ClassInfo

LSP 121 Quantitative Reasoning and Technological Literacy II

Danny Mittleman

Office: Daley 905
Dec Intersession 2012-2013
Class number: 26489
Section number: 523
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Online Campus
Course homepage: http://d2l.depaul.edu

Download syllabus

Summary

In this course students continue the study of issues in the sciences, social sciences, and management in which quantitative data plays a significant role. This second course in QRTL will emphasize more the role of computer technology. Extensive use will be made of computer tools such as Web 2.0 technologies, database, spreadsheet and programming languages.

This Quantitative Reasoning and Technological Literacy course is designed to help you to become a more confident, critical, and capable user of quantitative information of all kinds. In particular, it will help you to

  • critique quantitative arguments, whether given numerically, graphically, or in written form
  • manipulate data via the creation and use of relational databases
  • become acquainted with basic descriptive statistics and probability
  • understand the basic concepts of algorithm creation and programming



Texts

None. Readings will be provided.

Please see instructor?s initial letter to the class for a breakdown of computer hardware and software required. The letter discusses options for access to this material.



Grading

Quizzes/Participation: 12% There will be a Getting Started quiz, another quiz week one, and a quiz week two. The participation grade is minor in December, but active support for other students on the discussion board will generate lots of good karma points.
  • Assignments: 33% There will be two assignments due Week One, two assignments due Week Two, and two assignments due Week Three (plus the exam and final project). Not all assignments will necessarily be weighted the same.
  • Exam: 35% The proctored exam can be taken between Thursday December 13 and Saturday December 15.
  • Final Project: 20% The final project is due Friday, December 14 @ 11:59pm
  • An expanded description of each follows:
    Exam: The exam must be taken in order to receive a grade in the course. You must receive a grade of 40 or greater on the exam to pass the course. CDM provides support for finding a proctor if you are unable to take the exam at one of the DePaul campuses. Detailed information about proctoring will be made available early in the course. Any student requiring PLuS support for the exam should contact me with the appropriate paperwork during the first week of the course.

    If you cannot take the exam due to illness or family emergency, you must inform me in advance. In such situations, you will typically receive an incomplete grade in the course, and we will make arrangements for you take the final exam as soon as possible the next term.

    Project: This is an individual project (not group work) that must be submitted into the D2L Dropbox prior to end of day Friday December 14. Tutoring (and my office hour support) is available to help you with this project. Evidence that the work you submitted is not your own may result in failure in the course.

    Assignments: There will be assignments on the material presented. Their purpose is to give you practice on the skills we are learning, to explore some ideas more thoughtfully and deeply, and to prepare for the quizzes/exam. The assignments are posted on D2L/Content and will be made available at the beginning of the Module. Homework assignments must be done individually and are due by the due date posted on D2L. They will not be accepted after the solutions are made available on-line.

    Participation: As this is an online class, it does not require we meet or interact at specific times. For this December, required online participation will be minimal. However, there will be a discussion board for Q and A about assignments. Students who provide useful and timely feedback and advice to other students will be rewarded for doing so.



    Prerequisites

    Prerequisites: LSP 120

    LSP 121 is a Liberal Studies requirement for freshman and transfer students that entered DePaul University on or after the Autumn quarter 2006. When taking LSP 121, you may "reduce by one the number of courses they must take to meet their Learning Domain Area requirements. This course reduction can come from any one of the six Learning Domains, as long as the student still takes at least one course from each Domain and as long as the student still completes the laboratory and quantitative requirements in the Scientific Inquiry area."

    If you feel you already know the materials presented in this course, there is a placement exam you may take. You must take this exam within the first week of classes to waive the course this quarter. If you pass this exam, you will be waived from taking this course. Consult the qrc.depaul.edu website (click on Links in the left navigation bar, click on LSP 121 Placement Exam Study Guide in the list) for additional details. If you plan to take this placement exam and have not already done so, then drop the December course, take the exam, and take the course in Winter should you not pass.



    Submitted Materials

    You should keep a copy of all materials you submit to the Dropbox until the end of the course. Last quarter we experienced the disappearance of some materials (I think it was human error, but who knows.) If you material disappears, you need to be able to provide it again. This issue is most critical if you are doing work on a friend?s or lab computer. Make sure to email or archive a copy of your work for yourself.


    Pacing

    Students must complete work as assigned for the due dates specified. This is not a self-paced course. Late submission of assignments will result in a significant grading penalty. To the extent assignments are posted early, student are free to submit them ahead of time.


    Course Introduction. Database.

    Algorithms and Programming (in Scratch). Probability and Statistics.

    School policies:

    Changes to Syllabus

    This syllabus is subject to change as necessary during the quarter. If a change occurs, it will be thoroughly addressed during class, posted under Announcements in D2L and sent via email.

    Online Course Evaluations

    Evaluations are a way for students to provide valuable feedback regarding their instructor and the course. Detailed feedback will enable the instructor to continuously tailor teaching methods and course content to meet the learning goals of the course and the academic needs of the students. They are a requirement of the course and are key to continue to provide you with the highest quality of teaching. The evaluations are anonymous; the instructor and administration do not track who entered what responses. A program is used to check if the student completed the evaluations, but the evaluation is completely separate from the student’s identity. Since 100% participation is our goal, students are sent periodic reminders over three weeks. Students do not receive reminders once they complete the evaluation. Students complete the evaluation online in CampusConnect.

    Academic Integrity and Plagiarism

    This course will be subject to the university's academic integrity policy. More information can be found at http://academicintegrity.depaul.edu/ If you have any questions be sure to consult with your professor.

    All students are expected to abide by the University's Academic Integrity Policy which prohibits cheating and other misconduct in student coursework. Publicly sharing or posting online any prior or current materials from this course (including exam questions or answers), is considered to be providing unauthorized assistance prohibited by the policy. Both students who share/post and students who access or use such materials are considered to be cheating under the Policy and will be subject to sanctions for violations of Academic Integrity.

    Academic Policies

    All students are required to manage their class schedules each term in accordance with the deadlines for enrolling and withdrawing as indicated in the University Academic Calendar. Information on enrollment, withdrawal, grading and incompletes can be found at http://www.cdm.depaul.edu/Current%20Students/Pages/PoliciesandProcedures.aspx.

    Students with Disabilities

    Students who feel they may need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact the instructor privately to discuss their specific needs. All discussions will remain confidential.
    To ensure that you receive the most appropriate accommodation based on your needs, contact the instructor as early as possible in the quarter (preferably within the first week of class), and make sure that you have contacted the Center for Students with Disabilities (CSD) at:
    Lewis Center 1420, 25 East Jackson Blvd.
    Phone number: (312)362-8002
    Fax: (312)362-6544
    TTY: (773)325.7296