what i saw during break

What I Saw During Break

CSC 213 – LARGE SCALE PROGRAMMING

Prof. Matthew HertzWTC 207D / 888-2436 hertzm@canisius.edu

Objectives Met in CSC213

Develop solution over entire software lifecycle Implement & test computational solutions Describe which data structure to use & explain why Describe execution of fundamental data structures

Know operational details of languages & systems Understand file structures, storage, and indexes

Know theoretical foundations of computing Trace & analyze iterative and recursive algorithms

High-level Objectives

Improve coding ability Gain skills for developing larger

systems Learn tricks to solve common problems Have fun

High-level Objectives

Improve coding ability Gain skills for developing larger

systems Learn tricks to solve common problems Have fun

High-level Objectives

Improve coding ability Gain skills for developing larger

systems Learn tricks to solve common problems Have fun

Expectations of Me

Lectures prepared and organized Give interesting, thoughtful, fun

problems Be (reasonably) available to answer questions Be honest and forthright

Why Most Classes Suck

Teaching Style

Reasoning more important than answer Once answered, rarely see question again Lucky guesses are not meaningful Explaining how & why demonstrates

mastery

Class participation is vital Need to understand problem to adjust

approach

Adult Learning

Students read material before class Answer any initial questions at start of

class (Short) lecture explains key ideas

Provides 2nd opportunity to see material Limits long, boring droning

Students work in teams to solve problems Make sure you actually understand material Easy to correct when mistakes made early

Expectations of You

Work hard Come to class prepared Support & help all your teammates Ask for help early and often

Let me know what you are thinking

Attendance

Attendance is mandatory Talk to me when you know you must miss

class You are responsible for every class Missing class is never acceptable excuse

Best way to earn a poor grade: skip class

Deadlines

Have 2 virtual “extensions” Each used to get 1 day extension on

assignment Can use both on 1 assignment

Late work not accepted without extension If you know you cannot make a deadline,

talk to me Earlier we talk, the better we can find a

solution

Grading Philosophy

Grades reflect student's demonstrated ability Not a competition where grades are

relative Quite happily give "A" to all who earn it "A" not automatic because score is highest

in class Remain fair for students past, present,

& future When in doubt, I consider what is most fair

Hard work alone insufficient to raise a score Working efficiently important life skill to be

rewarded

Grading Philosophy

Doctor Who Cures You

Doctor Who Works Hard

Would you rather have:

Course Grading

Midterms 32%Final 25%

Projects 21%Weekly Assignments 10%

Daily Activities 6%Program Portfolio 6%

Grades available via Angel Midterms given on Mar. 12th & Apr.

21st

3 programming projects during semester

Course Grading Goals

Build skills used by “real” programmers

Lots of opportunities to learn & improve

Present material in variety of ways Develop understanding needed for

later classes Catch and correct problems early

Course Grading Goals

Build skills used by “real” programmers

Lots of opportunities to learn & improve

Present material in variety of ways Develop understanding needed for

later classes Catch and correct problems early Suffering students are music to my

ears

Weekly Assignments

Posted on web/Angel each week Usually due by 5PM following Tuesday

Virtual extensions okay to use on all but first one

Before submitting, ask me questions you still have

Several goals for these assignments Provide additional programming

opportunities Reinforce material from each lecture

Questions should seem easy & take under 10 min. Means you are doing well

Program Portfolio

Show your mastery of development process Choose 1 project for further scrutiny Project can be resubmitted throughout term

Entire process should be documented Shows how you arrived at the final product Include early steps & drafts of your design,

tests Gives you chance to perfect program

Grading tougher than normal projects Get much longer to complete

Programmer’s Notebook

Take notes on readings’ important details Course webpage contains helpful templates

to use Notes written by you so easy to understand (Don’t care where you get information from)

Use notebooks during labs & tests Without notebook, no answers to

related questions Can also use book, but book less useful than

own notes

PowerPoint Slides

Students need to take notes on their own Writing increases odds of remembering

ideas Really, really bad idea to not take notes

Trapped me into specific way of lecturing Limited opportunities to use clever memory

tools Lectures often resembled

Students During Lecture

Workings of My Slides

Slides contain many pictures, little text Lectures interesting & fun (or at least better) Provides you with good way to reinforce lessons

Increasingly suck as actual notes Print handout & take notes on the side as we go Make sure to write down steps shown in animations Slides (with notes) usable on tests, labs, class…

Win-win proposition (Except for the lazy ones of you…)

Collaboration

Fellow students are a great resource Provides multiple viewpoints &

understandings Get together, discuss material, and

study Can have them answer lingering questions Clarify assignment and what it requires Learn and practice some basic social skills

Collaboration

Work you submit must be done by you

When discussing homework or projects Leave conversation with memories only Wait 15+ minutes before starting on your

own Solutions always unique after waiting Step away from computer when discussing

code

When in doubt, ask me

Coding Help

Will work on testing & debugging skills To get debugging help in CSC213

Method(s) must be commented (javadoc) Must use a trace or similar to look for bug

Students find own solution once they start doing this

If problem not fixed, gives us starting point to work

Learn to fix your own errors & not rely on the Professor

Textbooks

Goodrich & Tamassia , Data Structures and Algorithms in Java, 4th Edition, Wiley, 2006.

Same as we used last term Nothing to buy this term! Save up your money for really nice bribe

Covering remainder of the textbook

Textbooks

Goodrich & Tamassia , Data Structures and Algorithms in Java, 4th Edition, Wiley, 2006.

Same as we used last term Nothing to buy this term! Save up your money for really nice bribe

gift Covering remainder of the textbook

Course Website

Pages for course found on Angel Handouts, slides, assignments posted

before class Can also find solutions after work is due

May not include everything said in class Better than nothing, but worse than

being here!

For Next Lecture

There is reading for Friday Start talking about how large programs

created Reading available as link on Angel

There is also reading for lab tomorrow Link found in today’s reading lecture

schedule in Angel

Must bring in 1st part of weekly assignment: Draw picture(s) of traits good

programmers have