Intro to IT Day 1

Contact: Email is encouraged; multiple addresses may be shown, but all reach the same person.
Response windows: generally between 8\text{AM} and 8\text{PM}, seven days a week; responses can be immediate or within a few hours; outside those hours it's touch-and-go. If you haven’t heard back by ~21:30, expect the next morning.
Meetings: Choose between in-person or Teams; email to schedule. Teams often faster than in-person.
Scheduling meetings: Provide available times; the instructor will pick the earliest match.
If you ever need to cancel a meeting, an email is fine, even at the start time.
Canvas announcements: Use Canvas notifications to stay informed; set to email you ASAP rather than a weekly digest.
If you need help, reach out early; the instructor will help within fairness constraints for the entire class.

Two main, equally important prongs:
- Prong 1: Understand networking technology — how computers communicate and how the Internet works.
- Prong 2: Build and publish web pages from scratch (HTML/CSS) to participate in the web beyond platforms like Instagram/Facebook.
No required textbook; two recommendations exist for those who want one:
- First book: strong balance of readability and applicability for HTML/CSS/web publishing.
- Second book: older and out of print, but still a solid overview of networking basics; may be hard to find, but worth it if you can locate a copy.
Library resources: UNH library provides access to O'Reilly database with many digital books; you can read online but not download. The second book may require alternative access.

Canvas: Syllabus, assignments, quizzes, and other course materials are posted here.
Slides: All slides (including today’s) are posted on Canvas; you can download or print them.
Slides are not a substitute for watching videos or attending class; they are a supplement.

Class format: Two 80-minute lectures per week; extensive video lectures available for the second prong (HTML/CSS).
Time estimates: roughly 5\text{-}6\text{ hours} of weekly time beyond class, including video watching and assignments.
Quizzes and exams: Regular quizzes (~every two weeks, not strictly fixed) and a final cumulative exam.
Assignments: Six homework tasks; first four are quick; last two are more time-consuming.
Final project: Due at semester end; not advisable to leave to the last minute; spread work over several weeks.
Deadlines: Some due dates may fall on days without class; all submissions are online.
Time variability: Some students finish quickly, others take longer; some tasks can be enjoyable and time-consuming depending on interest.

Overall grade weights:
- Quizzes and final exam: 0.35 (35%)
- Homework assignments: 0.30 (30%)
- Final project: 0.25 (25%)
- Attendance and participation: 0.10 (10%)
Quizzes:
- Not explicitly cumulative: questions draw from material discussed up to that point, but content may touch on previously covered topics.
- Format: mixture of true/false and fill-in-the-blank.
- About half the points come from lecture material, half from video material.
Final exam:
- Cumulative; focuses on big topics and concepts rather than micro-details (e.g., not expecting verbatim punctuation choices).

Attendance counts toward the 10% but is not a proxy for engagement.
Participation expectations: be mentally present and avoid distractions; eye contact and attentive behavior help if you’re comfortable speaking up.
The instructor values awareness and engagement over mere physical presence.

Office hours: No fixed schedule; flexible scheduling via email to fit your needs.
If you want to meet, provide availability and preferred meeting medium (Teams or in-person).
When replying to meeting requests, check your email promptly to avoid back-and-forth delays.

Slides are posted on Canvas; you can download them before class if you like to annotate.
Videos are a key part of the material, especially the web publishing/prong; you can pause, rewind, and rewatch as needed.
Do not rely on slides alone for understanding; active participation and video watching will improve outcomes.