Mike Dickens

Computer Programming ==> We will have our test on parameters this week and everything up until that point. Pay careful attention to what is going on so that you don't get behind. We will go over and practice with decision structures.

IIST 1 ==> All students should be moving along in their next paths now. A little over one week to go in this path. Dedicate yourself to this last week and a half. Get everything you can out of the foundation.

IIST 2 ==> This week we roll over. Give it 100% in your final path for this, the last few days in your foundations.

IIST 3 ==> Continued work on your designed projects and certification should keep you working diligently. See me and discuss any new ideas you may have for your last 6 week experience. Don't forget that 6 week status reports are due this week.

Data Warehousing ==> More SQL practice. We will begin with conversion functions in SQL, then move into conditional functions. Quiz on Monday.

Posted by Mike Dickens at 02:45 PM | Permalink

Computer Programming ==> We will have our test on the first C++ stuff on Monday. We originally had it planned for Friday and you successfully stalled me. Then we will move into C++ functions with parameters and passing parameters. Following that we will have our introduction to classes and we are likely to have a test over this material by itself.

IIST 1 ==> All students should be moving along in their next paths now. If there are any questions regarding expectations please clarify them with me. Your status reports will be returned to you.

IIST 2 ==> We have started our major path. If we need to discuss expectations and duties please make an appointment with me to do so. You should have everything you need for your continued education in this field.

IIST 3 ==> Continued work on your designed projects and certification should keep you working diligently. Many of you seem to be bored and with nothing to do, yet nobody has completed any of the exercises toward certification. You need to re-visit your project design if it is not suffeciently stimulating your interest or challenging you.

Data Warehousing ==> This week we will continue in SQL programming. We will have our vocabulary quiz for section 1 near the early part of the week, then learn more general functions as well as conversion functions. We may get to conditional statements this week or we take them on next week if we run short on time.

Posted by Mike Dickens at 02:43 PM | Permalink

Computer Programming ==> We will have a final test in programming structures and design. In the meantime we will continue work with C++ and learn required syntax and its applicability.

IIST 1 ==> All students should be moving along in their next paths now. If there are any questions regarding expectations please clarify them with me.

IIST 2 ==> We have started our major path. If we need to discuss expectations and duties please make an appointment with me to do so. You should have everything you need for your continued education in this field.

IIST 3 ==> Continued work on your designed projects and certification should keep you working diligently. If you're one of the few whose project is nearing completion, you need to be thinking about starting your next one and about what it should entail.

Data Warehousing ==> This week we will continue in SQL programming. There are many more commands and a great deal more syntax to learn before we can begin to apply it to our designs.

Posted by Mike Dickens at 02:38 PM | Permalink

October 13 - October 17
Computer Programming ==> As it took so long to finish our sorting programs, we are going to learn about records this week, review control structures, algorithms, design and data structures this week and be ready to start C++ sometime next week.

Computing in the Modern World ==> All students should be moving along in their next paths now. If there are any questions regarding expectations please clarify them with me.

IIST 2 ==> We have started our major path. If we need to discuss expectations and duties please make an appointment with me to do so. You should have everything you need for your continued education in this field.

IIST 3 ==> Continued work on your designed projects and certification should keep you working diligently. If you're one of the few whose project is nearing completion, you need to be thinking about starting your next one and about what it should entail.

Posted by Mike Dickens at 02:36 PM | Permalink

Computer Programming ==> As it took so long to finish our sorting programs, we are going to learn about records this week, review control structures, algorithms, design and data structures this week and be ready to start C++ sometime next week.

IIST 1 ==> We will begin pre-testing today for our next paths and will continue the rest of this week.

IIST 2 ==> Should begin our major paths this week. Students will need to work with me to develop an instructional design.

Posted by Mike Dickens at 02:34 PM | Permalink

Computer Programming ==> This week we will finish our sorting programs, learn about records and be ready to start C++ sometime next week.

IIST 1 ==> We are already nearing the end of our first fundamental path. Prepare and plan on post-testing at the end of this week.

IIST 2 ==> Should be post-testing our final path and starting on our major path this week

IIST 3 ==> Continued work on your designed projects and certification should keep you working diligently.

Data Warehousing ==> We will, through the Oracle Academy, learn more about database design. Now that we have adequate knowledge of third normal form, we will put it into practice as we work a case study for presentation and begin to mix data modeling and programming.

Posted by Mike Dickens at 02:31 PM | Permalink

Computer Programming ==> This week we will learn advanced data structures. Arrays and records play a large role in programming and serve as an introduction to objects. This week and next week we will use Arrays to create some sorting algoritms.

IIST 1 ==> We are already nearing the end of our first fundamental path. Prepare and plan on post-testing at the end of this week.

IIST 2 ==> We will accelerate our final paths to allow us ultimate path selection as soon as possible.

IIST 3 ==> Included in the design must be the continuation of a certification path. Continued work on your designed projects should keep you working diligently.

Data Warehousing ==> We will, through the Oracle Academy, learn more about database design. This week we will review the first normal form, second normal form, and continue practice with the Global Fast Foods ERD. By the end of the week we will be able to create a data model and normalize it to the third normal form.

Posted by Mike Dickens at 02:29 PM | Permalink

Computer Programming ==> We will learn about functions, both standard and user-created. We will experiment with some of our own functions before moving on to Arrays. With Arrays, we will learn a number of different sorting algorithms.

IIST 1 ==> We are making progress in our paths and shall continue to learn the fundamentals of each.

IIST 2 ==> We will accelerate our final paths to allow us ultimate path selection as soon as possible.

IIST 3 ==> Included in the design must be the continuation of a certification path. Re-establishing the hardware and networking necessary for the island is a secondary goal for this week. Keep in mind and keep working on your 6 week status reports they will come due this week.

Data Warehousing ==> We will, through the Oracle Academy, learn more about database design. This week we will review the first normal form, transferability and barred relationships. We will quiz at the beginning of the week then continue the week as we learn about business scenario contexts. We'll look at reverse ERD'ng. By the end of the week we will master the second normal form.

Posted by Mike Dickens at 02:26 PM | Permalink

Computer Programming ==> We will start working with complex data structures for the next two weeks. We will define what makes a data structure and how they are represented in the computer.

IIST 1 ==> We are making progress in our paths and shall continue to learn the fundamentals of each.

IIST 2 ==> Pre-tests for final paths on Monday. We will accelerate our final paths to allow us ultimate path selection as soon as possible.

IIST 3 ==> Included in the design must be the continuation of a certification path. Re-establishing the hardware and networking necessary for the island is a secondary goal for this week. Keep in mind and keep working on your 6 week status reports.

Data Warehousing ==> We will, through the Oracle Academy, learn more about database design. This week we are going to learn how to model "barred relationships" as well as learn about transferability between entity relationships. We will be adding to our Global Fast Food Data Model.

Posted by Mike Dickens at 02:25 PM | Permalink

Computer Programming ==>This week we will finish our pizza program early in the week and move on to the iterative control structure. Eventually we will add loops to our Pizza program.

IIST 1 ==> We are making progress in our paths and shall continue to learn the fundamentals of each.

IIST 2 ==> This is the last week for the current path. We will be taking our post tests on Friday and pre-tests following Monday.

IIST 3 ==> IIST 3 students must first and foremost give to me a design of their main project focus. Included in the design must be the continuation of a certification path. Re-establishing the hardware and networking necessary for the island is a secondary goal for this week. Keep in mind and keep working on your 6 week status reports.

Data Warehousing ==> We will, through the Oracle Academy, learn more about database design. This week we will actually take a couple of business scenarios through to full fledged ERDs. We will also touch on the need for sub types within Entities.

Posted by Mike Dickens at 02:20 PM | Permalink

Computer Programming ==>This week we will continue to design our programs using stepwise refinement. We will also add in the decision structure and the iterative structure.

IIST 1 ==>This week in IIST 1 we will finish our pre-tests and start in earnest on our paths.

IIST 2 ==> IIST 2 students should be caught up with where they left off last semester and make some progress the next 2 weeks before taking post-tests.

IIST 3 ==> IIST 3 students must first and foremost give to me a design of their main project focus. Included in the design must be the continuation of a certification path. Re-establishing the hardware and networking necessary for the island is a secondary goal for this week and next.

Data Warehousing ==> We will, through the Oracle Academy, learn more about database design. This week we will concentrate on Entities and how to describe their relationships. The concepts of cardinality and optionality in the relationships need to be clear before we begin with our first complete diagram. As with every week, keep your vocabulary sheets up to date.

Posted by Mike Dickens at 02:17 PM | Permalink

Computer Programming ==>This week we will learn the importance of modular, structured code. We will also learn the steps required in a "Top-Down" design and practice "step-wise refinement"

IIST 1 ==>This week in IIST 1 we will go over expectations. We will learn about the electronics involved in a computer. We will cover each of our beginning foundation paths and take Pre-tests.

IIST 2 ==> IIST 2 students should continue with their path they left off last semester. The first few days this week should probably be spent reviewing what you finished in IIST 1 before continuing.

IIST 3 ==> IIST 3 students must first and foremost give to me a design of their main project focus. Included in the design must be the continuation of a certification path. Re-establishing the hardware and networking necessary for the island is a secondary goal for this week and next.

Data Warehousing ==> We will, through the Oracle Academy, learn more about database design. This week we will concentrate on Entities, Instances, and attributes. As with every week, keep your vocabulary sheets up to date.

Posted by Mike Dickens at 02:13 PM | Permalink

Computer Programming ==> Download file
IIST 2 ==> We will begin the week with a review of alternate math systems; binary, hexadecimal and octal.

IIST 3 ==> Binary review is not necessary for you. You should start out the semester with either a continuation of your previous project design or a new project design. I need to have on record what your plans are for your project.

Data Warehousing==>Download file

IIST 1 ==> The class begins with the administrative stuff, class description and most importantly, expectations. We will continue, as a class, with some history of technology and computers, and alternate math systems.

Posted by Mike Dickens at 02:02 PM | Permalink