Teaching Assistants:

Aaron Silver
1514 Beckman Institute
TA Office Hours: 6:00-8:00pm every Thursday night in room 368 Everitt,
anytime during lab, and by appointment, just email.

Zhubin Gahvari
TA Office Hours: 8:00-9:00pm every Wednesday night at the Espresso Royale Cafe on Oregon St (across from the Krannert Center),
anytime during lab, and by appointment.

Course Objectives:

1. To learn the mathematical and scientific principles* that underlie selected digital information technologies: digital representation of information, programming, digital music, digital images, digital logic, data compression, communication networks
2. To learn the engineering processes by which technologies are created
3. To understand how engineering design involves tradeoffs between cost and performance to achieve technical goals within economic and social constraints

Syllabus

Prerequisite: Comfortable with basic Algebra.

Credit: 3 semester hours

Required Materials:
Textbook: Geoffrey C. Orsak, Sally L. Wood, Scott C. Douglas, David C. Munson, John R. Treichler, Ravindra Athale, and Mark A. Yoder, Engineering our Digital Future, Pearson Prentice Hall, 2004.
Scientific calculator.

Suggested References (on reserve in Grainger Library):
David Cyganski, John A. Orr, and Richard F. Vaz, Information Technology: Inside and Outside, Prentice Hall, 2001.
Roman Kuc, The Digital Information Age, PWS Brooks/Cole, 1999.

Classes: Tuesdays and Thursdays,
9:00 to 9:50 a.m., Room 260 Everitt Lab (Discovery)or
11:00 to 11:50 a.m., Room 119 Mat. Sci. and Engineering Building (MSEB).

Examinations:
Exam #1: Tuesday, February 17th.
Exam #2: TBA
Final Exam: TBA.
Project Presentations: Final Lab Period

Grading:
Course grades will be based on a weighted total of points, with the following weights:

• Exam #1, 15%
• Exam #2, 20%
• Final Exam, 25%
• Project, 5%
• Participation, 5%
• Homework, 15%
• Lab assignments, 15%

A   95%     B+  85%     B-  75%     C   65%   D+   55%   D-   45%
A-  90%     B   80%     C+  70%     C-  60%   D    50%

Participation Credit:
A total of 5 participation points are required for this class. You may earn participation points via the following methods:

• 1 point - post a question on the ECE 101 blog. This question must relate to digital information technology in some way
• 1-3 points - research a question posted on the ECE 101 blog, and post an answer to the question. The more in depth the response, the more point value that it will be assigned. The course instructor/TA's will assign point value based on this.
• Other suggestions? if you have an idea of how you would like to earn participation credit, we encourage you to contact Dr. Schmitz or the TA's to talk about your idea. If the instructors agree, you may be able to earn class participation points this way!

Special Concerns:
If you have any concerns about factors such as a disability or a religious practice that may interfere with the successful completion of a course requirement by its deadline, please contact one of the professors in advance.

Academic Integrity:
The faculty of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering expects all students to conduct their academic work according to the highest ethical standards of the engineering profession. Every student must neither give nor receive assistance on examinations. Violations of standards of academic integrity will result in an appropriate disciplinary action.