Learning Journal Description

S. Kaminski

COMP 5970
Spring I 2004

Description

The Learning Journal (see McFadden, Hoffer and Prescott, p 34) is a notebook to which students add materials and notes throughout the term. The sections of the Learning Journal for Database Administration are a 1) glossary, 2) an issue list, 3) database news items, 4) results of field exercises and 5) written answers to questions on readings.

Purpose

The Learning Journal, first of all, is a tool to reinforce the basic objectives of the class: grammar, issues and technique. In addition, it provides a structured reference for information the student will use after the class. It should also serve as a tool to prompt the student's own discovery of new ideas. It also provide a means to collect various student assignments through the term.

Due Dates

Week 5: At the midterm, the students will submit the Learning Journal for a grade on the work done in the first half of the term.

Week 9: At the final, the students will submit the Learning Journal for a grade on work for the second half of the term.

Grading Standards

The Learning Journal should have all the sections listed below.
It should be neat and complete.
It should be in a three-hole punch loose-leaf notebook with dividers for each section.
It should contain the specific items discussed in class, but also terms, issues and other items important to each individual student.
Papers submitted after the due date will be reduced one full letter grade.

Sections

The Learning Journal should have the following sections, assembled in different ways:

Glossary: The glossary should be a running list of definitions for key terms from the following sources:
1. Any term, technical or otherwise, which the student encounters in any source. This includes the textbook, readings, news sources or class discussions. The student should add these items as he encounters them, providing definitions as he goes. In other words, the student should develop a habit of getting definitions for new terms. These should be terms that the student deems significant and not merely every term in the textbook glossary.
2. Terms that the instructor identifies as glossary terms in class lectures or discussions.
Issue List: The issue list should be a running list of critical questions that should be answered to make an effective decision in the analysis, design, implementation or maintenance of a database system. These issues should form a checklist for what the student should consider when assessing a database system. The textbook lists some of these issues; others will arise in class discussions and lectures. These issues should come from the following sources:
1. Any issue the student deems significant as he reads the textbook or any other source. The student should begin to think in terms of identifying critical issues in database management.
2. Issues identified by the instructor in class lectures or discussions.
Database News Items: Approximately 5 times during the term (see Class Schedule for the specific dates), the student should find a news article that discusses some aspect of database technology. The student should be prepared to discuss the significance of the article with the class. The student should include a hard copy of the article in this section of the Learning Journal. The student may find these articles in any computer journal. Some possibilities are:
Field Exercise Results: At various times throughout the term (see Class Schedule for the specific dates) the student will complete various field exercises usually drawn from the text. The specific exercises are listed in the class schedule and on the assignment list. Some of these exercises may have a brief written component. The student should be prepared to discuss the whole exercise in class; the written part should be included in this section of the Learning Journal.
Written Answers to Questions on Readings: Each reading assignment usually has a set of questions as a guide. Some of these questions may have a written component. The student should be prepared to discuss all the questions in class; any written answers should be included in this section of the Learning Journal. See the reading list for the specific readings and questions.