Lecture/Lab Schedule

Course Expectations

Lectures and Labs

Work Before, During, and After Lecture

Carefully read the lectures and examine the code they contain. Test and explore this code in Clion to verify that you understand the material both theoretically and practically. Here understanding means "be able to use the information operationally to write code that solves problems". If you have difficultly with a concept, it indicates that you should probably go back over the related reading -or certainly ask a question about it on the Piazza Folders. One of the few advantages of a big class like this is the potental for peer-teaching.

Lecture Attendance and Decorum

I expect students to neither carry on private conversations, nor use their computers to answer e-mail, surf the web, day trade stocks, or perform any other activities unrelated to this course. Do not use your personal media in any way that would disturb students sitting near you. In fact, because I continually receive complaints about this issue, my policy is "All students who use their computers/personal media must sit on the right side of the classroom (right as you are facing the front)." Students not using computers/personal media should not sit in this area.

Someone once said, "Distance education begins in the 8th row of the classroom": once you are that far back, it is easy to stop paying attention. I recommend that student sit in the rows close to the front of the room. I once had the following comment on my final teaching evaluation, "Write bigger: I could never read what you wrote on the whiteboard from my seat in the back of the class." I have many deficiencies as an instructor; students should help themselves get what they need out of this class -like by sitting near the front if necessary.

I am frequently busy before class setting up for lecture: if you need to talk to me, please come up after class rather than before. Ringing cell phones disrupt my lectures. Unless you are responsible for someone's life, your cell phone should be turned off. Otherwise, you should set it to operate in some silent mode (as mine will be set); if it rings silently and you decide you must answer the call, please leave the class, with a minimum of disruption to the rest of the students. If your cell phone rings audibly in class, I will ask you to leave class for that day. Finally, if you know that you must leave early, please sit by a door, so that you can exit quietly and without disturbing other students in the class.

Overall, please strive to be a considerate class member, both to me and to your fellow students; doing so is especially important in large classes.

If you elect not to attend lectures, the notes that I provide will cover all the important topics (but you have to read them carefully). You will miss general purpose announcements, a small amount of live-coding, picture drawing, and questions/answers. I find only the most mature students can skip class and study by themself, but learning how to learn by yourself is an excellent higher-order skill to attain.

Studying for the Midterm and Final Exams

Another excellent way to learn the material is to create your own "study-guide", while you are reading the notes and running their code. By journaling, in your own words, the new/important information that you read (I estimate producing 1-2 pages for every reading), you will achieve a better understanding of the material; and, you can then review your journals before any exam.

Schedule, Topics, Readings, and Problems