Theory and technology of communication

UNIVERSITY OF MILANO-BICOCCA
A.Y. 2007/2008
Theory and technology of communication - Courses
Code
A5730055
Title of the course
Credits
3
Field
ICAR/17
Year of course
1
Semester
n.d.
Assesment
method
Scritto e Orale; Voto finale
Lecturer
Programme
The course includes lectures and practical workshops, centered on:
Basic interface design, hypertexts, interaction and MUI
Professions and markets, design methodologies, site typologies
Copy lay-out, texts, icons, images, animation, interface architecture, grids
Information lay-out, web navigation and information architecture
User centered design and usability
Code
573001
Title of the course
Credits
10
Field
L-LIN/01
Year of course
1
Semester
n.d.
Assesment
method
Scritto e Orale; Voto finale
Lecturer
Programme
The lectures are divided into three units:
I.
Introduction to the study of language
Foundation of morphology and phonology
II.
Syntax: Constituent structure, case systems, thematic roles, long distance dependencies.
III.
Semantics and pragmatics: the notion of synonymy and its problems, presuppositions,
context
dependency, implicatures, logical form.
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Code
A5730056
Title of the course
Credits
10
Field
M-PSI/05
Year of course
1
Semester
n.d.
Assesment
method
Scritto; Voto finale
Lecturer
Programme
The fundamentals of social psychology: social cognition, attitudes, attributions, persuasion,
conformity, obedience, interpersonal and intergroup relations.
Qualitative and quantitative methods in social psychology.
Discuss a problem in social psychology
Code
A5730052
Title of the course
Foundations of cognitive science
Credits
9
Field
M-PSI/01
Year of course
1
Semester
n.d.
Assesment
method
Scritto e Orale; Voto finale
Lecturer
Programme
-
Code
573015
Title of the course
Human computer interaction techniques
Credits
6
Field
ING-INF/05
Year of course
1
Semester
n.d.
Assesment
method
Main theories
Research methods
Perception
Attention
Motor control
Memory systems and processes
Learning
;
Lecturer
Programme
Part I: General topics
•
Usability: definition and issues involved
•
User Centered Design. Users, tasks, contexts of use.
•
The importance of prototyping in design. Lo-fi prototyping
•
The task-artifact cycle
•
User models; discussions of specific issues important to HCI
•
Usability evaluation: techniques and examples. Usability testing
Part II: Interaction design
•
Gulf of execution and gulf of evaluation according Norman
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•
Visual communication and software design
•
Interaction design guidelines. Discussion of examples
•
Error handling. Human error reconsidered. Guidelines and examples for error handling
•
Supporting the user: needs and techniques. Help systems and user manuals. Examples
Part III: Evolution of human computer interaction paradigms
•
Command languages
•
Menu and form filling
•
Direct manipulation
•
Hypertext and the web
•
Other paradigms: handwriting recognition, speech interfaces, immersive interfaces, intelligent
agents
Part I: Designing web applications
•
Web usability
•
A qualità model for web applications (communication, functionality, content, usability,
management, accessibility of a web siste)
•
Using the model to evaluate web sites quality
Code
A5730041
Title of the course
INTERNET LAB
Credits
6
Field
INF/01
Year of course
1
Semester
n.d.
Assesment
method
Scritto; Voto finale
Lecturer
Programme
This course is structured as a laboratory. Students, organized in small project team, design, develop
and test a Web site of choice, following a well structured "road-map", from requirements elicitation to
implementation and usability testing. Activities are organized in phases with well defined goals. At
the end of each phase, project outputs are discussed with the teacher.
Code
A5730047
Title of the course
Introduction to Data Bases
Credits
7
Field
INF/01
Year of course
1
Semester
n.d.
Assesment
method
;
Lecturer
Programme
•
Goals and definitions of database
Introduction. General concepts. Information and data. Introduction to Database and DBMS, data
model, schema and instance. Logical and physical data independence, type of languages for
databases
•
How represent database
Relational model. Logic Models. Relational model, relations, tables, schema and instances,
incomplete information and null values, keys, integrity bonds
•
How query a database
•
Query languages: SQL. Data definition in SQL. Query definition in SQL: simple query, set
operators, nested queries and grouped queries. Insertion, modification and delete operations. Views.
SQL in programming languages
•
How design a database
Design methodologies. Conceptual design. Methodologies for database design. The Entityrelationship model. Logic design. ER Restructuring: elimination of hierarchies, composite attributes,
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and multi value attributes. From ER relational schema. Normalization
Code
A5730057
Title of the course
Lab visual design
Credits
8
Field
ICAR/17
Year of course
1
Semester
n.d.
Assesment
method
Scritto e orale separati; Voto finale
Lecturer
Programme
From grapich art to Visual Design: introduction to Visual Communications
Identity System: brand and corporate strategy
Communication Artifacts : Typography, magazines and Books
Suasive Communication : Advertising
Packaging and Commercial Display
Exhibition Design
Media relation and Press Office
New media design
Code
A5730045
Title of the course
Media Law and computer Law
Credits
10
Field
IUS/09
Year of course
1
Semester
n.d.
Assesment
method
Scritto e Orale; Voto finale
Lecturer
Programme
Freedom of expression
Media Law
Computer-related fraud (art. 640-ter c.p.)
Unauthorized access to computer system (artt. 615-ter, 615-quater c.p.)
Damage to computer data and computer system (artt. 635-bis, 615-quinquies c.p.)
Code
A5730043
Title of the course
PSYCHOLOGY OF SOCIAL COMMUNICATION
Credits
6
Field
M-PSI/05
Year of course
1
Semester
n.d.
Assesment
method
Scritto; Voto finale
Lecturer
Programme
Discussion of recent psychosocial theories of intergroup relations, social identity and prejudice with
particular attention to the role of communication processes
Discussion of issues and methods in the social psychology of communication
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Relation between media violence and aggression
Influence of media on public opinion
Code
A5730042
Title of the course
The development of usability methodology
Credits
6
Field
M-STO/05
Year of course
1
Semester
n.d.
Assesment
method
Scritto; Voto finale
Lecturer
Programme
The lectures will highlight the main methods that are in use today to evaluate and measure software
and website usability. The student will learn the rationale behind each of the taught methods and will
be able to select the most appropriate method in each project phase of a software design life cycle.
During the course the student will also elaborate on and apply some of the methods learned.
Code
A5730046
Title of the course
Theory of language
Credits
10
Field
M-FIL/05
Year of course
1
Semester
n.d.
Assesment
method
Scritto e Orale; Voto finale
Lecturer
Programme
Language processing
Relations between language and other cognitive systems
Topics in formal semantics
Communicative intention
Relation between semantics and pragmatics
Major pragmatics theories
Code
573008
Title of the course
Visual Web Design
Credits
7
Field
ICAR/17
Year of course
1
Semester
n.d.
Assesment
method
Scritto e Orale; Voto finale
Lecturer
Programme
Visual Web Design; Visual elements , semiotic guidelines , new media languages.
Interface Architecture: User Interaction , Visual lay out.
Visual Identity: Awareness and branding strategy.
Basic web design: shape,color , typography, icons and images.
Visual directing: hyerarchy , information architecture and perception.
Visual design: visual retorics.
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Code
527111
Title of the course
- CONDIVISO DA 527
Year of course
2
Code
X25057
Title of the course
- CONDIVISO DA X25
Year of course
2
Code
572001
Title of the course
- CONDIVISO DA 572
Year of course
2
Code
527107
Title of the course
- CONDIVISO DA 527
Year of course
2
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Code
527093
Title of the course
- CONDIVISO DA 527
Year of course
2
Code
572014
Title of the course
- CONDIVISO DA 572
Year of course
2
Code
A5730026
Title of the course
Computational Models for Communication (advanced)
Credits
3
Field
M-FIL/05
Year of course
2
Semester
n.d.
Assesment
method
Orale; Voto finale
Lecturer
Programme
The course presents some communication mechanisms and their computational models for the
design of technologies supporting various forms of learning and organizational memories.
Code
A5730044
Title of the course
Information Systems (organization and design)
Credits
6
Field
ING-INF/05
Year of course
2
Semester
n.d.
Assesment
method
;
Lecturer
Programme
Information system planning, fesibility studies, cost benefit analysis, quality of data and processes,
business process reengineering
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Code
A5730022
Title of the course
Internet and new technologies
Credits
6
Field
ING-INF/05
Year of course
2
Semester
n.d.
Assesment
method
;
Lecturer
Programme
The CSCW area is interdisciplinary by nature involving fields such as distributed systems,
multimedia communication, organizational theories, etc. The course provides both main CSCW
principles and theories as well as an overview of main features of CSCW systems.
•
Introduction to the CSCW area: cooperative work; observing group practices; groups and
organizations; the multidisciplinary process of designing applications; the users and their role.
•
Main principles of application architectures (requirements and categories of tools)
•
Main frameworks supporting cooperation and Workflow Management Systems (e.g., Lotus
Notes, WebSphere)
•
Communication technologies (synchronous, asynchronous and multichannel) (e.g., Skype)
•
Shared Workspaces (e.g., Groove)
•
Content Management Systems
•
Short essays about Recommending Systems and Community Systems
•
Main research challenges
Code
A5730053
Title of the course
Introduction to Computer Graphics and Multimedia - MUTUATO
Credits
3
Field
INF/01
Year of course
2
Code
A5730051
Title of the course
Lab in social psychology
Credits
1
Field
M-PSI/05
Year of course
2
Semester
n.d.
Assesment
method
;
Lecturer
Programme
Discuss a problem in social psychology
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Code
A5730049
Title of the course
Logical instruments for communication lab A
Credits
4
Field
M-FIL/05
Year of course
2
Semester
n.d.
Assesment
method
;
Lecturer
Programme
How is a document prepared
The structure of a document
Technical documents
Educational text
Marketing documentation
Business presentation
Hypertests
Code
A5730050
Title of the course
Logical instruments for communication lab C
Credits
4
Field
M-FIL/05
Year of course
2
Semester
n.d.
Assesment
method
;
Lecturer
Programme
Organization of a scientif event
Scientific communication for mass media
History of scientific communication
Scientific research, university and mass media
Code
A5730048
Title of the course
MUI Design Laboratory
Credits
6
Field
ICAR/17
Year of course
2
Semester
n.d.
Assesment
method
Scritto e Orale; Voto finale
Lecturer
Programme
New Media history and languages
Interaction in synaesthetic systems
Introduction to the multimodality
Interactive performance: page setup, storyboard , stage organization
Multimodal directorship: interaction design
MUI and user experience
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Code
A5730025
Title of the course PHILOSOPHY OF LANGUAGE
Credits
7
Field
M-FIL/05
Year of course
2
Semester
n.d.
Assesment
method
Scritto e Orale; Voto finale
Lecturer
Programme
The lectures are divided into two units:
I.
First unit: The philosophical concepts of meaning, reference and truth and the relations
between these concepts will be discussed; the theories expounded by Frege, Wittgenstein and
Quine will be studied and critically discussed.
II.
Second unit: Certain issues regarding the semantics of natural languages will be discussed,
including predication, modification, quantification and the concept of variable. The theory of
intensionality will be approached.
Code
A5730027
Title of the course
PRINCIPLES OF COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCES
Credits
10
Field
M-PSI/02
Year of course
2
Semester
n.d.
Assesment
method
Scritto e Orale; Voto finale
Lecturer
Programme
Cognitive Neurosciences: introduction and methods of investigation
The anatomy of the nervous system
Cerebral lesions in humans and cognitive ageing
Perception mechanisms
The neural basis of motor control
The hemispheric specialisation
The anatomo-functional bases and impairments of memory, language, attention and
emotions
The anatomo-functional bases of mental illness.
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