Introduction to informatics

Code:

IM2014_01

Acronym:

II

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Informatics

Instance: 2021/2022 - 1S (of 13-09-2021 to 06-02-2022)

Active?	Yes
Web Page:	http://www.dcc.fc.up.pt/~miguel-areias/teaching/2122/ii/index.html
Responsible unit:	Department of Computer Science
Course/CS Responsible:	Master Programme in Medical Informatics

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
MIM	28	Current Studies Plan	1	-	6	55	162

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

Provide the student with the basic concepts about Informatics and Computer Science. Comprehend the fundamentals about computer architecture, operating systems, computer networks, database systems,algorithms and programming. Have a critical perspective about the past, the present and the future of Informatics.

Learning outcomes and competences

At the end of the course, the students are expected to:

  Know the basic concepts about Informatics;
  Know how computational data is manipulated and stored;
  Know the architecture of an operating system and it works;
  Know the basic concepts about computer networks;
  Know what is an algorithm;
  Have a basic notion about programming languages;
  Understand the fundamentals about a database system.

Working method

Presencial

Pre-requirements (prior knowledge) and co-requirements (common knowledge)

Program

Introduction and fundamental concepts
The role of algorithms. History of computation. Abstractions. Social
repercussions.

Data storage
Bits and their storage. Types of memory - Main and secondary.
Representation of information using bits. Data
compression. Communication errors.

Data manipulation
Computer architecture. Machine language. Execution of programs.
Arithmetic/Logic Instructions. Communication between devices.

Operating Systems
The evolution of operating systems. Architecture of an operating
system. Coordination of the activities of a computer. Treatment of
competition between processes. Security.

Computer networks
Fundamentals of networks. The Internet and the World Wide Web.
Internet and security protocols. HTML and CSS.

Algorithms
The concept of algorithm. Algorithmic representation. Algorithm
design. Iterative and recursive data structures. Efficiency and
correction.

Programming languages
Historical perspective. Traditional programming concepts. Programming
paradigms. The Python programming language.

Database Systems
Basics of Databases. The Relational Model. The SQL language.
Knowledge extraction.

Mandatory literature

J. Glenn Brookshear, David Smith and Dennis; Computer Science: An Overview, 11th Edition, Pearson (Addison-Wesley), 2012. ISBN: 0805346325

Teaching methods and learning activities

The lecture classes are used for the exposition and discussion of
concepts about the theory and the practice of the topics covered by
the course.
The practical classes are designed to solve illustrative
problems of the concepts presented in the lecture classes.

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

designation	Weight (%)
Exame	60,00
Trabalho escrito	20,00
Apresentação/discussão de um trabalho científico	20,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

designation	Time (hours)
Estudo autónomo	42,00
Frequência das aulas	28,00
Trabalho de investigação	92,00
Total:	162,00

Eligibility for exams

Submitting the proposed assignement.

Calculation formula of final grade

Students are assessed by their performance in the following
components:
One practical work with a total of 8 values (divided in to 4 values
for the written part and 4 values for the oral presentation part) in
20 values of the final classification of the course.
One written examination in the final of the semester. The
examination has a weight of 12 values in 20 values of the final
classification of the course.

Examinations or Special Assignments

Students are assessed by their performance in the following
components:
The grade of one practical work, which intends to evaluate the
ability of the student to deepen the knowledge acquired in the
lecture classes.
The grade of a written examination in the final of the semester
consisting of questions similar to the ones solved during the
theoretical and practical classes.

Internship work/project

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

Classification improvement

Observations