OVERVIEW

The course aims to present how Digital Technologies impact Communication in the current Digital Age. Through a reflection on the evolution of human-machine interfaces, operating systems, computer networks, and web technologies, the course aims to provide the cognitive tools, the methodological competences and the operational skills necessary to be aware of a critic and correct use of ICTs in the XXI century.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The main aim of the class is to help students develop a “digital user awareness”. Through a theoretical and methodological analysis of the user’s experience of the main Operation Systems and computer networks – from Internet to Cloud and 5G – students will acquire digital competences required of today’s digital world and the new professions in Social & Media Content Production.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

Know the principles of Digital Communication, Human-Machine Interaction and Operating Systems.
Know the principles of operation of the Internet and Computer Networks.
Know, design and produce applications for visual and multimedia communication on the web, using the main web languages and technologies, such as HTML, CSS, Javascript, PHP and the related application frameworks.

PREREQUISITES

This course has as a prerequisite the course of "Technologies and Languages for Digital Humanities" (1st year)

TEACHING METHODS

The Digital Communication course is compulsory. It will be delivered through lectures (face-to-face and/or online), tutorials / guided exercises at home and in the laboratory, extra-curricular seminars for thematic study.

The course is associated with some MOOC video courses (both in English and in Italian), freely available on Internet or with UnigePass access on Aulaweb and on the EduOpen platform. In particular, the video courses recommended in the "Texts / Bibliography" section will allow the acquisition of credits in order to pass the exam.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

1. Digital Communication and Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) (3 hours)

• Communication and Technologies of the 21st century: digital convergence, Internet, Information and Knowledge Management, Trends.
• The main models and theories underlying Digital Communication.

2. Human-Machine Interaction and Operating System Architectures (12 hours)

1. Designing software applications and computational thinking: methods, algorithms, tools, data, formats, media.
2. The theoretical models of interaction and management of human-machine interfaces, with particular reference to the user interfaces of computers and smart devices (shell, window, multimodal, multitouch and natural interfaces).
3. The architectures of operating systems and computer networks, with particular reference to the comparative description between Microsoft (in particular Windows 10), Apple (MacOs), Linux (Ubuntu) and mobile (Android, iOS) operating systems.
4. Main components of an Operating System, starting from hardware and software calls, to switch to Process Management (scheduling and synchronization), to Memory Management (in particular virtual memory and file system), to the Management of the I / O system, the Device management, the User Interface.

 3. Internet, TCP / IP, Data Web and Internet of Things (12 hours)

1. The principles of operation, the structure and organization of computer networks, with particular reference to the ISO / OSI model and the TCP / IP protocols.
2. The management of network interconnection and distributed and open systems in a security environment
3. The suite of TCP / IP protocols; the HTTP protocol
4. The web of data and the Internet of Things

 4. Languages ​​and Technologies for the Web (24 hours)

1. Design and creation of web layouts: HTML and CSS languages; the box model and the DOM.
2. Web programming and data management: Javascript; some hints of PHP, SQL and data management.
3. Design and implementation of cross-platform sites and web-apps: framework for responsive web design.

5. New frontiers of digital communication (3 hours)

• Digital Communication in 2030: from new media to immersive media (Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, Extended Reality)
• Gamification in digital communication

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

TextBooks:

• B. W. Kernighan -  Informatica - Orientarsi nel labirinto digitale, Egea Italia, 2019
• A. Silberschatz - P.B. Galvin - G. Gagne, Sistemi Operativi - Concetti ed esempi (9a Edizione), Pearson Education Italia, Milano, 2014.

Online materials:

• G. Vercelli - G. Olivieri, Storia dei Sistemi Operativi, dispensa creative common disponibile su Aulaweb, edizione 2019
• G.Vercelli - E. Bellanti - Fondamenti di Informatica - videocorso EduOpen  - disponibile su https://learn.eduopen.org/
• A.Merlo - I.Torre - M. Ribaudo -  Internet  e il mondo delle reti- videocorso EduOpen - disponibile su https://learn.eduopen.org/
• M.Cerioli - M.Reggio -  Scrivere e far di conto nell'era digitale​- videocorso EduOpen - disponibile su https://learn.eduopen.org/
• AA.VV., W3SCHOOLS Online Web Tutorials, risorse tutoriali sulle tecnologie web, disponibile su http://w3schools.com

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

GIANNI VIARDO VERCELLI (President)

GIOVANNI ADORNI

MARCO MARATEA (President Substitute)

MAURO COCCOLI (Substitute)

LESSONS

LESSONS START

23/09/2020

Class schedule

DIGITAL COMMUNICATION

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

In order to take the exam, 2 methods are possible, mutually exclusive to each other:

MODALITY A) (written and oral exam, for "attending" and "not attending" students)

Written test (consisting of online test on knowledge and practical test on skills), followed by oral colloquium to be held EXCLUSIVELY ON OFFICIAL APPEAL DATES. Enrollment is mandatory electronically via the online exam booking service established by the University.

MODALITY B) (Intermediate essays during the course, only for "attending" students)

During the course there is a continuous evaluation through classroom activities, in the laboratory and remotely on the Aulaweb and EduOpen platforms, with the achievement of the relative scores and "badges" which will allow access to the individual final test (expected at the end of the course, on DATE NOT NECESSARILY COINCIDENT WITH THE OFFICIAL APPEAL DATES).

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The method of assessing skills will be diversified according to frequency.

• For those who attend the laboratory activities during the course, a continuous evaluation will be adopted on the basis of the deliveries made on Aulaweb and the passing of the self-assessment tests made available online, in order to allow to verify in the individual final test the punctual achievement of the training objectives and key skills.
• For those who do not attend assiduously, a mixed assessment will be adopted, in which they will be asked to pass the online self-assessment tests, and then 2 individual written tests (an online test and a technical-practical test) will be administered followed by an oral exam, in order to verify both the theoretical and methodological level of preparation and the objective skills and practical skills.

Exam schedule