Syllabus Spring 2012

1. Course: ECO 361N Informational Society

2. Instructor: Alfred L. Norman   Office: BRB 2.122   Office Hours: TuTh 2-2:45pm

3. Teaching Assistant: To be assigned

4a. Overview of class: Economic and social implications of the advance in information technology.

4b. Prerequisites are ECO 304K & L.

4c. Subject of each lecture

1. 17 Jan: Discovery, Invention, and Innovation
2. 19 Jan: Binary Numbers
3. 24 Jan: Microelectronics
4. 26 Jan: Harware
5. 31 Jan: Software
6. 2 Feb: Communications I
7. 7 Feb: Communications II
8. 9 Feb: Manufacturing I
9. 14 Feb: Manufacturing II
10. 16 Feb: Paperless I
11. 21 Feb: Review for Hour Exam
12. 23 Feb: Hour Exam
13. 28 Feb: Return exams and assign project 1
14. 1 Mar: Projects
15. 6 Mar: Projects
16. 8 Mar: Walt
17. 20 Mar: Groups meet in my office to discuss 1st projects
18. 22 Mar: Groups meet in my office to discuss projects
19. 27 Mar: Day 1 of 1st PowerPoint presentations
20. 29 Mar: Day 2 of 1st PowerPoint presentations
21. 3 Apr: Return exams + new topics
22. 5 Apr: Job Market: World Economy: Read notes: World Economy
     and Employment and Income: Read notes: Employment and Income
23. 10 Apr: Privacy and identity theft: Information: Read notes: Information
24. 12 Apr: Digita Camera: Procedural Consumer: Read notes on Consumer 
25. 17 Apr: Government I: Read notes: Government: Checks and Balances
26. 19 Apr: Government II: Read notes: Government Decentralization
    

    and Community: Read notes: Community

27. 24 Apr: Day 1 of 2nd PowerPoint presentations
28. 26 Apr: Day 2 of 2nd PowerPoint presentations
29. 1 May: Current grade status: If you have the grade you want, you are done.
30. 3 May: Optional exam to improve grade if necessary

5. Grading policy: Attendance is a factor in your grade.  +/- grades will be assigned. 

6. Grade is based on the following:

1. Quizzes: 10%
2. Hour Exam: 30% Top performance on exam = A for course and you are done.
3. Two group Powerpoint presentations: 30% each.Top performance on presentations = A for course and you are done.
4. Optional final (To try to improve your grade if you so desire)
5. If you make intelligent comments in class I will make a point of knowing who you are and raise your grade one step. 
6. Dates of these events are listed above.

7. No Final:  The optional exam is your last chance to improve your grade.

8. No text.  Notes are online at http://www.laits.utexas.edu/~norman/61N/

9. Web site is listed above in 8.

10. Students with disabilities may request appropriate academic accommodations from the Division of Diversity and Community Engagement, Services for Students with Disabilities, 471-6259