Your grade will be based on 4 Programming lab assignments, pre-class quizzes, 2 midterms, the final exam and class participation. The quizzes will be due at the start of each lecture.
Much of the work in this class will be centered around moderate-scale assignments with a programming component. Usually, these assignments will include more than just programming, and will ask you to do some reflection and/or analysis as well, which is why the “programming” is in parentheses above. Assignments will be due approximately every other Friday, with checkpoint deadlines at the half-way point to ensure that you’re making progress on the assignment.
You may choose to engage in pair programming on these programming assignment. See the following handout on pair programming. You may choose your own partner, but you may not work with the same partner more than twice.
All programming labs shall be carried out by teams of exactly two. We encourage you to discuss the labs with your classmates, but teams must work independently. If you aren’t sure about this, see Professor Baden.
To prepare you for interactive class sessions, there will be reading assignments to be completed before class. There may occasionally also be videos that either supplement or replace the reading. This reading and the videos are required, and you will not be able to participate in class if you have not done the reading. Prior to class, you will be given a short quiz. Your performance on these quizzes will be factored into your course grade. Your lowest four (4) reading quiz scores will be dropped.
Although class will be lead by the instructor they will not be traditional lectures. During class you will work alone and in groups to work through problems and answer questions using your iClickers. You must bring your iClicker to every class. Notes for class sections will be available on the course website before and/or after class.
Although attending class is not required you will receive credit for your in-class participation. Missing a class is defined as failing to respond to more than 20% of the clicker questions in a given class period.
You may miss up to 6 classes with no penalty on the attendance component of your grade. Missing more classes will impact your grade negatively. However, we expect that you’ll find these class sessions so helpful that you wouldn’t consider missing them anyway. Note that forgetting your clicker counts as missing a class, so don’t leave home without it!
There will be two midterm exams (20%) and one final exam (20%). All exams will be closed book/closed notes.