Sunday, February 7, 2010

CMOD6001 CIT Repeat

The next repeat CIT Module class will take place in B132 (Media Communications Dept) from 4.30pm to 6pm tomorrow (Monday, February 8). I would like to meet with all those who wish to take the repeat module this semester.

Friday, February 5, 2010

SOFT6007 Class 04

We looked at lists.

I asked students to go through online classes 1 to 4 in time for the
next class. We will see more about lists next class.

Colin Manning, Dept. of Computing
Cork Institute of Technology, Ireland

Thursday, February 4, 2010

SOFT6007 Class 03 A

We looked at how to include images in a web page.

I asked students to watch online Class 02 and Class 03 before our lecture tomorrow. The mostly deal with stuff we've already done so far.

I advised students they could use some of today's class time to work on their blog if they wanted.

SOFT6007 Class 02 A

I told students they needed to continue their blog.

I told students where to find my blog.

We looked at how to download the online classes in iTunes.

We built a simple web page (Example 2) and added links to it (Example 3)

I showed studens how to turn off the "hide extensions of known file types" option

SOFT6007 Class 03 B

We looked at how to include an image in a web page.

I advised students to uncheck the "hide extensions of know file types" option on their personal machines.

SOFT6007 Class 02 B

I told students that they need to continue with the blogs they started last semester. Students who don't have blogs should start one and send me the URL.

I told students that my blog is colinmcit.blogspot.com, but of course you know that if you are reading this :-)

I showed students where to find online classes using iTunes. I asked students to have worked trhough Class 02 and Class 03 before out next class together.

We looked again at the example from last class and typed it up in notepad to see it in the browser. We saw how to add a link to a page.

This lab group is full. A number of machine weren't working so students had to share. If you would like to vonunteer to move from Group B to Group A just for this lab class, please let me know. A few students had finished working for the day, so I asked them to give up their machines and leave.

More thoughts on Free Choice module

If students are to take a free choice elective without timetable clashes then there would need to be enough capacity to accomodate them all.

Is my back of the envelope maths reasonable or am I missing something? 
The number of electives * average no of students in each = total number with an elective.

30ish x 30ish = 900ish

Isn't that roughly an order of magnitude out? Or am I missing something major?

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

SOFT6007.EV Week 01

We looked at the origins of the Internet and the implications they
have nowadays. We say that HTML files are raw ASCII. I gave advice on
naming conventions for HTML files.

Students build a simple webpage (example 2) and added 2 links.

We saw how to subscribe to the module podcast and download classes and
notes.

I asked students to work through classes 1-4 by next week, and build a
page with images and a page with a nested list.

Notes: www1 (link to follow soon)

Colin Manning, Dept. of Computing
Cork Institute of Technology, Ireland

COMP7004

If you are interested in signing up for this module you'd want to get
a move on. It is slated to be taken off the menu.


Colin Manning, Dept. of Computing
Cork Institute of Technology, Ireland

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Electives

I am very unhappy with how the Free Choice system is being implemented.

From a student's point of view it is very confusing. The list of Free Choice modules contains at least one module that in not in fact running. Students are expected to make their choices with very little information. To register they need the CRN for the module which they are supposed to get from the lecturer. Ideally students would attend the first one or two classes to get a feel for the subject and get the CRN there. As it is, however, each student is expected to track down the lecturer concerned and request the CRN. There is no published timetable for the modules that might allow the students to find the class.

From a lecturer's point of view it is also very unsatisfactory. I have been assigned a Free Choice module to teach. When I went to my account on the registration system I could not see it. I later found that not only was the module not associated with me, it did not even exist in the system. So it was impossible for any student to register. This week, at a minimum, I should be meeting students and explaining to them what the course is about. Ideally I should actually make a start. I don't know where to go. If this module has been timetabled in a classroom, I have no way of finding it, despite being the only person that is teaching it. I have asked and no one will tell me where to go.

SOFT6007 Class 01

First class. We looked at origins of the Internet. We discussed what happens
when a user clicks on a link. We looked at 2 simple web pages.


I wasn't happy with the conduct of students during class.

Notes: www1 (link soon)

SOFT6008 Class 04

There are clearly more students want to take this subject than there are places. Students who want to take it should register as soon as possible. I will get firm information on the numbers and post the information here.

We looked at how to do a rollover. It wasn't very practical for me to help out students because the room was a bit crowed to get around. Students who didn't have computers left early.

notes JS02.ppt

COMP7004 Computing Ethics CRN

If you want to register for COMP7004 Computing Ethics the CRN is 21108.

PDF Movie

Monday, February 1, 2010

SOFT6008 CRN

If you have not automatically registered for this module, you may need the CRN to do so. It is 15395.

SOFT6008 Class 03

I asked students to combine the different things discussed today to make a page that displays a different image depending on the time of day. Image of the Eifel Tower at different times of the day would be easy to some by. Webcam archives might also be useful.

I helped a number of students debug their code. They learned the hard way that JavaScript is not very forgiving. Some students are using Notepad++, which helps them identify typos more quickly.

SOFT6008 Class 02

We looked at how random numbers work in JavaScript and built a page that displayed an image chosen randomly from a selection. The quotes inside quotes proved especially confusing.

I asked why do some images occur less frequently than others. If you think you know leave your answer as a comment.

Notes
random Image page

SOFT6008 Class 01

Introductions.
We talked about JavaScript & what it is.
Time based greeting page

Notes
Time Based Greeting page

CMOD6001 Repeat CIT Module



Colin Manning, Dept. of Computing
Cork Institute of Technology, Ireland

Begin forwarded message:

From: "Frank ODonovan" <Frank.ODonovan@cit.ie>
Date: 1 February 2010 13:15:58 GMT
To: "CIT" <cit@cit.ie>
Subject: Repeat  CIT Module

Hi All,

Students who are taking the repeat CIT module are asked to meet with me in
B132, Department of Media Communications, at 4.30pm today for the first
class. This will take the form of a question/orientation session. A more
permanent location for the class will be confirmed at a later date.

Regards,

Frank O'Donovan
Media Communications

Free Choice Modules

A list of Free Choice modules and the procedures for signing up are online at
http://www.cit.ie/freechoice/

Erasmus students should note that nothing else is running in the free choice time slots, so they might as well sigh up for something.

I am plugging my module COMP7004 Computing Ethics. PDF Movie

CMOD6001 CIT Module Repeat

Students who failed CMOD6001 should contact Frank.ODonovan@cit.ie to secure a place in the repeat of this module that is being offered in Semester 2.