Learning Areas

In CPSC 310, we provide progress feedback on each of the learning areas in the course, instead of on individual assessments. All content in the course corresponds to one of these learning areas and each assessment covers multiple learning areas. This style of reporting assessment will help you understand which aspects of the course you best understand and where you should focus your efforts.

The content in this course can be broadly ascribed to one of 6 learning areas:

• LA0: Process & Requirements 

• LA1: Testing 

• LA2: High Level Design  

• LA3: Low Level Design  

• LA4: Construction & Refactoring  

• LA5: Ethics & Security  

Learning area content is assessed through 9 independent assessments:

• J0: Project Journal 0

• J1: Project Journal 1

• J2: Project Journal 2

• J3: Project Journal 3

• Q0: Quiz 0

• Q0: Quiz 1

• Q0: Quiz 2

• Q0: Quiz 3

• FE: Final Exam

J0..J3 will comprise 15% of the course grade, Q0..Q3 will comprise 15% of the course grade, and the final exam will comprise 40% of the course grade. The remaining 30% of the course grade will come directly from the project.

Your assessed understanding of each learning area will fall into one of the following buckets:

• Beginning - Insufficient demonstrated understanding of a learning area. Focusing on this content is strongly recommend.

• Acquiring - Initial understanding for the learning area.

• Developing - Considerable understanding of the concepts associated with the learning area.

• Proficient - Strong understanding for both basic and complex applications of the learning area.

• Extending - Exceptional understanding for the learning area; this usually requires demonstrating the ability to synthesize knowledge about the learning area to novel situations.

Motivation

There are a few reasons why we are using bucket grading for the learning areas, instead of just giving you independent grades:

1. Independent grades are about their 'container' not their content: While it would be nice to know you did well on Q2 or J3, knowing this won't help you appreciate which aspects of the course you have a stronger understanding for and which aspects of the course you have a weaker understanding for.

2. Leniency for true/false grading: The quizzes and final exam are exclusively graded with fleets of true / false questions. While we work hard to design these questions to authentically assess you knowledge (and back each grade up with a full rationale), sometimes there can be disagreement about our assessment. By using buckets these minor disagreements are ignored and full points can still be awarded, providing leniency in every learning area.

3. Better feedback: Ultimately we want you to come away from this course being able to have a deep appreciation for software engineering in a way that would enable you to contribute to a modern software development team. By providing targeted feedback on where your understanding can be strengthened, we hope you can focus your efforts on aspects of the material that would maximize the value of your educational effort.

Calculating Your Grade

Of course, we must report your final grade numerically. Each learning area will be assigned a bucket based on our belief of your demonstrated understanding. Bucket grades will only be available for learning areas that have had sufficient opportunity to provide feedback for that area (e.g., at least five questions or rubric items). Any learning area for which a grade is not available (e.g., because insufficient quizzes or project journals have been taken/submitted) will receive a grade of 0%.

Learning Area Buckets:

• Beginning - 45%

• Acquiring  - 60%

• Developing - 70%

• Proficient  - 80%

• Extending  - 100%

If you achieve beginning in 3 learning areas or more, your maximum grade in the course is capped at 50%.

About Quizzes

Quiz dates are on the Schedule Page.

There will be 4 quizzes.

Quizzes are cumulative and will cover all lecture material prior to the end of the Thursday before the quiz opens. Practice quizzes will be provided through Prairie Learn.

CBTF Information
Quizzes must be taken in person in special-purpose labs (ICCS 008 and 014) referred to as the Computer-Based Testing Facility (CBTF). You will self-schedule your quiz time by making a reservation in one of the sessions listed at https://us.prairietest.com/ (PT). Quizzes will not be returned but will be available for viewing in the CBTF at various points during the term and before the final exam.

CBTF sessions typically occur on Wed, Thu, and Fri and seats are first-come, first-served for all times. Please arrive at the CBTF approximately 10 min before your scheduled time, and bring your UBC ID card for check-in. 

The CBTF is a secure, invigilated, testing site consisting of two neighbouring rooms in the basement of ICCS. When you arrive for your quiz, you will be asked to place all of your personal belongings including all electronics (watches, phones, ear buds, etc.) on the shelves at the front of the room. After check-in you will take your seat, log in to PT, and begin your quiz when the invigilator gives the signal. When you’re finished, just submit your quiz, collect your things, and leave the room! 

Collaboration/communication with others (tutors, other students, anyone) is not allowed during the quizzes and while the quiz is open for other students. If detected, it will be considered academic misconduct. 

No Posting of Quiz Content
Because we are allowing flexible quiz-taking, you are not allowed to post any content or question about any quiz to any forum (Piazza, reddit) or to communicate with any other student about a quiz.  Any such communication is considered academic misconduct and will be treated seriously. If you have concerns about an answer to a quiz question, please use the 'issue' feature within PrairieLearn, either during your quiz or during a viewing, to report it. We evaluate each and every one of these very carefully and will respond accordingly if a change is needed. Please also feel free to come to instructor office hours to discuss any concerns you have about any quiz question, or if you just want to discuss the quiz!

Misconduct on any quiz will result in a score of 0 for all quizzes for all students involved.

About the Project Journal

The Journal Page contains important details about the journal. All journal deliverables are individual unless otherwise specified. Because the Journal is meant to aid your reflective skills, you may NOT use a tutor or generative AI tools to create journal content.

About the Final

You must take the final exam. 

The final exam will be written in person on paper with the same style of questions and grading scheme as used in the quizzes. All material covered by the lectures, slides, and readings are examinable. No external notes or devices are permitted.