Welcome to Intro to Computer Science! This document is designed to help you be successful in our class. Please read it carefully and don’t hesitate to ask questions if there’s anything you don’t understand.
Contact Information
Cell Phone: 720-ToFisch (720.863.4724)
Email: kfisch@lps.k12.co.us
Twitter: karlfisch
Skype: karlfisch
Diigo: karlfisch
Office Hours
I probably have at least one unscheduled hour that you do.
Spring semester I teach Per 1 MWF, Per 2 M-F, Per 3 MTWF.
Due to my other responsibilities, however, you can't just assume I'll be there, so my office hours are by appointment (but you are always welcome to drop by to see if I’m available even if you don't have an appointment, my office is in the library).
Supplies
Charged laptop computer.
Course Goals
Openers
Most days class will start with openers, a few short questions to get us started. Your "grade" for these is based on "sincere completion." Sincere completion means that you don't get graded on whether they are right or wrong, but on whether you completed them and sincerely attempted to do them well. Show up, give a sincere effort, get the grade.
Homework
You will typically have homework each week, assigned on Monday and due Sunday morning by 9 am (so that I can look at it/grade it before class on Monday). This homework should not take a tremendous amount of time (do not spend more than 60 minutes on it, unless you just want to), but you probably don't want to wait until Saturday to start on it. This will also be "graded" on sincere completion. Homework will also be “graded” using the following scale:
SC = Sincere Completion: Sincerely attempted to do completely and well.
Skills Assessment
You will be assessed over the essential skills in Intro to Computer Science. These short (5-15 minute) assessments will occur in-class and will happen approximately once every two to three weeks.
Each assessment will be “graded” using the following scale:
PR = Proficient: Demonstrates a thorough understanding of the skill
DE = Developing: Demonstrates a developing understanding of the skill, but with some errors
NY = Not Yet: Demonstrates a minimal understanding of the skill, with significant errors
The feedback you seek and receive will be more important than the grade that goes in the grade book.
Because Computer Science and Programming constantly builds on your existing knowledge, it is essential that you master the skills as we go along and not get behind, otherwise you will quickly find it difficult to master new skills. Therefore, if you did not score proficient (PR) on the skill you will have multiple opportunities to get help from various sources and then re-assess over that skill, and your improved score will replace your previous score in the grade book. You may re-assess as often as once per day, by appointment, for the next five school days (for a possible total of up to five re-assessments). If after 5 days you are still not at least developing (DE), we will meet and discuss what we should do to help you.
If you need help first you can also make an appointment and come in for help, but you cannot re-assess on the same visit as you get help (as we want to make sure you retain the knowledge for a longer period of time). I can’t emphasize enough how critical it is that you master these skills along the way - the expectation is that you will take full advantage of this opportunity to not only improve your grade, but more importantly to improve your understanding.
We will also have a project at the end of the semester that serves as your summative assessment (final exam).
Grades
I believe that there is a difference between assessment and grading. Assessment is less about assigning a grade and more about getting better at what we can do. I believe in stressing assessment for learning as opposed to assessment of learning, which is why the feedback you seek and receive is so important. The most important assessment of your work is your own self-assessment.
Therefore your “grade” in this class is going to be a bit different. Openers, homework, and skill assessments, and the summative assessment will all be recorded in the online grade book, but in categories with a “zero” weight. This means that all of us (you, me, your parents, your counselors and administrators) will be able to see and track how you are doing in each “category” and each “assignment” within the category, but those assignments will not be assigned points and averaged to come up with an overall grade.
Instead, there will be one category titled “Current Assessment of Overall Progress” which will contain your current overall grade for the course. That category will be informed by all the “assignments” recorded in the other categories, but will not be a simple average. Instead, it will be a more holistic view of your overall progress. It will rely on my professional judgment, in concert with dialogue with you, and will change over the course of the semester as your level of understanding changes. If at any time you disagree with what that current assessment of overall progress says, you can come in and we will discuss it and I will happily change it if we agree that it should be changed.
Because of the needs of the online grade book software, the grade you receive in this category will be the typical A-F (along with pluses and minuses to try to give you some additional indication of your strength within each grade), with arbitrary percentages attached:
Classroom Policies
Here’s the one rule you need to remember:
Do the right thing.
Seriously, that’s pretty much all you have to remember. Of course you have to follow all the rules in the LPS Student Code of Conduct, as well as all AHS policies as listed in your student calendar but, in the end, it pretty much boils down to do the right thing. While I think that at least 98% of the time you know what the right thing is, if you’re ever unsure, ask.
If you really want a longer list, here you go:
Attendance and Tardies
This is pretty simple as well. All district and AHS policies apply, including the rules regarding make-up work. But, in general:
In the unlikely event that attendance or tardies become an issue, then we will have a conversation and we will develop an appropriate plan together to fix the problem.
I plan to arrange several field trips for this class, where you can see computer science and programming being used to solve problems. These field trips will likely be scheduled on PLC days, leaving school at about 7:00 am and returning toward the end of 1st period or 2nd period (depends on the field trip), or sometimes on days we don't have school (for example, the Friday of parent/teacher conference week). They will obviously be optional since I'm asking you to come in at 7:00 on a PLC day or on a day off, but I think they will be highly worthwhile and that you will want to participate.
Questions?
If you have any questions, please contact me. Once you feel like you completely understand these expectations, please fill out this form to indicate your understanding. Thank you for taking the time to thoughtfully consider these expectations, and I’m looking forward to our time together in Intro to Computer Science.
Karl Fisch
August 2017