TA Office Hours

Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday
Riley (7-9)	Chris (6-8)	Ryan (6-8)	Joseph (6-8)	Jada (7-9)

Overview

Introduction to solving computational problems, including the fundamentals of computer programming. Topics include imperative programming constructs (variables, loops, conditionals, functions, recursion), basic object-oriented constructs (classes, objects), and some fundamental algorithms and data structures (dictionaries, arrays, linked lists). Student learn these concepts through studying the Python programming language.

Learning Goals

Upon completing this course, our goal is for you to be able to:

• Build computer programs to:
  • Effectively solve realistic problems.
  • Organize, analyze, and summarize realistic data sets.
• Read, understand, and explain a computer program.
• Understand and explain computation through:
  • Thinking logically and precisely.
  • Making and testing hypotheses.
• Use modular components to decompose problems and assemble solutions.
• Create abstract, generalized models from specific, complex examples.
• Find pertinent information from programming language documentation.

Resources

Optional Resources

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Calendar

Date	Topic	8am	11am	HW and Links
W 23 Aug	Intro to CS			HW: Survey
F 25 Aug	Intro to CSCI 150; Algorithms and errors			HW: Minecraft by hand
M 28 Aug	Intro to Python (math, variables)			HW: Sign up for CodeGrade
W 30 Aug	Intro to Python (functions)
F 1 Sep	Booleans			HW: Boolean practice
M 4 Sep	Labor Day
W 6 Sep	Conditionals
F 8 Sep	Tracing I			HW: CodingBat Conditional and By Hand Tracing Practice
M 11 Sep	PyCharm and I/O			Practice Exam 1
W 13 Sep	Generative AI
F 15 Sep	Exam 1 Review
M 18 Sep	Exam 1
W 20 Sep	The while loop			Project 1 Assigned: Civic Assistance Q/A System
F 22 Sep	Functions and stack tracing
M 25 Sep	Functions and stack tracing			HW: Function Stack Tracing
W 27 Sep	Strings
F 29 Sep	Strings and Loops			HW: CodingBat String and Loop practice
M 2 Oct	Lists			Project 1 Due
W 4 Oct	List processing examples
F 6 Oct	Function Abstraction			HW: CodingBat List and Loop practice
M 9 Oct	The for loop			Project 2 Assigned: Word Games
W 11 Oct	More for loop practice
F 13 Oct	Fall Break
M 16 Oct	File I/O
W 18 Oct	The Heap and Mutability
F 20 Oct	Exam 2 Review
M 23 Oct	Exam 2
W 25 Oct	Dictionaries I
F 27 Oct	Dictionaries II			HW: CodingBat more loop practice
M 30 Oct	Intro to Classes
W 1 Nov	Classes/objects example 1
F 3 Nov	Classes/objects example 2			HW: Heap Tracing Homework
M 6 Nov	Intro to PyGame			Project 2 Due
W 8 Nov	PyGame
F 10 Nov	Classes and PyGame			HW: Class & Dictionary practice
M 13 Nov	Final Project Discussion			Project 3 Assigned: Final Project
W 15 Nov	Heap Tracing Practice
F 17 Nov	Exam 3 Review			Project 3 Proposal Due
M 20 Nov	Exam 3
T 21 Nov	Exam 3 Take Home Due
W 22 Nov	Thanksgiving Break
F 24 Nov	Thanksgiving Break
M 27 Nov	Recursion
W 29 Nov	Recursion (trees)
F 1 Dec	Project Workshop in Class
F 8 Dec	Final Project Presentations
	11am section: 8:30am-11:30am
	8am section: 2:00pm-5:00pm

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Coursework

Late Policy

[Adapted from Spencer Bagley and David Clark, via Robert Talbert]

CSCI 150 uses a real-world policy on due dates—but this may not mean what you think! In the real real world, due dates exist but they are often not ironclad. The purpose of deadlines is usually to help motivate you to complete the task, but if you need more time to get the job done well, you email whoever set the deadline to ask if you can have more time. Studies have shown that deadline extension requests—in moderation and when truly needed—often lead to better employee evaluations (not to mention better work). [See Go Ahead and Ask for More Time on that Deadline by Ashley Williams.]

If you need an extension on a due date, email me and explain what you need, and it will probably be fine. It helps if you propose a concrete new deadline (e.g. “I can get it done by 5pm on Wednesday”). If you ask for lots of extensions, we’ll work together to find a way to help you keep up. Note, however, that late submissions may not receive feedback as quickly as on-time submissions.

If you have significant extenuating circumstances that cause you to miss multiple deadlines, please come to office hours to discuss broader accommodations. I’m happy to be flexible, but it helps to know what you need so I can figure out the best way to help.

Course Participation

Each student should schedule and attend at least two office hour meetings with either their lecture or lab instructor at some point during the semester.

Homework

#	Name	Assigned	Due	Sample Solutions
0	Survey	W Aug 23	M Aug 28
1	Minecraft by hand	F Aug 26	W Aug 30
1.5	Sign up for CodeGrade	M Aug 28	W Aug 30
2	Boolean practice	F Sep 1	W Sep 6
3	CodingBat Conditional and By Hand Tracing Practice	F Sep 8	W Sep 13
4	Function Stack Tracing	F Sep 22	W Sep 27
5	CodingBat String and Loop practice	F Sep 29	W Oct 4
6	CodingBat List and Loop practice	F Oct 6	W Oct 11
7	CodingBat more loop practice	F Oct 27	W Nov 1
8	Heap Tracing Homework	F Nov 3	W Nov 8
9	Dictionary and Class Homework	F Nov 10	W Nov 15

There will often be short homework assignments to be completed, typically assigned on Friday and due Wednesday. Homework with coding practice problems will be submitted electronically. By-hand homework should be submitted on physical paper at the start of class time – you can write (neatly) or type and print such solutions.

Labs

Wednesday Lab Code of Conduct

#	Name	Completion time	Assigned	Due
0	Minecraft	1-2 hrs	23-24 Aug	30-31 Aug
1	Kepler, Newton, Einstein	2-3 hrs	30-31 Aug	6-7 Sep
2	Diagnosing Heart Disease	2.5-3.5 hrs	6-7 Sep	13-14 Sep
3	This Day in History	2-3 hrs	13-14 Sep	20-21 Sep
4	Guess My Number	3-4 hrs	20-21 Sep	27-28 Sep
5	Mutation is the Word	4-5 hrs	27-28 Sep	4-5 Oct
6	Todo Manager	3.5-4.5 hrs	4-5 Oct	18-19 Oct
	No lab (fall break)		11-12 Oct
7	Caesar’s Secrets	3.5-4.5 hrs	18-19 Oct	25-26 Oct
8	Sentiment Analysis	3.5-4.5 hrs	25-26 Oct	1-2 Nov
9	Water Jugs	3.5-4.5 hrs	1-2 Nov	8-9 Nov
10	Faces	2.5-3.5 hrs	8-9 Nov	15-16 Nov
11	Tornado Sirens	3.5-4.5 hrs	15-16 Nov	29-30 Nov
12	(Optional) Project 3 Workshop		29-30 Nov

Much of your experience with programming in this course will be through weekly labs. Each lab will be assigned in lab with time allotted to work through the materials, and will be due by the start of the following lab.

On these labs, you will work with a partner on the lab assignments. Their name must be listed on any code you hand in as joint work. A partnership should only turn in a single copy of the assignment.

Lab attendance is required. Labs take place in the Snoddy Computer Lab, in the Bailey Library. As you go through the exterior door of the library, turn immediately to your left and enter the Snoddy Academic Resource Center. Continue through the door at the far end of the hall into the first computer lab, and then enter the second lab at the back.

Projects

#	Name	Average time	Assigned	Due
1	Civic Assistance Q/A System	3:30	20 Sep	2 Oct
2	Word Games	5:50	9 Oct	6 Nov
3	Final Project	12:45	13 Nov	8 Dec

You will have three projects in this course. These projects will cover concepts we have discussed in class and in labs, and will be due approximately two to three weeks after they are assigned.

You must work individually on the projects. You may discuss concepts and ideas with your classmates, but the code you turn in must be your own. You will be graded not only on correctness, but also technique, documentation and evaluation of your solution. Further details on the grading standards and handin instructions for each project will be given when they are assigned.

Exams

There will be three exams. Each exam will have two parts:

• In-class written part: Analysis and tracing of Python code samples.

• Take-home part: At the end of the written exam will appear some Python coding problems, the solutions to which are to be submitted by the start of the next class period.

• Exam 1: Monday, September 18, covering functions, math, numerical data, and conditionals
  • Practice Exam 1
• Exam 2: Monday, October 23, covering input/output, while loops, strings, and lists
• Exam 3: Monday, November 20, covering the heap, dictionaries, and classes

There is no final exam; you will complete a final project instead, as described above under Projects.

Specifications Grading

Each assignment is assessed as Complete, Partially Complete or Incomplete. Criteria for the first two categories will be specified for each assignment. Final course grades are earned based on cumulative assignment outcomes:

• To earn an A in the course, a student will:
  • Complete two exams and at least Partially Complete the remaining exam.
  • Complete all three projects.
  • Complete a minimum of eight homework assignments, with the other two at least Partially Complete.
  • Up to one unexcused lab absence, and Complete a minimum of 11 lab assignments, with the other two at least Partially Complete.
  • Schedule and attend a minimum of two Office Hours meetings.
• To earn a B in the course, a student will:
  • Complete two exams and at least Partially Complete the remaining exam.
  • Complete a minimum of two projects and at least Partially Complete the remaining project.
  • Complete a minimum of four homework assignments and at least Partially Complete a minimum of four more.
  • Up to one unexcused lab absence, Complete a minimum of eight of the lab assignments, and at least Partially Complete a minimum of four more.
  • Schedule and attend at least one Office Hours meeting.
• To earn a C in the course, a student will:
  • At least Partially Complete a minimum of two exams.
  • One of the following:
    • At least Partially Complete all three projects.
    • Complete the final project and at least Partially Complete one of the first two projects.
  • At least Partially Complete a minimum of six homework assignments.
  • Up to two unexcused lab absences, Complete at least four of the lab assignments, and at least Partially Complete a minimum of six more.
  • Schedule and attend at least one Office Hours meeting.
• To earn a D in the course, a student will:
  • At least Partially Complete a minimum of two exams.
  • At least Partially Complete a minimum of two projects.
  • At least Partially Complete a minimum of four homework assignments.
  • Up to three unexcused lab absences and at least Partially Complete a minimum of nine lab assignments.

Revising submitted work

If a submitted assignment receives a Partial assessment and the student seeks a Complete assessment:

• In most cases, detailed feedback will be provided with requirements necessary for a revision to be considered Complete. A deadline will also be established – typically a week after the assignment is returned.
• If the student has any questions or is uncertain what those requirements are, they should schedule an office hour appointment.
• Individual students can request extensions of their deadlines – typically, unless the student has abused this throughout the semester, requests will be granted.
• If the student submits revisions which meet the requirements by the deadline, the revised work will receive a Complete assessment.

If a submitted assignment receives a Incomplete assessment, a similar list of requirements will be provided. In most cases, an Incomplete assignment can only be upgraded to Partially Complete, but the instructor reserves the right to allow students to achieve Complete on a case-by-case basis.

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Expectations

Although you and I play different roles in the course, we both have your learning as a common goal. There are things I expect from you as a student in the course, but there are also things you can expect of me as the course instructor and facilitator.

If I am not fulfilling my responsibilities outlined below, you are welcome (and encouraged!) to call me out, perhaps via the anonymous feedback form. I will also initiate a conversation if you are not fulfilling yours. However, none of us will meet all of the expectations perfectly—me included!—so it’s also important that we have grace and patience with one another.

	What I expect from you	What you can expect from me
Communication	Check your email and Teams for occasional course announcements. Let me know via email or Teams message if you will need to miss class for some reason. Let me know as soon as possible if you feel you are struggling, would like extra help, or have something going on that will affect your engagement in the course or your ability to fulfill your responsibilities.	Clearly communicate expectations, assignment details and dates, and grading standards. Return grades and feedback on submitted work within one week of submission. Respond to emails within 24 hours.
Preparation	Come prepared to fully engage in class meetings, with distractions minimized, to the best of your ability. Spend time outside of class actively practicing unfamiliar or shaky concepts or skills (not just reading over notes).	Have a concrete plan for how we will spend each class meeting, prepared to lead you through the plan.
Engagement	Actively engage in lectures by taking notes and asking questions. Actively engage in lab by working with your partner, and working hard towards completing the lab. Abide by the College's Academic Integrity Policy and the Computer Science-specific Academic Integrity Policy.	Make myself available to meet outside of class, and give you my full attention during a meeting. Be committed to your learning, open to feedback and willing to respond in substantive ways to your suggestions or concerns.

Attendance

Attendance in this class is not required as part of your grade. However, I do expect you to attend and appreciate knowing in advance if you will need to miss class.

Disabilities

If you have a documented disability or some other reason that you cannot meet the above expectations, and/or your learning would be best served by a modification to the usual course policies, I would be happy to work with you—please get in touch (via Teams or email)! The course policies are just a means to an end; I don’t care about the policies per se but I do care about you and your learning.

It is the policy of Hendrix College to accommodate students with disabilities, pursuant to federal and state law. Students should contact Julie Brown in the Office of Academic Success (505.2954; brownj@hendrix.edu) to begin the accommodation process. Any student seeking accommodation in relation to a recognized disability should inform the instructor at the beginning of the course.

Diversity and Inclusion

Hendrix College values a diverse learning environment as outlined in the College’s Statement on Diversity. All members of this community are expected to contribute to a respectful, welcoming, and inclusive environment for every other member of the community. If you believe you have been the subject of discrimination please contact Dean Mike Leblanc at leblanc@hendrix.edu or 501-450-1222 or the Title IX Coordinator Jennifer Fulbright at titleix@hendrix.edu or 501-505-2901. If you have ideas for improving the inclusivity of the classroom experience please feel free to contact me. For more information on Hendrix non-discrimination policies, visit hendrix.edu/nondiscrimination.

Mental and Physical Health

Hendrix recognizes that many students face mental and/or physical health challenges. If your health status will impact attendance or assignments, please communicate with me as soon as possible. If you would like to implement academic accommodations, contact Julie Brown in the office of Academic Success (brownj@hendrix.edu). To maintain optimal health, please make use of free campus resources like the Hendrix Medical Clinic or Counseling Services (501.450.1448). Your health is important, and I care more about your health and well-being than I do about this class!