Revised: August 26, 2002
Northern Virginia Community College - Annandale Campus
Topics in: Cold Fusion, IST 295-01N, MW1:30-3:20, CT228, 4 credits
Instructor: Dr. William M. Pegram, wpegram@nvcc.edu, (703)-486-0952 (home)Web Site for Class: http://www.erols.com/wpegram (most up-to-date)
Alternative site for class: www.nvcc.edu/home/wpegramCourse Description:
This course is a hands-on introduction to Cold Fusion. Cold Fusion is both a language and a server, and sometime the term is also used to refer to a tool (Cold Fusion Studio) used to write Cold Fusion code. The course will primarily teach the language, but also enable you to configure the server and we will probably work a little with the new coding tool (Dreamweaver MX). Cold Fusion is a server-side scripting language, and this course is thus similar to Internet Programming II, which has to date taught either ASP or ASP.Net. To my knowledge, this is the first time a Cold Fusion course has been taught in the credit program at any of the five campuses. Because it is a new course, the software used in this course was released less than three months ago, and the book is not yet published, there will be some difficulties but I think we will all learn a lot!
Prerequisites and Degree Requirements
3 important points:
1) Knowledge of HTML such as provided in IST129 (Web Design I) is a prerequisite for this class. Cold Fusion tags supplement HTML tags in web pages so you need to know HTML and how construct web pages. It is possible to take these courses simultaneously although sequentially is preferred.
2) No programming experience is required for this class although students with programming experience will find it easier going. For students without programming experience, enrollment in IST 153, which introduces you to programming concepts, is recommended
3) This course probably does not satisfy requirements in some degrees for a programming course, so check with your advisor if that issue is important to you.Computers
This classroom is used by other classes and other students. This means you have a responsibility when using the computer to avoid making changes that will adversely affect other users. Unless directed otherwise by me, put all files onto a floppy or my documents on the c drive. You are free to create folders within my documents.
You will install Cold Fusion MX Server on one or more computers in the classroom. Please follow the instructor's instructions so that the configuration is the same so that students can move freely from one computer to another.
Floppy Disks
You will want to bring a floppy disk to class so that you can save your work. If you forget to bring a disk, you can save your work to the c drive and then send an email to yourself with the file as an attachment or FTP the file to your website. Put your name on the floppy in case you leave it in the drive. At least initially, homework will be submitted on floppy disks so you will need some for this purpose as well.
Attendance:
If you miss class, please check the class website for any changes to the schedule, including new assignments. When class is cancelled, assignments and topics will be pushed back to the next class date.
Office Hours: Before or after class. Other times by appointment.
Communication with Instructor: Particularly if you are having difficulty with this class, I strongly urge you to ask questions when we are together. Asking questions in this way is generally more efficient than email.
Texts:
Cold Fusion MX Web Application Construction Kit by Ben Forta, Macromedia Press, ISBN 0-321-12516-9. $54.99, 1744 pages (est.) with CD. Although originally due to be published in early-mid August, publication and shipment is now expected in the first week of September 2002. I've changed the course schedule to reflect the delay in availability.Earlier versions of this book have gone through several editions and were the Cold Fusion book selling the largest number of copies. I liked the portions I read of the previous version and liked it a good deal. This book is both a text and a reference book We will get through at least the first two sections but not get through the entire book.
Software
To test your pages, you will need access to Cold Fusion MX server. This will be available in the classroom and in some computers in the CT computer open lab. Many of you I expect will want to do work elsewhere, and thus you will need access to Cold Fusion MX Server. A 1-computer version can be downloaded (70-80MB) for free from www.macromedia.com and it will almost certainly be available on the CD accompanying the textbook when it is published. An alternative would be to host your work on a site that supports Cold Fusion, but this requires uploading your files to see them
The emphasis of the course will be on learning how to write Cold Fusion code in Notepad, just as one learns how to construct web pages in Notepad in IST 129. We may use Dreamweaver MX to a limited degree in the course. We may get a license for the software, but more likely we will utilize a free 30 day trial download for the classroom, some computers in the open lab, and you can do this as well elsewhere.
Required Email Address:
Students must email their instructor to provide an email address for communication. NVCC is transitioning to the new VCCS email system this semester. Further guidance about which email to provide to the instructor will be given once additional details are available concerning the new VCCS system. In all emails to the instructor, please include the course number or name in the subject line and your first and last name in the body of the email.
Grading Policy:
Midterm (25%), Homework (50%), and Final/Project (25%). I have increased the percentage for homework to stress the importance of this for your learning. To do well in this course you will most likely need to spend some time coding on your own so that you develop the ability to (1) come up with solutions, (2) translate the solution into code, and (3) work through the inevitable errors that your initial code will contain. Hopefully the feedback I provide to you on your homework and exams. Also, rather than simply typing in or pasting in code, you will need to understand what you are doing so that you can apply what worked in one situation to a related situation.
Although I have always offered students the opportunity to take makeup exams in the Testing Center, to do so in this course would require either the installation of Cold Fusion server on at least one computer in the testing center or for you to test your work by transferring it to a site that supports Cold Fusion. It is unlikely that the former will occur so for you to take a makeup exam (i.e. and be able to test your work during the exam), you would need to arrange for the latter. The latter may happen during the course anyway so this may not end up being an issue.
The final exam will either be a inclass exam or a take-home exam (project).
Academic Integrity
In general, students are expected to follow the Information Technology Student Ethics Agreement as posted in computer areas and academic integrity standards as set down in the Student Handbook.
In addition, I want to give you specific guidance regarding the following issues:
(1) On graded homework assignments and projects, students may ask for and receive some assistance from others, unless otherwise directed by the instructor. Yet those helping a student should avoid "doing the work" for the student. If students receive significant assistance from others, the student should give credit to these individuals. No assistance is permitted on exams and quizzes.
(2) Academic integrity issues are also involved where
(a) the student has made substantial use of material from elsewhere on the web or from other sources,
(b) the instructor might reasonably conclude that the work was the student's own work, and
(c) no credit is given, either on the web page or as a comment in the HTML code.In cases where the use was inadvertent or relatively minor, the student will simply be reminded to correct the deficiency.
(3) In instances where it is clear that the material is not one's own (e.g. a photo that the student would not have taken), no academic integrity issues are involved. In these instances, attribution is still useful however. For example, if the student wishes to make commercial use of the material at some future date, it may be necessary to get permission to utilize the material. If one has not made attributed the source when the page was created, one may very well forget the source of the material and thus be unable to get permission. Failure to attribute sources in these instances will only result in the student losing a few points.
Withdrawal from the Class:
Friday, September 6 is the last day for tuition refund. Tuesday, October 29 is the last day to withdraw without grade penalty or to change to audit. If you haven't withdrawn from the class or switched to audit by that date, you will receive a grade at the end of the semester based on the work you have completed in the class. If you think you have dropped or withdrawn from the class, make sure of this. The project and final together are worth 50% of your grade, so if you don't do either, you will receive an F for the class.
Incompletes:
Instead of giving incompletes, I will change the submitted grade if the missing work is submitted after the end of the semester. There is no deadline for you to complete this work, but in every case where my students have not submitted the work within a week or so of the end of class, no work has every been submitted, so you should make every effort to complete the work within the allotted time.
Auditing
Policies regarding auditors vary by instructor but the college desires that we impose at least a minimum requirement that you attend class. My requirement for auditing is that you attend at least 75% of the "new material" class sessions. As the course develops, you should make also clear to me whether you will be doing homework assignments or not so I know whether to look for them or not on your website.
Learning Environment
NVCC is a place for learning and growing. You should feel safe and comfortable anywhere on this campus. In order to meet this objective, you should: a) let your instructor, his/her supervisor, the Dean of Students or Provost know if any unsafe, unwelcome or uncomfortable situation arises that interferes with the learning process; (b) inform the instructor within the first two weeks of classes if you have special needs or a disability that may affect your performance in this course.
Fire/Emergency Evacuation Procedures
Students should familiarize themselves with both the primary and secondary routes that are to be used, in case you need to evacuate the building, as well as other evacuation procedures to be followed.