This is the syllabus for Honors I101. It should viewed only as a tentative schedule of events directed by both me and you. I'm hoping to have the most fun in some time teaching this class; it will be a roller coaster ride of thinking, reading, writing, and problem solving. Our goal is three-fold: (1) to understand Informatics, (2) to learn to problem solve (especially in an Informatics world which exists now), (3) to expose you to ideas, opportunities, applications in this new world. So you're not completely overwhelmed, I was voted "Favorite Professor" at IU a few years back and have about half-a-dozen teaching awards--so I can about your experience. I am also completing a book on Foundations of Informatics that I will make in its draft form available only to you through oncourse where we'll do some house chores. You'll be using URLs then--one linked from my webpage and oncourse too. My webpage will have assignments and solutions, some notes; oncourse, will have notes to the Associate Instructor (who hasn't been assigned at the moment)


The course will consiste of a lot of reading (reading is good for you and enjoyable and you'll be graded on your response to these questions) and problems dealing with problem solving in areas like quantitative finance, sports informatics, video games, bioinformatics, security and privacy, and a few others (we only have a semester). The financial burden on you will be minimal, but you will be expected to acquire 3-4 books (online because their price is cheaper there) and a semester's worth of Economist.com. We will work on getting your membership this initial week, because it takes up to two weeks to process.

• MEETING TIMES
  INFO-H 101 INTRO TO INFORMATICS, HONORS (4 CR)
  17606 RSTR 02:30P-03:45P TR I107
  ABOVE CLASS OPEN TO HUTTON HONORS COLLEGE STUDENTS ONLY
  A PORTION OF THIS CLASS RESERVED FOR UNIVERSITY DIVISION
  ORIENTATION PROGRAM STUDENTS
  Laboratory (LAB)
  17607 RSTR 09:05A-09:55A F I109
  ABOVE CLASS OPEN TO HUTTON HONORS COLLEGE STUDENTS ONLY
  A PORTION OF THIS CLASS RESERVED FOR UNIVERSITY DIVISION
  ORIENTATION PROGRAM STUDENTS
  
• http://registrar.indiana.edu/time_sensitive/finalexamsche4088.shtml

• GRADES
  

  Grades are rather easily determined--you participate in the journey, you'll do well; you simply watch and you will not. I know students prefer the formula for a semseter's grade to be readily apparent, though I cannot understand really why), the following should suffice:

• Participation (0.25)
• Homework 10 (0.4)
• Exam I (0.1) held on Thursday, September 25, 2008
• Exam II (0.1) held on Thursday, October 30, 2008
• Final (0.15) held on Thursday, December 18, 12:30pm-02:30pm [notice time change]



• CHEATING
  

  A nasty topic with even nastier consequences. I am linking you to the student's ethics handbook. There are few aberrations in life: crossword puzzles, self-check out at grocery stores, mowing lawns, and having to deal with students who find the lure of cheating worth the gamble of consequences. At best, you don't get caught and have not learned anything; at worst, you receive an academic F, much like the A in the Scarlett letter that will plague you for too long for you to understand.




• HOMEWORK
  

  Homework consists of two parts: lecture and laboratory. The lecture itself consists of two parts: readings, discussion, and problem solving. The laboratory consists of learning about and employing existing technology. During the class they will form a synergy at times and at others will be somewhat apart in content due to the nature of technology itself. Grades in both lecture and laboratry are based on thoughtfulness of subject matter, homework hygenie, and timeliness. The laboratory grade contributes to the homework grade--at this point we'll leave it at that. All exams are open book, open note, etc. The exams are an onus brought about by our attraction to the blackhole of procrastination---but I also look it as a means to demonstrate what you have ruminated on--and even take this forward into your majors and careers as you journey through the Univiersity life

• Introduction: Day I
  Essay:Introduction:Technology as a Philosophical Problem by Carl Mitcham and Robert Mackey / Economist.com / Blink! / Cards


An excellent introduction to a field that is needed to be known in Informatics.





A quick, but interesting read on how a good number of decisions are made quickly--even in light of much information.






• Laboratory: Day I
  Sign-up for web access for one semester to the Economist.com / Learn about where to find, change, monitor your computer accounts at Indiana University.
• Homework 2 due at the beginning of class printed and stapled!
• Homework 3 due at the beginning of class printed and stapled!
We began reading The Man who Mistook his Wife for a Hat by O. Sacks.


How decisions are affected by right brain disease and injury.






• Exam 1 due at the beginning of class Thursday, Oct 2. The article is "Information Integration in the Enterprise" by P.E. Bernstein and L.M. Haas.