James (Zijun) Wang, Assistant Professor
Department of Computer Science
305 McAdams Hall, Clemson University
Phone: (864) 656-7678, Fax: (864) 656-0145
Email: jzwang@cs.clemson.edu
1.
Applying conceptual modeling concepts to the design of database applications.
2.
Designing and analyzing the properties of a database schema expressed in the relational data model.
3.
Effectively retrieving data from relational databases using SQL language.
4.
Applying the basic concepts of query optimization.
5.
Gaining experience with the use of a relational database product (MySQL).
6.
Developing communication skills in the design and implementation of a database application.
7.
Gaining experience in designing and implementing web-based database retrieval systems.
An Introduction to Database Systems, Eighth Edition, C. J. Date, Addison Wesley, 2004,
ISBN: 0-321-19784-4.
The problem-based instruction approach, TEXNH, will be used in this course. Students are expected to learn database concepts through a semester-long multimedia database project. Specifically, students will be required to implement an online multimedia database system, MeTube, which is essentially a modified and scaled-down version of the popular YouTube system (http://www.youtube.com). The modification to YouTube system includes adding the support of more media types, including graphics objects, video, audio, and animation clips. To this end, the MeTube system will also be similar to the
COMET Multimedia Database (http://archive.comet.ucar.edu/moria/index.jsp).
This semester-long multimedia database project will be implemented through six phases in which the related database concepts and techniques will be acquired through practice:
1.
Students will identify system requirements by exploring the YouTube and COMET systems, and then use the Entity-Relationship (ER) model to complete a conceptual design of the MeTube system. Concepts and techniques to be learned in this phase include business requirement identification, design specification, data modeling and ER diagram.
2.
Students will convert their conceptual designs into relational schemas and then design the actual database tables for the MeTube system by using the MySQL database management system.
Theories and techniques to be learned in this phase include relational data model, relational tables and their properties, SQL language, and MySQL database management system. Students should be able to use command line interface or web interface provided by MySQL to create tables, indices, and constraints for the MeTube system. Due to the nature of multimedia data, BLOBs in database or files in the file system can be used to store the multimedia data. An open question here is how to store the multimedia data for the MeTube system.
3.
Students will normalize their database tables using normalization rules and start writing simple
SQL queries for inserting, deleting, and altering the database tables. Theories and techniques to be learned include database normalization rules, SQL language, and the use of MySQL database management system.
4.
Students will design complex SQL queries to retrieve information from the multimedia database, and optimize the queries. Theories and techniques will be learned in this phase include converting
English queries into the corresponding SQL statements and executing the queries on the multimedia databases, evaluating the performance of a query, and query optimization.

5.
Students will design the web interfaces to retrieve information from the MeTube database. The techniques will be learned in this phase include Web Server, HTTP, HTML, PHP, MySQL database access through PHP, and client-side script for multimedia presentation.
6.
Students will test and improve their multimedia database system. The concepts and techniques will be learned in this phase include the test case design, performance evaluation, and database optimization. Advanced database technologies, including views, triggers, and stored procedures will also be learned during this phase to improve the multimedia database system.
With the completion of the semester-long MeTube project, students will have mastered essential theories, techniques, and skills of a traditional database course, while learning them in a culturally relevant and interesting way. In this approach, students will first learn foundational concepts, and use them to build a complex system in a constructivist manner. Visual feedback of intermediate results will allow students to detect problems and learn theories and techniques more readily. Additionally, students are encouraged to explore additional topics through independent study (intentional learning).
It is expected that this pedagogy will provide an effective method for teaching core concepts of database systems, while providing students the freedom to develop and manipulate content according to their interests.
(tentative, may change during the semester):
1.
Database Design Specification
2.
Conceptual model an ER diagram
3.
Relational data model and database scheme
4.
Database normalization
5.
SQL language through MySQL
6.
Index, key, and other constraints
7.
Query Optimization
8.
Web server, HTTP, HTML. PHP
9.
HTTP form and script design
10.
Multimedia presentation
11.
Views, Triggers, and Stored Procedures
12.
Performance Evaluation
9:30 AM ~ 10:45 AM, Tuesday and Thursday
11:00 AM ~ 12:00 AM, Tuesday and Thursday
119 McAdams Hall
305 McAdams Hall

Project (60%): Implement an online multimedia database system.

Midterm Exam (20%): Cover the content studied in first half of the semester.

Final Exam (20%): Cover the content studied in second half of the semester.

Penalty Points (-10%): Students are required to attend the class. The instructor may penalize those who fail to attend the class without instructor’s prior approval.

Grading Scale: A (90 - 100), B (80 - 89), C (70 - 79), D (60 - 69), F (0 - 59). (The scale may be curved down at the end of the semester if needed)

It is very important to attend the class since the lecture content may be drawn from sources other than the textbook.
 Failure to attend the class most likely leads to missing some information that won’t show in lecture notes or textbook. Such information is important for project and tests.

Tardy may be punished by penalty point.


Students must finish their project assignments independently. Any form of cheating will result in 0
(zero) point on that assignment for both parties involved.

Students must submit their projects at the due date. Late submission will not be accepted unless being approved by instructor.

Intermediate results of the project will be evaluated and feedbacks will be given to improve the project.
Email questions to jzwang@cs.clemson.edu with subject "CPSC 462/662 Q&A".
http://www.cs.clemson.edu/~jzwang/0708462/cpsc462.htm
1.
Database Systems: The Complete Book, First Edition, Hector Garcia-Molina, Jeffrey D. Ullman,
Jennifer D. Widom, Prentice Hall, 2002, ISBN: 0-13-031995-3.
2.
Database Management Systems, Third Edition, Raghu Ramakrishnan and Johannes Gehrke,
McGraw-Hill, 2002, ISBN: 0072465638.