DMS 221: Web Development

Spring 2016

Course Info

When: Monday/Wednesday 1:00 - 2:50pm
Where: CFA 242

Instructor: Dave Pape
e-mail: depape at buffalo.edu
Office: CFA 250
Office hours: M/W 11-1, or by appointment

Website: http://resumbrae.com/d/DMS221

Course description

This is a course exploring the general topic of web applications - that is, using programming to create dynamic, interactive websites, or programming with web APIs, or similar subjects. It is intended to follow an "inquiry-based" approach. This means that much of the direction of the course is up to you, the student. Following a bit of fundamentals (HTML and Javascript), students will be expected to decide what specific topics you want to examine in detail, and to take initiative on learning and doing things. I, the instructor, will be along to guide and assist where needed, but I don't wish to simply follow a set course of lectures. Once things get going, class sessions will depend heavily on what you bring to them.

With that said, there are a few basic requirements:

• Each week you must at least briefly describe what you've been working on / researching; we'll spend more time discussing a few topics in detail; everyone's work will have to be the focus of attention at least once during the semester
• Each class you must turn in a brief written response or question relating to the day's discussion
• You must study at least one subject on what I'll call "theoretical" side of things - such as privacy issues, free software, diversity problems in tech industry/education, web art, etc. You will have to give a presentation on your topic, as well as either writing a short paper or making a project relating to it.
• You must do at least 3 easy-level exercises
• You must do at least 1 advanced exercise (ie a big project)

I will provide a list of possible exercises, research topics, and classroom activities; you can propose others, and I may add more as the semester progresses. The list will be kept on the course website. Each task will be worth a prescribed number of points (with different values for "acceptable" and "outstanding" work). Your final grade in the course will depend on how many points you accumulate.

Learning outcomes & assessment

Grading

Policies

E-mail

I will send any e-mail relating to this course to your official buffalo.edu address. Be sure that you check this address. Do not ask me to send e-mail to another address instead - if you don't want to use the buffalo.edu mail system, forward your mail from there to whatever system you do use.

Also, be warned that mail from free services like Hotmail or Yahoo has a strong chance of being caught by spam filters. Hence, I recommend not sending me e-mail from such an address, if you want to be certain that I'll receive it.

Lab Fee

This course carries a lab fee of $125.

Academic Integrity & Plagiarism

See http://undergrad-catalog.buffalo.edu/policies/course/integrity.shtml for UB's official academic integrity policy.

Be aware that rules regarding plagiarism, cheating, etc, apply to program code in the same way as to an academic paper.

Students with Disabilities

If you have a disability (physical, learning or psychological) which may make it difficult for you to carry out the course work as outlined, and/or requires accommodations such as recruiting note takers, readers, or extended time on exams and assignments, please contact the Office of Disability Services, 25 Capen Hall, 645-2608, and also your instructor during the first two weeks of class. ODS will provide you with information and will review appropriate arrangements for reasonable accommodations. See http://www.student-affairs.buffalo.edu/ods/ for more information.

Incompletes

See http://undergrad-catalog.buffalo.edu/policies/grading/explanation.shtml#incomplete for UB's policy on 'Incomplete' grades.

Weapons as props

If you are planning a student production which involves using any prop which could be interpreted to be a weapon [toy gun, BB gun, knife, etc.] and you are planning to shoot on the UB campus or any other public place, you must obtain written permission from Campus Security or the equivalent authority before you shoot. If you do not, you will face serious problems including possible expulsion from the university.

Sexual harassment

Sexual Harassment of employees and students, as defined below, is contrary to University policy and is a violation of federal and state laws and regulations.

Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitute sexual harassment when:

1. submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual's employment or academic advancement;
2. submission or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for employment or academic decisions affecting such individual;
3. such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's work or academic performance, or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment

No university employee of either gender shall impose a requirement of sexual cooperation as a condition of employment or academic advancement, or in any way contribute to or support unwelcome physical or verbal sexual behavior.

Any member of the university community who requires additional information or who wishes to make a complaint or receive a copy of the University procedures to be followed for complaints arising from matters related to the policies outlined above should contact the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Affirmative Action Administration, 406 Capen Hall, 716-645-2266. See http://equity.buffalo.edu/sexual_harass_stu_brochure.htm for more information.