This syllabus is subject to change based on specific class needs, especially the schedule. Significant deviations will be discussed in class. Individual exceptions to the policies and schedule are granted only in cases of true emergency. Please make arrangements with me if an emergency arises.
In this course, students will work in small groups to develop three different computer applications. Each application will expose them to a different computing platform along with the tools and computing concepts used in developing programs for that platform. The platform and purpose of each applications will vary from year to year and instructor to instructor, but common choices of platforms include: the command line interface, the web, mobile devices, and high-performance computing. Students will maintain and develop their projects using GitHub and Git version control software. Emphasis will be placed on building effective software development teams as well as building the software itself. Upon completing the course students will know how to apply basic software engineering practices in a small group setting, how to maintain software through the git version control system, and will have experience with tools and best-practices for developing modern software applications for three different computing platforms.
Books and reference materials will be based on projects assigned but are likely to be a combination of online resources and instructor provided handouts. As part of their projects students will learn to seek out and work with reference material for programming tools and languages in addition to textbooks.
Every project will use git and GitHub for collaboration and version
control. If you are familiar with the command line you may prefer to
simply use the git command; otherwise you should install a graphical
client. You will need to download
gititself. Although it comes with a
basic graphical client, you may prefer to install a third-party
client; GitHub Desktop will suit our
needs, although you may choose whichever you wish.
Late assignments: In general, late assignments will not be accepted. Exceptions may be made only for situations beyond your control. If you feel your reason is justified, schedule a meeting with the instructor to plead your case.
Academic dishonesty: Monmouth College’s official policy on academic dishonesty can be found here. You are responsible for reading and complying with that policy.
In this course, any violation of the academic honesty policy will have varying consequences depending on the severity of the infraction as judged by the instructor. Minimally, a violation will result in an “F” or 0 points on the assignment in question. Additionally, the student’s course grade may be lowered by one letter grade. In severe cases, the student will be assigned a course grade of “F” and dismissed from the class. All cases of academic dishonesty must be reported to the Associate Dean who may decide to recommend further action to the Admissions and Academic Status Committee, including suspension or dismissal. It is assumed that students will educate themselves regarding what is considered to be academic dishonesty, so excuses or claims of ignorance will not mitigate the consequences of any violations
General expectations: In short, I expect you to be respectful of others and take responsibility for your own learning. You are here to learn, so work hard and be professional.
Just attending class is not sufficient to truly learn the material. Read the text, use the resources available at Monmouth College, and go beyond the material.
If you miss class, you are responsible for everything covered on that day. College is, in some sense, your job. Take pride in creating quality work. Staple your assignments, label problems, and present your answers neatly and orderly.
Your job is to convince me that you have learned the material – show your work! Even if you do not know a particular answer, guide me through your thought process.
The weekly workload for this course will vary by student and by week but should be about 12-13 hours per week on average. The following table provides a rough estimate of the distribution of time over different course components for a 16 week semester, as well as detailing the type, amount, and relative value of all assignments.
| Category | Amount | Final Grade Weight | Time/Week (Hours) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class Meetings | 42 | 15% (Participation) | 2.5 |
| Presentations | 12 | 35% | 2 |
| Projects | 3 | 45% | 7-8 |
| Project/Peer/Self Evaluations | 3 | 5% | 0.5 |
| Total | 100% | 12-13 |
You can expect to spend most class meetings checking in with your current development team and the course instructor. Accompanying each project there will be four presentations: three checkpoint presentations and one final presentation with an application demo. These presentations will take place during scheduled class times.
Presentations should cover at least four topics:
A clear-headed analysis of your group’s effectiveness is equally as important as progress on the code. Your group should be clearly working together to pursue a shared goal, helping one another, and generally exploring the ways in which how you work as a group impacts your progress.
Presetnations should consist of a short slide deck as well as live demos of features and/or GitHub.
Projects are a group effort. You’ll be called on both individually and as a group to evaluate your projects in two ways:
Your individual project and presentation grades will be determined based on the overall group effort as well as your individual contributions to the application. Individual contributions will be assessed throughthe project tracking features on GitHub/GitLab, through feedback provided by peer-reviews done about your work, and through your own self-evaluations. It will not necessarily be the case that each member of a group receive the same grade on a project or presentation. Participation grades will be determined by class attendance, contributions to discussions on GitHub/GitLab, and through the quality of your peer-reviews submitted about other members of the class. During the final exam period you will be required to carry out one last self-evaluation and self-reflection about the work you did throughout the course of the semester.
Your final grade is based on a weighted average of particular assignment categories. You can estimate your current grade based on your scores and these weights. You may always visit the instructor outside of class to discuss your current standing. Assignments and final grades use a standard grading scale shown below and will not be curved except in rare cases when deemed necessary by the instructor.
This courses uses a standard grading scale. Assignments and final grades will not be curved except in rare cases when its deemed necessary by the instructor. Percentage grades translate to letter grades as follows:
| Score | Grade |
|---|---|
| 94–100 | A |
| 90–93 | A- |
| 88–89 | B+ |
| 82–87 | B |
| 80–81 | B- |
| 78–79 | C+ |
| 72–77 | C |
| 70–71 | C- |
| 68–69 | D+ |
| 62–67 | D |
| 60–61 | D- |
| 0–59 | F |
You are always welcome to challenge a grade that you feel is unfair or calculated incorrectly. Mistakes made in your favor will never be corrected to lower your grade. Mistakes made not in your favor will be corrected. Basically, after the initial grading your score can only go up as the result of a challenge*.
You are always welcome to challenge a grade that you feel is unfair or calculated incorrectly. Mistakes made in your favor will never be corrected to lower your grade. Mistakes made not in your favor will be corrected. Basically, after the initial grading your score can only go up as the result of a challenge.
The following tentative calendar should give you a feel for how work is distributed throughout the semester. Assignments and events are listed in the week they are due or when they occur. This calendar is subject to change based on the circumstances of the course.
| Date | Topic | Assignment and Readings |
|---|---|---|
| Tue 01/16 (Week 1) | Logistics, Github | P0 |
| Thu 01/18 | Git and Git Classroom | |
| Tue 01/23 (Week 2) | Project 1: Battlecode | P1, read Project Overview |
| Thu 01/25 | ||
| Tue 01/30 (Week 3) | ||
| Thu 02/01 | Project 1 Checkpoint 1 | |
| Tue 02/06 (Week 4) | ||
| Thu 02/08 | Project 1 Checkpoint 2 | |
| Tue 02/13 (Week 5) | ||
| Thu 02/15 | Project 1 Checkpoint 3 | |
| Tue 02/20 (Week 6) | ||
| Thu 02/22 | Project 1 Presentation | |
| Tue 02/27 (Week 7) | Project 2: Game of Life | P2 |
| Thu 02/29 | ||
| Tue 03/05 (Week 8) | ||
| Thu 03/07 | Project 2 Checkpoint 1 | |
| (Tue 03/12 – Thu 03/14) | (Spring Break) | |
| Tue 03/19 (Week 9) | ||
| Thu 03/21 | Project 2 Checkpoint 2 | |
| Tue 03/26 (Week 10) | ||
| Thu 03/28 | Project 2 Checkpoint 3 | |
| Tue 04/02 (Week 11) | ||
| Thu 04/04 | Project 2 Presentation | |
| Tue 04/09 (Week 12) | Project 3: Baseball Dashboard | P3 |
| Thu 04/11 | ||
| Tue 04/16 (Week 13) | ||
| Thu 04/18 | Project 3 Checkpoint 1 | |
| Tue 04/23 (Week 14) | ||
| Thu 04/25 | Project 3 Checkpoint 2 | |
| Tue 04/30 (Week 15) | ||
| Thu 05/02 | Project 3 Checkpoint 3 | |
| Tue 05/07 (Week 16) | Project 3 Presentation | |
| TBD Final Exam Time | (We will not meet) |
The Academic Support and Accessibility Services Office offers FREE resources to assist Monmouth College students with their academic success. Programs include supplemental instruction for difficult classes, drop-in and appointment tutoring, and individual academic coaching. The office is here to help students excel academically, since everyone can work toward better grades, practice stronger study skills, and mange their time better. Please email academicsupport@monmouthcollege.edu for assistance.
If you need course adaptions or accommodations because of a disability please make an appointment with me and/or with the Accessibility Services Office (ASO) (access@monmouthcollege.edu 309-457-2257) as soon as possible. The accessibility of this course for every learner is important to me. If at any time you experience a barrier to learning, please bring it to my attention and I will do my best to address it.
Wellness on Campus: The College wants to support all aspects of your life on campus, including mental and physical health. We offer a health clinic in the lower level of McMichael Residence Hall (open M-F, 9am-1pm): healthcenter@monmouthcollege.edu, 309-536-6055. Mental healthcare will be available from anywhere through online provider TimelyCare. Services include emergency “Talk Now,” counseling sessions, health coaching, medical services, psychiatry, prescriptions, digital self-care, and a peer community. If you would like to be connected to additional local resources, please contact Dean Michelle Merritt at mmerritt@monmouthcollge.edu.
Always, students facing a crisis should contact Campus Safety at 309-457-3456 or the Police at 911. Suicide resources are The National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK, and the local Bridgeway Crisis Hotline at 800-322-7143. For more information, visit our website https://www.monmouthcollege.edu/offices/health-wellness/.