31, 4:30 PM.

    Final grade will be based in large on student's self-evaluation. Remember, evaluations are due at the beginning of our last class -- December 7, 4:30 PM.



    Grading | Top | Important Dates | Texts & Resources | Course Description |
    | Objectives | Evaluation | Who is George North | Class Web Pages |


  • A = 90 - 100 points
  • B = 80 - 89
  • C = 70 - 79
  • etc.




  • Who is
    George North
    | Top | Important Dates | Texts & Resources | Course Description |
    | Objectives | Evaluation | Grading | Class Web Pages |


    Today, I am a student in the Ph.D. program, College of Education, Curriculum & Instruction. In my past life, for 30 years, I was a systems analyst, programmer, Information Systems manager, and computer consultant. I earned a B.S. in Liberal Arts from the University of the State of New York, and a M.S. in Computer Science from the University of New Orleans. My goal is to teach at the college level ... to teach Information Systems to teachers.

    George North
    Office: ED 308A
    Phone: 280-6523
    Home: 834-1891
    E-mail: gnorth@mac.com
    Web Site: http://georgenorth.net/~george/georgeHome.php
    Office Hours:
    Monday: 3:30 - 4:30
    Monday: 7:15 - 8:15 PM
    Also by appointment



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