CSC 105 - The Digital Age

Spring 2015

Synopsis: This class is an overview of computer science-the science of information and computation-touching a variety of important foundational concepts while integrating the social, legal, and ethical issues relating to computing technology. Hands-on, interactive labs will have you exploring the roots of the technology that you use daily.
Instructor: Jerod Weinman
Office: Noyce 3825
Phone: x9812
E-mail: [weinman]
 
Mentor: Larry Boateng Asante
E-mail: [boatenga17]
Course web page: http://www.cs.grinnell.edu/~weinman/courses/CSC105/2015S/

Contents

1  Accommodations
2  Overview
3  Textbook
4  Class Meeting
    4.1  Facilities
    4.2  Reading Suggestions
    4.3  Attendance Policy
5  Assignments and Activities
    5.1  Reading Responses
    5.2  Discussions
    5.3  Participation
    5.4  Laboratory Activities
    5.5  Homework Assignments
    5.6  Essay
    5.7  Exams
6  Grading
7  Academic Honesty
8  Deadlines
9  Contacting Me

1  Accommodations

If you have any disability that requires accommodations, please meet with me right away so that we can work together to find accommodations that meet your learning needs. You will also need to provide documentation of your disability to the Coordinator of Disability Services, Autumn Wilke, located on the 3rd floor of the Rosenfield Center (x3124).
Please also note that I require your accommodations. The chemical fragrances found in lotions, after shave, body sprays, scented laundry products, perfume, cologne, etc. make many people who suffer with asthma, allergies, environmental sensitivities, cancer, and migraines much sicker. I am sensitive to many chemicals you may not even notice, so please try to avoid using such scented products before coming to class and especially if you visit my office.

2  Overview

The academic catalog says this course is a "study of core topics and great ideas in the field of computer science, focusing on underlying algorithmic principles and social implications." We will be exploring many important concepts from the world of computing that have practical impact on our every day lives: With hands-on class activities, we will create, discover, and gain a better intuition of computational phenomena.
Because this technology does not exist in a vacuum, we will also discuss its influence on society and the ethical issues involved. In short, we will answer the questions (and question the answers) that should make you responsible and well-informed citizens of this "digital age."
In sum, we will explore seven "big ideas" in computing: creativity, abstraction, data and information, algorithms, programming, the internet, and global impacts.1
*  What are the learning outcomes?
Our major learning objectives for this course include:
*  Why take it?
If you are at all interested in what computers can (and cannot) do and how they do it, then this overview of computer science is for you. There is little reason to be afraid of this rapidly developing technology-this course will inform you of the power and limits of computers, and we will inform each other of the broader scope and context for technology. Finally, while the details of the latest technology seem to change daily, the basic concepts remain the same. Knowing these will prepare you well for understanding future technologies and any claims made by their proponents.
*  What do I need to know?
This course assumes you are familiar with some basic computer skills, i.e., word processing, email, and web browsing, but lab activities are designed for students with no computer science background.

3  Textbook

There is no required textbook for this course. Weekly readings will primarily be drawn from Communications of the ACM (Association for Computing Machinery), which has the following editorial statement:
Communications of the ACM is the leading monthly print and online magazine for the computing and information technology fields. Communications is recognized as the most trusted and knowledgeable source of industry information for today's computing professional. Communications brings its readership in-depth coverage of emerging areas of computer science, new trends in information technology, and practical applications. Industry leaders use Communications as a platform to present and debate various technology implications, public policies, engineering challenges, and market trends. The prestige and unmatched reputation that Communications of the ACM enjoys today is built upon a 50-year commitment to high-quality editorial content and a steadfast dedication to advancing the arts, sciences, and applications of information technology.
Association for Computing Machinery. (2013, December). Communications of the ACM, 56(12), 6.
Occasionally, some material will be supplemented by other introductory readings, textbook excerpts, or research papers. I will provide these and note them in the detailed class schedule.

4  Class Meeting

MWF 1:00-2:05 pm Science 3815
    Class meetings will involve a mix of discussions, a few brief, lectures, and lab activities. In short: You are expected to attend and actively participate in class. I am expected to make class worth attending. Note that class starts at 1:00 pm, not 1:15. Please arrive promptly and punctually.
You will familiarize yourself with many concepts via collaborative, interactive in-class lab exercises. Thus, your participation and attendance is key! Please bring paper and a pen or pencil for written activites and/or notes.

4.1  Facilities

MathLAN
The computer network used by the math and computer science departments is called the MathLAN; its machines run the Linux operating system by default, and we will be using Linux for this course. You will receive a MathLAN account if you do not have one already.
Computer Labs
SCI 3815 is an open lab, available at most hours for students to use. Other possibile MathLAN-equipped lab classrooms include SCI 3813 and SCI 3819. If you need to finish up a laboratory exercise after class, this is the place to do it!
CS Tutors
Student tutors are hired to work in the open lab (and the adjoining room, SCI 3813) and answer questions about the MathLAN machines and their software (Sunday through Thursday, 7-10 pm). You can identify the tutor on duty by the flag at their workstation. These folks should be a good resource for many (though not all) of your coursework-related questions.
CS Learning Center
You are welcome to use this study space, located in SCI 3814, to work on assignments for this class. The CS Learning Center also hosts a library of CS-related books and magazines which you are welcome to use on the 3rd floor of Noyce.
CS Commons
Please feel welcome to use the CS Commons in SCI 3817 to take a break. Be respectful and share the space with other CS students.

4.2  Reading Suggestions

You should check the class schedule for updates and read any material that has been assigned. Reading should typically entail the following.
Overview
You should skim through the reading once to get an overview of the material to be covered, paying particular attention to article titles, subject headings, and topic introductions. This first "reading" can (and should) be very quick. (Expected time: 5 to 10 minutes.)
In-Depth
Next, read the material closely. Not everything will make sense at this point, but hopefully many things will. (Expected time: 40 to 50 minutes.)
Final Notes
After carefully reading the material, mentally review and try making a few notes to yourself about what you think are the most important concepts being covered, as well as any . (Expected time: 5 to 10 minutes.)

4.3  Attendance Policy

Because is a collaborative, discussion-based course, your presence is integral to your learning. Thus, 1.5% will be deducted from your overall grade for each absence. I know that sometimes "things happen." Therefore, you will be granted one unexcused absence from class without penalty. However, this rebate is cancelled upon a second absence.
If you are absent, you must send a written explanation (email is appropriate) before class except in the (rare) case of dire emergency. (Consider the analogy for phoning in sick for work; you wouldn't do it at 4 PM.)
Because I do not wish you to risk harm to yourself or others, I am likely to moderate penalties in case of illness.
If you know in advance that you will be absent for any reason, you must notify me in writing (again, email is fine) at least 7 days in advance to make arrangements for considering your absence excused.
It is very important for you to attend class on lab days because you will often work collaboratively. You should complete the lab for any days you are absent and be sure you understand the material.
In addition, our discussions benefit from your contributions. If you do miss a class, you must first talk to a classmate about any material that you may have missed. After that, you may follow up with me about any further questions or concerns.

5  Assignments and Activities

Under a normal 16 credit load, I expect that you will spend 40 hours per week on your studies (class time, homework, and studying). Thus, you should plan to spend a minimum of 10 hours/week on work for this course. With class time clocking in at 3[1/4] hours, you'll have 6[3/4] hours/week left for the following:

5.1  Reading Responses

On most Mondays, we will spend at least half the class discussing material from the text. To help you prepare, you will write a few thoughtful paragraphs (typed, double-spaced, 1 to 1[1/2] pages) in which you reflect on and respond to the reading(s). See the course web site for more details. Grading of the responses will be on a quinary scale:
No mark F Failing
MINUS MINUS D/C Unsatisfactory
MINUS C+/B- Needs improvement
CHECK B+ Satisfactory
PLUS A/A- Very good
PLUS PLUS A+ Outstanding
I expect most work will receive checks; outstanding responses may be difficult to obtain and I expect to award only a handful. Of course, no credit (F) will be given if no response is submitted. Responses are due at the beginning of class on the date of the discussion. Because this activity is designed in part to prepare you for class discussion, I will not accept late responses.
Your lowest reading response assessment will be dropped when calculating final grades.

5.2  Discussions

Our discussions on the "softer" side of technology are important to a complete understanding of the field. Your contributions (both questions and answers) should be thoughtful. Everyone has something to offer that can enrich our understanding, even those who are reticent to speak. Even if you are untalkative, your participation is expected. Please be respectful of those whose opinion differs from your own.

5.3  Participation

This class should be challenging, interesting, and fun! Moreover, I hope we will have lively debates about some of the social and ethical challenges posed by the design and use of computing technology. With spirit and a professional manner, we can create a safe and rewarding learning environment.
I expect you to participate in the following ways: And last but far from least: At the end of the semester, you may write an optional, one-page statement on your contributions to the class. Your reflection could explore your personal goals for participation, how you have sought to improve the quality of our discussions or activities, difficulties and how you addressed them, or other aspects of your participation in class. Optional participation statements will be due on the last day of class and will be used to inform your participation grade.

5.4  Laboratory Activities

Many class days will involve collaborative laboratory work to experiment with and learn more about the concepts we discuss. You may not always complete the laboratory assignments during class. You should finish these outside of class to be sure that you are engaging in all the material we cover.
The lab activities are crafted to enhance your learning. Like playing an instrument or speaking a foreign language, the only way to become proficient is to practice, practice, practice! You may be expected to write up your solutions to some lab exercises as part of your homework.

5.5  Homework Assignments

Regular homework assignments will cover problems from lecture material and laboratory exercises. These are due at the beginning of class on most Fridays. You are welcome to discuss general course material with others, but any work you do and submit should be your own. (See Academic Honesty 7 below for details.) The only exception to this is when assignments cover lab exercises that were performed collaboratively. In this case, each collaborator should submit any required materials individually and give proper attribution by naming their lab partners for any work conducted jointly.

5.6  Essay

You will write one short paper (roughly 4 pages) that expands on the social implications of some technology beyond what is covered by our readings or our class discussion. Additional details will be provided later in the course, but the milestones are:
Topic Proposal Wednesday, April 1
Sentence Outline Wednesday, April 15
Draft and Revision Plan Wednesday, April 22
Final Essay Friday, May 8

5.7  Exams

As opportunities for you to demonstrate your understanding of the technical course material there will be two non-cumulative exams. The first will be in our regular class hour, and the second during the scheduled final exam time.
Midterm 1 Friday, March 6
Midterm 2 Tuesday, May 12 (2 pm)
Do not make travel plans that will conflict with your exam schedule.

6  Grading

My goal is for everyone taking this course to be able to demonstrate familiarity and fluency with the course concepts. I would be very happy if you all met the goals above and received As. The following weighting will provide a basis for evalution.
Homework Assignments 25%
Reading Responses 20%
Participation 5%
Essay 20%
Exams 20%
Best of Homework, Responses, and Exams 10%
Grading will be based on the College's Grading System with the following brackets:
Average at least Receives Grade Points Definition
3.75 A 4.00 Excellent
3.50 A- 3.67 Excellent
3.16 B+ 3.33 Good
2.83 B 3.00 Good
2.50 B- 2.67 Good
2.16 C+ 2.33 Satisfactory
1.50 C 2.00 Satisfactory
0.50 D 1.00 Passing
0.00 F 0.00 Failing
To compensate for the unpredictability of learning exercises' outcomes, the brackets (left column) may be adjusted downward (but not upward).

7  Academic Honesty

As students, you are members of the academic community. Both the College and I expect the highest standards of academic honesty, as explained in the Grinnell College Student Handbook,
http://catalog.grinnell.edu/content.php?catoid=10&navoid=2134\#Honesty_in_Academic_Work.
Among other things, this means clearly distinguishing between work that is your own, and work that should be attributed to others. This includes ideas, examples, and code that you draw from labs and readings.
It is expected that the collaboration policies given in this syllabus and on particular assignments will be followed. In particular: As an instructor, I will meet my obligation to bring any work suspected to be in violation of the College's Academic Honesty Policy to the attention of the Committee on Academic Standing, after which there is no recourse with me.

8  Deadlines

Assignments are due at the beginning of class on the specified date. Assignments due on days for which you have a prior excused absence must still be submitted by the deadline.
A late penalty of 33.33% (i.e., 1.33 grade points) will be deducted at each subsequent class meeting. Thus, you have at most two additional meetings to submit your work.
Absolute deadline: All work (except the second midterm) must be submitted by Monday 11 May at 5 p.m. (Note that this is earlier than the institutional deadline).
Exception: Deadlines for MathLAN computer-based assignments will automatically be extended by at least one class period if MathLAN is down for an unscheduled period of 3 or more hours during the week preceding the assignment due date.

9  Contacting Me

Please come by during my office hours to discuss the course content, get any extra assistance, or just talk about how the course is going. Note that if multiple students have similar questions or issues, we may work together as a group.
If you cannot attend a scheduled office hour, you may also email me to schedule an appointment; please include 3-4 possible meeting times so that I can find one that works for me.
I enjoy getting to know my students, but I prefer to reserve office hours for academic matters. If you would like to have a more informal conversation, I would be delighted to accept an invitation to eat lunch with you at the Marketplace or a bag lunch in the CS Commons.
Email is also a reliable way to contact me, but please allow 24 hours for a response (except on weekends, when I do not read email as regularly). You may also call me in my office (x9812).

Acknowledgment

With thanks to Janet Davis for the "Reading Suggestions," "Participation," the "Reading Responses" scale, as well as other key policies, and Marge Coahran for the "Facilities" outline, with amendments from Janet Davis.

Footnotes:

1College Board. (2014, June). AP Computer Science Principles Draft Curriculum Framework. Retrieved from
http://media.collegeboard.com/digitalServices/pdf/ap/comp-sci-principles-draft-cf-final.pdf