COMPUTER SCIENCE
Learning outcomes of the course unit
Purpose is to provide basic knowledge, terminology, and selected practical skills for appropriate use of computer systems in the context of Veterinary Sciences.
Course contents summary
*COURSE INTRODUCTION*
Role of computer-related skills in Veterinary Sciences and Veterinary profession. Talking properly about computers. Distance learning systems. The teaching web portal of the University of Parma.
*COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE FUNDAMENTALS*
Computer system components. The program-in-memory principle. Von Neumann architecture. Instruction interpretation. Instruction set. Memory hierarchy. Moore's Law, CPU evolution and implications of ICT development. Data representation. Number system and alfanumeric representations.
*OPERATING SYSTEMS*
Operating systems definitions, classification and functions. Processor management. Main memory management. I/O peripherals managment. File management.
*SOFTWARE APPLICATIONS*
Algorithms and flow-charts. General architecture of software applications. User interface, business logic, and database roles. Spreadsheets. Open source software and its development model.
*COMPUTER NETWORKS AND THE WEB*
Introduction to computer networks. Internet: architecture and protocols. Wireless networks. Data transfer. Web navigation. E-mail. Newsgroups. Search engines. Advanced techniques for information search. Tools for bibliographic research, including Google Scholar, Pubmed and Mesh. Bibliographic databases for Veterinary Sciences. Safety and security issues in computer systems.
*MULTIMEDIA*
Introduction to HTML for designing personal web pages. Managing images, movie clips, and sound files.
Recommended readings
L. Snyder, “Fluency - Conoscere e usare l'informatica”, Pearson Education, 2006. Translated from "Fluency with Information Technology: Skills, Concepts, and Capabilities", 2nd or 3rd edition, Addison-Wesley, 2006-08.
Lecture notes are available at the teaching web portal of the University of Parma: http://corsi.unipr.it
Access requires university-provided credentials. Next, select School of Medicine, and finally select this course.