Syllabus, Expectations, and Policies
Syllabus
- What is Computer Science
- Programming with Playgrounds
- Programming with Xcode
- Commands
- Debugging
- Functions
- Loops
- Conditionals & Logic
- Algorithmic Thinking
- Variables
- Types
- Parameters
- Arrays
Expectations
Computer Science, combining elements of a foreign language, a math class, and a science class, along with creative, engineering, and design thinking, can be an extremely difficult discipline. We will employ a number of strategies to ease these difficulties.
Pair and Group Work
For some assignments and projects you will be asked to work with a partner or part of a group. In these cases, one student will “drive” while the other(s) provide input and assistance. Every student who attaches their name to a piece of code is responsible for the knowledge that the code reflects and will be expected to know how the code works.
Work Out of Class
Class time will be provided for daily work and assignments, but students are expected to devote time outside of class to complete Playgrounds assignments, and to attend Help to complete Xcode assignments if additional time is needed.
Troubleshooting
Troubleshooting problems with code and algorithms is part of the process of learning and improvement. The further you your remove yourself from this process, the more you deprive yourself of valuable experience. Learning how to balance the need to move forward on an assignment and the need to struggle through on your own is also a part of the process of learning and improvement. When in doubt, ask me.
Policies
I will always give a one night and one attended Help session grace period for assignments with a documented difficulty. Such assignments will not be late until the end of the night of the due date or after the attended Help Session.
Small programming assignments will be graded on completion and accuracy. Assignments turned in late will be assessed a 10% per day penalty (weekends count as one day).
Projects will be graded on completion, design, efficiency, and correctness. Projects turned in less than a week late will be assessed a 20% penalty. Projects turned in more than a week late will be asssessed a 40% penalty.
