SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATION

CMNS 458 -4

Peter Anderson	Spring Semester 2002
RCB 7326; SH 1025; 604-291-4921	Burnaby Campus - Day
email: anderson@sfu.ca

(Information Technology Project Group)

TECHNICAL FOUNDATIONS OF MODERN COMMUNICATION

Prerequisites:

2 upper level CMNS courses and permission of the instructor.


Overview:


This course is intended to introduce students with non-technical backgrounds to some of the basic technical concepts and terminology surrounding a number of communication, information and new media technologies and to provide a basic understanding of how such technologies actually work. Such an understanding is important in order for students to be able to analyze issues that involve these technologies. The course will be presented in a seminar/workshop format.

Insights into these technologies will be presented, in part, through guest lecturers and in-class demonstrations. Technologies and concepts to be considered include:

• fundamentals of electronic communication
• role of standards
• telephone systems
• cable television and other broadband cable services
• radio spectrum - characteristics, application and management
• two-way radio
• microwave and satellite communications
• cellular radio and personal communications systems
• advanced wireless communication systems
• computer networking and Internet applications
• teleconferencing and videoconferencing systems and applications
• converging technologies


Required Text:

Because of the rapid changing nature of these technologies, no textbook is available. Instead, a package of readings will be provided for purchase by students.


Requirements:

(subject to confirmation in first week of classes)

Participation (presentation of final assignment)	15%
Short issues/analysis paper	25%
Annotated Bibliography	20%
Term project (including preliminary outline)	40%

The School expects that the grades awarded in this course will bear some reasonable relation to established university-wide practices to both levels and distribution of grades. In addition, the School will also follow Policy T10.02 with respect to intellectual Honesty, and Academic Discipline (see the current Calendar, General Regulations Section).