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INSTRUCTOR: Valeri P. Scott, AC
IV, Room 457, (410) 455-3935, fax: (410) 455-1073,
email: vscott@umbc7.umbc.edu
url: www.research.umbc.edu/~vscott
TEXT: Designing the User Interface, 3rd Ed.; Ben Shneiderman; Addison-Wesley; 1998.
COURSE OBJECTIVE: This course provides a survey of human-computer interaction and of all facets of human factors relevant to the design, development, and use of Information Systems. It describes the contributions of information systems, computer science, psychology, sociology, and engineering to human-computer interaction. Emphasis is placed on a total system approach, systems analysis, human factors theories and the importance of research in the design and development of interfaces.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
The student is responsible for all assigned text and supplemental readings
and for all material and information presented during either the lecture
or scheduled lab meetings (i.e., guest speakers, videos, software demonstrations,
email messages, discussion questions, computer lab exercises and activities,
and student reports).
Attendance and punctuality
are expected. Late arrivals are disruptive to the instructor and
students. If you are unable to attend a class, it is your responsibility
to get all the assignments, handouts, and information for the class missed.
Cell phones, beepers and
pagers are to be turned off during class; if one of these is heard during
class, you will be asked to leave the room.
The course grade will be
comprised of several distinct written, oral, and programming projects of
varying worth, for a total of 50% of the course grade, and two exams valued
at a total of 50% of the course grade.
Each project will be described
in detail and will be assigned in ample time to allow for clarification
of details during subsequent class meetings. Questions regarding
what is expected of the student in completing an assignment will only be
addressed prior to the assignment due date. All assignments have
a precise due date and time and must be completed on time or they will
incur a late
penalty (points deducted).
Make-up tests will
be administered only with proof of an extenuating circumstance and will
be distinct from the test given in class.
COURSE GRADING: IFSM
instructors are expected to have evaluative instruments which result in
a reasonable distribution of letter grades. With respect to final
letter grades, the University's Undergraduate Catalogue states that:
"A, indicates superior achievement
B, good performance
C, adequate performance
D, minimal performance
F, failure"
There is specifically no mention of any numerical
scores associated with these letter grades. Consequently, there are
no pre-defined numerical demarcations that determine final letter grades;
these can be defined only at the end of the semester when all accumulated
points are tallied and compared. In accordance with the published
University grading policy, it is important to understand that final letter
grades reflect academic achievement and not effort. While mistakes
in the arithmetic computation of grades and grade recording errors will
always be corrected, it is important to understand that in all other situations,
final letter grades are not negotiable and challenges to final letter grades
are not entertained.
Cumulative numeric
scores will be curved to meet the following ranges established by the IFSM
Department grading policy:
15 - 20% = "A", 20 - 30% = "B", 35 - 40%= "C";
students who drop the course are considered below "C".
In this course,
students taking the course on a Pass/Fail basis, must obtain a minimum
of 70% for a "Pass".
STATEMENT ON ACADEMIC CONDUCT: By
enrolling in this course, each student assumes the responsibilities of
an active participant in UMBC’s scholarly community in which everyone’s
academic work and behavior are held to the highest standards of honesty
and integrity. Cheating, fabrication, plagiarism, and helping others
to commit these acts are all forms of academic dishonesty and they are
wrong. Academic misconduct will result in disciplinary action that
may include failure of the coure, suspension or dismissal.
Acts of Academic Misconduct are defined as the following:
- Cheating: Knowingly using or attempting to use unauthorized
material, information, or study aids in any academic exercise.
- Fabrication: Intentional and unauthorized falsification
or invention of any information or citation in an academic exercise.
- Facilitating Academic Dishonesty: Intentionally or knowingly
helping or attempting to help another commit an act of academic dishonesty.
- Plagiarism: Knowingly representing the words or ideas
of another as one’s own in any academic exercise, including works of art
and computer-generated information/images.
To read the full policy on academic integrity, consult the UMBC Student
Handbook, Faculty Handbook, or the UMBC Policies section of the UMBC Directory.
COMPUTER ACCOUNTS: If you do not already have a computer account on the student server, known as "gl" please see the OIT consultants in ECS, Room 020. Your first assignment is to send an email to the instructor. Your mail should include your full name, your computer user id, your major (if IFSM, whether B.A. or B.S.), your previous computer experience, whether or not you have a WWW homepage, and when you anticipate graduating. The mail should be received by 1:00 p.m. September 6, 2001. Class information will be distributed to the 303-Class-Email-Address after that time. You will also need this account in order to create your own homepage at UMBC. It is your responsibility to seek assistance from the instructor if you are uncomfortable with the UMBC computer system.
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