We live in a world of data. Everything around us has its own meaning and descriptions and it can have a spectrum of meanings from different perspectives. In addition, we live in the digital era. It sounds like we are trying to have a digital copy of the world on the machines and thus, data should be represented for the machines and ultimately machines should have the capability to use it. We as an individual collect data through speaking, reading, watching, feeling, hearing, and sensing. We store data in our minds, connect the collected and stored data and create knowledge. Iteratively, we exchange our knowledge through communication channels such as talking, writing, watching and drawing. In the digital era, it is worthwhile to know how computers collect, store, retrieve, reuse and produce data. In the era of the connected world, it is significant to learn how computers communicate with humans and machines and exchange data. Within this course, you will learn the basics of the languages used for storing, retrieving, reusing, and exchanging data through the Web. In addition, you will learn how the web and semantic web are created and how the virtual world is shaped.

By attending the course and fulfilling the project and assignments, you will be able to represent the following knowledge, skills and competences:

Subject-related skills:

• Explain the structure of data, information, and knowledge.
• Explain and apply different character encodings.
• Define data structure, particularly tree structure.
• Design a simple database and applying SQL using MySQL.
• Create HTML pages, using CSS and JavaScripts.
• Create XML documents, describe XML structures using DTD and XSD, retrieve XML information using XPath, transform XML information using XSLT.
• Describe semantic structures using RDF and OWL.
• Develop simple ontologies using Protégé editor.

Transferable skills:

• Team work,
• Creating an idea and developing it,
• Designing and developing a project by using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, MySQL, and XML,
• Presenting your work,
• Providing a report collaboratively,
• Creating a video,
• Presenting your work to others.

• In general, attendance is mandatory.
• A maximum of 4 hours (or 20%) absence is acceptable.
• Attendance in the first unit is mandatory, otherwise you will lose the place in the course.

The aim of this course is not only to provide you with relevant theoretical knowledge, but also to enable you to put what you have learned into practical use. The design of the course reflects this, combining phases of knowledge acquisition with exercises and practical application. The instructor takes the role of a mentor, rather than a teacher; hence the course is driven by your active participation and learning needs.

The course consist of

(1) a preparatory, information unit (unit-0),

(2) five core units,

(3) self-organized, autonomous study periods,

(4) self-organized project work in groups, and

(5) a workshop day (unit-6) for presenting the results of the project.

To pass the course you must submit all four types of deliverables.

• 40% Project (code of the project)
• 10% Video (documentation of the project)
• 15% Report (documentation of project and learning activities)
• 35% Assignments

Grading system 

• 87% - 100% = "Sehr gut" (Excellent)
• 74% - 86.99% = "Gut" (Good)
• 61% - 73.99% = "Befriedigend" (Satisfactory)
• 50% - 60,99% = "Genügend" (Sufficient)
• Below 50% = "Nicht Genügend" (Fail)

Courses: GK1 Grundzüge der ITK (Foundations in ICT) for WU students attending the specialisation  - this is a fixed restriction that cannot be waived under any circumstances!

Recommended:  BIS I, BIS II  (see also recommended previous knowledge and skills in the syllabus)

Administrative: Registration in the LPIS, attendance of the first unit, participation in course planning

Please NOTE:

• The number of available places is limited and there is often a list of students waiting for free places. If you have signed up for the course and during the registration period find out you will not attend, please remove your name from the list via LPIS. This will make your place available to others.
• The participation in the first unit is mandatory; students who fail to come forfeit their place to students on the waiting list. Students can excuse themselves if the reason for missing the first unit is serious and will concern only the first unit. Students who are absent on the first session without bringing an absent note lose their place in the course. This place will be allocated to students in the waiting list who come to the first session according to the waiting list order.

This is a course for everyone who do not only want to know about data and information structuring, but also want to be able to apply the new skills and create a Website. The course welcomes participants from very different backgrounds (those with existing IT skills and those without).