MINOR IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

BACKGROUND

During 1995 several events occurred, both local and national, indicating that there may be a need for more computing science courses at North Park. Among these were inquiries from local employers for graduates or interns in information technology, predictions that computer programming (very broadly interpreted) will be a growing profession for many years, student requests for more courses, and faculty interest in such training as would improve their own major programs.

Professors Iliff, Iverson, and Wicks began to design a minor in Information Technology late in 1995. All North Park students were given a survey about their preferences, and selected faculty and staff were interviewed. The comparable programs at selected schools were examined. The Report of the ACM/IEEE Joint Curriculum Task Force was consulted, and especially the appendix 'Sample Curricula with Other Major Goals'. (The acronyms stand for the "Association for Computing Machinery" and the "Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers".) Three proposed Associate Degree programs from the ACM were examined: Computer Support Services, Computing for Information Processing, and Computing Sciences. A fourth ACM document, Computing for Other Disciplines, described suggested support courses for other disciplines at two-year colleges.

After comparing this information with North Park's special needs, an innovative proposal for a minor in Information Technology was drafted. That document was circulated to certain interested faculty and staff. Many of the resulting suggestions have been incorporated or adapted in preparing the present document.

RATIONALE

As the computer is quickly becoming an essential tool in every area of study, there is an increasing need both for individuals that are able to integrate the computer into their professional activity, as well as those who can assist others in this process. New computer technology, such as the World Wide Web, is rapidly evolving, and those individuals who are trained to quickly learn and productively use such technology will be in great demand now and into the next century. Therefore, the Computer Science Department recommends the introduction of a new minor in the curriculum of North Park to meet these needs.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

This program is a designed to complement other major fields of study, as well as provide training for those who would want to serve as computer-support personnel. As opposed to a program that one might find at a technical school or an engineering school, this program embodies the spirit of the liberal arts: to provide students with a broad educational experience which will prepare them to learn and utilize new computer technologies. Specifically, we intend to:

1. Teach students the general principles of top-down programming in a structured, high-level language.
2. Equip students with a broad familiarity with a number of programming languages and operating systems.
3. Prepare students to learn new languages and programming environments by drawing analogies and contrasts with their prior experience and expectations.
4. Teach students the fundamentals of a number of specific application areas appropriate to their personal career goals.
5. Employ case-studies in various disciplines to introduce programming concepts in the context of smaller, manageable assignments, utilizing common software packages and high-level languages (such as VisualBasic in Excel or Java in Netscape).

CAREER OBJECTIVES

Career objectives are of two general kinds: (i) Information Technology (IT) careers and (ii) careers not primarily in IT but such that use IT to a great extent.

IT Careers Both those who wish to be qualified for certain entry-level positions (especially training programs building on the knowledge of this minor) and those who wish to continue their studies elsewhere will receive an excellent preparation to go on. However, the amount of training and knowledge learned in the proposed minor by itself would not be sufficient to qualify someone at a professional level.

Non-IT Careers Information Technology and computers have become essential to the ordinary work of many careers and professions. The proposed minor has alternatives and flexibility enough to provide students with opportunities to relate the technical material to their fields of interest. As a result of this program, students will be able to integrate the use of computers and IT into their professional goals, and to serve as valuable, highly trainable, computer-literate members of their work environment. As computer and IT use continues to increase in most careers, persons with computing and IT knowledge will see such knowledge increase in value. Careers in accounting, marketing, scientific research, technical writing, and communications media have been used as specific examples in the process of planning the proposed minor, and these are discussed further in the appended comments below.

PROPOSAL FOR MINOR IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

CATALOG DESCRIPTION

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

• CMPT 1210 Computing Science I (4 SH)
  An introduction to all the areas of computing science, such as operating systems and networks. Top-down structured design and programming are taught in a high level language such as C or C++, covering such topics as arithmetic, functions, control structures, and arrays. Prerequisite(s): CMPT 1010 or equivalent.

• CMPT 1220 Computing Science II (4 SH)
  A continuation of CMPT 1210 introducing such areas of computing science as software engineering and databases. Top-down structured design and programming are continued, covering such topics as pointers, data structures, dynamic lists, and recursion. Ethical issues in information technology. Prerequisite(s): CMPT 1210.
• CMPT 2230 Principles of Applied Programming (4 SH)
  Further development of programming skills, with emphasis on practical applications of object-oriented concepts. Languages such as C++, Visual Basic, and Java; applications such as MS Word, MS Excel, and Netscape. Prerequisite(s): CMPT 1220.
• CMPT 3240 Operating Systems Programming (4 SH)
  Introduction to systems-level programming in a variety of environments, such as Unix, Macintosh, and Windows NT. Prerequisite(s): CMPT 2230.
• CMPT 3310 Data Communications, Networks, & the Internet
  (4 SH)
  Introduction to local (LAN) and wide-area (WAN) network technologies and software. Internet and World Wide Web server technologies and software. Construction of graphical and interactive web-sites, using Java and Perl. Prerequisite(s): CMPT 1220.
• CMPT 3410 Databases and Information (4 SH)
  Introduction to database design and applications. Information collection and retrieval. SQL and the relational model. Such application packages as MS Excel, MS Access, and FoxPro are used in student projects. Perquisite(s): CMPT 1220.
• CMPT/MATH 3620 Numerical Methods (4 SH)
  An introduction to numerical methods with computer implementation. Solution of linear, non-linear, and differential equations, interpolation and approximation, numerical integration, and differentiation; error analysis. Perquisite(s): MATH 1520.
• CMPT 4910 Independent Study in Computing Science (4 SH)
• CMPT 4970 Internship (4 SH)
  Prerequisite: At least 4 courses from CMPT 1210, 1220, 2230, 3240, 3310, 3410, 3620, or 4910.

COURSE SCHEDULE

CMPT 1210 and 1220 would continue to be offered on a yearly basis. CMPT/MATH 3620 would continue to be offered on an alternate year basis. Likewise, CMPT 2230, 3240, 3310, and 3410 would be introduced on an alternate year basis. CMPT 4970 and CMPT 4910 would continue to be offered as needed. The courses would be phased in, and continued on alternate years, as follows:

COSTS

Alan Iliff would continue to teach CMPT 1210 and 1220 on an annual basis as part of his usual load. Likewise, John Wicks would continue to teach CMPT/MATH 3620 on an alternate year basis as part of his usual load. The sections of CMPT 1010 and MATH 1010 that Iliff and Wicks, respectively, would normally teach each year will be covered by part-time faculty . Assuming that they are each relieved of one section per year, the cost each year would be $3300. Also approximately $500 would need to be spent to update the Computer Science Library holding, plus an additional $200 annually for this purpose. After the program is fully phased in the total annual cost would then be $3500. At present the software and hardware needs for the program would be met with existing equipment.

COMMENTS

It should be clear how this program is tailored to meet the stated learning objectives:

• Objective A) will be met primarily through CMPT 1210, 1220, and 2230. These courses teach the basics of structured programming. This objective will also be addressed in all subsequent coursework, as students practice the principles of programming in various applied settings.
• Objectives B) and C) will be met primarily in all of the courses in the program. As a whole, these courses should provide experience on at least two operating systems and in at least three programming languages. Time should also be spent comparing, contrasting, and generalizing the specific features of each language. For example, students will study C in CMPT 1210 and 1220, C++ in CMPT 2230, and Java in CMPT 3310. These languages are all similar in some ways, but each has unique capabilities and purposes. The first two will be studied under Unix, while the third will be implemented on a Macintosh or Windows-based computer.
• The list of elective courses is designed to fulfill Objective D). These should be compared against the list of Career Objectives given above.
• Finally, to fulfill Objective E), each upper-level course should contain a number of applied case-studies to build the student's self-confidence and sense of professional competence. We will solicit suggestions from the faculty of the various client disciplines on appropriate applications.

As a whole, this program should produce broadly educated, computer-literate professionals, who can draw on their experiences to adapt to new technology and apply it productively to their own areas of specialization.

SAMPLE CAREER PATHS

• IT careers (any major) A student interested in network engineering or in database administration would be well served to follow the proposed minor with one of the professional training programs from Novell or Oracle, respectively. Some entry-level positions provide such training at the employer's expense.
• Accounting major A student who finishes the minor with CMPT 3410 or with a suitable internship will have a thorough knowledge of how business records and transactions are computerized and a greater appreciation for the auditing process as applied to computerized accounting systems.
• Marketing major A student who finishes the minor with a suitable internship or independent study will have a very thorough knowledge of the use of telecommunications and the internet as marketing tools.
• Science major A student who finishes the minor with CMPT/MATH 3620 will have a very thorough knowledge of the use of computing in scientific situations. Such knowledge can be useful to others in a group research situation, or it can make the individual much more efficient in designing and carrying out projects.
• Technical Writing (English or Communications major) A student who finishes the minor with an independent study in technical writing will be very well prepared to write and edit books on computing and IT.
• IT & Communications Media (Communications major) A student who finishes the minor with either an independent study or an internship in electronic media will be very well prepared for working in television and print media as they make increasing use of the World Wide Web.