Paul Kashiyama

Description:

This is a fully on-line course mounted on the Moodle environment.  

This course critically examines a broad range of concepts, ideas and issues surrounding information and computer technology. What is a computer system? How do computer-based information systems differ from traditional information systems and technology? How do historical, scientific and social contexts help us to appreciate the impetus for developing ever-powerful technologies? What are the social impacts of technology in the area of communication, employment, education, government, and personal interaction?

The course guides students to critically explore and acquire an integrated understanding of the implications of information technology that have become ubiquitous in our society. Examples of major topics involve digital data/information representation, relationships between science and technology; communication and representations of knowledge/information; educational and economic implementations; privacy risks and security interests.

While there is no prerequisite for this course, students should have a good working knowledge of computer use particularly computer file management concepts and practice. Also, due to the comprehensive scope of the topics explored, students should anticipate some challenging aspects to the course including:

• Math Content: Grade 10 level - Positional number notation concepts, several binary notational systems and binary arithmetic as samples of digital data representation and basic concepts of statistics. ·
• Basic Web publishing: HTML concepts and coding techniques will be applied to producing assignments uploaded/published as Web page presentations on the York student Web server.