IT 130 Introductory Computing for the Web

Course Overview

Students learn about the Internet and the Web through the creation of interactive Web pages. Weekly assignments include developing pages using HTML and Javascript. Incrementally, programming concepts are learned and practiced to create interesting dynamic pages. General concepts of computing are explored throughout the term.

Course Goals

The primary goal of this course is to provide a general understanding of computing by focusing on the Web and its technologies. Specific goals include:

  • Explain how Web sites are organized
  • Develop useful Web pages
  • Write simple programs
  • Learn how to look up documentation to learn on your own
  • Diagnose problems in computer code by tracing program states, predicting output and explaining any discrepancies between predicted output and actual behavior.
  • Explain the role of programs and algorithms for solving scientific problems.
  • Identify difficulties and limitations of using computer technology for solving problems.

Learning Domain Description

IT 130 (Introductory Computing for the Web) is included in the Liberal Studies program as a course with credit in the Scientific Inquiry domain. Courses in the Scientific Inquiry domain are designed to provide students with an opportunity to learn the methods of modern science and its impact on the world around us. Courses are designed to help students develop a more complete perspective about science and the scientific process, including: an understanding of the major principles guiding modern scientific thought; a comprehension of the varying approaches and aspects of science; an appreciation of the connection among the sciences; the fundamental role of mathematics in practicing science; an awareness of the roles and limitations of theories and models in interpreting, understanding, and predicting natural phenomena; and a realization of how these theories and models change or are supplanted as our knowledge increases.

At the end of the quarter, we will revisit this description and discuss how IT 130 addresses the goals of the learning domain. In particular, we will consider how computational thinking aligns with the scientific method and how the phenomena of this course relates to "natural phenomena."