Syllabus IDS 101: Mathematical Puzzles, Secret Codes, and Great Escapes

Section 17 - M W F 12:40-1:40 &  M 3:00-4:00, Ford 224

Professor McNicholas,  📧 emcnicho@willamette.edu

Office Hours:  My office is Ford 211.  In addition to the office hours posted on my website, I’m also available by appointment. https://sites.google.com/willamette.edu/emcnicholas/home 

Colloquium Associate: Hayden Vaughn, 📧 hmvaughn@willamette.edu

Campus Partner: Laura Levin, 📧 llevin@willamette.edu

Additional course information, assignments, and due dates are available on the course website  https://wise.willamette.edu/access/content/group/IDS-101-17-22_FA/CCIDS101-17_F22.html 

Section 21 - M W F 12:40-1:40 &  M 3:00-4:00, Ford 222

Professor Nyman,  📧 knyman@willamette.edu

Office Hours:  My office is Ford 217. My office hours are MW 9-10am, TR 1-2pm  and by  appointment    

Colloquium Associate: Katrina Miller, 📧 kimiller@willamette.edu

Campus Partner:  Nicole Rodgers, 📧 nrodgers@willamette.edu

Additional course information, assignments, and due dates are available on the course website: https://wise.willamette.edu/access/content/group/IDS-101-17-22_FA/CCIDS101-17_F22.html 

Since their arrival in 2007, escape rooms have taken the puzzling community by storm. They provide an ideal landscape in which to explore the interplay of logic, creativity, and teamwork. In this course, we will learn and apply the tools of symbolic logic and deductive reasoning as we study various types of mathematical puzzles, codes, and cryptosystems. We will put our knowledge into action, collaborating in teams to create, revise, and refine our own escape room experiences. From designing the narrative, to the logical flow of the hurdles, to the puzzles and artifacts involved, you will take control of the innovation, play testing, and implementation of an original escape room experience. 

Class Objectives 

In this course, you will

• Critically examine information and/or texts (written, oral, artistic, or quantitative) by identifying central ideas or arguments, making inferences, questioning underlying assumptions, and assessing evidence.

• Learn to contribute to a constructive classroom climate through participation in thoughtful, informed, and responsive discussion, effective speaking, active listening, and the development of an iterative group process of critical analysis and interpretation.

• Effectively formulate ideas and arguments, develop them through an iterative process, and express them clearly and persuasively via linguistic, artistic, and/or quantitative modes of communication.  

Class Engagement:  Throughout this semester you will collaborate with your fellow students on in-class investigations and out of class readings (including texts, podcasts, and videos) assigned to supplement class discussions. Your grade for this component of the course will be based on how meaningfully you engage in these activities and discussions, as based on your attendance and the quality of your in-class and Perusall contributions. Perusall assesses how integral your contributions are to the conversation – hence engaging with the Perusall readings early and often will increase your score.  

Escape Room / Scavenger Hunt Project: Over the course of the semester, you will collaborate with your peers to design and implement an escape room or scavenger hunt experience of your own.  This project will combine your creativity, mathematical and logical thinking, and story telling skills. For more information about the project including due-dates and grading rubric see the Escape Room Project website: https://sites.google.com/willamette.edu/game-room-scavenger-hunt-proje/home 

Homework:  Throughout the semester you will be assigned homework sets which preview or reinforce class concepts, provide the opportunity to explore and formulate puzzles or apply the techniques discussed in class.  I encourage you to do these homework sets collaboratively, though each student needs to compose and turn in their own written solutions unless instructed otherwise..

Student Responsibility 

I will do everything in my power to help you learn, but it is up to you to make the most of this experience by coming to class prepared and ready to engage in discussion.  The following actions are all critical for your success in this class.  If there are barriers to you doing any of the following, please let me know.

ASK QUESTIONS & THINK CRITICALLY.  Throughout the course you should be asking yourself “Why are we doing this? Why does this method work? How is this related to other topics I’ve learned?” Ask questions in class, after class, during office hours, whenever! If you are confused or having problems with a certain section of the material talk to me about it.  It is best to clear up confusions right away, and if you have a question, almost certainly other members of class do to.  Be the brave one and speak up!  The whole class will benefit from your questions. 

DO THE ASSIGNMENTS. As you know, mathematics and puzzling are not spectator sports. At the same time, it can be a frustrating endeavor to engage in alone.  Think of it as a team sport! I strongly encourage, and may even require, you to work with your fellow students on homework assignments. 

SPEND TIME STUDYING. Willamette’s Credit Hour Policy holds that for every hour of class time there is an expectation of 3 hours of work outside of class. You should anticipate spending approximately 9 hours outside of class engaged in course-related activities.  To master the content of this course you will need to invest time and effort. Set aside time for both homework and studying. A good approach would be to spend approximately 1-2 hours on reading the sections and making study notes, 3-6 hours doing the assigned problems, and 2-3 hours on your escape room project each week.  This course is completely manageable, and you can do well in it as long as you engage from the beginning. Your final project will be most effective if you make steady progress throughout the semester. 

How to Get Unstuck

It is natural to feel a little lost or confused at times. What should you do?  Discuss!  Ask questions! You can start conversations on the course Discord channel, bring questions up in class, email me, arrange to meet with me, arrange to meet with other students, attend office hours, etc.  We now have the capability to meet in person or virtually, so there are even more ways to talk things through with me or your classmates.

Course Policies

Inclusivity Statement: Willamette University values diversity and inclusion; we are committed to a climate of mutual respect and full participation. My goal is to create a learning environment that is effective, equitable, inclusive, and welcoming. If there are aspects of the instruction or design of this course that result in barriers to your inclusion, assessment of your work, or your achievement, please notify me as soon as possible. I will gladly honor your request to address you by your affirmed name or gender pronoun. Please advise me of this at any point in the semester so that I may make appropriate changes to my records. If I accidentally use an incorrect gender pronoun or mispronounce your name when addressing you, please let me know, in whatever manner makes you comfortable, so that I can make every effort to correct that error. 

Students with disabilities are encouraged to contact the Accessible Education Services office in Smullin 155 at 503-370-6737 or Accessible-info@willamette.edu to discuss a range of options to removing barriers, including accommodations. 

Missed Classes:  Please make every effort to attend all classes and be an active participant in class activities and discussions. Much of your learning and understanding of new ideas will come from thinking and talking about them in class.   If for some reason you are unable to attend class or turn in an assignment, please let me know as soon as possible, preferably before the missed class or assignment. I know how important athletic commitments, personal events, and religious traditions can be, and will do my best to accommodate your personal needs.

Cell Phone/Screen Policy: Unless specifically stated for class use, no phones, laptops, iPads, or other devices which take your eyes off your fellow classmates and the class discussion are allowed. Electronic devices must be turned off or silenced during class meetings. If your phone goes off, or it is clear that you are using one of these devices during class, you will be responsible for bringing treats for the entire class at the next class meeting. 

Health: As a student, you may experience a range of challenges that can interfere with learning, such as strained relationships, increased anxiety, substance use, feeling down, difficulty concentrating and/or lack of motivation. These mental health concerns or stressful events may diminish your academic performance and reduce your ability to participate in daily activities. Willamette services are available and treatment does work. If you think you need help, please contact Bishop Health as soon as possible at http://willamette.edu/offices/counseling/. Crisis counseling is available 24/7 at WUTalk: 503-375-5353 and Campus Safety is available at 503-370-6911. Emergency resources are also available from the Psychiatric Crisis Center at 503-585-4949 and the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. 

Willamette is a community committed to fostering safe, productive learning environments, and we value ethical sexual behaviors and standards. Title IX and our school policy prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex, which regards sexual misconduct including discrimination, harassment, domestic and dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. We understand that sexual violence can undermine students academic success, and we encourage affected students to talk to someone about their experiences and get the support they need. Please be aware that as a mandatory reporter I am required to report any instances you disclose to Willamette’s Title IX Coordinator. If you would rather share information with a confidential employee who does not have this responsibility, please contact our confidential advocate at confidential-advocate@willamette.edu. Confidential support also can 4 be found with SARAs and at the GRAC (503-851-4245); and at WUTalk - a 24-hour telephone crisis counseling support line (503-375-5353). If you are in immediate danger, please call campus safety at 503-370-6911. 

Academic Integrity: Students of Willamette University are members of a community that values excellence and integrity in every aspect of life. As such, we expect all community members to live up to the highest standards of personal, ethical, and moral conduct. Students are expected not to engage in any type of academic or intellectually dishonest practice and encouraged to display honesty, trust, fairness, respect, and responsibility in all they do. Plagiarism and cheating are especially offensive to the integrity of courses in which they occur and against the College community as a whole. These acts involve intellectual dishonesty, deception, and fraud, which inhibit the honest exchange of ideas. Ignorance of what constitutes plagiarism shall not be considered a valid defense. Plagiarism and cheating may be grounds for failure in the course and/or dismissal from the College. For more information, see http://willamette.edu/cla/catalog/policies/plagiarism-cheating.php. If you are unsure of what constitutes cheating, please ask me. These are the practices I expect you to follow in each of the components of the course: 

on the readings, research journal, and homework assignments: You may, and are encouraged to discuss things with fellow students, and get help from your professor, the course associate, websites, your notes, or similar resources. However, your submitted written work should be your own or a collaboration with your assignment group. Copy/pasting sections of another's assignment,  reading and paraphrasing another source without proper citation, or providing your assignment to be copied by others, are violations of university policy. When working on a group assignment, all members of the group should contribute to producing all components of the finished product. Writing your name on work you did not contribute to in a substantive manner is a violation of university policy. 

Intellectual Property & Privacy: Class materials and discussions including recorded lectures are for the sole purpose of educating the students enrolled in the course. The release of such information (including but not limited to directly sharing, screen capturing, or recording content) is strictly prohibited, unless the instructor states otherwise. Doing so without the permission of the instructor will be considered an Honor Code violation and may also be a violation of other state and federal laws, such as the Copyright Act. 5

 DACA/Undocumented Student Advocate:  Willamette is committed to supporting our DACA/Undocumented students in a variety of ways. This year, Olivia Muñoz is the contact person for all DACA/undocumented students can provide those students with a number of external and internal resources that are available. Her contact information is email:omunoz@willamette.edu, Office: 3rd Floor UC, Phone: 503-370-6447.

SOAR Center Offerings (Food, Clothing, and School Materials): The Students Organizing for Access to Resources (SOAR) Center strives to create equitable access to food, professional clothing, commencement regalia, and scholarly resources for WU and Willamette Academy students. The SOAR Center is located in the Putnam University Center’s third floor, across from the Harrison Conference Room. The space houses the Bearcat Pantry, Clothing Share, and First-Generation Book Drive and is maintained by committed students and advisers. Please check www.willamette.edu/go/soar for current hours of operation and email soar-center@willamette.edu for any questions or concerns. 

Land Acknowledgement: We are gathered on the land of the Kalapuya, who today are represented by the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde and the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, whose relationship with this land continues to this day. We offer gratitude for the land itself, for those who have stewarded it for generations, and for the opportunity to study, learn, work, and be in community on this land. We acknowledge that our University's history, like many others, is fundamentally tied to the first colonial developments in the Willamette Valley. Finally, we respectfully acknowledge and honor past, present, and future Indigenous students of Willamette. 

Important Dates

8/24 (W) First day of College Colloquium (all other CAS courses start Monday 8/29)

9/5 (M) Labor Day - No Classes

9/12 (M) A/D Deadline

10/10 (M) C/NC Deadline

10/14 (F) Mid-semester break - No Classes

10/28 (F) Withdraw Deadline

11/9-17 Registration for Spring

11/18 Last Day of Class for College Colloquium (all other CAS courses end on 12/9)

11/21-25 (M-F) Fall Break -  No Classes