Informatics, B.S., 2021

UNIVERSITYATALBANY

State University of New York

Office of the Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs

April 29, 2021

Shadi Shahedipour-Sandvik, Ph.D.
Provost-in-Charge

State University of New York
System Administration

State University Plaza

Albany, NY 12246

Dear Dr. Shahedipour-Sandvik,

On behalf of the faculty at the University at Albany and our College for Emergency Preparedness, | am pleased to
resubmit our proposal for an update to our Informatics BS. We submitted this proposal last year and were
provided with suggested edits from your team. After consultation with the faculty of that department, we are
pleased to resubmit the registration form with edits provided by the Informatics department.

Please note that in addition to the registration 3A form, we have included two addendums. Addendum 1 is the
syllabi required with the registration, addendum 2 is a rational and campus shared governance forms that were
approved to lead to the creation of a new concentration within our existing Informatics BS.

This proposal has been considered and approved through our campus governance system. Should there be a
need for additional information or clarification to facilitate processing, please contact Kaitlyn Beachner at
kbeachner@albany.edu.

Thank you for your consideration and assistance.

Sincerely,

(wooo

Carol Kim, Ph.D.
Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs

Attachment

G Dean Robert Griffin, College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security and Cybersecurity
Vice Provost JoAnne Malatesta, Undergraduate Education

University Hall, Suite 308
1400 Washington Avenne, Albany, NY 12222
PUL 518-956-8090 EX: 518-956-800
‘werw.albamy cca
Program Revision Proposal:

Changes to an Existing Program

SUNY approval and SED registration are required for many changes to registered programs. To request a change to a

Form 3A
Version 2016-10-13

registered program leading to an undergraduate degree, a graduate degree, or a certificate that does not involve the creation
of a new program,' a Chief Executive or Chief Academic Officer must submit a signed cover letter and this completed

form to the SUNY Provost at program.review@suny.edu.

Section 1. General Information

a) Institution’s 6-digit SED Code: |210500
Institutional eT ar,
Anforniation Institution’s Name: | University at Albany
Address: | 1400 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12222
b) List each campus where the entire program will be offered (with each institutional or branch
Program campus 6-digit SED Code):
Poca LORS List the name and address of off-campus locations (i.e., extension sites or extension centers) where
courses will offered, or check here [ | if not applicable:
c) Program Title: | Informatics
poe SED Program Code|37307
Program to be
Changed Award(s) (e.g., A.A., B.S.):|B.S.
Number of Required Credits: |Minimum [ 120 ] If tracks or options, largest minimum [
HEGIS Code: | 0799.00
CIP 2010 Code: | 11.0104
Effective Date of Change: | Fall 2021
Effective Date of Completion? | Fall 2021
d) Name and title: Kaitlyn Beachner, Staff Associate for Undergraduate Programs
Campus Contact | Telephone: 518-442-3149 E-mail: kbeachner@albany.edu
e) Signature affirms that the proposal has met all applicable campus administrative and shared
Chief Executive or | governance procedures for consultation, and the institution’s commitment to support the proposed
Chief Academic program. E-signatures are acceptable,
Officer Approval Name and title: Dr. Cafo’ 'h.D., Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
Signature and date: 4/29/2021
If the program will be registered jointly’ with one or more other institutions, provide the
following information for each institution:
Partner institution’s name and 6-digit SED Code:
Name, title, and signature of partner institution’s CEO (or append a signed letter indicating
approval of this proposal):

[Section 2. Program Information

' To propose changes that would create a new program, Form 3B, Creating a New Program from Existing Program(s), is required.
2 If the current program(s) must remain registered until enrolled students have graduated, the anticipated effective date by which continuing students
will have completed the current version of the program(s).

3 If the partner institution is non-degree-granting, see SED’s CEO Memo 94-04.

[ Section 2.1. Changes in Program Content

[ ] No changes in program content. Proceed to Section 2.2.
a) Check all that apply. Describe each proposed change and why it is proposed.

[X ]Cumulative change from SED’s last approval of the registered program of one-third or more of the minimum credits
required for the award (e.g., 20 credits for associate degree programs, 40 credits for bachelor’s degree programs)

[ ] Changes in a program’s focus or design

[X]Adding or eliminating one or more options, concentrations or tracks

[ ] Eliminating a requirement for program completion (such as an internship, clinical placement, cooperative education,
or other work or field-based experience). Adding such requirements must remain in compliance with SUNY credit
cap limits.

[ ] Altering the liberal arts and science content in a way that changes the degree classification of an undergraduate
program, as defined in Section 3.47(c)(1-4) of Regents Rules

b) Provide a side-by-side comparison of all the courses in the existing and proposed revised program that clearly indicates
all new or significantly revised courses, and other changes.

Informatics B.S. Requirements
(Proposed in 2014, approved in 2015):

2021 Proposed Changes to Informatics B.S.
Requirements:

Combined major-minor degree: 54 credits
Required Core: 42 credits

Combined major-minor degree: 54 credits
Required Core: 42 credits

IINF 100X — Information in the 21**Century

IINF 100X — Information in the 21Century

IINF 301 — Emerging Trends in Information and
Technology

IINF 301 — Emerging Trends in Information and
Technology

IINF 499 — Senior Seminar in Informatics

CINF 499 — Senior Seminar in Informatics

IINF 201 — Introduction to Web Technologies

CINF 201 — Introduction to Web Technologies

IINF 202 — Introduction to Data and Databases

CINF 202 — Introduction to Data and Databases

IINF 203 — Introduction to Network and Systems

CINF 203 — Introduction to Network and Systems

IINF 305 — Digital Project Management

CINF 305 — Digital Project Management

ICSI 105 — Computing & Information
Or ICSI 201- Introduction to Computer Science

1esi-405-¢. ti
POE:

Or ICSI 201 — Introduction to Computer Science

dink i

Any AMAT Course between 100 — 299 (except AMAT 108
Elementary Statistics)

Any AMAT Course between 100 — 299 (except AMAT 108
Elementary Statistics)

IINF 200 — Research Methods for Informatics
Or ASOC 220 — Introduction to Social Research

CINF 200 — Research Methods for Informatics
Or ASOC 220 — Introduction to Social Research

AMAT 108 - Elementary Statistics (3)
Or ASOC 221- Statistics for Sociologists (3)

AMAT 108 - Elementary Statistics (3)
Or ASOC 221- Statistics for Sociologists (3)

Experiential Learning (9 Credits):

Students will be advised into experiences that
complement the chosen concentration. Classes may be
repeated twice for a total of 6 credits. Students must do
at least two different courses. Online IT Students only may
complete INF 469 (9 credits) to fulfill this requirement.

IINF 465 — Senior Capstone Project (3)

Experiential Learning (9 Credits):
Students will be advised into course-related experiences
that complement their chosen concentration. Some

ee £6 i
ee

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lIINF 466 — Undergraduate Research (3)

lIINF 467 — Technology — based Community Support (3)
lINF 468 — Undergraduate Internship (3)

lIINF 469 Undergraduate Internship for Online IT Students
(3)

EAPS 487 — Mentoring (3)

CINF 465 Senior Capstone in Informatics (repeatable)
CINF 466 Independent Research (repeatable)

CINF 467 Technology-Based Community Support
(repeatable)

CINF 468 Undergraduate Internship (repeatable)
CINF 469 Undergraduate Internship for Fully Online
Students

EAPS 487 or EAPS 456, EAPS 457 Peer Education (as
appropriate)

Concentrations (at least 12 credits)
Students select one concentration.

Interactive User Experience

IINF 302 Human-Computer Interactive Design

IINF 362 Intermediate Interactive Design

And select two from:

IINF 308 Programming for Informatics

lINF 363 Digital Design

IINF 401 Case Studies in Digital Citizenship

IINF 462 Current Technologies in Web Design

lINF 496 Special Topics (as appropriate, repeatable)
ICSI 107 Web Programming

ICSI 124X Computer Security Basics

ADOC 324 Introduction to Documentary Photography
ADOC 330 Foundations of Documentary
Web/Hypermedia Production

ADOC 406 Practicum in Historical Documentary
Filmmaking

ADOC 407 Readings and Practicum in Digital History and
Hypermedia

Concentrations (at least 12 credits)
Select one concentration.

Interactive User Experience (offered fully online)

CINF 302 Human-Computer Interactive Design
CINF 362 Intermediate Interactive Design
Select two courses from:
ADOC/AJRL 324 Introduction to Documentary
Photography
ADOC/AHIS 330 Foundations of Documentary
Web/Hypermedia Production
ADOC/AHIS 406 Practicum in Historical Documentary
Filmmaking
ADOC/AHIS 407 Readings and Practicum in Digital History
and Hypermedia

— Created a new course to
replace ICSI 124X.
CINF 308 Programming for Informatics
CINF 363 Digital Design
CINF 401 Case Studies in Digital Citizenship
CINF 462 Current Technologies in Interactive Design
CINF 496 Intermediate Special Topics in Informatics (as
appropriate, repeatable)

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Cyber-security:

ICSI 124X Computer Security Basics

IINF 306 Information Security & Assurance

And select two from:

IINF 401 Case Studies in Digital Citizenship

INF 452 Computer and Network Security

IINF 453 Information Security and Privacy

INF 454 Human Aspects of Cyber-security

IINF 455 Prevention and Protection Strategies in Cyber-
security

IINF 496 Special Topics (as appropriate, repeatable)
ICSI 300Z Social, Security and Privacy Implications of
Computing

ICSI 424 Information Security

ICSI 426 Cryptography

Computer Networking:

IINF 303 Intermediate Networking (currently IINF 423)
IINF 304 Intermediate Hardware and Operating Systems
(currently lIINF 424)

And select two from:

IINF 306 Information Security and Assurance

lIINF 403 Advanced Networking and Security

IINF 404 Advanced Systems and Security

INF 452 Computer and Network Security

IINF 470 Physical Computing

IINF 496 Special Topics (as appropriate, repeatable)

Social Media:

IINF 307 Current Topics in Social Media

ICSI 131 Introduction to Data Analytics: Seeking
Information in Data with Computation

And select two from:

IINF 308 Programming for Informatics

IINF 363 Digital Design

IINF 401 Case Studies in Digital Citizenship

IINF 496 Special Topics (as appropriate, repeatable)

DeLee tees
Security Basi
Cybersecurity: (offered fully online)
puter Security Basi

ies} 424yc,

— Created a new course to
replace ICSI 124X.
CINF 306 Information Security and Assurance
Select two courses from:

CINF 401 Case Studies in Digital Citizenship

CINF 452 Computer and Network Security

CINF 453 Information Security and Privacy

CINF 454 Human Aspects of Cybersecurity

CINF 455 Prevention and Protection Strategies in
Cybersecurity

CINF 496 Intermediate Special Topics in Informatics (as
appropriate, repeatable)

ICSI 3002 Social, Security, and Privacy Implications of
Computing

ICSI 424 Information Security

ICSI 426 Cryptography

Capeatteek oad

- This concentration is discontinued.

Social Media
1CS1131 Introduction toe Data Analutics: S. king

- Created a new course in this topic, replacing the
discontinued one.
CINF 307 Current Topics in Social Media

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ICSI 432 Network Science

ASOC 210 Sociology of Culture

ASOC 255 Mass Media

ASOC 270 Social and Demographic Change
ADOC 224 Nonfiction Media Storytelling

Data Analytics:

ICSI 131 Introduction to Data Analytics: Seeking
Information in Data with Computation

IINF 300 Probability and Statistics for Data Analytics
And select two from:

IINF 407 Modern Issues in Databases

lIINF 408 Analysis, Visualization, and Prediction in
Analytics

IINF 451 Bayesian Data Analysis and Signal Processing
IIST 433 Information Storage and Retrieval

ICSI 431 Data Mining

ICSI 432 Network Science

ICSI 436 Machine Learning

Software Development:

ICSI 201 Introduction to Computer Science

ICSI 310 Data Structures

ICSI 418Y Software Engineering

And select one from:

IINF 455 Prevention and Protection Strategies in Cyber-
security

ICSI 405 Object Oriented Programming Principles and
Practice

Select two courses from:

ADOC/AHIS 224 Nonfiction Media Storytelling
ASOC 210 Sociology of Culture

ASOC 255 Mass Media

ASOC 270 Social and Demographic

CINF 308 Programming for Informatics

CINF 363 Digital Design

CINF 401 Case Studies in Digital Citizenship

CINF 496 Intermediate Special Topics in Informatics (as
appropriate, repeatable)

ICS| 432 Network Science

Data Analytics (ffered filling)

- Created a new course in this topic, replacing the
discontinued one.

CINF 300 Probability and Statistics for Data Analytics
Select two courses from:

CINF 407 Modern Issues in Databases

- renumbering of lINF 408
CINF 451 Bayesian Data Analysis and Signal Processing

ICSI 431 Data Mining

ICS| 432 Network Science

ICSI 436 Machine Learning

IIST 433 Information Storage and Retrieval

Software Development

|

- replaces ICSI 418Y Software Engineering
ICSI 201 Introduction to Computer Science
wee

- ICSI 213 is the renumbering of their Data Structures
course, previously ICSI 310.
pee

S of 13

Information Technology (online only):

IINF 302 Human-Computer Interactive Design

IINF 303 Intermediate Networking (currently lINF 423)
IINF 306 Information Security & Assurance

INF 308 Programming for Informatics

Self-Designed (with Departmental Approval only):
Student must provide a proposal of courses to take to
support the proposed self-designed concentration that
includes at least four (4) courses. At least 9 credits of a
self-designed concentration should be taken while
enrolled in the INF BS program. Proposal must be
approved by INF faculty before the student can declare it.

UNE 4SS Prevention and Prot,
security:
Practice

tion Stratecies in Cyber
Ss ¥

— This new course is now required, replacing the previous
options.

Information Technology (offered fully online)

CINF 302 Human-Computer Interactive Design

CINF 303 Intermediate Networking (currently NE 423)
CINF 306 Information Security and Assurance

CINF 308 Programming for Informatics

Self-Designed (with Departmental Approval only)
Student must provide a proposal of courses to take to
support the proposed self-designed concentration that
includes at least four courses. At least 9 credits of a self-
designed concentration should be taken while enrolled in
the Informatics B.S. program. A proposal must be
approved by CEHC faculty before the student can declare
it.

- New concentration

CINF 171: eSports & the Digital Gaming ecosystem
CINF 363: Digital Design

CINF 371: Digital Game Design and Development 1
Choose one course from:

CINF 471: Digital Game Design & Development 2
CINF 496: Intermediate Special Topics in Informatics
ETAP 534: Introduction to Games for Learning: Theory
and Practice

ETAP 535: Introduction to Game Design for Educators
ETAP 540: Learning and Teaching Computer Science
Principles

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c) For each new or significantly revised course, provide a syllabus at the end of this form, and, on the SUNY Faculty
Table provide the name, qualifications, and relevant experience of the faculty teaching each new or significantly revised
course. NOTE: Syllabi for all courses should be available upon request. Each syllabus should show that all work for
credit is college level and of the appropriate rigor. Syllabi generally include a course description, prerequisites and
corequisites, the number of lecture and/or other contact hours per week, credits allocated (consistent with SUNY
policy on credit/contact hours), general course requirements, and expected student learning outcomes.

d) What are the additional costs of the change, if any? If there are no anticipated costs, explain why.

Additional costs associated with this proposal are related to the high-powered computers necessary for the Game Design
and Development concentration. CEHC currently manages the University’s eSports team and facility and can support the
initial cohort of the concentration (30 students). Should we meet our out year projections, we would anticipate expenses
associated with the expansion of the lab.

[Section 2.2. Other Changes ]

Check all that apply. Describe each proposed change and why it is proposed.

[ ] Program title

[{ ] Program award

[ ] Mode of delivery

NOTES: (1) If the change in delivery enables students to complete 50% of more of the program via distance

education, submit a Distance Education Format Proposal as part of this proposal. (2) If the change involves

adding an accelerated version of the program that impacts financial aid eligibility or licensure qualification, SED

may register the version as a separate program.

Format change(s) (e.g., from full-time to part-time), based on SED definitions, for the entire program

1) State proposed format(s) and consider the consequences for financial aid

2) Describe availability of courses and any change in faculty, resources, or support services.

[{ ] A change in the total number of credits in a certificate or advanced certificate program

[ ] Any change to a registered licensure-qualifying program, or the addition of licensure qualification to an existing
program. Exception: Small changes in the required number of credits in a licensure-qualifying program that do not
involve a course or courses that satisfy one of the required content areas in the profession.

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[Section 3. Program Schedule and Curriculum

a) For undergraduate programs, complete the SUNY Undergraduate Program Schedule to show the sequencing and
scheduling of courses in the program. If the program has separate tracks or concentrations, complete a Program
Schedule for each one.

b)

NOTES: The Undergraduate Schedule must show all curricular requirements and demonstrate that the program
conforms to SUNY’s and SED’s policies.

It must show how a student can complete all program requirements within SUNY credit limits, unless a longer
period is selected as a format in Item 2.1(c): two years of full-time study (or the equivalent) and 64 credits for an
associate degree, or four years of full-time study (or the equivalent) and 126 credits for a bachelor’s degree.
Bachelor's degree programs should have at least 45 credits of upper division study, with 24 in the major.

It must show how students in A.A., A.S. and bachelor’s programs can complete, within the first two years of full-
time study (or 60 credits), no fewer than 30 credits in approved SUNY GER courses in the categories of Basic
Communication and Mathematics, and in at least 5 of the following 8 categories: Natural Science, Social
Science, American History, Western Civilization, Other World Civilizations, Humanities, the Arts and Foreign
Languages

It must show how students can complete Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS) credits appropriate for the degree.
When a SUNY Transfer Path applies to the program, it must show how students can complete the number of
SUNY Transfer Path courses shown in the Transfer Path Requirement Summary within the first two years of full-
time study (or 60 credits), consistent with SUNY’s Student Seamless Transfer policy and MTP 2013-03.

Requests for a program-level waiver of SUNY credit limits, SUNY GER and/or a SUNY Transfer Path require the
campus to submit a Waiver Request —with compelling justification(s).

EXAMPLE FOR ONE TERM: Undergraduate Program Schedule

Term 2: Fall 20xx Credits per classification
Course Number & Title Cr GER [LAS [Maj _|TPath New _| Prerequisite(s)
ACC 101 Principles of Accounting 4 4 4
MAT 111 College Mathematics 3 M 3 3 MAT 110
CMP 101 Introduction to Computers 3
HUM 110 Speech 3 BC 3 x
ENG 113 English 102 3 BC 3
Term credit total: | _16 6 9 7 4

For graduate programs, complete the SUNY Graduate Program Schedule. If the program has separate tracks or

concentrations, complete a Program Schedule for each one.

NOTE: The Graduate Schedule must include all curriculum requirements and demonstrate that expectations from

Part 52.2(c)(8) through (10) of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education are met.

8 of 13
SUNY Undergraduate Program Schedule (OPTION: You can paste an Excel version of this schedule AFTER this line, and delete the rest of this page.)
Program/Track Title and Award: Informatics, BS.

a) Indicate academic calendar type: [ X ] Semester [ ] Quarter [ ] Trimester [ ] Other (describe):
b) Label each term in sequence, consistent with the institution’s academic calendar (e.g., Fall 1, Spring 1, Fall 2)

c) Name of SUNY Transfer Path, if one exists: See Transfer Path Requirement Summary for details

d) Use the table to show how a typical student may progress through the program; copy/expand the table as needed. Complete all columns that apply to a course.
Term 1: Fall 1 Term 2:Spring 1

Course Number & Title Cr_|GER | LAS | Maj | TPath | New | Co/Prerequisites |_| Course Number & Title Cr_|GER |LAS |Maj|TPath | New _|Co/Prerequisites
CINF 100X Information in the 21% 3 3 3 CINF 201 Introduction to Web 3 3 3 CINF 100
Century Technologies

CINF 108 Programming for Problem 3 3 UUNI 110 - Writing and Critical 3 BC 3

Solving Inquiry

AMAT 108 Elementary Statistics OR 3 M 3 Natural Sciences Gen Ed 3 NS 3

ASOC 221 Statistics for Sociologists

Social Sciences Gen Ed 3 Ss 3 Elective, Liberal Arts 3 3

Arts Gen Ed 3 AR 3 Elective, Liberal Arts 3 3

Term credit totals: |_15 12 9 9

Term 3: Fall 2

Course Number & Title Cr_|GER | LAS | Maj | TPath | New | Co/Prerequisites Course Number & Title Cr_|GER|LAS |Maj|TPath | New | Co/Prereqi
CINF 202 Introduction to Data and 3 3 CINF 108, ICSI CINF 200 Research Method for 3 3 CINF 100
Databases te oF | | Informatics OR

ECE 201 or B ASOC 220 Introduction to Social

ITM 215; not Research

open to students

who are taking

or have

completed ICSI
410 or 411 or B

ITM 331
CINF 203 Introduction to Network and 3 3 CINF 301X Emerging Trends in 3 3 3
Systems Information and Technology
AMAT 100 Precalculus Mathematics, 3 /M 3 3 Concentration Course 3 3
OR AMAT 104 Topics in Contemporary
Mathematics, OR AMAT 106 Survey of
Calculus, OR AMAT 112 Calculus
Foreign Language 1 Gen Ed 3 FL 3 US Historical Perspectives GenEd | 3 HIS 3
International Perspectives Gen Ed 3 IP 3 Humanities Gen Ed 3 | HUM] 3

Term credit tot:

Course Number &
Concentration Course

CINF 305 Digital Project Management
Elective, 300+

Elective, 300+

Elective, 300+, if needed

Co/Prerequisites Co/Prerequisites

Concentration Course 300+
CINF 201, 202 CINF Experiential course 300+
Elective, 300+ liberal arts
Elective. 300+

Elective

9] co] co] eo]o0] O

or
3
3
3 3
3
3

Term credit total: 1
Term 7: Fall 4

p!

Course Number & Title Cr _|GER | LAS | Maj | TPath | New | Co/Prerequisites e) 0 TPath Co/Prerequ
CINF Concentration Course 300+ 3 3 CINF 499W Senior Seminar in 3 3 3 Informatics

Informatics seniors only
CINF Experiential course 300+ 3 3 CINF Experiential Course 300+ 3 3
Elective, liberal arts 3 3 Elective, liberal arts 3 3
Elective, liberal arts 3 3 Elective, 300+ 3
Elective, 300+ 3 Elective 3

Term credit totals: Term credit total

Total Upper ivisi Number of SUNY GER Categories:

Propgram Totals (in credi

Credits: 120 Other: 66 Division: 45

KEY Cr: credits GER: SUNY General Education Requirement (Enter Category Abbreviation) LAS: Liberal A (Enter credits) Maj: Major requirement (Enter credits) TPath: SUNY Transfer Path
Courses (Enter credits) Ne se (Enter X) Co/Prerequisite( co/prerequisite(s) for the noted courses. Upper Division: Courses intended primarily for juniors and seniors SUNY GER Category
Abbreviations: American History (AH), Basic Communication (BC), Foreign Language (FL), Humanities (H), Math (M), Natural Sciences (NS), Other World Civilizations (OW), Social Science (SS), The Arts (AR),
Western Civilization (WC)

10
SUNY Graduate Program Schedule OPTIO!
Program/Track Title and Award:

a) Indicate academic calendar type: [ ] Semester [ ] Quarter [ ] Trimester [ ] Other (describe):

b) Label each term in sequence, consistent with the institution’s academic calendar (e.g., Fall 1, Spring 1, Fall 2)

¢) Use the table to show how a typical student may progress through the program; copy/expand the table as needed.
d) Complete the last row to show program totals and comprehensive, culminating elements. Complete all columns that apply to a course.

': You can insert an Excel version of this schedule AFTER this line, and delete the rest of this page.)

Term I: Term 2:
Course Number & Title Credits _[ New |Co/Prerequisites Course Number & Title Credits [ New [Co/Prerequisites

Term credit total: PO Term credit total: PO
Term 3: Term 4:
Course Number & Title Credits [New |Co/Prerequisites Course Number & Title Credits [ New [Co/Prerequisites

Term credit total: P| Term credit total: Po
Term 5: Term 6:
Course Number & Title Credits | New |Co/Prerequisites Course Number & Title Credits [ New [Co/Prerequisites

Term credit total: PE Term credit total: Po
Term 7: Term 8:
Course Number & Title Credits [New |Co/Prerequisites Course Number & Title Credits [New [Co/Prerequisites)

Term credit total:

Term credit total:

Potal

Program Tota Credits:

Identify the required comprehensive, culminating element(s), such as a thesis or examination, including course number(s), if

applicable:

New: X if new course

11

Prerequisite(s): list prerequisite(s) for the listed courses
[Section 4. SUNY Faculty Table

a) If applicable, provide information on faculty members who will be teaching new or significantly revised courses in the program. Expand the table as needed.

b) Append at the end of this document position descriptions or announcements for each to-be-hired faculty member

Director.)

PART 1. Full-Time Faculty

(a) (b) ©) (d) (e) (f)
Faculty Member Name and Title and/or | % of Time | Program Courses Highest and Other Additional Qualifications: List
Rank at the Institution Dedicated Which May Be Applicable Earned Discipline(s) of Highest related certifications and
(Include and identify Program to This Taught Degrees (include College and Other Applicable licenses and professional

a (Number and Title) or University) Earned a — in field.

Philip B. Eppard, Full Professor 25 INF 100, INF 200
Carol Anne Germain, Full Librarian and 75 INF 100, INF 301, PhD, University at Albany Informatics
Associate Professor INF 499
Program Director TBD 50
George Berg, Associate Professor 75 INF 124, INF 203, PhD, Northwestern Computer Science Former Department Chair of
INF 466, INF 465 University Computer Science, Univ at
Albany. Former Department
Chair of Informatics; Univ at
Albany
Michael Leczinsky, Professor of Practice 100 INF 301, INF 171, MS, University at Albany, Curriculum Design & Holds Graduate Certificate of
INF 363, INF 371, May 2020 Instructional Online Teaching & Learning,
INF 471 Technology Music Technology and
Production professional
certificate
Norman Gervais, Professor of Practice He] INF 108, INF 201, PhD, University at Albany Informatics
INF 203, INF 300,
INF
Lenore Horowitz, Professor of Practice 100 INF 108, INF 308, PhD, University at Albany Informatics
INF 202
Gary Ackerman, Associate Professor is INF 301, EHC 410 PhD, Kings College War Studies Former Research Director and

then Special Projects Director
at START and the Director of
the Center for Terrorism and
Intelligence Studies.

Former Director of the Weapons
of Mass Destruction Terrorism
Research Program at the Center
for Nonproliferation Studies in
Monterey, Calif.

(a) (b) (c) (d) (e) ()
Faculty Member Name and Title and/or | % of Time | Program Courses Highest and Other Additional Qualifications: List
Rank at the Institution Dedicated Which May Be Applicable Earned Discipline(s) of Highest related certifications and
(Include and identify Program to This Taught Degrees (include College and Other Applicable licenses and professional
Director.) Program | (Number and Title) or University) Earned Degrees experience in field.

Former chief of operations of the
South Africa-based A frican-
Asian Society.

Part 2. Part-Time Faculty

Part 3. To-Be-Hired Faculty (List as

TBH1, TBH2, etc., and provide

expected hiring date instead of name.)

Informatics BS — Syllal

Informatics:
INF 108
CINF 124X
CINF 131
CINF 171
CINF 308
CINF 363
CINF 371
CINF 398
CINF 405
CINF 463
CINF 464
CINF 471
CINF 496

CEHC Syllabi:
CEHC 350
CEHC 390
CEHC 399
CEHC 410
CEHC 449
CEHC 450
CEHC 455
CEHC 469

Educational Syllabi:
ETAP 534
ETAP 540
ETAP 535
EAPS 390

Computer Science
Syllabi:
ICSI/IECE 213

University Wide
Internship Syllabi:
UUNI 390
7/24/2019
IINF 108-0001 (6661): Programming for Problem Solving (3 credit hours)

Face-to-Face Meeting Information: Tuesdays 10:15AM - 11:35AM in room PH224

Instructor: Lenore Horowitz
Office location: Draper 141B (Downtown Campus)
Downtown (Draper) Office hours: Wednesdays 12:00 - 2:00 pm (or by appointment)
Uptown (Humanities B16) Office Hour: Tuesdays 11:45 - 1:45 pm (or by appointment)
Contact information: lhorowitz@albany.edu OR Blackboard Email

Instructor Login Schedule: | log into the course Monday through Friday (and usually Sundays!). I generally
answer email messages and check for questions in the Blackboard Ask a Question forum in the morning.

Email: For private communication with me, please use Email in Blackboard or visit me during my office
hours. You can find a link for it in the left hand Blackboard course toolbar. Anything other than private
communications should be posted in the appropriate course areas. This includes general questions about
the course or its content.

Peer Educators & Tutoring:

Israel Ali, ieali@albany.edu
Office Hours: TBD

Joe Ecroyd, jecroyd@albany.edu
Office Hours: TBD

UA A+ Tutoring: IINF 108, Programming for Problem Solving: TBD
Course Essentials

Course description from Undergraduate Bulletin
Ever thought about a problem and said “There should be an app for that”? This course provides an introduction to
computer programming using modern programming languages as a way to solve problems. It focuses on
programming concepts and fundamentals within the context of solving real world problems.

Prerequisites
None.

Course Approach
I believe (and research shows) that students learn best from interacting with texts and with other learners,
engaging in challenging tasks, being held accountable for their work, and receiving and giving frequent feedback on
their progress. Furthermore, permanent teams that work together throughout the semester are found to become
cohesive enough to evolve into truly effective learning teams. As a result, I have designed this course with these
elements in mind.

Why Blended-Learning?
Blended learning or ‘hybrid learning,’ is learning that combines the best of online learning and face-to-face
instruction for the purpose of enhancing learning. In fact it seems to be the ideal solution all-around as it appeals to
all learning styles, circumstances, needs and demands. It combines the support of classroom learning with the
flexibility of online learning. For students, blended courses offer the conveniences of online learning combined
with the social and instructional interactions that may not lend themselves to online delivery. A blended approach
contributes hugely to student satisfaction and success in courses. Students tend to be engaged more and have the
ability to direct their individual learning experience to some degree. Also since different learners have different
learning styles, a blended approach is more likely to cater to those varying needs. Of course there are also
numerous benefits for the instructor - instant feedback, and the ability to quickly assess learner performance and
needs based on reporting, testing or quizzing via Blackboard.

INF 108: Programming for Problem Solving FALL 2019 1
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Our course is conducted both online and face-to-face line. During our weekly face-to-face meetings, you'll t
participate in team activities. The online portion of this course will allow you to review course content and
readings, practice writing programs, participate in discussions via the discussion board, take quizzes to check your
understanding of the course content, and prepare for upcoming class meetings. Watch the Blackboard course
calendar closely for specific information on the course meeting details and key deadlines for each week.

The Process

The course content is divided into four modules of study, with each module focused on a common thematic

element of programming for problem solving. You will do much of the processing and analysis of course elements

in teams into which you will be placed on the first day of class and will stay in for the entire length of the course.

Your interactions and performance in your team will be crucial to your success in the course. For each module of

study, we will go through a similar set of steps:

1. You will read portion of texts on your own and will take a short Readiness Assessment Test (RAT) on that
section at the beginning of the module of study. You will actually take each RAT twice—once on your own
(iRAT) and once as a team (tRAT). (Both grades count—see Grading and Evaluation for details.)

2. As the module progresses, you will continue reading through the assigned texts and will engage in activities,
both on your own and as a member of your team, that are designed to help you gain problem solving and
programming skills.

3. You will do a substantial amount of work, both individually and as a team, as a means of solving programmatic
problems.

4. As you work through the readings and activity sequence, there will be mini-lectures to help fill in gaps in your
understanding.

Course Goals

By the end of this course, successful students will be able to:

Analyze and design solutions for computational real-world problems.
Create, modify, and explain simple and complex computer programs.
Apply basic data structures in a computer program.

Construct and implement algorithms in a computer program.

Vv

VVV

Blended Course Map:
Start with referring to the Course Calendar (this can be found in the Blackboard course left menu bar) which will

have the final (official) due dates.

e New modules start toward the end of the week. Modules will open in Blackboard the week before the

module begins.

e The RATs are scheduled at the beginning of a new module only. Individual RATs will open on Sunday at
4pm and close on Monday at 11:59 pm online (in Blackboard). Team RATs will be administered first thing
in class on Tuesdays.

Team assignments are usually due on Tuesdays.

Individual assignments are due on Fridays.

Individual homeworks are due on Fridays.

Tests will be administered online and are normally scheduled for Saturdays.

eecee

The course is divided into four modules. In each module there are eight folders:

1. Required Readings: readings due throughout the module.
RATs: directions and online quiz.
Sunday Sessions: these contain information, practice and directions for the week ahead.
Tuesday Slides: these contain additional guidance, information and directions for in-class. The slides will
guide you through team and individual activities (usually due the same day at 11:59pm). The slides will be
made available to you on Tuesday after class.

5. Team/Class Assignments: if there is a team/class assignment due (see Tuesday Slides) it will be listed here.
This is where you attach your file(s) for the activity described to you. These open on the day indicated in
the calendar.

INF 108: Programming for Problem Solving FALL 2019 2

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6. Individual Assignments: there is normally one Individual assignment due each module. This is nes es
attach your file(s) for the assignment described. These open several days BEFORE the due date indicated in
the calendar. Individual assignments are due on Fridays by 11:59pm.

7. Individual Homework: these are smaller individual tasks that will provide you with more practice learning
how to code. Individual homeworks are due on Fridays by 11:59pm.

8. References: I will put Python references, "cheat sheets" and detailed instructions on how to do something,
like, install software, here.

Grading and Evaluation
The final course grade breakdown for the course is:

¢ RATs: 15% (Your final RAT score is an average of your individual (iRAT) and team scores (tRAT) for each

RAT)
e Individual Assignments: 30% Safety Valves:
e Individual Homeworks: 10% 1. Drop lowest RAT score
¢ Tests: 30% (3 tests, 10% each) 2. Late pass on 2 Individual Assignments
e Team Activities: 10% 3. Drop lowest Individual Homework score
¢ Team Member Performance: 5% 4. Drop lowest Team Activity score

(more information under Course Requirements)

A-E graded:

93-100%A 77 - 79% C+ 60 - 62% D-

90-92% A- 73 -76%C 0-S9%E

87 - 89% B+ 70 - 72% C-

83-86% B 67 - 69% D+

80 - 82% B- 63 - 66% D

Grades will be posted in Blackboard as point values. It is your responsibility to check and verify your grade. You
have one week after a grade is posted to discuss concerns or mistakes with the instructor. After one week the
grade becomes permanent.

As noted above, grades are weighted. A separate file (not in Blackboard) of weighted calculated grades is
maintained throughout the semester which is representative of final grades; the point values in Blackboard do not
represent your weighted grade but you can easily perform these calculations using the grade breakdown
percentages here.

Required Readings

Required course readings will be assigned from the following text.
Programming for Problem Solving, L. G. Horowitz, 2018, Self-published OER, freely available on the
Internet at https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-albany-programmingforproblemsolving/ . [Available
in paperback in the UAlbany Bookstore for $10, ISBN- 978-1-64176-046-1. IT Is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
THAT YOU PURCHASE A COPY OF THE TEXTBOOK]

eBook link: https: //courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-albany-programmingforproblemsolving-v2/

Additional Materials
Students will require access to a computer, a version of Python3.x, a text-editor, a current web browser, and the
Internet. (NOTE: not needed until MODULE #2)

Course Requirements

Attendance
Your in-class and online performance is key to your success in this course. Attendance, itself, is not graded. Instead,
graded team/class activities and assignments constitute an important part of the course grade. You will not likely
be able to maintain a passing average without consistent attendance both online and in the classroom. Missing
class or scheduled online tasks means you will earn a zero for the team/class activities or assignments missed.
Because of the nature of the assignments, no make-up opportunities will be available.

INF 108: Programming for Problem Solving FALL 2019 3
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Missing an assignment or activity that happened at the beginning of class before you arrive, at the end of class after
you leave early, or scheduled online also earns a zero. No make-up opportunities will be available.

Readiness Assessment Tests (RATs)
At the beginning of each module of study, you will take a short test to assess your comprehension of the first of the
required readings. You will take each RAT twice: once as an individual (called the iRAT, administered online) and
once as a team (called the tRAT, administered in class). Your individual and team scores will be averaged to create
your final score on each RAT. Because the process of completing the RAT as a team is essential to the experience of
the course, there will be no opportunities for make-up RATs. You will have the option of dropping your lowest
RAT score at the end of the course; this may be used to accommodate an absence or a poor performance. After the
“Getting Started” module, iRATs will open at 4pm on Sunday and close 11:59pm on Monday.

Once your team has completed the team test, your team has the opportunity to file an appeal. The purpose of the
appeal process is to allow your team to identify questions where you disagree with the question key, question
wording, or ambiguous information in the readings. The appeals will be reviewed outside of class. Only teams are
allowed to appeal questions (no individual appeals).

Safety Valve: Drop lowest RAT score.

Individual Assignments
You will have one individual assignment due each module. Individual assignments are due on Fridays.

Individual assignments are considered due by the time and date specified in Blackboard. There are no make-up
opportunities for missed assignments. While in an ideal world I would expect to receive all of your assignments at
the due date and time, I realize that my scheduling of these assignments sometimes coincides with other
responsibilities—both academic and otherwise—that you are obligated to fulfill. For that reason, you have a “no
excuses needed late pass” for late submission of two of the individual assignments assigned for the course. You can
use this pass to turn in an assignment no more than two days (i.e., 48 hours) late. Because you already have this
built-in extension for two individual assignments, there is no need to ask for additional extensions on the
remaining assignments. You are welcomed and encouraged to contact me for help while you are working on your
assignments.

Safety Valve: No excuses late pass, within 48 hours of due date, for two assignments.

Individual Homework
You will have frequent individual homework tasks assigned over the length of the course. You will spend time
applying and honing problem-solving and programming skills. These are short, low stakes, individual tasks meant
to provide you with practice coding. Most of these tasks will be graded. You will have the option of dropping your
lowest Individual Homework score at the end of the course; this may be used to accommodate a missed due date or
a poor performance. Individual homeworks are due on Fridays.

Safety Valve: Drop lowest homework score.

It is imperative to understand that problem solving and computer programming is not a spectator sport. To get
good at it, you need to practice, and the primary vehicle for that are the in-class/online activities and individual
homework assignments.

Submitting Assignments/Homework:

e Individual assignments & homework assignments are due at 11:59 pm on Fridays.

e You are to model the examples provided for you in mini-lectures, in class, and as well as examples
covered in the required readings, do not use code that is has not been covered in this course (for
example, code you find on the internet). Code in assignments and homework is expected to have been
written by you (that is, don’t copy things you find on the internet or from a friend). Finding and
identifying appropriate code is a different skill than authoring and is not an acceptable substitution.

e Assignments & homework must be submitted through Blackboard. All deadlines are enforced. If you
have trouble with the submission system in Blackboard, e-mail me your assignment/homework before
the deadline and contact UAlbany ITS.

INF 108: Programming for Problem Solving FALL 2019 4
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e You may submit as often as you like before the due date and time. The last version of each file eon
submit will be graded.
> Once you have submitted a file, you do not need to resubmit it unless it haschanged.
e Ifthe deadline is approaching, submit! It is much better to submit an incomplete
assignment/homework for partial credit than no assignment/homework for zerocredit.

Tests
There will be three tests during the semester. These tests will be administered online on the date indicated in
Blackboard. There are generally no make-up opportunities for missed tests, though if the scheduled test date does
not work for you we can work out a day BEFORE the scheduled date to complete the test. See the University's
Medical Excuse Policy: http://www.albany.edu/health_center/medicalexcuse.shtml and the Attendance and
Timely Compliance with Course Requirements in the Undergraduate Academic Regulations policy:

http://www.albany.edu/undergraduate_bulletin/regulations.html . The exact format of these tests will be

announced well in advance of each test date.

Team/Class Activities
A major component of your participation in the course will be involvement in team/class activities both online and
in-class. You will complete some tasks on an individual basis and be involved in many team activities.

Everyone is expected to participate in class by being active in your team.

For online activities, teams must perform "in the open.” "Team rooms" in Blackboard Groups are created so we can
"witness" your team activities in action. Some teams may prefer another platform, like Google Drive, then I ask that
the teams give me access as a team member, to the site they set up. Do not conduct team activities solely through e-
mail. If you do use e-mail to any extent, in addition to the “team room”, I ask that you "Cc" me as well. If you starta
new discussion/blog in your Blackboard Group be sure to identify yourself to your team members and us so you
can be credited for participation. Finally, we visit the team rooms from time to time, sometimes posting a message
asking if you need anything or are having any issues.

Participation includes meaningful exchange of information with team members which will enhance and/or correct
another member’s contribution. Participation is not merely being present and/or agreeing with contributions.

Note: Completing these activities is crucial to your success in this course. Because of the nature of the assignments,
no make-up opportunities will be offered for these assignments, and no late assignments will be accepted. However,
because circumstances can conspire against our best intentions, sometimes you will find that you can’t make it to a
scheduled activity. For this reason, there is 1 drop opportunity for graded team activities built into the course. If you
miss a graded team activity it will be possible to drop the failing grade you would automatically receive for
completing the team assignment. If you do not need to drop the one grade for a missed team assignment, you will
be able to drop the lowest score you receive.

Safety Valve: Drop lowest team activity score.

Team Member Performance
Because your work in your teams is crucial to your success in this course as well as that of your teammates, you
will be held accountable for your contribution to your team. Your team members will give you feedback on your
performance (peer evaluations) three times during the semester.

Other Course Information

Withdrawal from the course
The drop date for this class is Monday November 4" for undergraduate students. That is the last date you can drop
a course and receive a 'W'. It is your responsibility to take action by this date if you wish to drop the course. In
particular, grades of "incomplete" will not be awarded to students because they missed the drop deadline.

Incompletes
As per the Undergraduate Bulletin, the grade of Incomplete (I) will be given "only when the student has nearly
completed the course requirements but because of circumstances beyond the student's control the work is not

INF 108: Programming for Problem Solving FALL 2019 5
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completed." This is a temporary grade requested by the student and assigned by the instructor. A student ale
an incomplete will make an agreement specifying what material must be made up, and a date for its completion.
Incompletes may NOT be resolved by auditing or registering again for a subsequent offering of the course. The date
for the completion of the work may not be longer than one month before the end of the semester following that in
which the incomplete is received. Once the work is completed, the instructor assigns the appropriate academic
grade.

The instructor may extend an incomplete for a maximum of one semester beyond the original deadline providing
that the student has made contact with the instructor to request the extension. Additional extensions are NOT
permitted.

Any grade of | existing after the stated deadline shall be automatically changed to E or U according to whether or
not the student is enrolled for A-E or S/U grading except for extenuating circumstances approved by the Office of
the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education, these converted grades may not be later changed.

Important: Incompletes will not be given to students who have not fulfilled their classwork obligations and who, at
the end of the semester, are looking to avoid failing the course. This is asking for special treatment.

Academic Integrity
It is every student’s responsibility to become familiar with the standards of academic integrity at the University.
Claims of ignorance, of unintentional error, or of academic or personal pressures are not sufficient reasons for
violations of academic integrity. See Academic Integrity
[http://www.albany.edu/undergraduate_bulletin/regulations.html]

According to the Undergraduate Academic Regulations and the Standards of Academic Integrity, faculty and
students both need "to trust that its members do not misrepresent their data, take credit for another's ideas or labor,
misrepresent or interfere with the work of other scholars, or present previous work as if it were new. Acts of academic
dishonesty undermine the value and credibility of the institution as a whole. In particular, students who plagiarize or
falsify their work not only fail to adhere to the principles of scholarly inquiry and fail their peers by taking undeserved
credit or reward, but they also fail to demonstrate their learning." Furthermore, plagiarism is defined as "presenting
as one's own work as the work of another person. Some examples of plagiarism include copying, paraphrasing,
submission of another student's work as one's own, the use of completed projects/work... ". In addition unauthorized
collaboration is considered to be academically dishonest and therefore unacceptable. This is defined as
"collaborating on projects, papers, or other academic exercises when this is forbidden by the instructor. The default
faculty assumption is that work submitted for credit is entirely one's own. At the same time, standards on appropriate
and inappropriate collaboration as well as the need for collaboration vary across courses and disciplines. Therefore,
students who want to confer or collaborate with one another on work receiving academic credit should seek the
instructor's permission to collaborate."

The following is a list of the types of behaviors that are defined as examples (not an exhaustive list) of academic
dishonesty and are therefore unacceptable.

Plagiarism (including the copying of code you have not written)

Allowing other students to see or copy assignments/homeworks/tests.

Examining or copying another student’s assignments/homeworks/tests.

Submitting the same work for multiple assignments/classes with prior consent from theinstructor.
Getting answers or help from people or other sources (e.g. textbooks, websites, blogs) without
acknowledging them.

e Unauthorized collaboration.

Any incident of academic dishonesty in this course, no matter how "minor" will result in
1. No credit for the affected assignment.
2. Awritten report will be sent to the appropriate University authorities (e.g. the Dean of Undergraduate
Studies).
3. One of -
> A final mark reduction by at least one-half letter grade (e.g. B > B-, C- >D+),
INF 108: Programming for Problem Solving FALL 2019 6
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> A Failing mark (E) in the course, and referral of the matter to the University Judicial System for
disposition.

CEHC Grievance Policy & Procedure:
According to the CEHC Grievance Policy:

e A “grievance” shall include any complaint alleging wrongdoing made by students, faculty, staff, or
administrators in the College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security and Cybersecurity (CEHC)
against other students, faculty, staff or administrators. “Faculty” shall include any individuals with
appointments enabling them to be designated instructors of record, and “students” shall include any
enrolled students.

e A“grievance” shall include, but not be limited to, any challenge to the resolution of a dispute over matters
of academic honesty (such as plagiarism and cheating) and professional ethics or grades assigned for
courses. It shall also include any allegation of improper treatment, including improper treatment on the
grounds of age, color, creed, disability, marital status, military status, national origin, race, sex, gender
identity, or sexual orientation. In grievances concerning grades, grievances may be filed only as to any final
grade or other final disposition for a course. Dropping of a course shall constitute a final disposition for a
course so as to allow grievances over grades or other matters occurring prior to the “drop.”

e All grievances concerning grades must be adjudicated by the CEHC grievance committee and process. All
other grievances may be referred to the University-level community standards process (or other
appropriate process). Nothing in this policy prohibits the aggrieved party from pursing University-level
adjudication at any time.

e Ill. Any grievance must be filed within five months of the time the complainant was informed of the matter
which is the subject of the grievance. “File” shall mean the submission of a statement from the complainant
to either the Dean of the CEHC or the Chair of the CEHC Grievance Committee. The statement shall 1) detail
the event or events to which the complainant is objecting, 2) identify the person or persons the
complainant alleges is responsible, and 3) identify the remedy or remedies sought to address the
complaint.

For the full CEHC Grievance Policy, please contact cehc@albany.edu.

Responsible Use of Information Technology at UAlbany
Students are encouraged to read the University at Albany Policy for the Responsible Use of Information Technology
available at the ITS Web Site:
https: //wiki.albany.edu/display /public/askit/Responsible+Use+of+Information+Technology+Policy

Time Management
For every credit hour that a course meets, students should expect to work 3 additional hours individually (3 x 3=
9). For a three-credit course you should expect to work 9 hours individually outside of class related work every
week. Manage your time effectively to complete readings, assignments, and projects.

Available Support Services

Reasonable accommodation
Reasonable accommodations will be provided for students with documented physical, sensory, systemic, medical,
cognitive, learning and mental health (psychiatric) disabilities. If you believe you have a disability requiring
accommodation in this class, please notify the Disability Resource Center (518- 442-5490; drc@albany.edu,
www.albany.edu/disability ). Upon verification and after the registration process is complete, the DRC will provide
you with a letter that informs the course instructor that you are a student with a disability registered with the DRC
and list the recommended reasonable accommodations.

INF 108: Programming for Problem Solving FALL 2019 7
Course Outline and Schedule

7/24/2019

The following schedule of topics and goals is preliminary and may be changed as the course progresses. The final
schedule/calendar and specific individual and team assignments (and necessary materials) will be provided in Blackboard.

Module TENTATIVE Module Goals
DATES
Getting Start: 8/12 ¢ Successfully use Blackboard tools.
Started class: 8/27 ¢ Identify & recognize goals & details of the syllabus via the Readiness Assessment
End: 8/30 Process.
Practice & experiment with Blackboard Groups, Blogs, Tests, Surveys and Assignments.
¢ Introduce yourself to your team.
1: How to Start: 8/31 Generate and test algorithms to solve computational problems.
nk llegar iRAT: 9/2 ¢ Explain the process for generating computational algorithms.
ngineer. tRAT: 9/3 ¢ Describe the problem being solved in a computational algorithm.
class: 9/3 ‘ : Rang
Evaluate computational algorithms for exactness, correctness, termination,
class: 9/10 generalizability and understandability.
End: 9/13 . _ .
¢ Explain the role of programming in the field of Informatics.
2: Writing Start: 9/14 Create, modify, and explain computer programs following the input/process/output
Simple iRAT: 9/16 pattern.
Programs. tRAT: 9/17 ¢ Form valid Python identifiers and expressions.
class: 9/17 © Write Python statements to output information to the screen, assign values to variables,
class: 9/24 and accept information from the keyboard.
cass 10/1 © Read and write programs that process numerical data and the Python mathlibrary.
End: 10/1
mi ‘ 5 ¢ Read and write programs that process textual data using built-in functions and the
Test#1:10/ Python String library.
3: Graphics: Start: 10/5 Create objects in programs and call appropriate methods to perform simple graphical
Designing and | jRAT: 10/7 computations.
develoning tRAT: 10/8 ¢ Write simple interactive graphics programs using the graphics library.
raphics
programs. class: 10/8 ¢ Apply fundamental concepts of computer graphics in a computer program.
Making class: 10/22 ¢ Read and write programs that define functions and use function calls and parameter
Decisions. class: 10/29 passing in Python.
class: 11/5 « Read and write programs using the Python IF and IF/ELIF/ELSE statements to
End: 11/8 implementa simple decision structures.
Test #2: 11/9
4: Control Start: 11/9 ¢ Write simple exception handling code to catch simple Python run-time errors.
Structures: iRAT: 11/11 Read and write programs using the Python FOR and WHILE statements to implement a
aoe in tRAT: 11/12 simple loop structures.
computing.
itera class: 11/12 © Construct and implement algorithms that use decision and loop structures.
Information class:11/19 Apply basic file processing concepts and techniques for reading and writing text files in
Processing in | Class: 11/26 Python.
Python. class: 12/3
End: 12/6

Test#3: 12/10

** Don't forget that individual homework and assignments are due on Fridays.

INF 108: Programming for Problem Solving FALL 2019 8

INF 124X, Berg Spring 2018

INF 124X: Cybersecurity Basics (3 cr)
Spring 2018

/ tell my students, ‘When you get these jobs that you have been so brilliantly trained for, just remember that
your real job is that if you are free, you need to free somebody else. If you have some power, then your job

is to empower somebody else. This is not just a grab bag candy game.’- Toni Morrison

Course Staff

Instructor: George Berg
Email: gberg@albany.edu
e Office Hours:
Tuesdays and Thursdays: 2:50 — 3:50 in the Campus Center. Ground floor near the rear grand
staircase.
e Wednesdays: 2:50 — 3:50 in Draper XXX.
e Phone: 1-518-437-4937
¢ Twitter: @GBerg_UAlbany
¢ FB: @GeorgeBergUAlbanyCS

Course Description

C INF 124X Cybersecurity Basics (3)

An introduction to security in computer and network systems for a general audience. The operation of
computers and networks is explained to show how they are the basis for attacks. The course will confer a
basic but comprehensive understanding of how cybersecurity attacks (e.g., viruses, worms, denial of service)
work. It will also cover aspects of privacy and other human elements of cybersecurity. Takes a general
approach that will result in students prepared to learn about and defend themselves from current and future
attacks.

Prerequisite(s): None.

Expected Student Outcomes
This is a course in computer and network security for people who do not (yet) have a background in the

topic. It is meant for people with little or no background in computers.

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INF 124X, Berg Spring 2018

The goals of this course are to help students learn

e how modern computers and networks work, and how attacks on these systems use their own
workings against them.
e how to protect their computers, the information they contain, and the networks that link them.

The second goal is the primary one, and the most complicated. Computer hardware, software and the
networks they operate on are all changing, as are the attacks on them. There is no simple, single source to
help a person defend himself. For this reason, any person who owns a computer needs to become
knowledgeable about computer security. It shouldn't have to be that way, but that is the way of the world for
the foreseeable future.

In this course, students will learn how to use resources like the Internet to

e learn the steps they need to protect their computers

e search for possible attacks that may be affecting their computers

e evaluate information they have found (eg. is it true? Is it really part of a trick which is itself an
attack?)

e apply information they have found

e write up their results, appropriately using and referencing their sources (This is a university course

after all).

The emphasis of the course will be on students actively learning these things. This is particularly critical for
computer security, as specific details that are relevant today will be obsolete in the very near future. It is
more important to discover how to /earn about computer security than to have a rote mastery of a static list
of details.

This course assumes no previous experience with computers, just a willingness to learn, to contribute to the

class, and to work hard.

Upon successful completion of INF 124X, you will have gained the ability to:
> Demonstrate individual competence in
oO. The form and function of computer hardware, software, operating systems, and networks.
o How attacks exploit the nature and design of hardware, software, operating systems, and
networks.

o Cybersecurity concepts.
= Cryptology
* Authentication
» Network Defenses

o How to find and discern reliable and actionable information on computer security.

v2018 01 23 2
INF 124X, Berg Spring 2018
> Apply the above concepts in assignments.
> Be persistent in solving medium complexity problems.
> Develop coherent problem solving skills.
>

Work effectively in teams.

General Education

This course also includes material and instruction to help you learn the general education competencies in
Critical Thinking and Information Literacy. Critical thinking competency is obtained by various kinds of
problem solving. This includes analyzing an problem, transforming it into algorithms and then possibly code
to attempt a solution, and then critically analyzing, testing, editing and debugging the solution. Information
literacy has several components. One component is knowing how computer algorithms and systems work,
and how to solve problems with them. This is because computer software and hardware are at the heart of
modern digital information and related topics. In addition, information literacy mean knowing how to find
and assess sources in your own problem solving — you must know how to find certain information from
resources other than a text book, to be able effectively to use sources, and cite them appropriately. This is

key in cybersecurity, as it is a dynamic, rapidly changing field.

This course also meets the UAlbany CHALLENGES for the 21%t Century General Education Requirement.

Courses meeting Challenges for the 21st Century enable students to demonstrate:

1. Knowledge and understanding of the historical roots, contemporary manifestations, and potential
future courses of important challenges students may encounter as they move into the world beyond

the university;

2. Familiarity with these challenges in areas such as cultural diversity and pluralism, science and

technology, social interaction, ethics, global citizenship, and/or others;

3. An integrated understanding of how challenges often affect individuals and societies simultaneously

in many of these areas;

4. An appreciation for interdisciplinary approaches to understanding contemporary and future

challenges.

Class Meetings

Lecture
The lecture meets twice week: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1:15 — 2:35 PM in (Lecture Center) LC 25.

v2018 01 23
INF 124X, Berg Spring 2018
Class Staff

In addition to the professor, the class has a staff to help you learn. This includes graduate students who
assist as Teaching Assistants or Graders, and undergraduates who serve as Peer Educators. They have various
roles, but together they run the lab sections, assist with the lecture, hold office hours to assist with questions

and problems, and grade assignments.

I'll provide more detail (e.g. assignments, office hours) as we get into the semester.

Required Text

There is no required text for this class.

Recommended Text

There is no recommended text for this class.

Additional Readings
There will be readings that will be available to the students online or via Blackboard. When these readings

are assigned, the class will be told where they can be found.

TEAM-BASED LEARNING (TBL)

This course uses Team-based Learning (TBL). This section describes how we will be using TBL in this class.

AN ABSOLUTELY CRUCIAL POINT: The course is divided into learning modules. You must do the readings
for each module before the unit's start. This is because each unit starts with a Readiness Assessment Test
(RAT). Readings must be done before the RAT tests for the module (dates given in the syllabus below). The

RAT tests are based solely upon the readings, and not on lecture or other in-class preparation beforehand.

Teams

This course will be using a Team-Based-Learning (TBL) format (http://www.teambasedlearning.org). This

instructional method aims to help develop your learning skills and will be done in a way that will hold teams
accountable for using course content to make decisions that will be reported publically and subject to cross-
team discussion/critique. You will be assigned to a team with approximately 6 members. Teams will be

formed during the first week of the term. Teams will work together for most in-class activities throughout the

semester.
Your grade will be influenced by team performance on team-based assignments. While in many courses,

group work can be structured unfairly, such that some students end up doing all the work while everyone

shares in the credit, two factors will prevent that from happening in this class. First, nearly all graded team

v2018 01 23 4
INF 124X, Berg Spring 2018
work will be preceded by one or more preparatory assignments, for which each individual will be accountable
(eg. the RATs), thus ensuring that individual team members are each prepared to contribute to the team
effort. Second, each individual's contribution to team work will be assessed by his or her teammates several

times during the semester.

Phase 1 - Preparation: You will complete specified readings to begin each module

Phase 2 - Readiness Assurance Test: At the first class meeting of each module, you will be given a

Readiness Assurance Test (RAT). The RAT test (10 multiple-choice questions) measures your comprehension
of the assigned readings, and helps you learn the material needed to begin problem solving in phase 3. The
purpose of phase 2 is to ensure that you and your teammates have sufficient foundational knowledge to
begin learning how to apply and use the course concepts in phase 3. RATs are closed book and based on

the assigned readings.

Individual RAT (iRAT) — You individually complete a 10 question multiple-choice test based on the

readings.
¢ Group/Team RAT (gRAT) - Following the iRAT, the same multiple- ieee Feepeack ASSESSMENT Tee (IF AT)
one fi est #
choice test is re-taken with your team. These tests use a “scratch and Sonu ca Ge DEVaRING TS kkres AGAR

win" type answer cards known as an IF-AT. You negotiate with your = : me
teammates, and then scratch off the opaque coating hoping to reveal a =

star that indicates a correct answer. Your team is awarded 10 points if

you uncover the correct answer on the first scratch, 6 points for second

scratch, and 2 point for third scratch. No points are awarded for fourth or fifth.

Appeals Process - Once your team has completed the team test, your team has the opportunity to
complete an appeal. The purpose of the appeal process is to allow your team to identify questions where
you disagree with the question key or question wording or ambiguous information in the readings.
Instructors will review the appeals outside of class time and report the outcome of your team appeal at

the next class meeting. Only teams are allowed to appeal questions (no individual appeals).

e Feedback and Mini-lecture - Following the RATs and Appeal Process, the instructor may provide a short

clarifying lecture on any difficult or troublesome concepts.

Phase 3 - In-Class Activities: You and your team use the foundational knowledge, acquired in the first two
phases, to make decisions that will be reported publically and subject to cross-team discussion/critique. We

will use a variety of methods to have you report your team’s decision at the end of each activity. The

v2018 01 23 5
INF 124X, Berg

Spring 2018

presentation of your team responses is critical to the team grade. You should expect each team member to

present individually and for the entire team to present with smooth transitions.

Grading
Category Assignment Type Weight Within Category Weight in the
Category Course
Individual Grades (45% — 70%)*
iRAT Tests 25%
Individual Assignments | 35%
Midterm Exam 15%
Final Exam 25%
Team Grades (20% — 45%)*
gRAT Tests 50%
Team Exercises 50%
Class Participation and (10% — 25%)*
Peer Evaluation
Peer Evaluation 75%
Class Participation 25%

(Instructor Determined)

Total

100%

* The class will determine the grade weights on 01/25/2018. Student teams will negotiate the exact

proportions of individual grades, team grades, and peer evaluation for the course, with in the ranges given

above. For example, they may agree on individual grades at 50%, team grades at 30%, and peer evaluation

at 20% of a students’ course grade. The percentages must total to 100%, of course.

v2018 01 23

INF 124X, Berg Spring 2018

Policies

Attendance: Your in-class performance is key to your success in this course. Attendance, itself, is not
explicitly graded (but it does factor into class participation). Instead, graded in-class activities and
assignments constitute an important part of the course grade. Keeping a passing average on these is not
possible without consistent attendance. Missing class means the student earns an automatic zero for all

individual and team activities or assignments missed. No make-up opportunities will be available.

Tardiness: Missing an assignment or activity that happens before a student arrives or after a student leaves

also earns a zero. No make-up opportunities will be available. Tardiness also factors into class participation.

If you know that it will be difficult for you to consistently get to class on time and stay for the entire period,
you should take this course at a time that better fits your schedule. Missing or being late frequently will

guarantee a low grade for the course.

Make-up Policy: There are generally no make-up opportunities for missed assignments except in extenuating
circumstances. Instead of asking to make up missed work, please use the course ‘safety valves’ described

below.

Since there will be situations in your life when missing a class meeting is simply unavoidable, this course has

2 no-fault safety valves.

Safety Valve 1: The lowest iRAT and gRAT is dropped (Peer Evaluations, individual Assignments, and Exams
are not dropped). A missed assignment will count against this (/e a zero from a miss would be your low

score; you don't get a miss and a drop).

Safety Valve 2: \f you become seriously ill during the semester, or become derailed by unforeseeable life
problems, and have to miss so many assignments that it will ruin your grade, schedule a meeting with the
instructor in order to make arrangements for you to drop the course to save your grade point average. Don’t

wait until it's too late to do this when you get in trouble.

Late Assignments: Out of class assignments are due on the due date, by the assigned time. Late individual
assignments will be accepted, but at the cost of a full letter grade for missing the deadline, and an additional
letter grade for each additional 24 hours late. In-class assignments may be done only on the days they are

scheduled.

Withdrawal from the Course: The drop date for the Spring 2018 semester is XXX for undergraduate

students in full semester courses. That is the last date you can drop a course and receive a 'W'. It is your

responsibility to take action by this date if you wish to drop the course. In particular, grades of "incomplete"

v2018 01 23 7
INF 124X, Berg Spring 2018
will not be awarded to students because they missed the drop deadline. Given that dropping a course can
have financial aid implications, please see your advisor or the Financial Aid office before dropping a course

so you understand the implications that action can have on your aid.

Electronic Devices: For some team activities, you will need to use a phone/tablet/laptop. Other than that,
make sure your devices are put away during class unless we are using them in a team exercise. Non-class

device use will count negatively against the entire class's participation grade.

Students with Disabilities: Students who feel that they have disabilities that require special arrangements for
them to take the course must register with the Disability Resource Center. Students are eligible for special
services to which both the Center and the professor agree. In general, /t is the student's responsibility to

contact the professors at least one week before the relevant assignment to make arrangements. You can

contact the Disability Resource Center in Campus Center 137, or at 442-5490, if needed.

Incompletes: As per both the Graduate and Undergraduate Bulletins, the grade of Incomplete (I) will be
given “only when the student has nearly completed the course requirements but because of circumstances
beyond the student's control the work is not completed.” A student granted an incomplete will make an
agreement specifying what material must be made up, and a date for its completion. The incomplete will be
converted to a normal grade on the agreed upon completion date based upon whatever material is
submitted by that time.

Important: Incompletes will not be given to students who have not fulfilled their classwork obligations, and
who, at the end of the semester, are looking to avoid failing the course. This is asking for special treatment.

Responsible Use of Information Technology: Students are required to read the University at Albany Policy for
the Responsible Use of Information Technology available at the ITS website:

https://wiki.albany.edu/display/public/askit/Responsible+Use+of+Information+Technology+Policy

Academic Integrity

In this class, some course work and examinations are /ndividual exercises. The individual work that you
do must be yours — not that of other students, friends, tutors, etc. While it may seem like the easy way out of
doing the assignments to copy them from others, this strategy will backfire on the tests, when you will not
know the material you would have learned from doing the assignments. You may of course form study
groups, discuss assignments and techniques in general terms, efc, but the assignments themselves must be
your own work. In particular, two or more people may not create an individual assignment together and

submit it for credit. Please ask if you have any questions about academic integrity.

v2018 01 23 8
INF 124X, Berg Spring 2018

| am also personally offended by cheating, in part because it hurts the honest students in the class. We will
try our hardest to catch cheaters. If we catch a student cheating, we will not go easy on him or her. Given

that, is it really worth it?

The Graduate and Undergraduate Bulletins state the university's policies on academic integrity. You will be
held to these policies. You are expected to be familiar with them.

A (non-exhaustive) list of unacceptable activities is:
e Allowing other students to see or copy your assignments.
e Examining or copying another student's assignments.
e Allowing other students to see or copy your work during an exam.
e Examining or copying another student's work during an exam.
e Getting answers or help from people, or other sources (e.g. research papers, web sites) without
acknowledging them.
e Defacing or deleting class shared documents.

e Lying to the Professor about issues of academic integrity.

Any incident of academic dishonesty in this course, no matter how "minor" will result in
e No credit for the affected assignment.
e Avwritten report will be sent to the appropriate University authorities.
e One of -
oA final mark reduction by at /east one-half letter grade (e.g. B > B-, C- > D+),
oA Failing mark (E) in the course, and referral of the matter to the University Judicial System

for disposition.

Policies from Undergraduate Bulletin: http://www.albany.edu/undergraduate_bulletin/regulations.html

v2018 01 23
INF 124X, Berg Spring 2018
Timeline
Class Date Readings (due before
class)
Module 0: Introduction
1 01/23 Course Introduction, Pedagogy
2 01/25 Syllabus iRAT, gRAT, Team Exercise
Module 1: Computer Hardware and Attacks
3 01/30 Module Readings assigned | iRAT, gRAT, Team Exercise
in Blackboard
4 02/01 Team Exercises
5 02/06 Team Exercises
6 02/08 Team Exercises, Peer Evaluation One
Module 2: Computer Software and Attacks
7 02/13 Module Readings assigned | iRAT, gRAT, Team Exercise
in Blackboard
8 02/15 Team Exercises
9 02/20 Team Exercises
10 02/22 Team Exercises
11 02/27 Team Exercises
Module 3: Computer Operating Systems and Attacks
12 03/01 Module Readings assigned | iRAT, gRAT, Team Exercise
in Blackboard
13 03/06 Team Exercises
14 03/08 Team Exercises
15 03/20 Team Exercises
16 03/22 Midterm Review, Peer Evaluation Two
v2018 01 23 10
INF 124X, Berg Spring 2018

Module 4: Computer Networks and Attacks

18 03/29 Module Readings assigned iRAT, gRAT, Team Exercise
in Blackboard

19 04/03 Team Exercises
20 04/05 Team Exercises
009 Undergraduate Drop Deadline,

21 04/10 Team Exercises

22 04/12 Team Exercises

23 04/17 Team Exercises

Module 5: Application Areas and the Future in Cybersecurity

24 04/19 Module Readings assigned iRAT, gRAT, Team Exercise
in Blackboard
25 04/24 Team Exercises
26 04/26 Team Exercises, Peer Evaluation Three
27 05/01 Team Exercises
28 05/03 Team Exercises
| 29 (05/08 Final Exam Review

Examinations

v2018 01 23 11
INF 124X, Berg Spring 2018

Miscellaneous

Extra credit opportunities

During the semester the university and others hold events that may be of interest to students in this course.

If you attend an event and write a summary and reflection piece on the event (specified in individual
assignments) you may receive extra credit worth up to 1% of the course value. A maximum of 5% of extra
credit can be accrued this way. There are no other extra credit mechanisms available in this course.

v2018 01 23
INF 131: /ntroduction to Data Analytics
(3 cr)
Fall 2018

Course Staff

Instructor: Jeff Yates

Email: jyates@albany.edu
e Office Hours: Before and after class and by appointment.
e Phone: 1-518-221-2826

Course Description

This course will offer an introduction to the key terms, concepts and methods in data analysis, with an emphasis on
developing critical analytical skills through hands-on exercises of actual data analysis tasks. In addition, students will learn
and practice basic programming skills to use software tools such as R and Excel in data analysis. Most importantly, this
course aims to help students look at the data and their analysis from new points of view, and be able to find relevant
patterns in large data sets with appropriate analysis steps. This ability becomes particularly important when facing large
amounts of data, be they from natural or social science, engineering or business.

Prerequisite(s): None.

Expected Student Outcomes
By the end of this course, you will be able to
> Define and use key terms, concepts and methods in data analysis;
Critically read and interpret data analysis results in science, engineering, and media;
Utilize computation tools to perform basic data analysis on data sets from practical problems;
Write summaries on data analysis results.
Apply the above concepts in assignments.
Be persistent in solving medium complexity problems.

Develop coherent problem solving skills.

VVVVVV Vv

Work effectively in teams.

August 2018 1
General Education

This course also includes material and instruction to help you learn the general education competencies in
Critical Thinking and Information Literacy. Critical thinking competency is obtained by various kinds of
problem solving. This includes analyzing an assignment, transforming it into algorithms and then code to
attempt a solution, and then critically analyzing, editing and debugging the code. Information literacy has
several components. One component is knowing how computer algorithms and software work, and how to
solve problems with them. This is because computer software is at the heart of modern digital information
and related topics. In addition information literacy mean knowing how to find and assess sources in your
own problem solving - you must know how to find certain information from resources other than the text

book, effectively be able to use the source, and cite the source appropriately.

Class Meetings

Lecture
e The lecture meets twice week: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8:45 am — 10:05 am in SL-G03.

Class Staff
[Draft Note: Not sure if there will be SA/Graders for this class]

Required Text
We will use the following textbook:
Joel H. Levine and Thomas B. Roos, /ntroduction to Data Analysis: the Rules of Evidence, Volume 1-2
The whole book can be read or downloaded from
www.dartmouth.edu/~mss/docs/Volumes_1-2.pdf
OR
http://qss.dartmouth.edu/sites/qss.dartmouth.edu/files/Volumes_1-2.pdf

Recommended Text

STATISTICAL TECHNIQUES IN BUSINESS+ECONOMICS. | Edition: 17TH 18, Author: LIND,
ISBN: 9781259666360

The R Software

Since we will be using MS Excel and the R software for the analytical calculations, you will need access to this
software for your assignments either through the university computers or on your own device. The R
language runs on all popular operating systems therefore finding a suitable platform to run the software
should not be difficult.

August 2018 2
The R software is loaded on the Macs in SL-G03 so that lab is an option for you as well. To download and
install the software for your personal use go to the following link. Choose your operating system from the

choices at the top of the download page.

https://cran.r-project.org/

Additional Readings
There may be readings that will be available to the students online or via Blackboard. If these readings are

assigned, the class will be told where they can be found.

Team Based Learning

This course uses Team-based Learning (TBL). This section describes how we will be using TBL in this class.
Research shows that people learn best from concrete experience, interacting with texts and with other
learners/readers, engaging in challenging hand-on tasks, being held accountable for their work, and receiving
frequent feedback on their progress. As a result, this course has been designed to provide all of those
dimensions using the Team-Based Learning (TBL) approach. This will be realized through the semester long

project as well as the group quizzes that are explained below.
For more on Team Based Learning you can visit: www.teambasedlearning.org

Course Grading
The course has many grading components which will give ample opportunity to score well with diligent and

consistent effort. There will be a combination of quizzes, assignments and a final exam.

The grading for the course will be weighted as follows:

Group Quizzes 25%
Individual Quizzes 15%
Assignments. 25%
Final Exam 25%
Participation 10%
Quizzes

For each quiz you will first take the quiz individually. Your individual quiz grade will be yours alone. Then
you will meet with your team and take the quiz with your team. Your team grade will count as the group
quiz and each team member will receive the grade that the team earned. If you are absent for the quiz you
will have an opportunity to make it up provided you clear your absence with ahead of time in the case of
planned absences. For unplanned absences you will discuss with me the nature of the absence. It granted a

make-up quiz your individual score will count as both individual and group.

August 2018 3
Assignments
After each lecture there will be team based assignments you will do both inside of class and outside of class.
All team members will receive the same grade on team assignments. Teams may present the results of their

assignment in class, time permitting.

As with all team based work it is expected that everyone will contribute equally. If team dynamics are such

that some individuals are not contributing equally the participation grade may be affected.

Teams will be selected week 2 and this is the team that you will be with for the entire semester.

Policies

Attendance: Your in-class performance is key to your success in this course. Attendance, itself, is not
explicitly graded (but it does factor into class participation). Instead, graded in-class activities and
assignments constitute an important part of the course grade. Keeping a passing average on these is not
possible without consistent attendance. Missing class means the student earns an automatic zero for all
individual and team activities or assignments missed. No make-up opportunities will be available.

Tardiness: Missing an assignment or activity that happens before a student arrives or after a student leaves
also earns a zero. No make-up opportunities will be available. Tardiness also factors into class participation.

If you know that it will be difficult for you to consistently get to class on time and stay for the entire period,
you should take this course at a time that better fits your schedule. Missing or being late frequently will

guarantee a low grade for the course.

Make-up Policy: There are generally no make-up opportunities for missed assignments except in extenuating
circumstances. Instead of asking to make up missed work, please use the course ‘safety valves’ described
below.

Safety Valve: \f you become seriously ill during the semester, or become derailed by unforeseeable life
problems, and have to miss so many assignments that it will ruin your grade, schedule a meeting with the
instructor in order to make arrangements for you to drop the course to save your grade point average. Don’t

wait until it's too late to do this when you get in trouble.

Late Assignments: Out of class assignments are due on the due date, by the assigned time. Late individual
assignments will be accepted, but at the cost of a full letter grade for missing the deadline, and an additional
letter grade for each additional 24 hours late.

In-class assignments may be done only on the days they are scheduled.

August 2018 4
Withdrawal from the Course: Check the University Schedule for the drop date for the Fall 2018 semester. It
is your responsibility to take action by this date if you wish to drop the course. In particular, grades of

"incomplete" will not be awarded to students because they missed the drop deadline. Given that dropping a
course can have financial aid implications, please see your advisor or the Financial Aid office before dropping

a course so you understand the implications that action can have on your aid.

Electronic Devices: For some team activities, you will need to use a tablet/laptop. Other than that, make sure
your devices are put away during class unless we are using them in a team exercise. Non-class device use will

count negatively against the entire class's participation grade.

Students with Disabilities: Students who feel that they have disabilities that require special arrangements for
them to take the course must register with the Disability Resource Center. Students are eligible for special
services to which both the Center and the professor agree. In general, it is the student's responsibility to

contact the professors at least one week before the relevant assignment to make arrangements. You can

contact the Disability Resource Center in Campus Center 137, or at 442-5490, if needed.

Incompletes: As per both the Graduate and Undergraduate Bulletins, the grade of Incomplete (I) will be
given “only when the student has nearly completed the course requirements but because of circumstances
beyond the student's control the work is not completed.” A student granted an incomplete will make an
agreement specifying what material must be made up, and a date for its completion. The incomplete will be
converted to a normal grade on the agreed upon completion date based upon whatever material is
submitted by that time.

Important: Incompletes will not be given to students who have not fulfilled their classwork obligations, and

who, at the end of the semester, are looking to avoid failing the course. This is asking for special treatment.

Responsible Use of Information Technology: Students are required to read the University at Albany Policy for
the Responsible Use of Information Technology available at the ITS website:

https://wiki.albany.edu/display/public/askit/Responsible+Use+of+Information+ Technology + Policy

Academic Integrity

In this class, some course work and examinations are /ndividual exercises. The individual work that you
do must be yours — not that of other students, friends, tutors, etc. While it may seem like the easy way out of
doing the assignments to copy them from others, this strategy will backfire on the tests, when you will not
know the material you would have learned from doing the assignments. You may of course form study

groups, discuss assignments and techniques in general terms, etc, but the assignments themselves must be

August 2018 5
your own work. In particular, two or more people may not create an individual assignment together and

submit it for credit. Please ask if you have any questions about academic integrity.

| am also personally offended by cheating, in part because it hurts the honest students in the class. We will
try our hardest to catch cheaters. If we catch a student cheating e.g. using Chegg for assignments, we will

not go easy on him or her. Given that, is it really worth it?

The Graduate and Undergraduate Bulletins state the university's policies on academic integrity. You will be
held to these policies. You are expected to be familiar with them.

A (non-exhaustive) list of unacceptable activities is:
e Allowing other students to see or copy your assignments.
e Examining or copying another student's assignments.
e Allowing other students to see or copy your work during an exam.
e Examining or copying another student's work during an exam.
e Paying to get your assignments done on Chegg.com.
e Getting answers or help from people, or other sources (e.g. research papers, web sites) without
acknowledging them.
e Defacing or deleting class shared documents.

e Lying to the Professor about issues of academic integrity.

Any incident of academic dishonesty in this course, no matter how "minor" will result in
e No credit for the affected assignment.
e Awritten report will be sent to the appropriate University authorities.
© One of -
oA final mark reduction by at /east one-half letter grade (e.g. B > B-, C- > D+),
oA Failing mark (E) in the course, and referral of the matter to the University Judicial System

for disposition.

Policies from Undergraduate Bulletin: http://www.albany.edu/undergraduate_bulletin/regulations.html

Proposed Lesson Plan Timeline

The roadmap planned for this course is below. Slight modifications may be made as necessary during the
semester. Note that we will be following the major topics in the PDF text however there additional material
in the form of PowerPoint presentations, Excel and R exercises.

Topic/Lecture Week

Lecture: Introduction to Data Analytics and Statistics 1 - Aug 28" /Aug 30%

August 2018 6
Assignment: Intro to Applying Statistics to Data Analytics

Team Assignments
Lecture: Describing Data with Graphs, Tables and Frequency Distributions
Introduction to R

Assignment: Data Analysis Tables and Frequency Distributions

Lecture: Describing Data: Mean, Median, Mode, Dispersion
R and Excel Examples

Assignment: Describing Data

Quiz: Describing Data with Graphs, Tables and Frequency Distributions
Lecture: Describing Data: Mean, Median, Mode, Dispersion (cont.)
R and Excel Examples

Assignment: Calculating Descriptive Statistics

Lecture: Displaying Data with Plots, Measuring Skewness
R and Excel Examples

Assignment: Dot Plots, Stem and Leaf, Box Plots

Quiz: Mean, Median, Mode, Dispersion
Lecture: Displaying Data with Plots, Measuring Skewness

Assignment: Dot Plots, Stem and Leaf, Box Plots

Continuous Probability Distributions
R and Excel Examples

Assignment: Calculating and Understanding Distributions

Continuous Probability Distributions (cont.)
Assignment: Areas Under The Curve

Quiz: Dot Plots, Stem and Leaf, Box Plots

August 2018

2 - Sep 4t*/Sep 6th

3 - Sep 11'*/Sep 13¢

4 - Sep 18t/Sep 20'

5 - Sep 25th/Sep 27th

6 — Oct 2°4/Oct 4th

7 - Oct 9t*/Oct 11%

8 - Oct 16"/Oct 18"
Sampling Methods and Central Limit
R and Excel Examples

Assignment: Sampling Methods

Sampling Methods and Central Limit (cont.)
Assignment: Sampling Methods

Hypothesis Testing
Assignment: Hypothesis Testing
R and Excel Examples

Quiz: Sampling Methods and Central Limit

Hypothesis Testing (cont.)
Assignment: Hypothesis Testing

Correlation Analysis And Regression

R and Excel Examples

Assignment: Correlation Analysis and Regression

Correlation Analysis And Regression (cont.)

Assignment: Correlation Analysis and Regression

Decision Theory

Final Exam

August 2018

9 - Oct 23°¢/Oct 25%

10 — Oct 30'/Nov 1*

11 — Nov 6'/Nov 8th

12 — Nov 13t/Nov 15th

13 — Nov 20%

Nov 22"4 No Classes

14 — Nov 27*/Nov 29th

15 — Dec 4th/Dec 6th

To Be Announced
CINF 171 eSports & the Digital Gaming Ecosystem
(3 credits)

Spring 2020
Face to Face
Thursdays, 8:45PM-11:35PM,

Husted 004, Downtown Campus

COURSE INSTRUCTOR Michael C. Leczinsky, Professor of Practice

CONTACT INFO |All course questions: Use “Ask a Question” in
[Blackboard. Private communication with me regarding
Inon-pubic / sensitive matters: mleczinsky@ albany.edu
IOFFICE HOURS Face to Face: 12-2:30PM Tuesdays

|Online: Sunday, 6:30-7:30PM

(Additional times by appointment.

\Office: Draper 340

INTRODUCTION

This class will examine the eSports and digital gaming industries through a variety of
perspectives including game development, competitive gaming, content creation, design,
broadcasting, networking, digital citizenship and entrepreneurship. Students will participate in
hands on activities in the University’s new eSports arena and game lab, as well as individual and
team-based scholarship.

OBJECTIVES

After taking this course, students should be able to:

Understand key terms and concepts within the eSports & gaming field.

Develop a historical perspective of the eSports & gaming industries.

Develop an understanding of current practices within eSports & gaming.

Develop skills to make informed predictions about potential future progressions within
the field.

e Apply information and knowledge in wide variety of situations.

e Summarize technical concepts in a plain and succinct manner.

e Evaluate the reputability of information gathered from a wide variety of sources.

e Apply information and knowledge gathered in executing open-ended creative projects.
e Interface, collaborate and engage with team members of various backgrounds and skill
levels.

v. 1.0 - 11/23/19
e Develop an understanding for various types of digital games.

Demonstrate the ability to play various games.

Create Internet broadcasts, video content, stream gameplay, and utilize basic graphic
design skills.

Teach others and play in co-operative environments.

Troubleshoot hardware and software.

Demonstrate best practices for digital citizenship and responsible use.

Produce and host eSports events.

The instructor will help you meet these objectives through fostering an open, supportive
environment, wherein you will develop:

e Verbal and written communication skills as you engage in class activities and work on
assignments.

e Hands-on skills working with hardware, equipment and physical materials in the labs.

Teamwork skills as you participate in team based learning (TBL).

Critical reading skills as you progress through readings in multiple formats.

Problem solving and troubleshooting skills.

Project management skills as you execute projects of various scopes.

Critical thinking skills.

Pre-requisites:
None

REQUIRED MATERIALS
For this course you will need the following materials:

1. Textbook: Understanding Esports: An Introduction to the Global Phenomenon, Lexington
Books, 2019, ISBN-10: 1498589804 - ISBN-13: 978-1498589802

2. Approximately $100 budget for software. We will be utilizing various games and software
throughout the semester and you will need a budget to purchase a license via Steam or through
another source. More information on selected titles to be discussed in class.

More information on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/

You will be unable to complete your coursework without your own materials. Software piracy is
not acceptable in any form.

Please do not order materials until they have been discussed in class.

v. 1.0 - 11/23/19
CEHC Showcase / Events

The CEHC Showcase was designed as an opportunity for students to highlight and present
interesting projects, research, and concepts they are learning within their courses. It also provides
students with an opportunity to showcase their findings to others and develop highly desired
presentation and people skills. All students in INF 196 are required to present at this event and
should reserve that time in their schedule. Showcase is held at the end of the semester; the date
and time will be shared in class.

Students in INF196 will also be presenting two eSports events during the semester. These are
required, mandatory events open to the UAlbany campus community and will be held in the
evening. All students must contribute and attend.

ASSIGNMENTS AND GRADING
Grade Breakdown:

Readiness Assurance Tests: 25%
Homework & Individual Assignments: 45%
Team Assignments: 15%

Peer Evaluation: 5%

Final Project (multiple stages): 10%

Most Blackboard assignments automatically post to the “Blackboard Course Calendar” -
however not all of them do. Because of this, the “Blackboard Course Calendar” is supplemental
to our "Module at a Glance" where every due date will appear. It is your responsibility to check
“Module at a Glance” for all due dates.

| do not accept assignments via email. All assignments must be submitted on Blackboard.

Tests & Quizzes: 25%

Students are required to complete all readings before the first day of a module. The Reading
Assessment Tests (RAT) will be based on these readings. All readings can be found on
Blackboard.

Individual Assignments: 45%
Each student will have to complete a series Homework assignments. The HWs will consist of a
couple types of assignments.

1. Discussion forum assignments & participation.

2. Journal assignments.

3. Hands-on project based work.

v. 1.0 - 11/23/19
4. Additional assignments to be announced.

In Class Activities / Team Assignments: 15%
Each team will be required to complete a series of activities, as a team. Each team member will
receive the same grade.

Peer Evaluation: 5%
Because so much of the work we will be doing depends on a constructive team environment
you will have the opportunity to evaluate your teammates.

Final Project: 10%

Each student will complete a final project where they independently explore a topic related to
course content. Milestones for the project will be spread throughout the semester. The final
project should reflect a semester’s worth of work.

The area of focus you pick is up to you, as long as it relates to the course content in some way.
This is meant to challenge you but to also enable you to identify and explore an area that is
interesting to you. If you need to change your topic, you need to complete the previously
assigned milestones.

The final project has several major components, including:
1) Research
2) Development
3) Documentation
4) A tangible final product
5) Apresentation of work at CEHC Showcase

Extra Credit (up to 5 points)

There may be bonus opportunities this semester. | encourage you to take advantage of as many
as you are able. You can earn up to a total of 5 extra bonus points. Keep in mind that this is
enough to raise your grade a half letter grade.

Attendance

Attendance is mandatory in every class and students are expected to arrive on time. Your in-
class and online performance is key to your success in this course. You must log on to this
course at multiple times throughout each week. Graded in-class activities and assignments
constitute an important part of the course grade. It is not possible to maintain a passing
average without consistent attendance. Missing class means the student earns an automatic
zero for the activities or assignments missed. Because of the nature of the assignments, no
make-up opportunities will be available. It is the student’s responsibility to find out about any
future homework, readings or assignments assigned during classes they might have missed.

If you miss two classes, your final letter grade may be reduced by one full letter grade. Each
subsequent absence will reduce your grade by a half letter grade.

Lab Attendance

v. 1.0 - 11/23/19
Although the instructor does not schedule this, students will be required to work on their
projects outside of class time in the lab. Lab hours will be posted. Please plan your schedule
accordingly.

Tardiness
Missing an assignment or activity that happened before a student arrives or after a student
leaves also earns a zero. No make-up opportunities will be available.

If you know that it will be difficult for you to consistently get to class on time and stay for the
entire period, you should take this course at a time that better fits your schedule. Being late
frequently will guarantee a low grade for the course.

If you are tardy three times, it counts as one absence.

If you are late to class, it is your responsibility to see me after class to register your attendance.
| will not interrupt class to mark tardy students. If you are tardy and do not see me, you will not
receive credit for attending class.

If you know that it will be difficult for you to consistently log on to Blackboard multiple times
throughout each week, you should take this course at a time that better fits your schedule.

Grading Scale
Your final grade will be based on a scale of 100. The grading scale will be as follows:

A A- B+ B B- C+ c c- D+ D D- E

100-94 93-89 8885 84-82 81-79 78-76 75-73 72-70 69-67 66-63 62-60 59-0

Course Policies

Make-Up Policy

Missed assignments receive no credit. As many of the assignments build on previous course
work and require interaction with teammates, it is nearly impossible to schedule make-up
opportunities. Since there will be occasions in your life when missing a class meeting or missing
a deadline for an assignment is simply unavoidable (illness, personal crisis), this course has a
few built-in safety valves. These are your tools to use in managing your life during the course of
the semester. Please manage these carefully.

Safety Valve One: Y our lowest weekly homework assignment will be dropped. Final project
milestones assignments are not eligible to be dropped.

Safety Valve Two: Y our lowest test / quiz score will be dropped.

Be careful not to waste your safety valves carelessly early in the semester, since you may need
your droppable grades to offset any unforeseen low scores or difficulties later in the semester.

Safety Valve Three: If you become seriously ill during the semester, or become derailed by
unforeseen life problems, and have to miss so many assignments that it will ruin your grade, you

v. 1.0 - 11/23/19
and the instructor are encouraged to meet to discuss withdrawal from the course with the proper
documentation to save your GPA. Don’t wait until too late to arrange a meeting if you see that
you’re getting into trouble.

Withdrawal: Itis your responsibility to take action if you wish to drop the course. In particular,
grades of "incomplete" will not be awarded to students because they missed the drop deadline.
Details on withdrawal deadlines can be found at:
http://www.albany.edu/registrar/academic_calendar.php

iIncompletes: As per the Undergraduate Bulletin, the grade of Incomplete (1) will be given "only
when the student has nearly completed the course requirements but because of circumstances
beyond the student's control the work is not completed." A student granted an incomplete will
make an agreement specifying what material must be made up, and a date for its completion. The
incomplete will be converted to a normal grade on the agreed upon completion date based upon
whatever material is submitted by that time. Important: Incompletes will not be given to
students who have not fulfilled their classwork obligations, and who, at the end of semester
are asking for special treatment.

Academic Integrity

It is every student’s responsibility to become familiar with the standards of academic integrity at
the University. Claims of ignorance, of unintentional error, or of academic or personal pressures
are not sufficient reasons for violations of academic integrity. See
http://www.albany.edu/undergraduate_bulletin/regulations.html

Unless explicitly stated by the instructor, all course work is considered individual exercises.
Copying the work of others is a violation of university rules on academic integrity. Individual
course work is also key to your being prepared and performing well on assignments. Forming
study groups and discussing assignments and techniques in general terms is encouraged, but the
final work must be your own work. For example, two or more people may not create an
assignment together and submit it for credit. If you have specific questions about this or any
other policy, please ask.

The following is a list of the types of behaviors that are defined as examples of academic
dishonesty and are therefore unacceptable. Attempts to commit such acts also fall under the term
academic dishonesty and are subject to penalty. No set of guidelines can, of course, define all
possible types or degrees of academic dishonesty; thus, the following descriptions should be
understood as examples of infractions rather than an exhaustive list.

Plagiarism

Allowing other students to see or copy your assignments or exams

Examining or copying another student’s assignments or exams

Lying to the professor about issues of academic integrity

Submitting the same work for multiple assignments/classes without prior consent from

the instructor(s)

> Each assignment must be unique and cannot contain copy / paste from previous
assignments.

> Getting answers or help from people, or other sources (e.g. research papers, web sites)

without acknowledging them.

> Forgery
v. 1.0 - 11/23/19

VVVVV
Sabotage

Unauthorized Collaboration (just check first!)

Falsification

Bribery

Theft, Damage, or Misuse of Library or Computer Resources

VVVVV

Any incident of academic dishonesty in this course, no matter how "minor" will result in:

1. No credit for the affected assignment.
2. A written report will be sent to the appropriate University authorities (e.g. the Dean of
Undergraduate Studies)
3. One of -
o A final mark reduction by at least one-half letter grade (e.g. B > B-, C- > D+),
o A Failing mark (E) in the course, and referral of the matter to the University Judicial
System for disposition.

Policies from Undergraduate Bulletin:
http://www.albany.edu/undergraduate_bulletin/regulations.htm]l

All course material and documents developed by the instructor are copyrighted and may not be
reproduced or distributed without express written permission.

All students are required to follow University Community Standards and Game Lab / Class Code
of Conduct. https://www.albany.edu/communitystandards/

Students with game sanctions, bans, chat restrictions or other disciplinary actions will have
difficulty completing this course. These elements will impact your course grade and prohibit you
from taking part in class activities.

Inappropriate behavior or language of any type in class, on campus, off campus, in-game or in
virtual spaces is not permitted and may result in immediate loss of privileges of hardware,
software and labs.

Responsible Use of Information Technology

Students are required to read the University at Albany Policy for the Responsible Use of
Information Technology available at the ITS Web Site:
http://www.albany.edu/its/policies responsible use_of IT.htm

Students who misuse or damage equipment will be required to provide replacements.

Time Management: For every credit hour that a course meets, students should expect to work a
minimum of 3 additional hours outside of class every week (3 x 3= 9). For a three-credit course
you should expect to work 9 hours outside of class every week. Manage your time effectively to
complete readings, assignments, and projects.

Reasonable accommodation

Reasonable accommodation will be provided for students with documented physical, sensory,
cognitive, learning and psychiatric disorders. If you believe you have a disability requiring

v. 1.0 - 11/23/19
accommodation in this class, please notify the Director of Disability Resource Center (Campus
Center 137, 442-5490). That office will provide the course instructor with verification of your
disability, and will recommend appropriate accommodations. In general, it is the student's
responsibility to contact the instructor at least one week before the relevant assignment to make
arrangements.

Course Overview

Please note that the professor reserves the right to alter this syllabus and preliminary outline
with timely notice to students. Any changes to the class schedule or assignments will be
announced in class and/or posted on Blackboard in sufficient time to avoid misunderstandings.
In occasions where you have to miss class, make sure to consult the syllabus and to log on to
Blackboard so that you are aware of what is going on in class. Also, make sure to consult your
teammates, the peer educator and the professor in the case of any confusion.

Course Introduction + Orientation
Course Overview

Lab Orientation
Lab policy & procedure

What is eSports?
Overview of sports & games

Video game history
eSports history
Code of Conduct, Digital Citizenship, Responsible Use

The Ethical and Social Dimensions of Digital Gaming

Gamin

Types of games
- Free to play
- Paid

- Console vs. PC
Solo, multiplayer & co-op games
Hardware, software & networking

More Than Just Gameplay
Producing an eSports Event

- Inperson vs. online
Running an eSports Team or Program
Entrepreneurship
Monetization
Intellectual Property
Branding
Project management
Collaboration
Logistics

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Content

Content Creators

Content Platforms
Twitch
YouTube
Facebook
Mixer

Video Editing

Broadcasting / Streaming

Social Media

Design

v. 1.0 - 11/23/19
1] THE COLLEGE OF EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS,
"HOMELAND SECURITY AND CYBERSECURITY

INF 308: Programming for Informatics (3 Credits)

Semester: Fall 2019

Day/Time/L ocation: Fully online (BlackBoard)

Pre-requisites/C o-requisites: CINF 100 and CINF108 orI CSI/I ECE 201
Instructor: Nim Dvir

Read more about me on my university web page -- albany.edu/~nd115232/

Contact: ndvir@ albany.edu
Important -- When emailing, please add [INF496] at the beginning of the subject line

Office Location and Hours: Thursday, 3 pm - 5 pm, or by appointment
Last update date: July 30, 2019

Course Description, Purpose and Goals

This course focuses on computer programming in the Informatics environment. During the course students will leam
the fundamentals of programming, including an introduction to algorithms, object-oriented design, and data
structures. Additional topics include basic interface design, security, networking, use of databases, and mobile and
other non-traditional computing platforms.

Upon completion of the course, students should be able to accomplish the following outcomes:

Create, modify, and explain complex computer programs

Analyze real-world problems and then design and implement computational solutions for them

Use and apply appropriate data structures in a computer program

Construct and implement complex computational algorithms

Explain and identify a suitable programming paradigm to build the structure and elements of a computer
program

e Design and implement computer programs that interact with networks and databases

The Course Environment

This course is offered in a fully online learning format. The instructor will be available on Thursdays, 3 pm - 5 pm,
and by appointment. Students will complete classwork and assignments independently using the Blackboard
Learning System (BLS). If they are not familiar with Blackboard, they may please visit the Blackboard help pages
for students: http://ondemand.blackboard.com/students.htm and https://help.blackboard.com/en-
us/Leam/9.1_SP_12_and_SP_13/Student

Required Readings

The course is based on free/open-source materials, which mean that students are not required to purchase anything.
During the course we will use two open-source textbooks:

e Programming for Problem Solving / Lenore G. Horowitz

o _ https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-albany-programmingforproblemsolving-v2/
e Python for Everybody - Exploring Data In Python 3 / Charles R. Severance

o https: -py4e.com/book.phy

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Professor Nim Dvir
1] THE COLLEGE OF EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS,
‘HOMELAND SECURITY AND CYBERSECURITY

Readings will be posted Blackboard and are listed in the schedule. Each week will have a few assigned lessons,
accessed through links posted under "course content" in the weekly folders. Additional readings and exercises will
be added during the semester.

Software Packages

This course is based on Python-based technology and its supporting libraries. Python is recognized as a leading
open-source environment for manipulating and visualizing data. We will be using Python 3 (and not 2!). Make sure
you install the right version!
e Installing Python - This lesson will walk you through the installation steps, including installing Python and
text editor. Y ou can use whichever editor is most convenient for you; Just make sure you are able to submit
Python files (.py).

Recommended / Additional Readings

The Python community has developed a large set of materials for self- study and shared ideation, available at
https://www.python.org . Links to other helpful readings will be posted on BlackBoard

Deliverables & Grading
This course is A-E graded. The final grade will be determined based on the following:

e Weekly assignments - 60% (about 5% each)
Each module/week includes assignment(s) in which the students are asked to write a program or an
algorithm that solves a specific problem. Instructions will be provided in the course content.

e Mid-course project and final project - 40% (20% each)
In the mid-course and final projects students will apply the topics leamed to solve various problems.
Originality and individual work are key.

© Bonus- 10%
I will offer up to 10 bonus points for students who wish to improve their final grade. Some ways to eam
bonus points: participation in the weekly discussion board (for example, correcting errors in classmates’
programs or submitting work early), answering classmates questions, creating programs that stand out in
their originality, efficiency or attention to details; And anything else that exceeds the scope of the course
(original ideas are very welcome).

Your final grade will be based on a scale of 100 points:

A A- B+ B B- C+ Cc c- D+ D D-
100-94 93-89 88-85 84-82 81-79 78-76 75-73 72-70 69-67 66-63 63-60
Page |2 INF 308: Programming for Informatics

Professor Nim Dvir

E

60-0
1] THE COLLEGE OF EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS,
"HOMELAND SECURITY AND CYBERSECURITY

Submissions

Submissions should be made through BlackBoard only and are due before the next week starts (by EOD) or as
instructed. Submissions are in the following forms:

e Program file
Each program should be submitted as a .py file which should include comments that explain the different steps
taken. Students should submit their work even if their program does not execute flawlessly. Partial credit will be
given to programs with issues, in particular, if the comments recognize and explain areas that need more work.

« Discussion posts
Some week submissions are in the form of posts to a discussion board. These often include a program file, a
screenshot of the output and whatever else asked in the assignment Instructions. By using a discussion board,
students have access to their classmates' work, as well as examples provided by the instructor. Therefore, students
are exposed to various programming applications and different ways of thinking. Bonus points will be given to
students who use this platform to give helpful feedback to their peers.

Missed Exams and Assignments: The course missed assignment policy follows the University’s Medical Excuse
Policy: https://www.albany.edu/health_center/medicalexcuse.shtml.

Withdrawal from the C ourse: The drop date for the fall 2019 semester is 11/4 for undergraduate students. That is
the last date you can drop a course and receive a 'W'. It is your responsibility to take action by this date if you wish
to drop the course. In particular, grades of "incomplete" will not be awarded to students because they missed the
drop deadline.

Course Structure & Schedule

Week Date _Classtopics — Readings Deliverables
1 8/26 Introduction —_—The syllabus!
to the course Weekly
Why Program? assignment
Why (WA) #
Program?

https://www.py4e.com/lessons/intro

How to Think Like an Engineer

https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-
albany-programmingforproblemsolving-
v2/chapter/how-to-think-like-an-engineer/

2 9/3 Programming _ Installing Python WA #2
(Tuesday, Revisited https://www.py4e.com/lessons/install
9/2 labor
day Writing Simple Programs
break) https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-

albany-programmingforproblemsolving-
v2/chapter/writing-simple-programs/

Variables, expressions, and statements
https://www.py4e.com/lessons/memory

Page |3 INF 308: Programming for Informatics
Professor Nim Dvir
THE COLLEGE OF EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS,

“HOMELAND SECUR.

UNIVERSITY AT ALBANY

3

10

11

Page |4

9/9

9/16
9/23

9/30

10/7

10/14
(fall
break)
10/21

10/28

11/4

ITY AND CYBERSECURITY

Functions and Conditional Execution WA #8

Control
Structures

Strings

File
processing

Data
collections

Extracting
data using
regular

expressions

Mid-course
project

Databases I

Databases II

Network

https://www.py4e.com/lessons/logic

Functions
https://www.py4e.com/lessons/functions

Loops and Iterations
https://www.py4e.com/lessons/loops

Control Structures
https://courses.lumenleaming.com/suny-
albany-programmingforproblemsolving-
v2/chapter/control-structures-making-

decisions-and-looping-in-computing-data-and-
information-processing-in-

Strings — —_ WA #

|_https://www_py4e.com/lessons/strings

Files WA
https://www.py4e.com/lessons/files

Reading CSV files in Python
https://pythonprogramming.net/reading-csv-
files-python-3/

Lists WA #6
https://www.py4e.com/lessons/lists

Dictionaries
https://www.py4e.com/lessons/dictionary

Tuples

https://www.py4e.com/lessons/tuples

Regular Expressions WA #7
https://www.py4e.com/lessons/regex

Python Regular Expression Quick Guide
https://www.py4e.com/lectures3/Pythonlearn-
11-Regex-Handout.txt

Mid-course
project (10/20)

Databases WA #®
https://www.py4e.com/lessons/database

Python for Everybody Database Handout
https://www.py4e.com/lectures3/Pythonleam-
15-Database-Handout.txt

Databases WA #9
https://www.py4e.com/lessons/database

Python for Everybody Database Handout
https://www.py4e.com/lectures3/Pythonlearn-
15-Database-Handout.txt

Network Programming WA #10

Programming __hitps://www.py4e.com/lessons/network

INF 308: Programming for Informatics
Professor Nim Dvir
'e THE COLLEGE OF EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS,
HOMELAND SECURITY AND CYBERSECURITY

12 11/11 Data Graphics: Designing and Developing WA #11
Visualization | Graphics Programs
I https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-

albany-programmingforproblemsolving-
v2/chapter/graphics-desigqning-and-
developing-graphics- programs/

Data Visualization

m/lessons/dataviz
13 11/18 = Data ig and Developing WA #12
Visualization Graphics Programs
II https://courses.|umenlearning.com/suny-
albany-programmingforproblemsolving-
v2/chapter/graphics-designing-and-
developing-graphics-programs/

Data Visualization
_ttps//www.py4e,com/lessons/dataviz
14 11/25 | Final projects Thanksgiving
review Break - 11/27-
112
15 12/2 Wrap-up Final project
(12/9)

Additional Information

Disability Policy: Reasonable accommodations will be provided for students with documented physical, sensory,
systemic, medical, cognitive, learning and mental health (psychiatric) disabilities. If you believe you have a
disability requiring accommodation in this class, please notify the Disability Resource Center (518- 442-5490;
dre@ albany.edu). Upon verification and after the registration process is complete, the DRC will provide you with a
letter that informs the course instructor that you are a student with a disability registered with the DRC and list the
recommended reasonable accommodations.

Academic Integrity: Every student has the responsibility to become familiar with the standards of academic
integrity at the University. Faculty members must specify in their syllabi information about academic integrity and
may refer students to this policy for more information. Nonetheless, student claims of ignorance, unintentional error,
or personal or academic pressures cannot be excuses for violation of academic integrity. Students are responsible for
familiarizing themselves with the standards and behaving accordingly, and UA lbany faculty are responsible for
teaching, modeling and upholding them. Anything less undermines the worth and value of our intellectual work, and
the reputation and credibility of the University at Albany degree.

It is every student’s responsibility to become familiar with the standards of academic integrity at the University.
Claims of ignorance, of unintentional error, or of academic or personal pressures are not sufficient reasons for
violations of academic integrity. See http://www.albany.edu/undergraduate_bulletin/regulations.html

Course work and examinations are considered individual exercises. Copying the work of others is a violation of
university rules on academic integrity. Individual course work is also key to your being prepared and performing
well on tests and exams. Forming study groups and discussing assignments and techniques in general terms is
encouraged, but the final work must be your own work. For example, two or more people may not create an
assignment together and submit it for credit. If you have specific questions about this or any other policy, please ask.
The following is a list of the types of behaviors that are defined as examples of academic dishonesty and are
therefore unacceptable. Attempts to commit such acts also fall under the term academic dishonesty and are subject
to penalty. No set of guidelines can, of course, define all possible types or degrees of academic dishonesty; thus, the
following descriptions should be understood as examples of infractions rather than an exhaustive list.

> Plagiarism

Page |5 INF 308: Programming for Informatics
Professor Nim Dvir
1] THE COLLEGE OF EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS,
HOMELAND SECURITY AND CYBERSECURITY

Allowing other students to see or copy your assignments or exams

Examining or copying another student’s assignments or exams

Lying to the professor about issues of academic integrity

Submitting the same work for multiple assignments/classes without prior consent from the instructor(s)
Getting answers or help from people, or other sources (e.g. research papers, web sites) without acknowledging
them.

Forgery

Sabotage

Unauthorized Collaboration (just check first!)

Falsification

Bribery

Theft, Damage, or Misuse of Library or Computer Resources

>
>
>
>
>

VV VVVY

Any incident of academic dishonesty in this course, no matter how "minor" will result in

> No credit for the affected assignment.
> A written report will be sent to the appropriate University authorities (e.g. the Dean of Undergraduate Studies)
> One of -

oA final mark reduction by at least one-half letter grade (e.g. B > B-, C- > D+),

oA Failing mark (E) in the course, and referral of the matter to the University Judicial System for

disposition.

All course material and documents developed by the instructor are copyrighted and may not be reproduced or
distributed without express written permission.
CEHC Grievance Policy & Procedure:
According to the CEHC Grievance Policy:
a “grievance” shall include any complaint alleging wrongdoing made by students, faculty, staff, or
administrators in the College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security and Cybersecurity (CEHC)
against other students, faculty, staff or administrators. “Faculty” shall include any individuals with
appointments enabling them to be designated instructors of record, and “students” shall include any
enrolled students.

A “grievance” shall include, but not be limited to, any challenge to the resolution of a dispute over matters
of academic honesty (such as plagiarism and cheating) and professional ethics or grades assigned for
courses. It shall also include any allegation of improper treatment, including improper treatment on the
grounds of age, color, creed, disability, marital status, military status, national origin, race, sex, gender
identity, or sexual orientation. In grievances conceming grades, grievances may be filed only as to any final
grade or other final disposition for a course. Dropping of a course shall constitute a final disposition for a
course so as to allow grievances over grades or other matters occurring prior to the “drop.”

All grievances conceming grades must be adjudicated by the CEHC grievance committee and process. All
other grievances may be referred to the University-level community standards process (or other appropriate
processes). Nothing in this policy prohibits the aggrieved party from pursuing university-level adjudication
at any time.

III. Any grievance must be filed within five months of the time the complainant was informed of the
matter which is the subject of the grievance. “File” shall mean the submission of a statement from the
complainant to either the Dean of the CEHC or the Chair of the CEHC Grievance Committee. The
statement shall 1) detail the event or events to which the complainant is objecting, 2) identify the person or
persons the complainant alleges is responsible, and 3) identify the remedy or remedies sought to address the
complaint.

For the full CEHC Grievance Policy, please contact cehc@ albany.edu.

Responsible Use of Information Technology:
https://wiki.albany.edu/display/public/askit/Responsible+Use+of+Hnformation+T echnology+Policy

Page |6 INF 308: Programming for Informatics
Professor Nim Dvir
1] THE COLLEGE OF EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS,
"HOMELAND SECURITY AND CYBERSECURITY

Respect for Diversity

It is my intent that students from all diverse backgrounds and perspectives be well served by this course, that
students’ learning needs be addressed both in and out of class, and that the diversity that students bring to this class
be viewed as a resource, strength, and benefit. It is my intent to present materials and activities that are respectful of
diversity: gender, sexuality, disability, age, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, race, and culture. Y our suggestions are
encouraged and appreciated. Please let me know ways to improve the effectiveness of the course for you personally
or for other students or student groups. In addition, if any of our class meetings conflict with your religious events,
please let me know so that we can make arrangements for you.!

Absence due to religious observance: New Y ork State Education Law (Section 224-a) - Campuses are required to
excuse, without penalty, individual students absent because of religious beliefs, and to provide equivalent
opportunities for make-up examinations, study, or work requirements missed because of such absences. Faculty
should work directly with students to accommodate religious observances. Students should notify the instructor of
record in a timely manner.

Time Management

For every credit hour that a course meets, students should expect to work 3 additional hours outside of class every
week (3 x 3=9). Fora fully online three-credit course, you should expect to work 12 hours every week! Manage
your time effectively to complete readings, assignments, and projects.

' Respect for Diversity statement from hitps://www.brown.edu/sheridan/teaching-leaning-resources/inclusive-teaching/statements

Page |7 INF 308: Programming for Informatics
Professor Nim Dvir
INF 363: Digital Design (3 cr)

Instructor: Michael C. Leczinsky

Semester: Fall 2018
Office hours: Mondays 2-5 pm, Draper 340
Contact information: mleczinsky@ albany.edu

Course Description

An introductory course applying design theory to the development and delivery of digital media
with emphasis on digital imagery, video, interactivity and music. Topics may include
consumption of digital media on a variety of devices, creation, acquisition, editing and
processing of digital content.

Students will develop an appreciation for the role that each media element may contribute to the
final user experience. Students will cultivate an understanding of how public policy issues apply
to technology, in particular copyright, privacy and freedom of expression.

Prerequisites
The prerequisite course for INF 363 is INF 201.

The course will build on many of the concepts from this course and add several more.

Team-Based Learning (TBL)

The first week of the course, you will be assigned to a team that will work together throughout
the semester. Course grades will be influenced by team performance on in-class assignments.
While in many courses, group work can be structured unfairly, such that some students end up
doing all the work while everyone shares in the credit, two factors will prevent that from
happening in this class. First, nearly all graded team work will be preceded by one or more
preparatory assignments, for which each individual will be accountable. Second, at the midterm
point and at the end of the semester, you will be asked to evaluate the “helpfulness” of your team
members and assign a grade that counts as part of their grade for INF 363.

TBL courses are divided into sections. This course will have seven sections (see calendar
breakdown below). Each section begins with a reading assignment. The first class in each section
includes a group and individual test on that material. The next classes are filled with activities
that highlight the important features of the material to be covered in that section.
Additionally, each section includes an assignment to be completed individually to apply the
materials leamed during the section.

Phase 1 — Preparation: Y ou will complete specified readings for each module ahead of class for
that particular unit.

Phase 2 — Readiness Assurance Test: At the first class meeting of each module, you will be
given a Readiness Assurance Test (RAT). The RAT test (10 multiple-choice questions)
measures your comprehension of the assigned readings, and helps you lear the material needed
to begin problem solving in phase 3. Once the test period is over, the instructor may give a short
mini-lecture to clarify concepts that are not well understood as evidenced by the individual test
scores. The purpose of phase 2 is to ensure that you and your teammates have sufficient
foundational knowledge to begin learning how to apply and use the course concepts in phase 3.
RATs are closed book and based on the assigned readings.

o Individual RAT (iRAT) — Y ou individually complete a 10 question multiple-

choice test based on the readings.

o Team RAT (tRAT) - Following the iRAT, the same multiple-choice test is re-
taken with your team. These tests use a “scratch and win” type answer cards
known as an IF-AT. Y ou negotiate with your teammates, and then scratch off the
opaque coating hoping to reveal a star that indicates a correct answer. Y our team
is awarded 10 points if you uncover the correct answer on the first scratch, 6
points for second scratch, and 2 point for third scratch.

o Appeals Process - Once your team has completed the team test, your team has
the opportunity to complete an appeal. The purpose of the appeal process is to
allow your team to identify questions where you disagree with the question key or
question wording or ambiguous information in the readings. Instructors will
review the appeals outside of class time and report the outcome of your team
appeal at the next class meeting. Only teams are allowed to appeal questions (no
individual appeals).

o Feedback and Mini-lecture - Following the RATs and Appeal Process, the
instructor may provide a short clarifying lecture on any difficult or troublesome
concepts.

Phase 3 - In-Class Activities: Y ou and your team use the foundational knowledge, acquired in
the first two phases to make decisions that will be reported publicly and subject to cross-team
discussion/critique. We will use a variety of methods to have you report your team’s decision at
the end of each activity. The presentation of your team responses are critical to the team grade.
Y ou should expect each team member to present individually and for the entire team to present
with smooth transitions. Students will use multimedia resources such as Powerpoint to enhance
their presentations and class discussions.

Course Goals
By the end of the semester, you should be able to:

1.

General

a.
b.

Communicate clearly and collaborate with others.
Employ creative thinking.

Use Principles of Design

a.

b.
€
d.

Apply principles of visual design to different forms of media.
Appreciate the stages of media forms as technological evolution.
Approach media design from a purpose-driven perspective.

Analyze, critique, and create different types of informational and artistic
visualizations.

Address Social and Policy Issues

a.
b.
c,

Develop familiarity with copyright law and its application to the digital age.
Cultivate appreciation for the privacy rights of users.
Recognize the role of elements of media in social and political dialog.

Use Development Tools

a.
b.

Become familiar with available hardware, software and resources.

Develop expertise on the use of software tools for acquiring and editing digital
media: images, audio and video.

Appreciate the different requirements of delivery platforms such as mobile and
desktop devices.

Develop mastery of information visualization tools including presentation
software.

Develop efficient workflows.

Required Readings & Materials

1. 100 Things Every Designer Needs to Know About People
Susan M. Weinschenk, Ph.D.
ISBN-13: 978-0321767530

2. A subscription to Skillshare.com — details posted to Blackboard.

3. Additional required readings will be assigned.
Additional Materials

Students will require access to a computer, a modern generation browser, and the Internet.
Students will also need appropriate materials for in class activities such as a notebook, writing
implements and a USB drive. A basic unlined sketchbook is recommended.

Grading

10% iRAT

10% tRAT

5% Peer assessment

15% In-class tasks (individual and team activities completed during class time)
30% Individual Tasks / Homework

30% Final Project, Paper, Presentation & Milestones

Y our final grade will be based on a scale of 100 points:

A A- B+ B B- C+ Cc c- D+ D D- E

100-94 93-89 88-85 84-82 81-79 78-76 75-73 72-70 69-67 66-63 63-60 60-0

iCEHC Mini Showcase

iCEHC Mini Showcase was designed as an opportunity for students within the informatics field
to highlight and present interesting projects, research, and concepts they are learning within their
courses. It also provides students with an opportunity to showcase their findings to others and
develop highly desired presentation and people skills. The INF Mini-Showcase is Dec. 5. All
students in INF 363 will be presenting at this event and should reserve that time in their
schedule.

Final Project

Students in INF 363 will propose a creative project and once approved, will work throughout the
semester to produce the following:
1. A creative project that draws together a variety of elements of the class.
2. A four page (2000 word) written paper (plus additional documentation and supporting
materials).
3. In class presentations of work.
4. A presentation to the campus community at the INF Showcase.

Details will be posted to Blackboard.
Course Policies

Attendance

Attendance is mandatory in every class and students are expected to arrive on time. Your
in-class and online performance is key to your success in this course. You must log on to this
course at multiple times throughout each week. Graded in-class activities and assignments
constitute an important part of the course grade. It is not possible to maintain a passing average
without consistent attendance. Missing class means the student earns an automatic zero for the
activities or assignments missed. Because of the nature of the assignments, no make-up
opportunities will be available. It is the student's responsibility to find out about any future
homework, readings or assignments assigned during classes they might have missed.

If you miss two classes, your final letter grade may be reduced by one full letter grade.
Each subsequent absence will reduce your grade by a half letter grade.

Tardiness
Missing an assignment or activity that happened before a student arrives or after a student
leaves also earns a zero. No make-up opportunities will be available.

If you know that it will be difficult for you to consistently get to class on time and stay for the
entire period, you should take this course ata time that better fits your schedule. Being late
frequently will guarantee a low grade for the course.

If you are tardy three times, it counts as one absence.

If you are late to class, itis your responsibility to see me after class to register your attendance.
| will not interrupt class to mark tardy students. If you are tardy and do not see me, you will not
receive credit for attending class.

If you know that it will be difficult for you to consistently log on multiple times
throughout each week, you should take this course ata time that better fits your
schedule.

Make-up Policy

Missed assignments receive no credit. As many of the assignments build on previous course
work and require interaction with teammates, it is nearly impossible to schedule make-up
opportunities. Since there will be occasions in your life when missing a class meeting or missing
a deadline for an assignment is simply unavoidable (illness, personal crisis), this course has a
few built-in safety valves. These are your tools to use in managing your life during the course of
the semester. Please manage these carefully.

Safety Valve One: Y our lowest weekly homework assignment will be dropped. Final project
milestones, or Careers in IT assignments are not eligible to be dropped.

Safety Valve Two: Y our lowest test / quiz score will be dropped.
Be careful not to waste your safety valves carelessly early in the semester, since you may need
your droppable grades to offset any unforeseen low scores or difficulties later in the semester.

Safety Valve Three: If you become seriously ill during the semester, or become derailed by
unforeseen life problems, and have to miss so many assignments that it will ruin your grade, you
and the instructor are encouraged to meet to discuss withdrawal from the course with the proper
documentation to save your GPA. Don’t wait until too late to arrange a meeting if you see that
you’re getting into trouble.

Extra Credit

Extra credit can be earned in a number of ways. All require consultation with the instructor
before they are commenced. All extra-credit opportunities are capped at no more than 5 points
(5%) of your overall grade.

Community: INF sponsors several events throughout the semester. Any student who attends one
or more of those events may receive extra credit.

Other extra credit opportunities may be available. Details to follow.

Withdrawal from the course

It is your responsibility to take action if you wish to drop the course. In particular, grades of
"incomplete" will not be awarded to students because they missed the drop deadline. Details on
withdrawal deadlines can be found at: http://www.albany.edu/registrar/academic_calendar.php

Cell phones & laptops

Please make sure your electronic devices are turned off before entering the classroom unless we
are doing a class exercise where they are helpful. Use of phones, tablets, computers, etc. for
non-class purposes during class will count against you in your class participation grade. While
you may be using computers in class, texting, using Facebook, etc., are not appropriate uses of
class time and your instructor-evaluated grade will suffer for it.

Incompletes

As per the Undergraduate Bulletin, the grade of Incomplete (1) will be given "only when the
student has nearly completed the course requirements but because of circumstances beyond the
student's control the work is not completed." A student granted an incomplete will make an
agreement specifying what material must be made up, and a date for its completion. The
incomplete will be converted to a normal grade on the agreed upon completion date based upon
whatever material is submitted by that time.

Important: Incompletes will not be given to students who have not fulfilled their classwork
obligations, and who, at the end of the semester, are looking to avoid failing the course. This is
asking for special treatment.
Academic Integrity

It is every student’s responsibility to become familiar with the standards of academic integrity at
the University. Claims of ignorance, of unintentional error, or of academic or personal pressures
are not sufficient reasons for violations of academic integrity. See
http://www.albany.edu/undergraduate_bulletin/requlations.html

Course work and examinations are considered individual exercises. Copying the work of others
is a violation of university rules on academic integrity. Individual course work is also key to
your being prepared and performing well on tests and exams. Forming study groups and
discussing assignments and techniques in general terms is encouraged, but the final work must
be your own work. For example, two or more people may not create an assignment together and
submit it for credit. If you have specific questions about this or any other policy, please ask.

The following is a list of the types of behaviors that are defined as examples of academic
dishonesty and are therefore unacceptable. Attempts to commit such acts also fall under the term
academic dishonesty and are subject to penalty. No set of guidelines can, of course, define all
possible types or degrees of academic dishonesty; thus, the following descriptions should be
understood as examples of infractions rather than an exhaustive list.

Plagiarism

Allowing other students to see or copy your assignments or exams

Examining or copying another student’s assignments or exams

Lying to the professor about issues of academic integrity

Submitting the same work for multiple assignments/classes without prior consent from
the instructor(s)

Getting answers or help from people, or other sources (e.g. research papers, web sites)
without acknowledging them.

Forgery

Sabotage

Unauthorized Collaboration (just check first!)

Falsification

Bribery

Theft, Damage, or Misuse of Library or Computer Resources

VVVVV

Vv

VVVVVV

Any incident of academic dishonesty in this course, no matter how "minor" will result in

2. No credit for the affected assignment.
3. A written report will be sent to the appropriate University authorities (e.g. the Dean of
Undergraduate Studies)
4. One of -
o A final mark reduction by at least one-half letter grade (e.g. B > B-, C- > D+),
o A Failing mark (E) in the course, and referral of the matter to the University
Judicial System for disposition.

Policies from Undergraduate Bulletin:
https://wiki.albany.edu/display/public/askit/Responsible+Use+of+nformation+T echnology+Poli

cy

All course material and documents developed by the instructor are copyrighted and may not be
reproduced or distributed without express written permission.

Responsible Use of Information Technology

Students are required to read the University at Albany Policy for the Responsible Use of
Information Technology available at the ITS Web Site:
http://www.albany.edu/its/policies_responsible_use_of_IT.htm

Style Manuals and G uidelines

Written assignments and papers should be word-processed and double-spaced in Microsoft
Word. Students are required to cite sources, if any are used in their written reports, according to
the American Psychological Association (APA) style manual.

e American Psychological Association. 2001. Publication manual of the American
Psychological Association, 5th Edition. Washington, DC: American Psychological
Association.

The style manual is available in the reference sections of many mainstream bookstores and
reserve sections of University Libraries, including the Dewey Library.

Time Management

For every credit hour that a course meets, students should expect to work 3 additional hours
outside of class every week (3 x 3= 9). For a three-credit course you should expect to work 9
hours outside of class every week. Manage your time effectively to complete readings,
assignments, and projects.

Note carefully the intermittent nature of the workload in this course. Y ou will be expected to
complete an entire sections’ reading before the first class, when you will be tested both
individually and as a team on it. Outside assignments will then be relatively light until the next
section begins. Each section also culminates with an individual assignment which draws together
the material from that section. This assignment is due before the next section begins. Thus, after
the first section, you will have both reading for the new section AND an assignment for the prior
section due on the same day—the first class in the new section.
Available Support Services

Reasonable accommodation

Reasonable accommodation will be provided for students with documented physical, sensory,
cognitive, learning and psychiatric disorders. If you believe you have a disability requiring
accommodation in this class, please notify the Director of Disability Resource Center (Campus
Center 137, 442-5490). That office will provide the course instructor with verification of your
disability, and will recommend appropriate accommodations. In general, it is the student's
responsibility to contact the instructor at least one week before the relevant assignment to make
arrangements.

Course Outline and Schedule

The following schedule of lecture topics and reading assignments is preliminary and may be
changed as the semester progresses. The final schedule and specific homework and lab
assignments and materials will be provided in Blackboard. Students are expected to have read
the listed material before it is covered in class.

Unit 1

Introduction

How does design impact business? What is the impact of design on society and culture? What
does the future hold?

Technical / Implementation / Tools / Practice

Discussion of design technologies.

Overview and discussion of tools. Hardware, software, services & resources.
Adobe Suite, open source alternatives.

Unit 2

Theory / Science / Psychology Part 1

What is design? How does design work? What does it mean in a digital context? How can design
be leveraged in product design or as a process? What sort of products and services can be
developed or improved through design?

Design principles
Gestalt Principles
Color theory

User- Driven Design
Typography / Fonts

Theory / Science / Psychology
MIDTERM POINT - TEST
Unit 3

Theory / Science / Psychology Part 2
Continuation of Unit 1

Design principles
Gestalt Principles
Color theory

User- Driven Design
Typography / Fonts

Theory / Science / Psychology

Unit 4
Survey of Design in Media Part 1

Visual Media

Print

Graphic Design

Signage

Digital / Interactive Signage

Data
Infographics
Visualization
Sonification

Unit 5
Survey of Design in Rich Media Part 2

Digital Media
Web

Apps

Blogging
Podcasting
Sound Design
Web Video

Physical World

3D Printing

Rapid Prototyping

Small scale manufacturing
Makers & DIY

Live / Time Based
Presentation
Experiences
Events

Virtual Reality
INF 371 Digital Game Design & Development 1
(3 credits)

Semester: Fall 2020

Face to Face

Meeting Information: Tuesdays / Thursdays 2:45pm-4:05pm
Husted 004
ICOURSE INSTRUCTOR [Michael C. Leczinsky, Professor of Practice
CONTACT INFO |All course questions: Use “Ask a Question” in

Blackboard. Private communication with me regarding
on-pubic / sensitive matters: mleczinsky@albany.edu

IOFFICE HOURS Face to Face: 12-2:30PM Tuesdays
Online: Sunday, 6:30-7:30PM
Additional times by appointment.
Office: Draper 340

INTRODUCTION

This lab-based course provides an introduction to game development. Students will examine
games of various types and utilize industry standard software to develop several games and
software projects. Students will work collaboratively in a team based studio environment.
Students will utilize various emerging technologies and work primarily in 2D. 3D and Virtual
Reality, Mixed Reality and Augmented Reality will be introduced.

OBJECTIVES

After taking this course, students should be able to:

Understand key terms and concepts within the eSports & gaming field.

Develop a historical perspective of the eSports & gaming industries.

Develop an understanding of current practices within eSports & gaming.

Develop skills to make informed predictions about potential future progressions within

the field.

e Apply information and knowledge in wide variety of situations.

e Summarize technical concepts in a plain and succinct manner.

e Evaluate the reputability of information gathered from a wide variety of sources.

e Apply information and knowledge gathered in executing open-ended creative projects.

e Interface, collaborate and engage with team members of various backgrounds and skill
levels.

e Develop an understanding for various types of digital games.

v. 1.0 - 11/23/19
e Demonstrate the ability to play various games.
e Create Internet broadcasts, video content, stream gameplay, and utilize basic graphic
design skills.
e Teach others and play in co-operative environments.
Troubleshoot hardware and software.
Demonstrate best practices for digital citizenship and responsible use.
Produce and host eSports events.

The instructor will help you meet these objectives through fostering an open, supportive
environment, wherein you will develop:

e Verbal and written communication skills as you engage in class activities and work on
assignments.

Hands-on skills working with hardware, equipment and physical materials in the labs.
Teamwork skills as you participate in team based learning (TBL).

Critical reading skills as you progress through readings in multiple formats.

Problem solving and troubleshooting skills.

Project management skills as you execute projects of various scopes.

Critical thinking skills.

Pre/Co-Requisites
INF 363

REQUIRED MATERIALS
For this course you will need the following materials:

1. Textbook: Level Up! The Guide to Great Video Game Design Paperback — Wiley; 2 edition
(April 28, 2014). ISBN-10: 1118877160 - ISBN-13: 978-1118877166

2. Software:

Unity (Free): https://www.unity.com/
Construct 2/3 (Free): https://www.construct.net/

3. Approximately $100 budget for software. We will be utilizing various game development
tools, add-ons, plugins and software throughout the semester. More information on selected

software to be discussed in class.

You will be unable to complete your coursework without your own materials. Software piracy is
not acceptable in any form.

Please do not order materials until they have been discussed in class.

v. 1.0 - 11/23/19
CEHC Showcase / Events

The CEHC Showcase was designed as an opportunity for students to highlight and present
interesting projects, research, and concepts they are learning within their courses. It also provides
students with an opportunity to showcase their findings to others and develop highly desired
presentation and people skills. All students in INF 196 are required to present at this event and
should reserve that time in their schedule. Showcase is held at the end of the semester; the date
and time will be shared in class.

Students in INF196 will also be presenting two eSports events during the semester. These are
required, mandatory events open to the UAlbany campus community and will be held in the
evening. All students must contribute and attend.

ASSIGNMENTS AND GRADING
Grade Breakdown:

Readiness Assurance Tests: 25%
Homework & Individual Assignments: 45%
Team Assignments: 15%

Peer Evaluation: 5%

Final Project (multiple stages): 10%

Most Blackboard assignments automatically post to the “Blackboard Course Calendar” -
however not all of them do. Because of this, the “Blackboard Course Calendar” is supplemental
to our "Module at a Glance" where every due date will appear. It is your responsibility to check
“Module at a Glance” for all due dates.

| do not accept assignments via email. All assignments must be submitted on Blackboard.

Tests & Quizzes: 25%

Students are required to complete all readings before the first day of a module. The Reading
Assessment Tests (RAT) will be based on these readings. All readings can be found on
Blackboard.

Individual Assignments: 45%
Each student will have to complete a series Homework assignments. The HWs will consist of a
couple types of assignments.

1. Discussion forum assignments & participation.

2. Journal assignments.

3. Hands-on project based work.

v. 1.0 - 11/23/19
4. Additional assignments to be announced.

In Class Activities / Team Assignments: 15%
Each team will be required to complete a series of activities, as a team. Each team member will
receive the same grade.

Peer Evaluation: 5%
Because so much of the work we will be doing depends on a constructive team environment
you will have the opportunity to evaluate your teammates.

Final Project: 10%

Each student will complete a final project where they independently explore a topic related to
course content. Milestones for the project will be spread throughout the semester. The final
project should reflect a semester’s worth of work.

The area of focus you pick is up to you, as long as it relates to the course content in some way.
This is meant to challenge you but to also enable you to identify and explore an area that is
interesting to you. If you need to change your topic, you need to complete the previously
assigned milestones.

The final project has several major components, including:
1) Research
2) Development
3) Documentation
4) A tangible final product
5) A presentation of work at CEHC Showcase

Extra Credit (up to 5 points)

There may be bonus opportunities this semester. | encourage you to take advantage of as many
as you are able. You can earn up to a total of 5 extra bonus points. Keep in mind that this is
enough to raise your grade a half letter grade.

Attendance

Attendance is mandatory in every class and students are expected to arrive on time. Your in-
class and online performance is key to your success in this course. You must log on to this
course at multiple times throughout each week. Graded in-class activities and assignments
constitute an important part of the course grade. It is not possible to maintain a passing
average without consistent attendance. Missing class means the student earns an automatic
zero for the activities or assignments missed. Because of the nature of the assignments, no
make-up opportunities will be available. It is the student’s responsibility to find out about any
future homework, readings or assignments assigned during classes they might have missed.

If you miss two classes, your final letter grade may be reduced by one full letter grade. Each
subsequent absence will reduce your grade by a half letter grade.

Lab Attendance

v. 1.0 - 11/23/19
Although the instructor does not schedule this, students will be required to work on their
projects outside of class time in the lab. Lab hours will be posted. Please plan your schedule
accordingly.

Tardiness
Missing an assignment or activity that happened before a student arrives or after a student
leaves also earns a zero. No make-up opportunities will be available.

If you know that it will be difficult for you to consistently get to class on time and stay for the
entire period, you should take this course at a time that better fits your schedule. Being late
frequently will guarantee a low grade for the course.

If you are tardy three times, it counts as one absence.

If you are late to class, it is your responsibility to see me after class to register your attendance.
| will not interrupt class to mark tardy students. If you are tardy and do not see me, you will not
receive credit for attending class.

If you know that it will be difficult for you to consistently log on to Blackboard multiple times
throughout each week, you should take this course at a time that better fits your schedule.

Grading Scale
Your final grade will be based on a scale of 100. The grading scale will be as follows:

A A- Bt B B- C+ c c- D+ D D- E

100-94 93-89 88-85 84-82 81-79 78-76 75-73 72-70 69-67 66-63 62-60 59-0

Course Policies

Make-Up Policy

Missed assignments receive no credit. As many of the assignments build on previous course
work and require interaction with teammates, it is nearly impossible to schedule make-up
opportunities. Since there will be occasions in your life when missing a class meeting or missing
a deadline for an assignment is simply unavoidable (illness, personal crisis), this course has a
few built-in safety valves. These are your tools to use in managing your life during the course of
the semester. Please manage these carefully.

Safety Valve One: Your lowest weekly homework assignment will be dropped. Final project
milestones assignments are not eligible to be dropped.

Safety Valve Two: Your lowest test / quiz score will be dropped.
Be careful not to waste your safety valves carelessly early in the semester, since you may need
your droppable grades to offset any unforeseen low scores or difficulties later in the semester.

Safety Valve Three: If you become seriously ill during the semester, or become derailed by
unforeseen life problems, and have to miss so many assignments that it will ruin your grade, you

v. 1.0 - 11/23/19
and the instructor are encouraged to meet to discuss withdrawal from the course with the proper
documentation to save your GPA. Don’t wait until too late to arrange a meeting if you see that
you're getting into trouble.

Withdrawal: It is your responsibility to take action if you wish to drop the course. In particular,
grades of "incomplete" will not be awarded to students because they missed the drop deadline.
Details on withdrawal deadlines can be found at:
http://www.albany.edu/registrar/academic_calendar.php

Incompletes: As per the Undergraduate Bulletin, the grade of Incomplete (I) will be given "only
when the student has nearly completed the course requirements but because of circumstances
beyond the student's control the work is not completed." A student granted an incomplete will
make an agreement specifying what material must be made up, and a date for its completion. The
incomplete will be converted to a normal grade on the agreed upon completion date based upon
whatever material is submitted by that time. Important: Incompletes will not be given to
students who have not fulfilled their classwork obligations, and who, at the end of semester
are asking for special treatment.

Academic Integrity

It is every student’s responsibility to become familiar with the standards of academic integrity at
the University. Claims of ignorance, of unintentional error, or of academic or personal pressures
are not sufficient reasons for violations of academic integrity. See
http://www.albany.edu/undergraduate_bulletin/regulations.html

Unless explicitly stated by the instructor, all course work is considered individual exercises.
Copying the work of others is a violation of university rules on academic integrity. Individual
course work is also key to your being prepared and performing well on assignments. Forming
study groups and discussing assignments and techniques in general terms is encouraged, but the
final work must be your own work. For example, two or more people may not create an
assignment together and submit it for credit. If you have specific questions about this or any
other policy, please ask.

The following is a list of the types of behaviors that are defined as examples of academic
dishonesty and are therefore unacceptable. Attempts to commit such acts also fall under the term
academic dishonesty and are subject to penalty. No set of guidelines can, of course, define all
possible types or degrees of academic dishonesty; thus, the following descriptions should be
understood as examples of infractions rather than an exhaustive list.

Plagiarism

Allowing other students to see or copy your assignments or exams

Examining or copying another student’s assignments or exams

Lying to the professor about issues of academic integrity

Submitting the same work for multiple assignments/classes without prior consent from
the instructor(s)

Each assignment must be unique and cannot contain copy / paste from previous
assignments.

Getting answers or help from people, or other sources (e.g. research papers, web sites)
without acknowledging them.

> Forgery

VVVVV

Vv

Vv

v. 1.0 - 11/23/19
Sabotage

Unauthorized Collaboration (just check first!)

Falsification

Bribery

Theft, Damage, or Misuse of Library or Computer Resources

VVVVV

Any incident of academic dishonesty in this course, no matter how "minor" will result in:

1. No credit for the affected assignment.
A written report will be sent to the appropriate University authorities (e.g. the Dean of
Undergraduate Studies)
3. One of -
o A final mark reduction by at least one-half letter grade (e.g. B > B-, C- — D+),
o A Failing mark (E) in the course, and referral of the matter to the University Judicial
System for disposition.

Policies from Undergraduate Bulletin:
http://www.albany.edu/undergraduate_bulletin/regulations.html

All course material and documents developed by the instructor are copyrighted and may not be
reproduced or distributed without express written permission.

All students are required to follow University Community Standards and Game Lab / Class Code
of Conduct. https://www.albany.edu/communitystandards/

Students with game sanctions, bans, chat restrictions or other disciplinary actions will have
difficulty completing this course. These elements will impact your course grade and prohibit you
from taking part in class activities.

Inappropriate behavior or language of any type in class, on campus, off campus, in-game or in
virtual spaces is not permitted and may result in immediate loss of privileges of hardware,
software and labs.

Responsible Use of Information Technology

Students are required to read the University at Albany Policy for the Responsible Use of
Information Technology available at the ITS Web Site:
http://www.albany.edu/its/policies responsible _use_of IT.htm

Students who misuse or damage equipment will be required to provide replacements.

Time Management: For every credit hour that a course meets, students should expect to work a
minimum of 3 additional hours outside of class every week (3 x 3= 9). For a three-credit course
you should expect to work 9 hours outside of class every week. Manage your time effectively to
complete readings, assignments, and projects.

Reasonable accommodation
Reasonable accommodation will be provided for students with documented physical, sensory,
cognitive, learning and psychiatric disorders. If you believe you have a disability requiring

v. 1.0 - 11/23/19
accommodation in this class, please notify the Director of Disability Resource Center (Campus
Center 137, 442-5490). That office will provide the course instructor with verification of your
disability, and will recommend appropriate accommodations. In general, it is the student's
responsibility to contact the instructor at least one week before the relevant assignment to make
arrangements.

Course Overview

Please note that the professor reserves the right to alter this syllabus and preliminary outline
with timely notice to students. Any changes to the class schedule or assignments will be
announced in class and/or posted on Blackboard in sufficient time to avoid misunderstandings.
In occasions where you have to miss class, make sure to consult the syllabus and to log on to
Blackboard so that you are aware of what is going on in class. Also, make sure to consult your
teammates, the peer educator and the professor in the case of any confusion.

Course Introduction + Orientation
Course Overview
Code of Conduct, Digital Citizenship, Responsible Use

Lab Orientation
Lab policy & procedure

Overview of Digital Gaming, Training and Simulation

Construct 2/3, Unity
Games

Training
Simulation
Industrial
Apps

Game Development
Development workflow

Art & Design
Audio

Writing for games
Level design
Animation

User Testing
Iteration

Software & Apps

Business of Games
Entrepreneurship
Intellectual Property
Branding

Project management
Collaboration
Logistics

v. 1.0- 11/23/19
Projects

v. 1.0- 11/23/19
CINF 398 Field Experience in Informatics (3 cr)

INSTRUCTOR

Annie Connors

Email: aeconnors@albany.edu
Office: Draper Hall 103

Office Hours: MW, 11 am—1pm
Office Phone: 518-442-1478

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course provides academic structure and oversight to service-learning and community engagement
components available as options in other Informatics. The goal of the field experience course is to
improve students’ understanding of a topic explored during a semester length course. Courses will
typically include guest speaker events, field excursions, and class session on-site (i.e. Montreal, New
York City, etc.) The course topic will change from semester to semester based on the topic of the
semester length course. A version of the course could be used to offer a stand-alone course with service
learning, community service, internship and other community engagement activities as a central theme.

PRE-REQUISITES
None
COURSE OBJECTIVES

1. Provide mentored practical observation and hands-on application opportunities for students to
apply and reinforce learned competencies, knowledge and skills taught in the Informatics
coursework.

2. Provide practical experience to students within one or more selected areas within a professional
setting relating to the field of Informatics.

3. Reinforce an understanding of fieldwork through assignments and/or hands-on projects.

4. Provide an element of professional skills exposure to aid in career development and/or
advancement.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Attendance & Course Expectations

Attendance at all scheduled guest speaker events, field excursions, and class sessions is mandatory.
Failure to attend a session (unless for a reason supported by the University’s excused absence policy)
will negatively affect your grade. This class is based on the premise that everyone in this course has
something to learn, and everyone in this class has something to offer. Prior experience in software
development/social media/data analytics/cybersecurity/information technology, involvement in
researching/practicing emerging technology, involvement in student groups: all of these experiences
shape how you approach problems and the body of knowledge you can bring to the table.

Informatics is an inherently interdisciplinary field that relies on the coordination of multiple entities,
often with diverse goals and objectives. You will have the opportunity to hone those collaborative
problem-solving skills in class through frequent group activities and class discussions, preparing you to
enter your professional careers. The interactive nature of the course will work best when everyone
comes to class having done the readings, prepared to discuss them, and stays engaged during the entire
period.

For details on the University’s excused absence policy, including what counts as an excused absence, go
to the SUNY Albany Undergraduate Academic Regulations page at
http://www.albany.edu/undergraduate_bulletin/regulations.html. It is your responsibility to ensure that
you make up course material missed on the day(s) you were absent. If you will be absent on the day an
assignment is due it is your responsibility to connect with the instructor of the course in advance. If you
know that you will be absent for the graded in class activities, you need to notify the instructor in
advance as soon as possible.

Assignments

Students will have the opportunity to practice their written communication skills and course mastery
through paper assignments and either online or in-person discussion:

Attendance 10 points per day (110 total):

Students are expected to participate in each day’s activities. You will earn 10 points for each day
they attend the scheduled activities.

Reflection Journals 40 points:

Reflection is a critical component of this course. It is a large part of what will help transform the
field experience into a high-impact learning experience. Students will be required to submit five
journal entries this semester. For each one, participants will be asked to reflect on their
experience in a way that relates to the topics presented through readings, guest speakers,
and/or excursions scheduled throughout the length of the course.

The journals should be more than a simple log of activities, though students may include that
information as well.

Think about how this experience is helping you learn and grow. Have you had any moments that
have made you re-evaluate a preconceived notion? What critical incidents have you observed or
been part of? Maybe they have changed your perspective or confirmed what you believed at the
outset of this experience.

Minimum requirements for a satisfactory Journal Entry:

* Responses are expected to be thoughtful, with each entry containing a minimum of 350
words.

© Typewritten, double-spaced with a 12 pt. font (Times New Roman or similar size)

© Please make sure to check thoroughly for grammatical, typographical and spelling errors.
Entries containing a plethora of these errors will not be accepted.

Reflection Paper & Presentation 100 points:

Linking the information gathered during the field experiences, students will be asked to reflect
on the fieldwork, excursions, speakers, and readings. The paper will be 3-4 pages in length and
the presentation can be in any multimedia format or creative medium the student wishes —
video, PowerPoint, website, etc.

Both the paper and presentation will address the following;

- Describe the experience (what did you hear, see, read, or do?).

- How has the experience enabled you to apply or transfer your learning to a new setting or
circumstance?

- How has this experience built upon what you have learned from your educational
experiences in the classroom?

- What aspect of the experience contributed most to your learning and why?

- In what ways has this experience increased your curiosity or awareness about new content
or issues?

- How do you see yourself now compared to who you were at the beginning of this
experience?

- What did you learn about yourself and/or others due to participating in this experience?

- Did you develop any new insights regarding your career plans as a result of this experience?

- How would you describe this learning experience to a potential employer in a way that
synthesizes knowledge and skills gained?

GRADING SCHEME & SCALE

Final course grades are issued on the scale described below. Grades .5 and above will be rounded up
and grades less than .5 will be rounded down.

A 100-93% B- 83-80% D+ 70-68%
A- 92-90% C+ 79-77% D 67-64%
B+ 89-87% C 76-74% D- 63-60%
B 86-84% C- 73-71% E  <60%

REQUIRED TEXTS AND READINGS

Readings will be assigned for students to complete prior to the field experience. These will be posted on
Blackboard where students will be able to view and download them.

Blackboard

Materials for the class will be posted on the class Blackboard webpage. The readings that are assigned
for class will be available on the Blackboard page for this class. Information about assignments will also
be posted on Blackboard. You will also be submitting your assignments via Blackboard.

COURSE SCHEDULE: READINGS AND ASSIGNMENTS
The following is an itinerary of activities during the field experience.

You must complete all of the preliminary readings before the field experience. They are required both to
complete the paper and to provide you with the necessary background for context for understanding
and interpreting the field.

Time in this course will be spent in a combination of guest speakers, field experiences and cite visits,
interactions with professionals and class discussions. Class sessions will be held intermittently, and are
meant to serve as opportunities for you to reflect with your peers on the experiences you are having
and connect it to the pre-course readings. Classes are very discussion-based. You will have opportunities
every class to engage with the readings and apply the concepts. Therefore, you will be best equipped to
actively participate in class if you have completed the reading assignments in advance of the
discussions/classes.

CLASS DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITIES
Pre-Field Experience
Students will complete assigned readings and an initial journal indicating
their expectations and predictions for the course and fieldwork.
1
Class Discussion, guest speaker
2
Field experience and Guest Speaker
3
Guest Speaker/field experience and Class Discussion
4
Field experience and Guest Speaker
5
Cite visit and Class Discussion
6
Guest Speaker and field experience
7
Guest Speaker or field experience and Class Discussion

8

Excursion or Guest Speaker
9

Excursion or Guest Speaker
10

Guest Speaker and field experience
11

Guest Speaker or field experience and Class Discussion.
Post- Field
Experience

Reflection paper & Presentation

COURSE POLICIES
Submission Process

Students will submit their assignments online via blackboard. The instructor will allow for two late
assignments to be submitted without prior consent. All additional assignments that are submitted late
without the instructor’s prior knowledge and permission will receive 80% of points possible towards
your final grade. No assignments can be submitted for grading after the last day of classes for the
semester.

If you missed the due date because of an excused absence, the excused days will not count as days late
in calculating the assignment grade. If you believe that there are circumstances that warrant an
extension on an assignment, but are unsure if it counts as a University approved absence or
accommodation, talk to the instructor (in person or by e-mail) before the assignment is due to discuss
what, if any, accommodations are appropriate. You must approach the instructor with the issue before
the due date.

Unexpected IlIness/Absence

In order to seek accommodation due to unexpected illness, please seek a note from the

Office of Undergraduate Studies (Lecture Center 30 Phone: 518-442-3950) as they are responsible for
excused absence certification. Any further required action for the course will take place once the
student has provided the instructor with the appropriate documentation.

Religious Observance

The instructor will work to accommodate class conflict issues arising from religious observance. If you
have a conflict due to religious observance, let them know as soon as possible so that appropriate
arrangements can be made to make up missed assignments. Please consult the specific university policy
on accommodating religious observance at this link for more details:
http://www.albany.edu/undergraduate_bulletin/regulations.html

Reasonable Accommodation

Reasonable accommodations will be provided for students with documented physical, sensory,
systemic, medical, cognitive, learning and mental health (psychiatric) disabilities. If you believe you have
a disability requiring accommodation in this class, please notify the Disability Resource Center (518-442-
5490; drc@albany.edu). Upon verification and after the registration process is complete, the DRC will
provide you with a letter that informs the course instructor that you are a student with a

disability registered with the DRC and list the recommended reasonable accommodations.

More detailed information on this policy and a link to email the Disability Resource Center can be found
at this link: http://www.albany.edu/disability/current.shtml

Additional Resources

SUNY Albany Library Homepage:
http://library.albany.edu

SUNY Albany Tutoring Services:

http://www.albany.edu/carss/i_need_tutoring.shtml

http://www.albany.edu/oaae/tutoring oaae.shtml

http://www.albany.edu/advisingplus/50962.php

Student Counselling Services Offered by SUNY Albany:
http://www.albany.edu/counseling center/index.shtml

ACADEMIC HONESTY

All work students submit to this course is expected to be their own original product. Plagiarism in any
form is completely unacceptable. You should always cite source material in your work. If you are
uncertain if you should cite something, then you should cite it. Students are expected to use American
Psychological Association (APA) guidelines for formatting for their citations.

Information on APA citation guidelines can be found here:

https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/

http://www. apastyle.or;

If you have questions about a citation issue, or on issues of paraphrasing versus direct quotations,
please visit your instructor during office hours or set up an appointment and they will be happy to help
you. Copying the work of current or previous students and claiming it as your own will not be tolerated.
Further details on the university’s policies regarding academic honesty can be found at:
http://www.albany.edu/undergraduate_bulletin/regulations.html

The posting of class material (including but not limited to exams, study guides, and assignments) to the
Internet, whether for a fee or not, is expressly prohibited.

CLASS COMMUNICATION

The instructor may need to send out notifications to the class about readings and assignments
throughout the semester. This communication will take place via email and through the course
Blackboard page. Students are required to have a SUNY Albany email account and to check it regularly to
ensure that you receive those notifications. If you use an email account other than your student e-mail
address, it is your responsibility to regularly check your university email or have messages from your
university email forwarded to your regular email address.

The instructor will regularly check e-mail during business hours (9am to 5pm). If you e-mail them, then
they will respond to your message within two business days. For example. If you email them on Monday,
they will reply to your message by Wednesday. If you email them on Friday, they will reply by Tuesday.

CORRESPONDENCE AND PROFESSIONALISM.

As stated in the section on course objectives, this course is intended in part to help prepare you for a
career in the field of informatics. This includes not only supporting your intellectual growth through the
course material, but also supporting your development as professionals as you move through your time
here at the university and in your careers. An important part of professionalism is how you interact with
your colleagues and coworkers both in the classroom and in your correspondence.

All e-mails need to have a brief subject line telling the reader what your message is about. You should
begin your e-mails addressing the recipient by their name and appropriate title. Your e-mails should
include the course number, should be written in complete sentences and in a professional tone, and
should be proofread for typos. You should conclude your e-mail with a salutation and your name.

TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLASSROOM

Technology in the classroom can be both a tool and a distraction. The classroom policies for this course
reflect this.

Cell phones: Phones will not be allowed in class. Phones must be turned off or silent during class, and
you may not use them during the class period unless the instructor specifically indicates that you may do
so.

Computers: Many students prefer to take notes using computers rather than taking handwritten notes
during class, and prefer to use electronic versions of the readings rather than printed out hard copies. To
accommodate those different preferences, computers are permitted in class. However, do not use your
computers for purposes other than classroom activity (checking social media, etc.). Your screen is visible
to students behind and beside you, and it could be distracting to your classmates. It is the student’s
responsibility to use their computers in a way that is respectful to their classmates. If it becomes clear
that a student is not using their computer for work purposes or is using it in a way that is disruptive to
the class, | will ask the student to put the computer away and may not permit the student to bring it to
future classes.
INF 405 & 505, Berg Fall 2020

INF 405 & 505:
Advanced Concepts in Software

Development (3 cr)
Fall 2020

/ tell my students, ‘When you get these jobs that you have been so brilliantly trained for, just remember that
your real job is that if you are free, you need to free somebody else. If you have some power, then your job

is to empower somebody else. This is not just a grab bag candy game.’- Toni Morrison

Course Staff

Instructor: George Berg
e Email: gberg@albany.edu
¢ Office Hours:
o Office hours may vary weekly owing to various factors. Please check the class calendar
on Blackboard to make sure he will be in.
co The normally scheduled office hours are:

» Face-to-Face: Online via Zoom:

o TBD
* Online (And Zoom links to join):
o TBD

o For other times, please contact me, and we can make an appointment.
e Phone: 1-518-949-3437 (Voice, voicemail, and text)
¢ Twitter: @GBerg_UAlbany
¢ FB: @GeorgeBergUAlbanyCS
¢ Instagram: @gberg_ualbany

Course Description
INF 405 Advanced Concepts and Practices in Software Development (3 credits)

A course in advanced software development techniques and practice. This will build on students’ previous

experience to enable them to create larger, more complicated projects. In addition to advanced language,

v2020 04 28
INF 405 & 505, Berg Fall 2020
library, etc. features, this course will emphasize concepts such as object-oriented design and development,
software engineering, design thinking, etc. These will increase the scale of projects can achieve as well as

increase their chances of successful development.

Prerequisites
The Prerequisite course for INF 405 is INF 308, Programming for Informatics, or CS| 213, Data Structures, or

permission of the Instructor.

The primary perquisite concepts necessary to attempt this course with a reasonable chance of success are:
e Knowledge and experience with a modern programming language equivalent to two full university
level courses.
e Experience writing, debugging, and testing computer programs.

This course will build on these concepts and add several more.

Expected Student Outcomes
This is a senior/graduate level course that covers the wide range of skills and concepts that are necessary to

design, implement, code, and test medium and large scale computer software projects.

Course Goals
By the end of the semester, you should be able to
> As an individual, successfully design, implement and test medium size computer programs in a
modern programming language.
> As part of a team, successfully design, implement and test medium size computer programs in a
modern programming language.
> Evaluate medium and large computer programs via a methodical testing regimen.
> Demonstrate a knowledge of how coding standards can improve the success of software projects.
Demonstrate a knowledge of and ability to analyze the importance of end-user usability in
programming projects.
Apply the above concepts in assignments.
Be persistent in solving medium to high complexity problems.

Develop coherent problem-solving skills.

VV Vv wv

Work effectively in teams.

Class Meetings

Lecture

The lecture meets twice a week: TBD.

v2020 04 28
INF 405 & 505, Berg Fall 2020

Required Text
The required text for the course is:
e  Allbee, Brian, Hands-on Software Engineering with Python. Packt Publishing. 2018. ISBN-13: 978-
1788622011.

o Buy/Rent the book from wherever you feel you can get your best deal.

Recommended Text

There is no additional recommended text for this class.

Readings
In addition to the required text, there will be readings that will be available to the students online or via

Blackboard. When these readings are assigned, the class will be told where they can be found.

TEAM-BASED LEARNING (TBL)

This course uses Team-based Learning (TBL). This section describes how we will be using TBL in this class.

AN ABSOLUTELY CRUCIAL POINT: The course is divided into learning modules. You must do the readings
for each module before the unit's start. This is because each unit starts with a Readiness Assessment Test
(RAT). Readings must be done before the RAT tests for the module (dates given in the syllabus below). The

RAT tests are based solely upon the readings, and not on lecture or other in-class preparation beforehand.

Teams

This course will be using a Team-Based-Learning (TBL) format (http://www.teambasedlearning.org). This

instructional method aims to help develop your learning skills and will be done in a way that will hold teams
accountable for using course content to make decisions that will be reported publicly and subject to cross-
team discussion/critique. You will be assigned to a team with approximately 6 members. Teams will be
formed during the first week of the term. Teams will work together for most in-class activities throughout the

semester.

Your grade will be influenced by team performance on team-based assignments. While in many courses,
group work can be structured unfairly, such that some students end up doing all the work while everyone
shares in the credit, two factors will prevent that from happening in this class. First, nearly all graded team
work will be preceded by one or more preparatory assignments, for which each individual will be accountable
(eg. the RATs), thus ensuring that individual team members are each prepared to contribute to the team
effort. Second, each individual's contribution to team work will be assessed by his or her teammates several
times during the semester. This Peer Evaluation is done online (e.g. via a service such as TEAMMATES). In

Peer Evaluation each student is asked to evaluate various aspects of her team mates’ engagement and

v2020 04 28 3
INF 405 & 505, Berg Fall 2020
participation in the group activities in class. They are also given opportunities to provide constructive
suggestions about the elements of the team mates’ contributions that are already positive, or that could be
improved. By using a constructive framework, and evaluating early and several times, students receive

feedback that gives them an opportunity to learn to work in group settings more effectively.

Phase 1 - Preparation: You will complete specified readings to begin each module

Phase 2 - Readiness Assurance Test: At the first class meeting of each module, you will be given a

Readiness Assurance Test (RAT). The RAT test (10 multiple-choice questions) measures your comprehension
of the assigned readings, and helps you learn the material needed to begin problem solving in phase 3. The
purpose of phase 2 is to ensure that you and your teammates have sufficient foundational knowledge to
begin learning how to apply and use the course concepts in phase 3. RATs are closed book and based on

the assigned readings.

Individual RAT (iRAT) — You individually complete a 10 question multiple-choice test based on the

readings.
¢ Group/Team RAT (gRAT) - Following the iRAT, the same multiple- ieee Feepeack ASSESSMENT Tee (IF AT)
one fi est #
choice test is re-taken with your team. These tests use a “scratch and Sonu ca Ge DEVaRING TS kkres AGAR

win" type answer cards known as an IF-AT. You negotiate with your = : me
teammates, and then scratch off the opaque coating hoping to reveal a =

star that indicates a correct answer. Your team is awarded 10 points if

you uncover the correct answer on the first scratch, 6 points for second

scratch, and 2 point for third scratch. No points are awarded for fourth or fifth.

Appeals Process - Once your team has completed the team test, your team has the opportunity to
complete an appeal. The purpose of the appeal process is to allow your team to identify questions where
you disagree with the question key or question wording or ambiguous information in the readings.
Instructors will review the appeals outside of class time and report the outcome of your team appeal at

the next class meeting. Only teams are allowed to appeal questions (no individual appeals).

e Feedback and Mini-lecture - Following the RATs and Appeal Process, the instructor may provide a short

clarifying lecture on any difficult or troublesome concepts.

Phase 3 - In-Class Activities: You and your team use the foundational knowledge, acquired in the first two
phases, to make decisions that will be reported publicly and subject to cross-team discussion/critique. We will

use a variety of methods to have you report your team’s decision at the end of each activity. The

v2020 04 28 4
INF 405 & 505, Berg Fall 2020
presentation of your team responses is critical to the team grade. You should expect each team member to

present individually and for the entire team to present with smooth transitions.

INF 405 and 505 Grading

Category Assignment Type Weight Within Category Weight in the
Category Course
Individual Grades (45% — 70%)*
iRAT Tests 25%
Individual Assignments | 75%
Team Grades (20% — 45%)*
gRAT Tests 35%
Team Exercises 65%
Class Participation and (10% — 25%)*
Peer Evaluation
Peer Evaluation 75%
Class Participation 25%

(Instructor Determined)

Total 100%

* The class will determine the grade weights on mm/dd/2020. Student teams will negotiate the exact
proportions of individual grades, team grades, and peer evaluation for the course, with in the ranges given
above. For example, they may agree on individual grades at 50%, team grades at 30%, and peer evaluation

at 20% of a students’ course grade. The percentages must total to 100%, of course.

The above formula is the definitive grading scheme. Any “Total,” “Weighted Total," etc. given by Blackboard

does not reflect the actual grading scheme, and should be ignored.

The University at Albany/CEHC Showcase event(s) are <date>. All INF 405 and 505 students will be expected
to participate in the showcase either in person or virtually (if they absolutely cannot attend in person), and
there will be an online assignment covering Showcase in the context of this class due a few days later. Details

will be forthcoming later on in the semester but mark your calendars.

Grades are assigned based upon the percentage of points achieved by the student in the course, as weighted

per the above table. The overall course will not be curved, although the professor retains the right curve

v2020 04 28 5
INF 405 & 505, Berg Fall 2020
individual assignments if the grade distribution is extreme enough to unfairly weight the overall course

against the students. Major letter grades will be assigned by the following thresholds:

Percentage Score Grade
90 - 100% A

80 — up to 90% B

70 — up to 80% G

60 — up to 70% D
Below 60% E
INF 505

This same course is offered as INF 405 and as INF 505. The latter is an enhanced version intended for
graduate students. Students in INF 505 will do all the work in INF 405. In addition, INF 505 students will do
substantially augmented team projects relative to INF 405, and make a presentation at the UAlbany Student

Showcase on <date>.

For the term project, INF 505 students have a set of additional set of deadlines (included in the class
schedule, below).
The milestones for the project are:

¢ Project Topic Proposal (due <date>)

¢ Project Outline Proposal (due <date>)

e Showcase Presentation Outline Proposal (due <date>)

e Showcase presentation (due <date>)

e Project final writeup (due <date>)

The University at Albany/CEHC Showcase event(s) are <date> As mentioned above all INF 505 students will
be expected to participate in the showcase either in person with a presentation. Additional details will be

forthcoming later on in the semester but mark your calendars.

Succeeding as a Person, and as a Student (and in INF 405/505)

Being a successful student is more than doing well in your classes. It means that you are well, both mentally
and physically. If you feel that you (or maybe someone you know on campus) are not doing well, you should

definitely seek help for that situation.

v2020 04 28

INF 405 & 505, Berg Fall 2020
Student Health Services: If you are feeling ill, or there is some other physical condition that is

bothering you should go visit student health services. (https://www.albany.edu/health_center/). Your
health and well-being are critical to your quality of life; you should take steps to preserve it.

Campus Counseling Center: Almost everyone at one time or another runs into problems that they cannot
handle by themselves. In those situations, there is no shame or stigma associated with seeking help. On this

campus, the Campus Counseling and Psychological Services (https://www.albany.edu/counseling_center/) is

there to help. Whether your issue is stress, depression, sleep, or something else entirely, their staff have a

number of ways to help you out. And remember, that you are not alone in these kinds of situations.

Student Emergency Fund: Are you (or again maybe someone you know on campus) facing an unforeseen
financial hardship or emergency? These kinds of situations can be a serious obstacle to a student's being able
to stay and successfully complete their degree. The University has a Student Emergency Fund program that
may be able to help (https://www.albany.edu/studentaffairs/emergencyfund.shtml). These grants may be able

to help.

UAlbany library: The University Libraries (https://library.albany.edu/) are much more than a book and journal
repository. They offer a conducive place to study, and offer arrange of information services. Not really relevant to this class,
but maybe in general, the University Library has Library Research Resources
(http://libguides.library.albany.edu/c.php?g=5371648p=3677741) that can be of immense help with projects

involving various kinds of research.

IT Services: Even if you are not in a technical degree program, every modern student uses digital technology
and is affected by it (if you don’t see that now, you will at the end of this course). The University Information
Technology Services (ITS) offers a wide range of help and services for students

(https://www.albany.edu/its/svc_list.php).

In General: It may not be cool or sexy, but a key to success is simply to be re/iable. If you make a promise to
your family or friends, keep it. The easiest way to succeed in a class is to attend class every time, do the
reading, and complete the assignments. Not only do you get credit for attendance and the assignments, but
this work helps you learn, and will pay off on subsequent assignments, tests, etc. as well as in grades, and in

future career and grad school opportunities. Like the old Nike ad says, “Just do it!”

In addition, it is important to know what is expected of you, so that you can manage those expectations and
balance them against your other commitments, energy, etc. For instance, a 3-credit UAlbany class implies an
average nine-hour commitment each week (three in class, six outside for reading, assignments, study, etc.) So,
you should budget an average of six hours per week for each of your classes. Sometimes it will take more,

often less. But, that way you can avoid surprise time crunches.

v2020 04 28 7
INF 405 & 505, Berg Fall 2020

v2020 04 28
INF 405 & 505, Berg Fall 2020

Course Policies

Attendance: Your in-class performance is key to your success in this course. Attendance, itself, is not
explicitly graded (but it does factor into class participation). Instead, graded in-class activities and
assignments constitute an important part of the course grade. Keeping a passing average on these is not
possible without consistent attendance. Missing class means the student earns an automatic zero for all

individual and team activities or assignments missed. No make-up opportunities will be available.

Tardiness: Missing an assignment or activity that happens before a student arrives or after a student leaves

also earns a zero. No make-up opportunities will be available. Tardiness also factors into class participation.

If you know that it will be difficult for you to consistently get to class on time and stay for the entire period,
you should take this course at a time that better fits your schedule. Missing or being late frequently will

guarantee a low grade for the course.

Make-up Policy: There are generally no make-up opportunities for missed assignments except in extenuating
circumstances. Instead of asking to make up missed work, please use the course ‘safety valves’ described

below.

Since there will be situations in your life when missing a class meeting is simply unavoidable, this course has

2 no-fault safety valves.

Safety Valve 1:
1. The lowest iRAT is dropped.
2. The lowest gRAT is dropped.
3. The lowest individual assignment is dropped.
4. The lowest team assignment is dropped.
Peer Evaluations are not dropped.
A missed assignment will count against these (/e. a zero from a miss would be your low score; you don't get

a miss and a drop).

Safety Valve 2: |\f you become seriously ill during the semester, or become derailed by unforeseeable life
problems, and have to miss so many assignments that it will ruin your grade, schedule a meeting with the
instructor in order to make arrangements for you to drop the course to save your grade point average. Don't

wait until it’s too late to do this when you get in trouble.
Excused Absences. Some absences (e.g. military duty, jury duty, court appearances, documented medical

illnesses and appointments, student athlete obligations, significant academic or professional opportunities,

critical family emergencies) can be counted as excused absences. For these (the above and others; check with

v2020 04 28 9
INF 405 & 505, Berg Fall 2020
the professor if you have questions) to count, you must apply for an excused absence. Please apply using the
Google form:
https://forms.gle/U8SdSmmq2ywxPg3A6
Note that you may have to login with your Google credentials to access the form, especially if you want to

upload supporting documentation for your request.

The Professor will reply to your request. Accepted excused absences will not count against the student (i.e.
those assignments will not count when calculating the student's course average). Denied requests and all
other absences will count as unexcused. For unexcused absences, students will miss without credit all

assignments for the day missed.

Late Assignments: Out of class assignments are due on the due date, by the assigned time. Late individual
assignments will be accepted, but at the cost of a full letter grade for missing the deadline, and an additional
letter grade for each additional 24 hours late. In-class assignments may be done only on the days they are

scheduled.

Withdrawal from the Course: The drop date for the Fall 2020 semester is

e <Date> for undergraduate students in full semester courses, and

e <Date> for graduate students.
That is the last date you can drop a course and receive a 'W’. It is your responsibility to take action by this
date if you wish to drop the course. In particular, grades of "incomplete" will not be awarded to students
because they missed the drop deadline. Given that dropping a course can have financial aid implications,
please see your advisor or the Financial Aid office before dropping a course so you understand the

implications that action can have on your aid.

Electronic Devices: For some team activities, you will need to use a phone/tablet/laptop. Other than that,
make sure your devices are put away during class unless we are using them in a team exercise. Non-class

device use will count negatively against the entire class's participation grade.

Headphone/earbud use is prohibited during class.

Students with Disabilities: Students who feel that they have disabilities that require special arrangements for
them to take the course must register with the Disability Resource Center. Students are eligible for special
services to which both the Center and the professor agree. In general, it is the student's responsibility to

contact the professors at least one week before the relevant assignment to make arrangements. You can

contact the Disability Resource Center in Campus Center 137, or at 442-5490, if needed.

Incompletes: As per the Undergraduate Bulletin, the grade of Incomplete (I) will be given “only when the

student has nearly completed the course requirements but because of circumstances beyond the student's

v2020 04 28 10
INF 405 & 505, Berg Fall 2020
control the work is not completed.” A student granted an incomplete will make an agreement specifying
what material must be made up, and a date for its completion. The incomplete will be converted to a normal

grade on the agreed upon completion date based upon whatever material is submitted by that time.

Important: Incompletes will not be given to students who have not fulfilled their classwork obligations, and

who, at the end of the semester, are looking to avoid failing the course. This is asking for special treatment.

Responsible Use of Information Technology: Students are required to read the University at Albany Policy
for the Responsible Use of Information Technology available at the ITS website:

https://wiki.albany.edu/display/public/askit/Responsible+Use+of+Information+Technology+Policy

Weather: In general, the class will meet unless the University suspends classes. You should be signed up for
alerts with the University. | will try and also send out a notification if there class is canceled. Having said that,
if you feel that travel is unsafe even if class is in session, then don't risk it (and see the section on Excused

Absences).

Academic Integrity

In this class, some course work and examinations are /ndividual exercises. The individual work that you
do must be yours — not that of other students, friends, tutors, etc. While it may seem like the easy way out of
doing the assignments to copy them from others, this strategy will backfire on the tests, when you will not
know the material you would have learned from doing the assignments. You may of course form study
groups, discuss assignments and techniques in general terms, etc, but the assignments themselves must be
your own work. In particular, two or more people may not create an individual assignment together and

submit it for credit. Please ask if you have any questions about academic integrity.

| am also personally offended by cheating, in part because it hurts the honest students in the class. We will
try our hardest to catch cheaters. If we catch a student cheating, we will not go easy on him or her. Given

that, is it really worth it?

The Undergraduate Bulletin states the university's policies on academic integrity. You will be held to these
policies. You are expected to be familiar with them.

A (non-exhaustive) list of unacceptable activities is:
e Allowing other students to see or copy your assignments.
e Examining or copying another student's assignments.
e Allowing other students to see or copy your work during an exam.

e Examining or copying another student's work during an exam.

v2020 04 28 11
INF 405 & 505, Berg Fall 2020
e Getting answers or help from people, or other sources (e.g. research papers, web sites) without
acknowledging them.
e Defacing or deleting class shared documents.

e Lying to the Professor about issues of academic integrity.

Any incident of academic dishonesty in this course, no matter how "minor" will result in
e No credit for the affected assignment.
e Awritten report will be sent to the appropriate University authorities.
© One of -
oA final mark reduction by at /east one-half letter grade (e.g. B > B-, C- > D+),

oA Failing mark (E) in the course, and referral of the matter to the University Judicial System
for disposition.

Policies from Undergraduate Bulletin: http://www.albany.edu/undergraduate_bulletin/regulations.html

v2020 04 28
INF 405 & 505, Berg Fall 2020
Timeline
Week Topic Reading Activity
1 Python Foundations Text: Development Tools | iRAT, gRAT, Program
2 Materials: Basics of Program
Python 3
Program
4 Advanced Python Materials: Advanced iRAT, gRAT, Program
Python Concepts
Materials: Larger Scale
Programming Projects
5 Advanced Python — Text: Development Program
Objected Oriented Paradigms
Programming
6 Advanced Python - APIs | Materials: AP/s and Program
and Packages Packages
7 Software Project Materials: Design Team Project
Management Thinking
Text: Development
Practices
8 Text: Process Standards | Team Project
(Continued)
9 Text: Setting Up Projects | Team Project
and Processes (Continued)
10 Database Integration Text: Thinking About iRAT, gRAT, Program,
Data Object Persistence | Team Project
11 Team Project
(Continued)
12 Testing Text: Testing Business iRAT, gRAT, Program,
Objects Team Term Project
13 Team Term Project
(Continued)
14 Advanced Topics Text: Anatomy of A iRAT, gRAT, Program,
Service Team Term Project
(Continued)
15 Material: Machine
Learning and Data
Science

v2020 04 28
INF 405 & 505, Berg Fall 2020

Miscellaneous

Extra credit opportunities

During the semester the university and others hold events that may be of interest to students in this course.

If you attend an event and write a summary and reflection piece on the event (specified in individual
assignments) you may receive extra credit worth up to 1% of the course value. A maximum of 5% of extra

credit can be accrued this way. There are no other extra credit mechanisms available in this course.

This syllabus and all other course materials are copyright © 2020 George Berg. All rights reserved.

v2020 04 28
I INF428: Analysis, Visualization and Prediction in Analytics

(3 credit hours)
Tuesday Thursday 4:15PM - 5:35 PM SL G12
Spring 2017

Instructor: Brian Northan

Office location (t.b.a.)

Office hours (t.b.a)

Contact information (bnorthan@albany.edu, bnorthan@gmail.com)

Course Information

Course description from Undergraduate Bulletin:

Principles of data analysis, emphasizing modern statistical and machine-learning based
approaches. Also, the important role of simple analyses and visualization to gain an overall
understanding of data sets, regardless of size. The role of analytics in creating predictive models of

LINF 428: Analysis, Visualization and Prediction in Analytics Spring 2016
phenomena. The importance of understanding the nature of the data and other methodological
considerations.

Prerequisites

1. Anintroductory statistics course (such as INF 300, Probability and Statistics for Data
Analytics) is recommended.

2. An introductory programming course is recommended. Students should be comfortable
writing simple scripts in a language such as python, matlab or R.

Course Goals

By the end of the semester, you should be able to
> Understand and be able to demonstrate principles of data analysis.
> Beable to do simple data and visualization analyses to understand a new and
complex data set.
> Demonstrate an understanding of and be able to use statistical and machine
learning methods for data analysis.
> Demonstrate an understanding of and be able to use visualization analyses.
> Demonstrate an understanding of and be able to use predictive models.

Readings

Required readings

Python Data Analysis, Ivan Idris, 2014 Packt Publishig, $49.99, Available at usual University at
Albany book sellers, as well as via online sellers. ISBN-13: 978- 0596802356.

KNIME Beginner's Luck
available on line
https://www.knime.org/knimepress/beginners-luck

Additional Materials
It is recommended that students have access to a laptop. (accommodations will be made for
students who do not have lap tops)

Internet access is required

Course Policies

Attendance

Attendance is mandatory in every class and students are expected to arrive on time. Your in-class
performance is key to your success in this course. Attendance, itself, is not graded. Instead, graded
in-class activities and assignments constitute an important part of the course grade. It is not

LINF 428: Analysis, Visualization and Prediction in Analytics Spring 2016
possible to maintain a passing average without consistent attendance. Missing class means the
student earns an automatic zero for the activities or assignments missed. Because of the nature of
the assignments, no make-up opportunities will be available.

Tardiness
Missing an assignment or activity that happened before a student arrives or after a student leaves
also earns a zero. No make-up opportunities will be available.

If you know that it will be difficult for you to consistently get to class on time and stay for the
entire period, you should take this course at a time that better fits your schedule. Being late
frequently will guarantee a low grade for the course.

Make-up Policy

There are generally no make-up opportunities for missed assignments except in extenuating
circumstances. Instead of asking to make up missed work, please see the course ‘safety valves’
described below.

Since there will be occasions in your life when missing a class meeting is simply unavoidable, this
course has a no-fault safety valve.

Safety valve 1

You may miss ONE/TWO/THREE class/es and it’s associated in-class assignment grade(s). So, if
you must miss class for any reason, it will be possible to drop the zero you would automatically
receive for missing the assignment. Be careful not to waste your drop on frivolous things early in
the semester, since you may need it if you catch a cold or need to leave town for a day later in the
semester. If you do not use your safety valve for missed classes, you will be able to use your safety
valve to improve your grade, by dropping your lowest score.

Plan carefully for classes that you know you will need to miss. Work, religious practice, sports
team travel, military duty, club activities, fraternity/sorority obligations, family responsibilities,
assignments for other courses, and even brief illnesses, etc—these are your responsibility to
manage by using your safety valve. If you need to be out of class for any of these, make sure you
have conserved your droppable grade to cover the class you need to miss.

Safety valve 2

If you become seriously ill during the semester, or become derailed by unforeseeable life
problems, and have to miss so many assignments that it will ruin your grade, schedule a meeting
with me in order to make arrangements for you to drop the course to save your grade point
average. Don’t wait until it’s too late to see me when you get in trouble.

Late homework
Homework is due on the due date at the specified time, in class or submitted through Blackboard,
depending on the assignment. Late assignments will be accepted, but at the cost of a full letter

LINF 428: Analysis, Visualization and Prediction in Analytics Spring 2016
grade for missing the first, in-class deadline, and an additional letter grade for each additional 24
hours late. In-class assignments may be done only on the days they are scheduled.

Extra Credit

There may be extra credit work. All students will be expected to complete, and be graded on, the
same set of assignments. Details to follow. All extra-credit opportunities are capped at no more
than 5 points on your overall grade.

Withdrawal from the course

The drop dates for the 2015 spring semester is February 3. That is the last date you can dropa
course and receive a 'W'. It is your responsibility to take action by this date if you wish to drop the
course. In particular, grades of "incomplete" will not be awarded to students because they missed
the drop deadline.

Cell phones & laptops

Please make sure your electronic devices are turned off before entering the classroom unless we
are doing a class exercise where they are helpful. Use of phones, tablets, computers, etc. for non-
class purposes during class will count against you in your class participation grade. While you may
be using computers in class, texting, using Facebook, etc., are not appropriate uses of class time
and your instructor-evaluated grade will suffer for it.

Incompletes

As per the Undergraduate Bulletin, the grade of Incomplete (I) will be given "only when the
student has nearly completed the course requirements but because of circumstances beyond the
student's control the work is not completed." A student granted an incomplete will make an
agreement specifying what material must be made up, and a date for its completion. The
incomplete will be converted to a normal grade on the agreed upon completion date based upon
whatever material is submitted by that time.

Important: Incompletes will not be given to students who have not fulfilled their classwork
obligations, and who, at the end of the semester, are looking to avoid failing the course. This is
asking for special treatment.

Academic Integrity

It is every student's responsibility to become familiar with the standards of academic integrity at the
University. Claims of ignorance, of unintentional error, or of academic or personal pressures are not
sufficient reasons for violations of academic integrity. See

http://www.albany.edu/undergraduate _bulletin/regulations.html

Course work and examinations are considered individual exercises. Copying the work of others is
a violation of university rules on academic integrity. Individual course work is also key to your
being prepared and performing well on tests and exams. Forming study groups and discussing
assignments and techniques in general terms is encouraged, but the final work must be your own

LINF 428: Analysis, Visualization and Prediction in Analytics Spring 2016
work. For example, two or more people may not create an assignment together and submit it for
credit. If you have specific questions about this or any other policy, please ask.

The following is a list of the types of behaviors that are defined as examples of academic
dishonesty and are therefore unacceptable. Attempts to commit such acts also fall under the term
academic dishonesty and are subject to penalty. No set of guidelines can, of course, define all
possible types or degrees of academic dishonesty; thus, the following descriptions should be
understood as examples of infractions rather than an exhaustive list.
> Plagiarism
> Allowing other students to see or copy your assignments or exams
> Examining or copying another student’s assignments or exams
> Lying to the professor about issues of academic integrity
> Submitting the same work for multiple assignments/classes without prior consent
from the instructor(s)
> Getting answers or help from people, or other sources (e.g. research papers, web
sites) without acknowledging them.
> Forgery
Sabotage
Unauthorized Collaboration (just check first!)
Falsification
Bribery
> Theft, Damage, or Misuse of Library or Computer Resources
Any incident of academic dishonesty in this course, no matter how "minor" will result in
1. No credit for the affected assignment.
2. A written report will be sent to the appropriate University authorities (e.g. the Dean
of Undergraduate Studies)
3. One of -

>
>
>
>

o A final mark reduction by at least one-half letter grade (e.g. B B-, C-
D+),

o A Failing mark (E) in the course, and referral of the matter to the
University Judicial System for disposition.

Policies from Undergraduate Bulletin:
http: //www.albany.edu/undergraduate_bulletin/regulations.html

Responsible Use of Information Technology

Students are required to read the University at Albany Policy for the Responsible Use of
Information Technology available at the ITS Web Site:
http://www.albany.edu/its/policies_responsible_use_of_IT.htm

Time Management
For every credit hour that a course meets, students should expect to work 3 additional hours
outside of class every week (3 x 3= 9). For a three-credit course you should expect to work 9 hours

LINF 428: Analysis, Visualization and Prediction in Analytics Spring 2016
outside of class every week. Manage your time effectively to complete readings, assignments, and
projects.

Available Support Services

Reasonable accommodation

Reasonable accommodation will be provided for students with documented physical, sensory,
cognitive, learning and psychiatric disorders. If you believe you have a disability requiring
accommodation in this class, please notify the Director of Disability Resource Center (Campus
Center 137, 442-5490). That office will provide the course instructor with verification of your
disability, and will recommend appropriate accommodations. In general, it is the student's
responsibility to contact the instructor at least one week before the relevant assignment to make
arrangements.

CCI Student Center

The College of Computing and Information Student Center (LI-84) offers tutoring, career
development, social events and academic advising. Please stop by or email at
ccistudentcenter@gmail.com. Visit the CCI Facebook page for more details and upcoming events:
http://www.facebook.com/CollegeofComputingandInformation#

Course Outline and Schedule
The following schedule of lecture topics and reading assignments is preliminary and may be
changed as the semester progresses. The final schedule and specific homework and lab

LINF 428: Analysis, Visualization and Prediction in Analytics Spring 2016
assignments and materials will be provided in Blackboard. Students are expected to have read the
listed material before it is covered in class.

Topic Topic Readings Notes
1 Introduction and Overview
2 Intro/Review of Python and KNIME
3 Intro/Review of Python and KNIME
4 Python and KNIME Extensions
Statistics and Linear Algebra Review
5
6 Data Wrangling with Pandas and KNIME
7 Introduction to Visualization
8 Visualization with KNIME
9 Visualization with Matplotlib
10 Web Services (REST, JSON, RSS)
11 Time Series Analysis
12 Databases with KNIME and Python
13 Machine Learning with Python and KNIME
14 Textual Analysis
15 Machine Learning
16 Special topic and projects

Assignments for undergraduates and graduate students . There will be 5-10 assignments for a
total of 100 marks.

1. Introduction
2. Statistics.

3. Visualization

4. Databases and Text Processing

5. Machine learning
Undergraduates will receive a mark out of 100 which will be converted to a letter grade.
Assignments for graduate students

Graduate students are expected to complete a term long project that compliments their area of
research. The project will be worth 50 points.

Graduate students will receive a mark out of 150 which will be converted to a letter grade.

LINF 428: Analysis, Visualization and Prediction in Analytics Spring 2016
Grading
A-E graded

Undergraduates: 11 assignments as described above. 1 assignment can be dropped.
Undergraduates will receive a mark out of 100 which will be converted to a letter grade.

Graduates: 11 assignments as described above. 1 assignment can be dropped. In addition
Graduates will be expected to complete a term long project that compliments their area of research.
Graduates will receive a mark out of 150 which will be converted to a letter grade.

LINF 428: Analysis, Visualization and Prediction in Analytics Spring 2016
INF 463 Professional Inventions | (3 credits)

Day/time/Location: This class meets once per month
Fall 2020

Instructor: J ennifer Goodall

Office location: Draper 015

Office hours MW 4-6 pm

Contact information (email, IM, phone)

Course Information

Course description

Students from particular INF concentrations will represent their area of expertise on an
individual or group project. The projects will either be real-life problems as presented by
partnering external organizations or real-life problems as posed and solved by the group itself. A
culminating paper, application, or presentation will be produced. The Instructor of INF 463 will
actas a mentor to the student teams and help to guide them through their projects.

Prerequisites
Informatics seniors only.

Course Goals

By the end of the semester, individuals or teams of students will create a product for a real or
proposed organization that solves an Informatics challenge for that organization. The key
component of the capstone is that students will work on a team with students from other
concentrations in the major, each bringing their own expertise to examine, research and solve a
technology challenge.

Course Policies

Attendance

We will meet once/month during the semester. There is no formal attendance policy for this
class, although the student must regularly communicate with the faculty member and present
progress reports on a weekly basis. Meeting times and locations shall be determined as outlined
in the grading section, below.

Withdrawal from the course

The drop date for the XXXX semester is INSERT DATE for undergraduate students. That is
the last date you can drop a course and receive a 'W'. It is the student's responsibility to
take action by this date if they wish to drop the course. In particular, grades of

"incomplete" will not be awarded to students because they missed the drop deadline.

Incompletes
As per the Undergraduate Bulletin, the grade of Incomplete (I) will be given "only when the
student has nearly completed the course requirements but because of circumstances

INF 463: Professional Inventions | Fall2020 1
beyond the student's control the work is not completed." A student granted an incomplete
will make an agreement specifying what material must be made up, and a date for its
completion. The incomplete will be converted to a normal grade on the agreed upon
completion date based upon whatever material is submitted by that time.

Important: Incompletes will not be given to students who have not fulfilled their course
obligations, and who, at the end of the semester, which to avoid failing the course. This is
asking for special treatment.

Academic Integrity
It is every student's responsibility to become familiar with the standards of academic integrity
at the University. Claims of ignorance, of unintentional error, or of academic or personal
pressures are not sufficient reasons for violations of academic integrity. See
http://www.albany.edu/undergraduate_bulletin/regulations.html
The following is a list of the types of behaviors that are defined as examples of academic
dishonesty and are therefore unacceptable. Attempts to commit such acts also fall under
the term academic dishonesty and are subject to penalty. No set of guidelines can, of
course, define all possible types or degrees of academic dishonesty; thus, the following
descriptions should be understood as examples of infractions rather than an exhaustive list.
e Plagiarism
e Lying to the professor about issues of academic integrity
e Getting answers or help from people, or other sources (e.g. research papers, websites)
without acknowledging them.
Forgery
Sabotage
Unauthorized Collaboration (just check first!)
Falsification
Bribery
Theft, Damage, or Misuse of Library or Computer Resources

Any incident of academic dishonesty in this course, no matter how "minor" will result in
1. No credit for the work performed.
2. A written report will be sent to the appropriate University authorities (e.g. the Dean of
Undergraduate Studies)
3. A Failing mark (U) in the course, and referral of the matter to the University J udicial
System for disposition.

Policies from Undergraduate Bulletin:
http://www.albany.edu/undergraduate_bulletin/regulations .htm!

Responsible Use of Information Technology

Students are required to read the University at Albany Policy for the Responsible Use of
Information Technology available at the ITS Web Site:
http://www.albany.edu/its/policies responsible use of IT.htm

Time Management
For every credit hour that a course meets, students should expect to work 3 additional

INF 463: Professional Inventions | Fall2020 2
hours outside of class every week (3 x 3= 9). Fora three-credit course the student should
expect to work a minimum of 9 hours every week on research and outlined activities for the
course.

Available Support Services

Reasonable accommodation will be provided for students with documented physical,
sensory, cognitive, learning and psychiatric disorders. If you believe you have a disability
requiring accommodation in this class, please notify the Director of Disability Resource
Center (Campus Center 137, 442-5490). That office will provide the course instructor with
verification of your disability, and will recommend appropriate accommodations.

Course Outline and Schedule

This course will meet once per week for the first month and then on an irregular basis for
regular check-ins. The students will meet regularly for client meetings and team meetings.

Grading

This course is letter graded, A-E.

Team Participation (15%)

Your team will submit peer evaluation grades at two points during the semester. This will
contribute to your team participation grade.

Project Proposal (15%)

Your team will submit your project proposal after meetings with the client to determine
their needs, research into the problem and a proposal for three possible solutions.
Team Presentation (15%)

Your team will present your final product on XXXX. This will include (1) process, (2)
decision points, and (3) final product.

Site Supervisor (25%)

Your site supervisor will submit a grade based on the overall team product.

Individual Reflection (20%)

Each student will submit a 8-10 page paper reflecting on the process, how the team worked
together, the challenge and the solution. Students should pay special attention to their
contribution, representing their expertise, and how that complemented the overall team
goals.

Blackboard may be used as a tool for communication and submittal of status reports and
the final research document, as appropriate.

Course outline:

Please note that the professor reserves the right to alter this syllabus and preliminary outline with timely
notice to students. Any changes to the class schedule or assignments will be announced in class and/or
posted on Blackboard in sufficient time to avoid misunderstandings. In occasions where you have to miss
class, make sure to consult the syllabus and to log on to Blackboard so that you are aware of what is
going on in class. Also, make sure to consult your teammates, the peer educator and the professor in the
case of any confusion.

INF 463: Professional Inventions | Fall2020 3
Course Introduction + Orientation
Course Overview

Lab Orientation
Lab policy & procedure
Code of Conduct, Digital Citizenship, Responsible Use

Module #1: Identify Problem
Establish team

Meet with and interview client
Develop problem statement
Present multiple potential solutions

Module #2: Identify Solution
Identify one solution to pursue
Develop MVP

Work with client and team

Module #3: Scaling Projects

Application of technology

Behind the scenes of companies in the technology field
Site visits

Scaling labs

INF 463: Professional Inventions |

Fall2020 4
INF 471 Digital Game Design and Development II

Semester:
Face to Face

Meeting Information:

ICOURSE INSTRUCTOR Michael C. Leczinsky, Professor of Practice

CONTACT INFO |All course questions: Use “Ask a Question” in
Blackboard. Private communication with me regarding
Inon-pubic / sensitive matters: mleczinsky@ albany.edu
IOFFICE HOURS Face to Face:

Online:

Additional times by appointment.

Office: Draper 340

INTRODUCTION

This lab-based course provides an introduction to game development. Students will examine
games of various types and utilize industry standard software to develop several games and
software projects. Students will work collaboratively in a team based studio environment.
Students will utilize various emerging technologies and work primarily in 3D and Virtual Reality,
Mixed Reality and Augmented Reality.

GENERAL EDUCATION
The following general characteristics apply to all General Education courses at UAlbany. Please
briefly indicate how the course fulfills each of the following characteristics:
1. Offers explicit understandings of the procedures and practices of disciplines and
interdisciplinary fields;
2. Provides multiple perspectives on the subject matter, reflecting the intellectual and
cultural diversity within and beyond the university;
3. Emphasizes active learning in an engaged environment that enables students to be
producers as well as consumers of knowledge;
4. Promotes critical inquiry about the assumptions, goals, and methods of various fields of
academic study and the interpretive, analytic, and evaluative competencies central to
intellectual development;

OBJECTIVES

After taking this course, students should be able to:

e Understand key terms and concepts within the eSports & gaming field.

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e Develop a historical perspective of the eSports & gaming industries.
Develop an understanding of current practices within eSports & gaming.
Develop skills to make informed predictions about potential future progressions within
the field.
Apply information and knowledge in wide variety of situations.
Summarize technical concepts in a plain and succinct manner.
Evaluate the reputability of information gathered from a wide variety of sources.
Apply information and knowledge gathered in executing open-ended creative projects.
Interface, collaborate and engage with team members of various backgrounds and skill
levels.
e Develop an understanding for various types of digital games.
e Demonstrate the ability to play various games.
e Create Internet broadcasts, video content, stream gameplay, and utilize basic graphic
design skills.
Teach others and play in co-operative environments.
Troubleshoot hardware and software.
e Demonstrate best practices for digital citizenship and responsible use.
e Produce and host eSports events.

The instructor will help you meet these objectives through fostering an open, supportive
environment, wherein you will develop:

e Verbal and written communication skills as you engage in class activities and work on
assignments.

e Hands-on skills working with hardware, equipment and physical materials in the labs.

e Teamwork skills as you participate in team based learning (TBL).

e Critical reading skills as you progress through readings in multiple formats.

e Problem solving and troubleshooting skills.

e Project management skills as you execute projects of various scopes.

e Critical thinking skills.

Pre/Co-Requisites
INF 371

REQUIRED MATERIALS

For this course you will need the following materials:

1. Textbook: Level Up! The Guide to Great Video Game Design Paperback — Wiley; 2 edition
(April 28, 2014). ISBN-10: 1118877160 - ISBN-13: 978-1118877166

2. Software:

Unity (Free): https://www.unity.com/

Construct 2/3 (Free): https://www.construct.net/
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3. Approximately $100 budget for software. We will be utilizing various game development
tools, add-ons, plugins and software throughout the semester. More information on selected
software to be discussed in class.

You will be unable to complete your coursework without your own materials. Software piracy is
not acceptable in any form.

Please do not order materials until they have been discussed in class.

CEHC Showcase / Events

The CEHC Showcase was designed as an opportunity for students to highlight and present
interesting projects, research, and concepts they are learning within their courses. It also provides
students with an opportunity to showcase their findings to others and develop highly desired
presentation and people skills. All students in INF 196 are required to present at this event and
should reserve that time in their schedule. Showcase is held at the end of the semester; the date
and time will be shared in class.

Students in INF196 will also be presenting two eSports events during the semester. These are
required, mandatory events open to the UAlbany campus community and will be held in the
evening. All students must contribute and attend.

ASSIGNMENTS AND GRADING

Grade Breakdown:

Readiness Assurance Tests: 20%
Homework & Individual Assignments: 50%
Team Assignments: 15%

Peer Evaluation: 5%

Final Project (multiple stages): 10%

Most Blackboard assignments automatically post to the “Blackboard Course Calendar” -
however not all of them do. Because of this, the “Blackboard Course Calendar” is supplemental
to our "Module at a Glance" where every due date will appear. It is your responsibility to check
“Module at a Glance” for all due dates.

| do not accept assignments via email. All assignments must be submitted on Blackboard.

Tests & Quizzes: 20%

Students are required to complete all readings before the first day of a module. The Reading
Assessment Tests (RAT) will be based on these readings. All readings can be found on
Blackboard.

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Individual Assignments: 50%
Each student will have to complete a series Homework assignments. The HWs will consist of a
couple types of assignments.

1. Discussion forum assignments & participation.

2. Journal assignments.
3. Hands-on project based work.

4. Additional assignments to be announced.

In Class Activities / Team Assignments: 15%
Each team will be required to complete a series of activities, as a team. Each team member will
receive the same grade.

Peer Evaluation: 5%
Because so much of the work we will be doing depends on a constructive team environment
you will have the opportunity to evaluate your teammates.

Final Project: 10%

Each student will complete a final project where they independently explore a topic related to
course content. Milestones for the project will be spread throughout the semester. The final
project should reflect a semester’s worth of work.

The area of focus you pick is up to you, as long as it relates to the course content in some way.
This is meant to challenge you but to also enable you to identify and explore an area that is
interesting to you. If you need to change your topic, you need to complete the previously
assigned milestones.

The final project has several major components, including:
1) Research
2) Development
3) Documentation
4) A tangible final product
5) Apresentation of work at CEHC Showcase

Extra Credit (up to 5 points)

There may be bonus opportunities this semester. | encourage you to take advantage of as many
as you are able. You can earn up to a total of 5 extra bonus points. Keep in mind that this is
enough to raise your grade a half letter grade.

Attendance

Attendance is mandatory in every class and students are expected to arrive on time. Your in-
class and online performance is key to your success in this course. You must log on to this
course at multiple times throughout each week. Graded in-class activities and assignments
constitute an important part of the course grade. It is not possible to maintain a passing
average without consistent attendance. Missing class means the student earns an automatic

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zero for the activities or assignments missed. Because of the nature of the assignments, no
make-up opportunities will be available. It is the student’s responsibility to find out about any
future homework, readings or assignments assigned during classes they might have missed.

If you miss two classes, your final letter grade may be reduced by one full letter grade. Each
subsequent absence will reduce your grade by a half letter grade.

Lab Attendance

Although the instructor does not schedule this, students will be required to work on their
projects outside of class time in the lab. Lab hours will be posted. Please plan your schedule
accordingly.

Tardiness
Missing an assignment or activity that happened before a student arrives or after a student
leaves also earns a zero. No make-up opportunities will be available.

If you know that it will be difficult for you to consistently get to class on time and stay for the
entire period, you should take this course at a time that better fits your schedule. Being late
frequently will guarantee a low grade for the course.

If you are tardy three times, it counts as one absence.

If you are late to class, it is your responsibility to see me after class to register your attendance.
| will not interrupt class to mark tardy students. If you are tardy and do not see me, you will not
receive credit for attending class.

If you know that it will be difficult for you to consistently log on to Blackboard multiple times
throughout each week, you should take this course at a time that better fits your schedule.

Grading Scale
Your final grade will be based on a scale of 100. The grading scale will be as follows:

A A B+ B B- C+ c c- D+ D D- E

100-94 93-89 8885 84-82 81-79 7876 75-73 72-70 69-67 66-63 62-60 59-0

Course Policies

Make-Up Policy

Missed assignments receive no credit. As many of the assignments build on previous course
work and require interaction with teammates, it is nearly impossible to schedule make-up
opportunities. Since there will be occasions in your life when missing a class meeting or missing
a deadline for an assignment is simply unavoidable (illness, personal crisis), this course has a
few built-in safety valves. These are your tools to use in managing your life during the course of
the semester. Please manage these carefully.

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Safety Valve One: Y our lowest weekly homework assignment will be dropped. Final project
milestones assignments are not eligible to be dropped.

Safety Valve Two: Y our lowest test / quiz score will be dropped.
Be careful not to waste your safety valves carelessly early in the semester, since you may need
your droppable grades to offset any unforeseen low scores or difficulties later in the semester.

Safety Valve Three: If you become seriously ill during the semester, or become derailed by
unforeseen life problems, and have to miss so many assignments that it will ruin your grade, you
and the instructor are encouraged to meet to discuss withdrawal from the course with the proper
documentation to save your GPA. Don’t wait until too late to arrange a meeting if you see that
you’re getting into trouble.

Withdrawal: Itis your responsibility to take action if you wish to drop the course. In particular,
grades of "incomplete" will not be awarded to students because they missed the drop deadline.
Details on withdrawal deadlines can be found at:
http://www.albany.edu/registrar/academic_calendar.php

iIncompletes: As per the Undergraduate Bulletin, the grade of Incomplete (1) will be given "only
when the student has nearly completed the course requirements but because of circumstances
beyond the student's control the work is not completed." A student granted an incomplete will
make an agreement specifying what material must be made up, and a date for its completion. The
incomplete will be converted to a normal grade on the agreed upon completion date based upon
whatever material is submitted by that time. Important: Incompletes will not be given to
students who have not fulfilled their classwork obligations, and who, at the end of semester
are asking for special treatment.

Academic Integrity

It is every student’s responsibility to become familiar with the standards of academic integrity at
the University. Claims of ignorance, of unintentional error, or of academic or personal pressures
are not sufficient reasons for violations of academic integrity. See
http://www.albany.edu/undergraduate_bulletin/regulations.html

Unless explicitly stated by the instructor, all course work is considered individual exercises.
Copying the work of others is a violation of university rules on academic integrity. Individual
course work is also key to your being prepared and performing well on assignments. Forming
study groups and discussing assignments and techniques in general terms is encouraged, but the
final work must be your own work. For example, two or more people may not create an
assignment together and submit it for credit. If you have specific questions about this or any
other policy, please ask.

The following is a list of the types of behaviors that are defined as examples of academic
dishonesty and are therefore unacceptable. Attempts to commit such acts also fall under the term
academic dishonesty and are subject to penalty. No set of guidelines can, of course, define all
possible types or degrees of academic dishonesty; thus, the following descriptions should be
understood as examples of infractions rather than an exhaustive list.

> Plagiarism
> Allowing other students to see or copy your assignments or exams
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> Examining or copying another student’s assignments or exams

> Lying to the professor about issues of academic integrity

> Submitting the same work for multiple assignments/classes without prior consent from
the instructor(s)

> Each assignment must be unique and cannot contain copy / paste from previous
assignments.

> Getting answers or help from people, or other sources (e.g. research papers, web sites)
without acknowledging them.

> Forgery

> Sabotage

> Unauthorized Collaboration (just check first!)

> Falsification

> Bribery

> Theft, Damage, or Misuse of Library or Computer Resources

Any incident of academic dishonesty in this course, no matter how "minor" will result in:

1. No credit for the affected assignment.
2. A written report will be sent to the appropriate University authorities (e.g. the Dean of
Undergraduate Studies)
3. One of -
o A final mark reduction by at least one-half letter grade (e.g. B > B-, C- > D+),
o A Failing mark (E) in the course, and referral of the matter to the University Judicial
System for disposition.

Policies from Undergraduate Bulletin:
http://www.albany.edu/undergraduate_bulletin/regulations.html

All course material and documents developed by the instructor are copyrighted and may not be
reproduced or distributed without express written permission.

All students are required to follow University Community Standards and Game Lab / Class Code
of Conduct. https://www.albany.edu/communitystandards/

Students with game sanctions, bans, chat restrictions or other disciplinary actions will have
difficulty completing this course. These elements will impact your course grade and prohibit you
from taking part in class activities.

Inappropriate behavior or language of any type in class, on campus, off campus, in-game or in
virtual spaces is not permitted and may result in immediate loss of privileges of hardware,
software and labs.

Responsible Use of Information Technology

Students are required to read the University at Albany Policy for the Responsible Use of
Information Technology available at the ITS Web Site:
http://www.albany.edu/its/policies_responsible_use_of_IT.htm

Students who misuse or damage equipment will be required to provide replacements.
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Time Management: For every credit hour that a course meets, students should expect to work a
minimum of 3 additional hours outside of class every week (3 x 3= 9). For a three-credit course
you should expect to work 9 hours outside of class every week. Manage your time effectively to
complete readings, assignments, and projects.

Reasonable accommodation

Reasonable accommodation will be provided for students with documented physical, sensory,
cognitive, learning and psychiatric disorders. If you believe you have a disability requiring
accommodation in this class, please notify the Director of Disability Resource Center (Campus
Center 137, 442-5490). That office will provide the course instructor with verification of your
disability, and will recommend appropriate accommodations. In general, it is the student's
responsibility to contact the instructor at least one week before the relevant assignment to make
arrangements.

Course Overview

Please note that the professor reserves the right to alter this syllabus and preliminary outline
with timely notice to students. Any changes to the class schedule or assignments will be
announced in class and/or posted on Blackboard in sufficient time to avoid misunderstandings.
In occasions where you have to miss class, make sure to consult the syllabus and to log on to
Blackboard so that you are aware of what is going on in class. Also, make sure to consult your
teammates, the peer educator and the professor in the case of any confusion.

Course Introduction + Orientation
Course Overview
Code of Conduct, Digital Citizenship, Responsible Use

Lab Orientation
Lab policy & procedure

Overview of Digital Gaming, Training and Simulation

3D, AR/VR/ MR with Unity
Plugins, Add-ons, Extensions

Games

Training

Simulation

Industrial

Apps

Applications with Construct 2/3

3D, AR/VR/ MR Game Development
Development workflow

Art & Design

Audio

Storytelling

Writing for games

Level design

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Animation

User Testing
Iteration
Software & Apps

Business of Games
Entrepreneurship
Intellectual Property
Branding

Project management
Collaboration
Logistics

Projects

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INF 496: Intermediate Special Topics in
Informatics / INF 596: Advanced Special
Topics in Informatics (3 Credits)

Course Information

Topic: Geoinformatics

Semester: Fall 2019

Class number: 8397 (undergraduate) and 9724 (graduate)
Day/Time: Monday 4:15-7:05

Location: DROO14

Prerequisites: Permission of instructor, and junior or senior standing

Contact Information

Instructor: Norman Gervais, Ph.D.

Office Location: Draper Hall, 141A (Downtown Campus)

Email Address: ngervais@albany.edu

Office Hours: 1:30-2:45 Tuesday and Thursday, held in Humanities B16 (Uptown campus). Additional
availability by appointment.

Course Description and Goals

Course Description from Undergraduate and Graduate Bulletin

The contents of this course will vary from semester to semester. Each offering will cover an advanced
topic in Informatics. May be repeated for credit when content varies.
(https://www.albany.edu/undergraduate_bulletin/87296.php and
https://www.albany.edu/graduatebulletin/i_inf.htm)

A More Detailed Description

This course will provide the basic theory and skills needed to produce meaningful information from a
variety of types of location-based (spatial) data. It will focus on the use of technology for obtaining,
managing, and processing spatial data for practical applications. By the end of the semester, students
will be able to analyze spatial data to answer important location based questions and effectively convey
the answers both verbally and through creating thematic maps. The course will be split between
lectures, discussions, presentations, and frequent hands on technical activities.

Prerequisite knowledge: It is encouraged that students have a prior math course, basic computer skills,
and basic prior programming (for example CINF 108, CINF 201, or any other course). It is okay to be
taking these prerequisites in the same semester as this class.
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Course Goals
By the end of this course, successful students will be able to:

e Design aesthetically appealing and informative thematic maps

e Describe the differences between the types of geographic data

e Examine geospatial data to identify location based trends and changes

¢ Apply common computer languages (i.e. HTML/Python) to improve spatial data processing and
visualization

Required Material

Readings

Readings will be given throughout the semester the week before they are due. The readings will be
available on Blackboard. All students are expected to complete the assigned readings prior to tests,
discussions and activities. The purchase of a text book is not required for this class.

Additional Materials

Students will require access to a PC computer on campus or a PC computer that they have permission to
install software, a modern generation browser, and access to the Internet. You will also be required to
have a USB drive of at least 32GB. It is highly recommended that the drive you use is USB 3.0
compatible. In addition, you will also need to utilize the following software:

e ASFTP client (i.e. WinSCP or FileZilla FTP Client)

e ©Atext editor program (i.e. Notepad++, most computers already have one installed and if not
many are free)

e ArcGIS

¢ Microsoft Excel

The Course Environment

Class Structure
The class structure is outlined in four phases below:

Phase 1 — Preparation: You will complete specified readings for each class topic by the start of each
class. They will be available in Blackboard at least one week before the reading is due. You will also be
required to obtain the necessary data before the start of class.

Phase 2 - Lectures and Discussions/Activities: We will discuss concepts from the readings and you will
use the foundational knowledge from the readings to make decisions to complete activities and answer
questions. Activities will take place both in class and outside of the classroom. In-class activities will be
frequent and may not be announced prior to the start of class. There may be a presentation associated
with the activities.

The activities will be technical in nature. Specific criteria and grade weights will be given in class.
Although there will be occasions where you can start or even finish the activity in class, they will also
occur outside of the classroom. All activities are individual unless otherwise explicitly stated. It is
required that everyone retains an unaltered copy of the completed work for their records.
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Graduate students: The acti

ies you complete will be more in depth than the undergraduate activities.
This may include but is not limited to additional questions and steps. There may also be additional
activities and presentations required for graduate credit.

Phase 3 - Exams: There will be individual exams that focus on the concepts learned in the readings,
discussed in class, and covered in the activities. Each exam will be 1.5 hours long. There will be no extra
time allotted to complete the exams unless for a reasonable accommodation (see below). The specific
weight of each exam will be specified one week prior to the exam.

Phase 4 — Individual Project: You will independently apply the foundational knowledge and skills
acquired in the first three phases as an individual outside of class. The project must be unique to the
class and will have a proposal and presentation associated with it. Details will be given in class a week
before the proposal is due. There will be additional criteria for graduate level presentations.

You may present at the iCEHC Mini Showcase. This event was designed as an opportunity for students
within the informatics field to highlight and present interesting projects, research, and concepts they are
learning within their courses. It also provides students with an opportunity to showcase their findings to
others and develop highly desired presentation and people skills. The Mini Showcase is December 4. All
students will be presenting at this event and should reserve that time in their schedule. If your schedule
does not permit you to attend, you will have an alternative in class presentation.

Instructor Availability

The instructor will be available for student consultation during office hours and by appointment.
Students are expected to check email at least once every day Monday through Friday to see whether the
instructor is trying to reach them. Students should not assume that instructor is online 24 hours a day, 7
days a week, to answer your questions immediately (even though the instructor will try to do so as
much as possible).

Courtesy

In class (online) discussions the instructor and students are expected to demonstrate professional
behavior. This means cooperating and interacting in a courteous, supportive, and tactful manner based
on mutual respect for each other's ideas.

Students and professor should be professional at all time. Faculty should be addressed as Prof. (last
name) or Dr. (last name). Emails and discussions in Blackboard to faculty, staff, peer educators, and
other students should start with a greeting (i.e. Dear XYZ or Hello XYZ) and end with a “Thank you.”

Respect for Diversity

It is my intent that students from all diverse backgrounds and perspectives be well served by this course,
that students’ learning needs be addressed both in and out of class, and that the diversity that students
bring to this class be viewed as a resource, strength and benefit. It is my intent to present materials and
activities that are respectful of diversity: gender, sexuality, disability, age, socioeconomic status,
ethnicity, race, and culture. Your suggestions are encouraged and appreciated. Please let me know ways
to improve the effectiveness of the course for you personally or for other students or student groups. In
addition, if any of our class meetings conflict with your religious events, please let me know so that we
can make arrangements for you (Respect for Diversity statement from
https://www.brown.edu/sheridan/teaching-learning-resources/inclusive-teaching/statements).

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Grading and Evaluation

Final Grades
Your final grade will be based on a scale of 100 points:

Category Weight
Activities 50%
Final project proposal 5%
Final project presentation 5%
Final project 20%
Tests 20%
Total 100%

A-E graded (Undergraduate)
93-100%A 90-92% A-

87-89% B+ 83 - 86% B 80 — 82% B-
77-79% C+ 73-76% C 70 —72% C-
67-69%D+  63-66%D 60 — 62% D-
0-59%E

A-E graded (Graduate)

93-100%A 90-92% A-

87-89% B+ 83-86% B 80 — 82% B-
77-79% C+ 73-76% C 60-72% D
0-59% E

Extra Credit

There may be extra credit work that can be earned in a number of ways. All require consultation with
the instructor before they are commenced. All students will be expected to complete, and be graded on,
the same set of assignments. Details to follow. All extra-credit opportunities are capped at no more than
5% on your overall grade.

Course Policies

Make Up Policy

Completed activities, the project and its associated proposal and presentation, and exams are due on
the due date at the specified time and must be submitted through Blackboard unless otherwise
specified. Late individual activities will be accepted up to 24 hours late, but at the cost of a full letter
grade (10%) for missing the deadline. In class activities, the project and its associated proposal and
presentation, and exams will not be accepted late. It is expected that you will have a backup plan that
would allow you to complete the required course work on time in the event that you are having
technical difficulties on your end (i.e. computer virus, inconstant internet connection, etc.). If you know
that it will be difficult for you to consistently turn in the required work on time, you should take this
course at a time that better fits your schedule.
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There are generally no make-up opportunities for missed activities, the project, the project proposal, the
project presentation, or exams except in extenuating circumstances. Instead of asking to make up
missed work, please see the course ‘safety valves’ described below and the Universities Medical Excuse
Policy here http://www.albany.edu/health_center/medicalexcuse.shtml.

Safety valve 1

Your lowest activity grade will be dropped. So, if you must miss one of these for any reason, it will be
possible to drop the zero you would automatically receive for missing it. Be careful not to waste your
drop on frivolous things early in the semester, since you may need it for an unexpected reason later in
the semester. If you do not use this safety valve, you will be able to use your safety valve to improve
your grade, by dropping your lowest activity score.

Safety valve 2

If you become seriously ill during the semester, or become derailed by unforeseeable life problems, and
have to miss so many assignments that it will ruin your grade, schedule a meeting with the instructor in
order to make arrangements for you to drop the course to save your grade point average. Do not wait
until it is too late to see the instructor when you get in trouble.

Absence Due to Religious Observance

New York State Education Law (Section 224-a) - Campuses are required to excuse, without penalty,
individual students absent because of religious beliefs, and to provide equivalent opportunities for
make-up examinations, study, or work requirements missed because of such absences. Faculty should
work directly with students to accommodate religious observances. Students should notify the
instructor of record in a timely manner.

Academic Integrity

It is every student’s responsibility to become familiar with the standards of academic integrity at the
University. Claims of ignorance, of unintentional error, or of academic or personal pressures are not
sufficient reasons for violations of academic integrity. See
http://www.albany.edu/undergraduate_bulletin/regulations.html or
https://www.albany.edu/graduatebulletin/requirements degree.htm#standards integrity

Course work and examinations are considered individual exercises and must be completed individually
unless otherwise explicitly specified. For example, two or more people may not create or work on an
assignment together and submit it for credit. If you have specific questions about this or any other
policy, please ask. Copying the work of others is a violation of university rules on academic integrity.

The following is a list of the types of behaviors that are defined as examples of academic dishonesty and
are therefore unacceptable. Attempts to commit such acts also fall under the term academic dishonesty
and are subject to penalty. No set of guidelines can, of course, define all possible types or degrees of
academic dishonesty; thus, the following descriptions should be understood as examples of infractions
rather than an exhaustive list.

e Plagiarism of code, images, designs, text, etc. from any source

e Allowing other students to see or copy your assignments or exams

e Examining or copying another student’s assignments or exams

e Lying to the professor about issues of academic integrity

* Submitting the same work for multiple assignments/classes without prior consent from the
instructor(s). This includes work developed previously in this class or any other class. You are
allowed to apply code developed as a team to an individual website and/or apply code froman

5
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individual assignment to the final project only with proper acknowledgement of the original
submission, however, credit may not be given twice for the creation of the code.

e Getting answers or help from people, or other sources (e.g. research papers, websites) without
acknowledging them.

e  =©Forgery

e Sabotage

e Unauthorized Collaboration (just check first!)

e  Falsification

e Bribery

e Theft, Damage, or Misuse of Library or Computer Resources

Any incident of academic dishonesty in this course, no matter how "minor" will result in no credit for the
affected submission as well as additional possible ramifications which can be found in the
undergraduate bulletin (http://www.albany.edu/undergraduate_bulletin/regulations.html) or graduate
bulletin (https://www.albany.edu/graduatebulletin/requirements_degree.htm).

All course material and documents developed by the instructor are copyrighted and may not be
reproduced or distributed without express written permission.

Style Manuals and Guidelines

Students are required to cite sources, if any are used, in their written reports and code. Style manuals
are available in the reference sections of many mainstream bookstores and reserve sections of
University Libraries, including the Dewey Library.

Responsible Use of Information Technology

Students are required to read the University at Albany Policy for the Responsible Use of Information
Technology available at the ITS Web Site:
https://wiki.albany.edu/display/public/askit/Responsible+Use+of+Information+Technology+Policy

Cell Phones & Laptops

Please make sure your electronic devices are turned off before entering the classroom unless we are
doing a class exercise where they are helpful. If there is a special circumstance (i.e. family emergency)
where you may need to take a phone call during class, please let the instructor know prior to the start of
class.

Reasonable Accommodation

Reasonable accommodations will be provided for students with documented physical, sensory,
systemic, medical, cognitive, learning and mental health (psychiatric) disabilities. If you believe you have
a disability requiring accommodation in this class, please notify the Disability Resource Center (518- 442-
5490; drc@albany.edu). Upon verification and after the registration process is complete, the DRC will
provide you with a letter that informs the course instructor that you are a student with a disability
registered with the DRC and list the recommended reasonable accommodations.

In general, it is the student's responsibility to contact the instructor at least one week before the
relevant assignment to make arrangements.

Incompletes
No graduation credit. A temporary grade requested by the student and assigned by the instructor ONLY
when the student has nearly completed the course requirements but because of circumstances beyond
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the student’s control, the work is not completed. The incomplete should only be assigned on the basis of
an agreement between the instructor and the student specifying the work to be completed and
establishing a general timeline in which the work will be completed. Incompletes may NOT be resolved
by auditing or registering again for a subsequent offering of the course. The date for the completion of
the work may not be longer than one month before the end of the semester following that in which the
incomplete is received. Once the work is completed, the instructor assigns the appropriate academic
grade.

The instructor may extend an incomplete for a maximum of one semester beyond the original deadline
providing that the student has made contact with the instructor to request the extension. Additional
extensions are NOT permitted.

Any grade of | existing after the stated deadline shall be automatically changed to E or U according to
whether or not the student is enrolled for A-E or S/U grading. Except for extenuating circumstances
approved by the Office of the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education, these converted grades may
not be later changed. (see https://www.albany.edu/undergraduateeducation/grading.php)

Important: Incompletes will not be given to students who have not fulfilled their classwork obligations,
and who, at the end of the semester, are looking to avoid failing the course. This is asking for special
treatment.

Withdrawal from the Course

The drop date for the Fall 2019 semester is November 4 for undergraduate students and October 21 for
graduate students. That is the last date you can drop a course and receive a 'W'. It is your responsibility
to take action by this date if you wish to drop the course. In particular, grades of "incomplete" will not
be awarded to students because they missed the drop deadline.

Time Management

This course is set at a very fast pace that is not self-paced. You are expected to keep up with the
readings and work, as it will be very difficult to catch up if you fall behind. For every credit hour that a
course meets, students should expect to work 3 additional hours outside of class every week. This
means that for a semester length three-credit course, you should expect to work 12 hours every week
for that course. Manage your time effectively to complete readings, assignments, class work, and
project components.

CEHC Community

CEHC sponsors several events throughout the semester. Opportunities offered by CEHC:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1SrUvMIrvJCW7USONqQS7RIUO-
kg2nrWsAMsjCHW2A8/edit?usp=sharing

My Expectations

| expect that if you are struggling with a concept and have already taken time to understand it on your
own, that you will ask me for additional help. If you cannot make office hours you should email me to
make an appointment to meet as soon as possible.
THE COLLEGE OF EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS,
\'\ HOMELAND SECURITY AND CYBERSECURITY

UNIVERSITY AT ALBANY Sis Gyno

Course Schedule

COURSE CALENDAR AND ASSIGNMENT SCHEDULE

The following schedule is preliminary and may be changed as the semester progresses.

Topics/Activities Class Date Assignments Due

Course intro, Hello "Map"

(Google Earth) Aug 26 Activity: Exploring with GIS (Sept 6)

Classes suspended Sept 2 None

Spreadsheet analysis of oa rat

locations Sept 9 Activity: Describing data (Sept 13)

ees of spatial data - GIS Sept 16 Activity: Relational databases (Sept 20)

Thematic Maps Sept 23 Activity: Thematic map (Sept 27)

Data collection and nee "

digitization Sept 30 Activity: Data creation (Oct 4)

Zonal analysis Oct7 Activity: Zonal analysis (Oct 11)

Classes suspended Oct14 None

Advanced image analysis — Oct21 Exam: Spatial data (In Class Oct 7)

Map algebra Activity: Raster Calculator (Oct 25)

Advanced image analysis —

false color composites and | Oct 28 Activity: Image interpretation (Nov 1)

indices

Advanced image analysis - Nov4 Activity: Machine learning (Nov 8)

classification .

Georeferencing and Drones | Nov 11 Activity: Image referencing (Nov 15)
Exam: Raster data (In class Nov 18)

Web mapping part! Nov 18 Activity: First web map (Nov 22)
Proposal (Nov 22)

Web mapping part II Nov 25 Activity: Advanced web map (Nov 26)

a Final project work Dec 2 Exam: Web mapping (In class Dec 2)

Final project presentations | Dec 9 Final project (Dec 9)

Presentation (In class Dec 9)

Updated Game Design and Development Proposal

Based upon the Senate Bill from February 2020

Other than the Justification, the text is unchanged.
A Proposal for Concentration in
Game Design and Development in
Informatics (INF)

Purpose of the Proposal: To establish a concentration within the B.S. in Informatics focused on Game
Design and Development.

Justification: Starting with the CIP description of Informatics (11.0104), the Informatics BS degree
provides students an opportunity to learn the principles and practices of information and data and the
structure, behavior and interactions of information systems. This is increasingly important because of
the relevance, applicability, and importance of Informatics knowledge and systems across the modern
world. Towards that end, the degree allows students to choose a four-course concentration where
they can study a specific area in greater depth. Currently, our degree program has concentrations in
Data Analytics, Information Technology, Social Media, User Experience, Software Development, and
Cybersecurity. These concentrations reflect important fields and areas of student interest and
engagement within Informatics. To these, we propose to add a concentration in Game Design and
Development (GDD). This four-course concentration builds upon the concepts and techniques of the
Informatics degree and, as shown below, is a particularly exciting and relevant application of the core
concepts and applied techniques of Informatics.

GDD is an important addition to our program. The core Informatics curriculum establishes the central
core concepts, technologies, and societal relevance of the broader field. Building on these, GDD allows
students to extend that base to learn about the concepts, technologies, design, human-computer
interaction, communications structure, information architecture, and other aspects key to the design
and implementation of digital games and simulations. With the increasing prevalence, power, and
speed of computing and internet-based communications, we are seeing the explosion of digital games
and simulations, and the incorporation of their elements into other systems. We anticipate a further
expansion as machine learning and artificial intelligence techniques (covered in the Informatics
curriculum as part of Data Analytics) become more prevalent in digital games and simulations, lending
them even more realism and representational power.

If we focus on the most popular element in GDD — digital gaming — we get a sense of its scope and
importance. In 2018, it was estimated to be a $138 billion industry and is projected to reach $180
billion by 2021+. Given how the COVID pandemic has moved society into substantial additional online
activities, those numbers may well be significantly higher. In particular, eSports revenue was estimated
to top $1.1 billion in 2019 alone?, highlighting the potential economic opportunities for students in
these industries. Additionally, in the Fall of 2019, the University at Albany launched a new initiative in
eSports and support for integrating eSports and digital gaming into academic programs. In two weeks
from the program’s announcement, over 175 students completed the general interest form and the
team fielded over 100 students on the co-ed roster. In the team’s first season, students competed in
over 300 officially sanctioned games with teams across the United States. Currently, UAlbany eSports
is one of the largest programs in the 88 school Eastern College Athletic Conference and has won
several regional and national championships, suggesting strong student interest in this area. Despite

1 https://venturebeat.com/2018/04/30/newzoo-global-games-expected-to-hit-180-1-billion-in-revenues-2021/
? https://www.reuters.com/article/us-videogames-outlook/global-esports-revenues-to-top-1-billion-in-2019-
report-idUSKCN1Q11XY

the Pandemic, these activities are still underway and going strong.

This proposal also lays the groundwork for learning beyond game design and development. The same
Informatics-based techniques used for game design and development can also be used in simulations,
and require similar attention to Informatics principles of design, user interface, etc. Simulations are
used by governments, the military, industry, and others to model any number of different situations.
These can be simulations of physical systems such as power plants, the interactions of multiple sources
and uses of resources, such as transmission networks or patterns of consumer power use. They can
show traffic and resource use patterns resulting from new roads, etc. Simulations can be used in
process, device etc. training, such as aircraft, drone, or other vehicles. In addition to digital games, the
underlying concepts and skills in GDD also provide the foundations for many intellectually rich and
sustaining potential careers in simulations and related areas.

Description of the Proposed Concentration:

The Game Design and Development concentration in Informatics seeks to provide students with hands-
on experience working with digital gaming & simulation technologies and tools. This concentration will
prepare students to apply their skills in a variety of industries including game development, VR/AR/MR,
training & simulation, eSports and software design.

The proposed concentration is interdisciplinary by design, reflecting the nature of both the home
degreeprogram (Informatics) and the broader field. Students will need to develop and practice a wide
variety of technical and non-technical skills including coding, art, design, UI/UX, audio, understanding
hardware,software, networking and cybersecurity. Applied skills will be situated within broader
discussions of the sociological, organizational, and normative frameworks surrounding the digital
gaming ecosystem.

Moreover, opportunities exist within the available courses to collaborate with other programs
oncampus including Journalism, Documentary Studies and Educational Theory and Practice.

Proposed Concentration Learning Objectives

Consistent with the broader learning objectives of the B.S. in Informatics, students in this concentration
will be expected to meet all of the core learning objectives, as well as the following concentration-
specific objectives:
* Understand key terms and concepts within the eSports & gaming field;
* Develop a historical perspective of the eSports & gaming industries;
* Develop an understanding of current professional practices within eSports & gaming;
* Develop an understanding of current design and development practices within eSports &
gaming;
* Demonstrate the ability to achieve proficiency with various games across multiple platforms;
* Create internet broadcasts, video content, and stream gameplay to demonstrate promotional
capabilities within the gaming ecosystem;
* Produce graphics and visualizations demonstrating basic graphic design skills;
* Teach others and play in co-operative environments; and
* Produce and host eSports events

Concentration Curriculum:
1. The INF concentration in Game Design and Development is a 12-credit concentration,

equivalent to other concentrations within the B.S. in Informatics degree.
3
2. The proposed concentration consists of four courses: an introduction to the digital gaming
ecosystem (C INF 171), an overview of design principles and approaches within a digital context
(C INF 363); an in-depth course on the application of design principles within 2-dimensional
environments (C INF 371); and, an elective course that provides opportunities for additional
development of game design principles (C INF 471; E TAP 534; E TAP 535), story development
and production (A JRL 385/385Y; A JRL 390; AJRL 442), or other relevant topics (C INF 496).

Course Descriptions:
Required Courses
CINF 171 eSports & the Digital Gaming Ecosystem (3 credits) [NEW COURSE]

This course examines the eSports and digital gaming industries through a variety of
perspectives including game development, competitive gaming, content creation, design,
broadcasting, networking, digital citizenship and entrepreneurship. Students will participate
in hands on activities within a laboratory environment, and participate in individual and
team-based scholarship focused on the digital gaming and simulation. In addition,

professionalism, ethical implications, and intersectional issues within the digital gaming
ecosystem will also be discussed.

C INF 363 Digital Design (3 Credits)

Students apply design theory to the development and delivery of digital media with
emphasis on digital imagery, video, and music. Topics may include consumption of digital
media on a variety of devices, creation, acquisition, editing and processing of digital content.
Students will develop an appreciation for the role that each media element may contribute
to the final user experience. Students will cultivate an understanding of how public policy
issues apply to technology, in particular copyright, privacy and freedom of expression.
Prerequisite(s): C INF 201.

C INF 371: Digital Game Design and Development 1 (3 Credits) [NEW COURSE]

This course introduces students to the world of design and development for software, apps,
experiences, environments, simulations and games. Students will create story, art, music /
audio, code, UI / UX, information and testing scenarios for a variety of hands-on projects
primarily in 2D. Prerequisite/Co-Requisite: C INF 363.

Elective Courses (choose one):
AJRL 385/385Y Broadcast Journalism (3 Credits)

Students will report, write, produce, air, and record a variety of television and radio news
stories with a degree of professionalism resembling what might be found in local newscasts,
whether they be short reports or longer, feature-length stories. Working individually or in
groups, students will use analog and digital video technologies and recording devices to
produce their stories. Prerequisite(s): A JRL 200Z and either A JRL 201Z or A JRL 270X; or
permission of instructor.

AJRL 390 Digital Media Workshop: Online Publishing (3 Credits)

This workshop course introduces students to the frontier of online journalism and audience
building. Students develop proficiency with the range of online services and applications
that journalists use today, including WordPress, Facebook, Twitter, Adobe Photoshop, and
video-editing software. The field-based journalism projects include video and photography
capture and editing. Students also learn search-engine optimization headline writing skills
and online story editing. Prerequisite(s): A JRL 200Z, or permission of instructor.

AJRL 442 (=A DOC 442 & A WSS 442) Transmedia Storytelling (3 Credits)

Students in this workshop learn how to use a variety of new media tools, including—but not
restricted to—digital videos, interactive web pages, and animation software, to create a set
of linked stories about a singular historical or newsworthy event. Additionally, students
learn to search for, collect, and analyze primary sources—e.g. news stories, first-person
accounts, government records, cultural artifacts, ephemera, found footage, etc.—stored in
archives, libraries, museums, and online databases. Through the processes of research and
reflection, students learn to understand the intersections and consequences of class,
gender, race, and nationality. The workshop format enables students to participate fully as
active learners and peer teachers. Only one version of A DOC 442 may be taken for credit.
Prerequisite(s): junior or senior standing or permission of instructor. May not be offered in
2018-2019.

CINF 471: Digital Game Design & Development 2 (3 Credits) [NEW COURSE]
This course extends design and development principles for software, apps, experiences,
environments, simulations and games into 3D and mixed reality environments. Students will
create story, art, music / audio, code, UI / UX, information and testing scenarios for a variety
of hands-on projects primarily in 3D, Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality and Mixed reality.
Prerequisite(s): C INF 371.

CINF 496 Intermediate Special Topics in Informatics (3 credits) - as appropriate

The contents of this course will vary from semester to semester. Each offering will cover an
advanced topic in Informatics. May be repeated for credit when content varies.
Prerequisite(s): permission of instructor, and junior or senior standing.

It is important to note that if students pick one of the following courses, they will only receive
undergraduate credit for the course. They cannot double-count the course for undergraduate and
graduate credit.

E TAP 534 Introduction to Games for Learning: Theory and Practice (3 Credits)

This course will introduce students to theory, research, and practice in the use of games for
learning. Well-designed games can change the way learning occurs, making it both more
engaging and effective. Not all games are well designed though and this course will review
principles of good game design and good learning. With an emphasis on digital formats, we
will also look at research supporting the utility of games as well as examples of how to
design games for learning. Students will review, play, and perhaps even design their own
games. Along the way the course will help students understand the very real potential of
games, simulations, and immersive environments to transform education.

E TAP 535 Introduction to Game Design for Educators (3 Credits)

In Introduction to Game Design for Educators, students will utilize game programming
software in order to create a unique educational game that can be used within the
classroom. Students will learn about best practices for game design from renowned game
designers. Students will also read educational research pertaining to benefits of using games
in the classroom, computational thinking, and empowering students through game design.

E TAP 540 Learning and Teaching Computer Science Principles (3 Credits)

This course will help students develop updated understandings of computer science
principles as well as effective strategies for teaching computer science principles in K-12
classrooms. The course is designed around the AP Computer Science Principles Curriculum
Framework. This curriculum framework outlines seven central concepts of computer science
(creativity, abstraction, data and information algorithms, programming, the Internet, global
impact) and six computational thinking practices (connecting computing, creating
computational artifacts, abstracting, analyzing problems and artifacts, communicating and
collaborating). This course will organize these central topics around three big themes: data
& information, programming and the Internet with a fourth module debriefing the pedagogy
introduced throughout the course.
MV State University of New York

UNIVERSITYATALBANY

When submitting a program proposal please submit this form to indicate the
resource implications of the proposal.

Proposal Title:

B.S. in Informatics with a concentration in Game Design and Development

College or CEHC

Department

School

Program Director

or Sponsor Robert Griffin

Email rpgriffin@albany.edu

Action Category — & Program Proposal
O Other (describe)

Action Type im New
OC Revision
0 Deactivation
O Other (describe)

Does this proposal include any space 0 Yes
resource implications? Approx. sq. ft. O No
needed:

Does the Office of Finanical Aid identify O Yes
this as a Gainful Employment l™ No
Program (GEP)?

Brief Description of Proposal: (attach additional pages if necessary)

The proposed new concentration of Game Design and Development within the already approved B.S. in Informatics is
designed to capture the growing interest in digital game design and development among UAlbany students. The proposed
four-course concentration is designed to bring students through the entire game design and development process, with
elective courses that weave in existing campus offerings in educational instruction, transmedia storytelling, and broadcast
journalism. The proposed concentration draws on existing course offerings by full-time faculty within the College, and
capitalizes on the growing participation of UAlbany students within the newly-formed eSports program. Leveraging existing
resources, the proposed program can meet initial demand, and has a robust outlook for potential growth, given the over 300
students who have registered interest in our recently-formed eSports team within the College.

Version 2.0 03/23/18
UNIVERSITYATALBANY

MV State University of New York

Is there an impact on other service units? Please attach documentation that you have consulted with each unit
listed below:

Yes No

o ITs

Oo | University Libraries

Oo Scientific Core Facilities

Oo i] Other services (i.e., advisement, parking, facilities, security),

please list:

Is there an impact on other academic programs? Please list all academic departments consulted regarding
impact and attach documentation.

Yes, three different departments were consulted in the development of this concentration. We have attached
documentation from Documentary Studies (A DOC) and Educational Theory and Practice (E TAP) units who are providing
courses as options for the 1 elective within the concentration.

Faculty and Staff (attach additional pages if necessary)
(a) Describe new faculty hiring needed during the next 3 years

(b) Explain how program will be administered for the purposes of admissions, advising, course offerings, etc.
Discuss the available support staff.

with one Professor of Practice (Lecturer) who can teach the entire course sequence (and is already teaching two of the
required courses). Considering the potential growth of the concentration, we anticipate in Year 2 the hiring of a Tenure-
Track line to support additional sections taught, and provide mentorship and research opportunities for students in the
program.

Version 2.0 03/23/18
A UNIVERSITYATALBANY

State University of New York

Program Expenses

List all resources that will be engaged specifically as a result of the proposed program (e.g., a new
faculty position or additional library resources). If they represent a continuing cost, new resources
for a given year should be included in the subsequent year(s), with adjustments for inflation or

negotiated compensation.

Expenses (in dollars)

s 4 Academic | Academic | Academic | Academic | Academic

Program Expense Categories Prior to

impl itati

HITE eat Year 1: Year 2: Year 3: Year 4: Year 5:
(a) Personnel (including
faculty and all others) 0 0 100,000 120,000 140,000 160,000
(b) Library 0 0 0 0 0 0
(c) Equipment 0 0 48,000 | 96,000 | 16,000 | 48,000
(d) Laboratories 0 0 0 0 0 0
(e) Supplies 0 0 8,640 12,960 14,400 14,440
(f) Capital Expenses 0 0 0 0 0 0
(g) Student stipends or
scholarships 0 0 0 0 0 0
(h) Other (specify): 0 0 4,800 4,800 1,600 0
Sum of Rows Above $0 $o $161,440 | $233,760 | $172,000 | $222,440

Explanatory Notes (add additional pages as needed):

Projected growth: Y1 - 30 students; Y2 - 60; Y3 - 90; Y4 - 120; Y5 - 150. We anticipate some transfer growth from other INF
concentrations, but given broad campus interest in eSports, the majority of these projections assume new enrollment in the program.

Version 2.0 03/23/18

A UNIVERSITYATALBANY

State University of New York

[ APPROVALS ]

n/a n/a
Department Chair

Department Chair Date

Robert Griffin 2/7/2020
Dean

Dean Date
UPPC Chair

UPPC Chair Date

+ It is the sponsoring department's responsibility to request and attach all required
documentation and to obtain all required signatures (with the exception of the chair of
UPPC’s) before presenting the documentation.

+ Completed forms should be sent to the Office of Undergraduate Education, the Office of
Graduate Education, or both as appropriate.

+ When the Chair of UPPC has received the proposal from the appropriate office(s), s/he will notify
you that it has been placed on the UPPC agenda and invite you to attend the meeting.

Version 2.0 03/23/18
Degree Requirements for the Major in Informatics
The B.S in Informatics is a unique opportunity for students to study the creation, presentation,
and use of data and technology across disciplines. The degree is a combined major and minor,
requiring a total of 54 credits. This includes 42 credits of required core courses that focus on the
relationship between technology and society, the use of various technologies across platforms,
and programming fundamentals. Emphasis is also placed on providing students with various
opportunities to gain real-world experience. As part of the 54 credits, students are required to
complete 12 credits in a concentration. Students electing the IT concentration or the IUE
concentration can complete the entire degree online.

The concentrations are:

+ Interactive User Experience (offered fully online)
+ Cybersecurity

+ Social Media

+ Data Analytics

+ Software Development

+ Information Technology (offered fully online)

+ Self-Designed

Concentrations (at least 12 credits)
University at Albany — State University of New York
Course and Program Action Form Proposal No.

Please check one: Course Proposal rogram Proposal

Please mark all that apply:

New Course Revision of: Number Description
Cross-Listing Title Prerequisites
Shared-Resources Course Credits
: , ' . Game Design and
Deactivate/Activate Course (boldface & underline as appropriate) x | Other (specify): Sevelopment Concentration
Department:  CEHC - Informatics Effective Semester, Year: Fall 2020
Course Number — Current: New: Credits:

Course Title:

Course/ Program Description to appear in Bulletin (please limit course descriptions to 50 words or less):

See Addendum

Prerequisites statement to be appended to description in Bulletin:

See Addendum

IF S/U is to be designated as the only grading system in the course, check here:
This course is (will be) cross listed with:

This course is (will be) a shared-resources course with:

Explanation of proposal:

The growth of interest in electronic sports and digital gaming among college-aged populations, coupled with the
increasing number of economic opportunities for this growing industry, creates demand for educational efforts to
support these professions and industries. Alongside other emerging technologies like 3D printing and unmanned
systems, game design and development represents an important focal area for new application development for
both public and private sector entities. Leveraging relevant faculty expertise, and a recent investment in advanced
computation capabilities to support digital game design and development, CEHC proposes a four-course
concentration within its undergraduate Informatics program to teach basic and advanced digital design, simulation
and game development. The proposed interdisciplinary effort will also leverage existing UAlbany courses from
Journalism, Documentary Studies and Educational Theory and Practice.

Other departments or schools which offer similar or related courses and which have certified that this proposal does not overlap
their offering:

No other departments offer a similar program as this; several departments are provided shared usage of their courses, and those
agreements are attached.

(Chair of Proposing Department Dae

‘Approved by Chair(e) of Departments having cross-listed course(s)

{Please attach copies of approval email or memo} Date__ | Dean of College Date
Robert Griffin 12/20/
2019

Chair of Aeademic Programs Commitee Date | Dean of Undergraduate or Graduate Studies Date

12/20/
Brandon Behlendorf eG