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Welcome to CS 100, Discovering Computer Science, Spring 2021
(CRN # 17397, with Mon labs at: 11am:17394, 12pm:17395, 1pm:36782)
This is from a previous semester, not the current semester!
General Information
Lecture meets: Mon, Wed, 10-10:50, online using Zoom. Class on Fridays will be asynchronous, with you completing on your own the assigned work listed on the schedule. You will need to be logged in to your browser using your UIC netid.
Labs will be online using Zoom, on Mondays starting at 11am, 12 noon, or 1pm. See the Labs tab.
See bit.ly/cs100eval for advice from previous students.
Instructor: Dale Reed
Office: SEO 917, though I won't be there until campus opens up fully after Covid-19, so contact me online.
Office Phone: (312) 413-9478
email: reed @ uic.edu (remove the spaces inside the email address)
Website: bit.ly/dalereed (or just do a Google search on Dale Reed)
Student drop-in Times (Office Hours): See CS 100 TA & Drop-in Times page. We're also available immediately after class, or by appointment.
Prerequisites: None.
It is fine for you to be taking this course and not know anything about computers. We assume that it is likely you known how to search on the Internet, create and manipulate documents using Microsoft Office and/or Google docs, but if you don't know how to do these things then it is completely appropriate for us to help you with basic questions you may have.
Each of you has the potential to master the content in this course. It will take work, but I think you will find it enjoyable! We as the instructional staff will provide structure for step-by-step learning, and are available to provide additional resources when that is helpful. It is normal to experience challenges, and for some of you the road to success in some assignments may take more effort than for others. You also may be an expert in one topic but struggle in another.
What you Need:
Download and register for Zoom through UIC's web site using these instructions, which will direct you to the Zoom downloads page. I recommend you use the Google Chrome browser. To join our lecture and lab Zoom sessions you will need to be logged in to your browser using your UIC netid. Be sure you are using the Zoom app (not the browser-based version) and be sure to update your software to the most recent version, otherwise you may not be able to move yourself into breakout rooms.
A webcam and mic on your computer. To earn class participation credit you will need to either participate in discussions during class, or will need to write an essay for each class. More details are given below under Course Grading Criteria.
You will need your own Circuit Playground Express, $24 plus shipping at https://www.adafruit.com/product/3333 or at the Chicago or Westmont Microcenter stores. Be sure you get the "express" version, not the old "non-express" version. If it doesn't explicitly mention that it includes a micro-usb cord, then you will need to order one of those as well. I recommend you get one that is 3+ feet long, to make it easier to use. A micro-usb cord can also be found at Best Buy, at a pharmacy, hardware store, and some grocery stores, since they are commonly used for charging android phones.
You should have gotten an email invitation to join Piazza, the online discussion board we will be using for this class. Rather than emailing questions to us, please post your questions on Piazza, which is specifically designed to get you help quickly and efficiently from classmates, the TA, and me. We really do want to talk to you and want you to engage in conversation with each other. We believe each of us has perspective and insights to share that can help others in the class, regardless of starting point or level of expertise. Seeking help is normal and expected. We encourage you to ask any question, but recognize that sometimes this is embarrassing, which is why your posts can be anonymous to other students. To access Piazza follow the link in the navigation bar on this page. In case for some reason you didn't get the Piazza invitation, find our class signup link at: piazza.com/uic/spring2021/cs100
Register for App Lab, the environment we'll be using in learning programming.
Create a Code.org account using your UIC email address, so we can give you credit for your work.
Visit the following link to join the CS 100 class section: https://studio.code.org/join/KFVVBK
After you have followed the above steps to create an account and join the class, go to www.code.org and click the 'sign in' button
Register for Flipgrid and record a 15-30 second intro video of yourself at https://flipgrid.com/2cad1c09 providing:
Your name & major
A hobby or something you like to do in your free time
A food or restaurant you would recommend to others
(Added 4/3/21) Register for EdPuzzle. This is a way to embed notes and quiz questions as part of an online video or document.
You are responsible for all information (handouts, announcements, notes, etc.) covered during class. You should look at any online copies of notes and ask fellow classmates for missed information.
Registering Late
For those who register late for the course please send an email to the course instructor and all the TAs listed on the Lab/TA page on the course web site. See the schedule (above left on this page) for links to previous class notes, which at the bottom include instructions on how you can write essays to make up for missing classes.
Course Grading Criteria
We have a trade-off between the efficiency of deadlines and wanting to give you opportunities to develop mastery of all the course topics. There will be many opportunities to earn points and improve your standing in the class. Grades will be updated regularly so you know where you stand in the course. See the grades link on the navigation bar on this page.
50% Assignments (Due at midnight. Must be posted on your google site, so we can be inspiration from each other's work. Late assignments have a 10% per day penalty, with a maximum deduction of 50%. Added 2/10: At the end of the semester we need time to make sure everything is graded in time for you to ask questions about your grades. For this reason all late Assignments must be turned in by the end of week 13 of the semester, and the last assignment cannot be completed late. )
13% Mon & Wed (Synchronous) Class participation (or essay) (Screen snapshot taken at some random time during class, and/or record taken of written class contributions)
7% Friday (Asynch) essays
20% Class & Reading quizzes (lowest score dropped)
5% Lab Quizzes (lowest score dropped)
5% Lab Activities (lowest score dropped)
See UIC course grade distributions for this course from previous semesters. At the end of the semester top Piazza citizens will be moved to a higher grade if they are on the borderline.
Class Participation:
Meaningful social interaction can make learning more effective and enjoyable, though with Zoom we're limited to seeing and hearing each other. Using Zoom we will often work together in small teams, where you will get to know your classmates and have a role to play in accomplishing a goal as a team. Having different perspectives is valuable and will lead to better solutions. Be aware of your own role in your group and make an effort to get input from every group member.
For those of you attending class we will use Zoom professional standards: camera on, sitting up, with your entire face visible. If you are not able to meet these requirements, please contact me and we can have a conversation about it. If it is a technical problem (no camera, slow computer) I may be able to help match you up with some university resources. If you are called on during class but do not respond out-loud or in the chat, you will lose a point for class participation.
I recommend you experiment with setting virtual backgrounds in Zoom, to hide whatever is behind you. I recognize life is complicated with Covid-19, and that some of you may have noise and/or distracting backgrounds, and have no choice in your situation. If you want to attend class live and participate, but have a legitimate reason for not having your camera on, then for each class where that is true you will need to fill out the video being off form and respond to any follow-up conversation about it so you can still can full credit for class participation for the day even though your video is off.
If you prefer (or if you need to), rather than participate in the class interaction and discussion live online you may watch the class recording (available in Blackboard using the Panopto link) and write a 400+ word (3/4 of a page) essay reflecting on the class recording and the class collaboration document, in response to a prompt that will be posted at the end of the class notes for the day. This must be done within 24 hours of the original class. If you attend class, then you are not eligible for points using the essay.
Quizzes: In Class, after Assigned Readings, In Lab
Quizzes are given at the beginning of almost every class and lab and are based on the assigned reading or video watching. This is to give us a common starting point for our discussions and activities. No makeup quizzes will be given, however the lowest quiz score in each category will be dropped. Quizzes to be done after assigned readings outside of class will sometimes be given.
Labs
Lab exercises will be assigned during lab and must be completed during that lab session. Labs are graded on a 3 point scale (0: didn't do it, 1: Some effort, 2: Complete, 3: Extra credit).
If you feel that you deserve more points than you have been given on a quiz, assignment, or test, you must see the instructor about this within one week of the time the grades for the work in question is first returned to the class.
Class Norms
Following are the class norms we selected as a class on 1/13, lightly edited from the original list:
Foster an environment that focuses on growth and development
Prioritize the growth of those with little experience, acknowledging that we are all at different levels of experience
Questions are the norm, not the outlier.
Understand and if possible accommodate for each other's mental health needs.
Leniency on the start time of quizzes at the beginning of class
Assume positive intent
Collaboration amongst peers and instructors, where everybody participates
Support each other, helping others when you see them struggling.
Academic Dishonesty and Student Conduct
If you are struggling in the course please ask for help from us in the instructional staff, rather than representing someone else's work as your own. We believe you are capable of learning the concepts in the course and doing the work, and are committed to helping you get there. We expect you to treat other class members with respect, making a genuine effort on all assignments, discussions and class activities. Submitted work must be your own unless the assignment explicitly is intended to be done in a group.
Other
Covid-19 has put tremendous stress on us all, and want to be available to help if I can. The UIC Counseling Center offers an array of services to provide additional support throughout your time at UIC, including workshops, peer support groups, counseling, self-help tools, and initial consultations to speak to a mental health counselor about your concerns. Please visit the Counseling Center website for more information. If it feels like emotional concerns are impacting your academic success, please contact me and your academic advisers to create a plan to stay on track.
Please also refer as needed to the UIC academic calendar and the campus disability services policy, both of which apply to students in this class. I make an effort to avoid having tests on religious holidays, but if I neglect to take one into account, please let me know. If you will be missing class because of a religious holiday then please enter your information on the following form to help me keep track of this: https://forms.gle/aBhxT644ha4S2Ggz6.
Land Acknowledgment
At UIC we build on the work of others. I want to acknowledge that the land upon which we live and work was forcibly taken from Native American people. As described here, "The Chicago area is located on ancestral lands of indigenous tribes, such as the Council of the Three Fires--comprised of the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi Nations--as well as the Miami, Ho-Chunk, Menominee, Sac, Fox, Kickapoo, and Illinois Nations." See the Invasion of America video (90 sec) showing how Native American peoples lost their land between 1776 and 1887.