Course 2019-2020 a.y.

30424 - COMPUTER SCIENCE

IT Education Center


For the instruction language of the course see class group/s below
Go to class group/s: 15 - 16 - 17 - 18
BIEM (6 credits - II sem. - OBBC)
Course Director:
MASSIMO BALLERINI

Classes: 15 (II sem.) - 16 (II sem.) - 17 (II sem.) - 18 (II sem.)
Instructors:
Class 15: GIANLUIGI PERTUSI, Class 16: ROBERTA REMIGI, Class 17: MASSIMO BALLERINI, Class 18: VITTORIO LOCATI

Class group/s taught in English

Suggested background knowledge

Basic knowledge of the Windows environment and Office applications is appropriate to be able to attend the course profitably. To be able to register for the exam it is necessary to achieve one of the recognized basic IT certifications (eg ECDL)

Mission & Content Summary

MISSION

The objective is to provide students with new skills they can immediately use in their studies and that are fundamental to enter the job market: to structure, process, analyze data and effectively communicate information in order to solve managerial problems and support decision-making processes.

CONTENT SUMMARY

The course is divided into two sections that highlight two areas of expertise, integrated one to the other to reach the final objective of the course:

  1. Process and analyze data: deepen the application of the spreadsheet (Excel) to import, structure, process and analyze data, understanding the logic and functions in the solution of business problems, in order to produce meaningful and consistent information according to defined goals.
  2. Learn computer programming: learn the basics of computer programming, learn to make use of a programming language (Python), use Python to solve business problems.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILO)

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING

At the end of the course student will be able to...
  • Recognize the main logics and tools of the spreadsheet for importing, analyzing, processing and presenting data.
  • Identify the features of a set of data that are functional to the analysis and subsequent elaborations.
  • Recognize the logic and paradigms of software programming.
  • Recognize the main constructs of a program (functions, loops, conditional constructs, etc.).
  • Read a program to understand its structure and features.

APPLYING KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING

At the end of the course student will be able to...
  • Use the spreadsheet to import, analyze, process data and communicate information useful for decision making.
  • Use complex formulas and functions to solve business and management problems with the spreadsheet.
  • Apply software programming logics in Python or other languages.
  • Examine a program to understand its structure and functioning, modify it or reuse it.
  • Develop simple programs in Python to perform calculations and automate even complex operations.

Teaching methods

  • Face-to-face lectures
  • Exercises (exercises, database, software etc.)

DETAILS

The course alternates lessons in traditional classrooms and practice sessions in computer rooms, mainly focusing on the use of Microsoft Excel at an advanced level and on programming with Python.


Assessment methods

  Continuous assessment Partial exams General exam
  • Written individual exam (traditional/online)
  x x

ATTENDING AND NOT ATTENDING STUDENTS

The exam can be taken in two ways: as two partial exams or as a single general exam.

  • Partial exams are intended only for students who regularly attend the lessons and specifically refer to the chapters mentioned in the course syllabus. Only first-year students can take partial exams. It is not possible to take or repeat partial exams in the following years. Students who fail the first partial exam (grade <18) are not allowed to take the second partial exam. To pass the partial exam it is necessary to earn a positive grade (>=18) on both of them. The final grade comes from the average of the two partials. Partial exams include a part of multiple choice questions and a part of computer exercises.
    • The part of multiple choice questions aims to verify: the ability to read a program understanding its structure and functionalities; the knowledge and learning of the logics and main tools of the spreadsheet and of the logics and paradigms of software programming; the knowledge of the main constructs of a program and the ability to understand its structure and functioning.
    • The part of computer exercises aims to verify the ability to use the spreadsheet to solve business problems and to develop or modify simple Python programs to perform calculations and automate operations.
  • General exams are intended for students who have not taken or have not passed the partial exams and refer to the general exam bibliography. General exams include a part of multiple choice questions and a part of computer exercises.
    • The part of multiple choice questions aims to verify: the ability to read a program understanding its structure and functionalities; the knowledge and learning of the logics and main tools of the spreadsheet and of the logics and paradigms of software programming; the knowledge of the main constructs of a program and the ability to understand its structure and functioning.
    • The part of computer exercises aims to verify the ability to use the spreadsheet to solve business problems and to develop or modify simple Python programs to perform calculations and automate operations.

Teaching materials


ATTENDING AND NOT ATTENDING STUDENTS

Course bibliography:

  • A. Clerici (edit by), Computer skills handbook for economics, Egea, 2017, 3rd ed.
  • A. Clerici (edit by), Excel workbook, Egea, 2017, 2nd ed.
  • A. Clerici, M. De Pra, M.C. Debernardi, D. Tosi, Learning Python, Egea, 2019
  • Slides and additional exercises (provided during the course).
Last change 31/05/2019 09:16