WELCOME: to the first offering of the WEB course CS333
This course is based on three principles:
Learn by doing
Learn by doing:
Programming can be an immensely satisfying activity. Compared to other engineering disciplines the time from conception of an idea to its realization is relatively short. The design of this course follows the learning model called the SPIRAL MODEL OF LEARNING.
If you want to read more about this model, you can read more in these two papers (spiral model and adaptive-learning).
In any complicated subject (such as learning C++), it takes a long time to become an expert. In the meantime, you still can do useful things with the knowledge you are learning if that knowledge matches the task you are trying to perform. The spiral model is based on the belief that "need to know" can drive the learning process and that the most important skill you can acquire is determining what you need to know and how to find that knowledge.
Circles of Competence. (set of topics that you need to know to perform certain tasks) If you know the circle of material - you should be competent to perform the tasks in that circle. The material in a book chapter is typically organized around a circle of competence needed to understand the material in that chapter. Often the set of skills needed for competence is quite diverse (for example, logging onto a computer, editing a file, generating a valid C++ program, compiling, testing).
In this website, material is divided into three levels of difficulty. So if you find the material too difficult, you can always try something easier (unless of course you are already at the easiest level). Conversely, if you want a deeper understandiing of the material, you can easily spiral out to a more detailed level. We call this "desire to know".
Applying scientific methods:
We believe that an understanding of complex systems (which includes modern computer systems) can be assisted by using a scientific approach, in which well designed experiments (in the form of programs) are used to clarify understanding or refute faulty concepts. Experimentation is a fundamental strategy for reducing uncertainty when solving problems. It is basic to understanding "how things work".
Support personal journey
This course is predicated on the belief that web technology can be used to adapt learning to your background and your interests.
Your Journey: Learning is a personal journey.You, the student must make the journey.We, the instructors, can only act as a guide.Every one of you will start with your own background of experience, will see different landmarks along the way and will arrive at your personal understanding of this material. There is no one "correct" way to make this journey. And there are varying levels of mastery of this material. Our jobs as tour guides is to get you to the point that you will be successful in your future courses and in your careers. Your job is to make the journey meaningful for you.
And its OK to ask for help along the way. (at the bottom of every page there is an easy link to send e-mail to Dr. Wild).
The Map: There are many ways to study the same material, the curriculum is a map that will help you on your journey. This map is set up by the instructor based on experience in the subject matter and based on what paths have worked well for the students in the past. Because are many different student backgrounds and learning styles, there can be several different maps through the material. Part of the assessment test you will take in the beginning is to decide the best map for you.
Remember: it is your journey and you have a lot of freedom in the path you take. BUT the curriculum is a map that will help you on that journey. AND THE TESTS ASSUME THAT YOU HAVE COVERED THE RELEVANT PARTS OF THE MAP!
Progress Report: Your progress on your journey is recorded along the way so that at any time you can see where you have been and where you still need to go. There will be several ways to view your progress. In fact you can expect that new ways to record and view your progress will be added over the course of the semester as we gain more experience with learning on the web. YOUR SUGGESTIONS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME.
Of course, we can also view your progress (but not other students). And we will use this information to bug you if you are falling behind. Although the speed of journey is NOT being graded, slow progress is a cause for concern. We want every student to be successful and we feel it is our duty to motivate you on your journey.
Feedback: At many points in the course, we will be askng for your feedback. This information is used to weed out bad material, improve explanations of difficult material or to find that material which works best for you. So please, answer questions honestly.