JMU CS 149 Syllabus - Introduction to Programming¶
Course Information¶
| Lecture Location: | King Hall 260 |
| Lab Location: | King Hall 248 |
| Meeting Time: | Section 1, MWF 9:10-10:00AM Section 2, MWF 10:20-11:10AM |
| Required Textbook: | Miller, Bailey et al. (Mar 2023). Programming in Python 3. https://www.zybooks.com/catalog/programming-in-python-3 (this is an interactive online textbook that will be available through Canvas.) |
| Prerequisites: | MATH 155, MATH 156 or sufficient score on the Mathematics Placement Exam. |
| Catalog Description: | Fundamental problem-solving techniques using a modern programming language. Topics include variables, input/output, decisions, loops, functions, arrays, and objects. Students learn about algorithm development, testing strategies, and software tools. |
Instructor Contact information¶
| Name: | Dr. Nathan Sprague |
| Office: | King Hall 226 |
| Office Phone: | 568-3312 |
| Email: | spragunr@jmu.edu |
| Office Hours: | http://w3.cs.jmu.edu/spragunr/schedule.html |
Questions related to course content should be asked through Piazza. The advantage of Piazza is that I can address common questions in one location, rather than answering the same question multiple times via email. I also encourage you to respond to each others' questions on Piazza; this provides everyone with more timely responses and crafting an answer can help you to understand the material better. Piazza is configured to generate an email to me when a question is posted, so using email will not result in a faster response. You may use email if you need to contact me directly.
You are welcome to call or stop by my office any time, with the understanding that I may or may not be available outside of my posted office hours. If you need to meet with me outside of my posted hours, email me to make an appointment.
Note that I typically do not respond to email or Piazza posts in the evenings or on the weekends.
If you contact me and don't hear back within a day or two, don't give up! I try to respond to email in a timely manner, but sometimes one falls through the cracks. I won't be offended if you send a follow up message if you don't hear back from me.
My office hours this semester will use a hybrid online/in-person format. You are free to attend in-person or online via Zoom. The Zoom link will be made available on the course Canvas page.
Course Goals¶
By the end of CS 149, you should be able to:
- Explain fundamental programming concepts (e.g., variables, conditions, loops, classes, objects) using correct terminology.
- Describe basic elements of high-level programming languages (e.g., expressions, statements, functions, modules, libraries).
- Read and interpret software specifications and write source code from them.
- Use automated software tools and processes to test your programs thoroughly.
- Distinguish appropriate collaboration from cheating on assignments and exams.
- Evaluate your own work for compliance with requirements and style guidelines.
- Develop correct and efficient algorithms to solve problems using computation.
Course Structure and Grading¶
The exact schedule will vary somewhat from week to week, but a typical week will be organized as follows:
| Monday Class | Wednesday Class | Friday Class |
|---|---|---|
| Practice and Reinforcement: Interactive lecture, in-class exercises, additional examples and live demos, practice problems, hints on the homework. | Quiz: Discuss homework solutions, take this week's quiz, mini-lecture introducing the next chapter. | Dive into the next topic: Group activity or hands-on lab that introduces the key concepts from the next chapter and homework. |
| Before Wed. Class | Before Friday Class | Weekend |
| Finish the homework, and ask questions about what you don't fully understand through Piazza, TA office hours, or instructor office hours. | Start reading the next chapter / working on the next homework, figure out what you need to learn. | Finish the reading. Work on homework, and ask questions about what you don't fully understand through Piazza, TA office hours, or instructor office hours. |
Laptops in the Classroom¶
You will need a laptop on some class days. If you don't have a laptop, the CS department may be able to loan you one for the semester. The only software you will need to install is Thonny (https://thonny.org/).
Course Technology¶
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Course Website: https://w3.cs.jmu.edu/spragunr/CS149/
Most instructional materials including handouts, slides, and sample code will be on the course website.
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Canvas: https://canvas.jmu.edu
Canvas will be used for posting announcements, sharing non-public files, and communicating grades.
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Gradescope: https://gradescope.com
You will use Gradescope to submit assignments and exams. Gradescope provides automated feedback to help you improve your work.
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Piazza: https://piazza.com
We will use Piazza for homework Q&A and asynchronous discussions. All instructors, TAs, and 300+ students enrolled in CS 149 will be in the same Piazza course.
Methods of Evaluation¶
zyBook Reading¶
Each week has 1–2 hours of assigned reading. The textbook includes many interactive activities. You are required to complete the participation (orange) activities. The challenge (blue) activities are encouraged, but optional.
In-Class Work¶
You are encouraged to work with other students both during and after class. In-class activities and labs have participation points, because your attendance impacts others.
Homework¶
Written and/or programming exercises will be assigned each week. These exercises are meant to give you a chance to practice the skills you need to develop in this course. You are welcome to discuss these assignments with your classmates and to use generative AI tools to help develop and understand solutions.
Be careful! Being able to understand a friend's code, or code generated using an AI tool, is very different from being able to write code on your own. If you become over-reliant on outside assistance you won't develop the skills you need to succeed on quizzes and exams.
Late Homework Policy Deadlines exist, in part, so that we can discuss solutions in class. Under normal circumstances, late work will not be accepted. Contact me if you are facing unavoidable circumstances that will prevent you from submitting an assignment on time. I will do my best to work with you to make appropriate accommodations. Please don't wait until the night before to get started!
Quizzes¶
In place of midterm exams, we will have weekly in-class quizzes. Each quiz will be about 20 minutes and will focus on two chapters of the textbook. You will be quizzed on each pair of chapters twice. An initial quiz will be given the day after the homework is due. A similar quiz on the same material will be given one week later. The goal is to improve your score on the retake. The higher of the two quiz scores will be used in calculating your grade.
Final Exam¶
This course is inherently cumulative: each week builds on the prior weeks. We will have a two-hour written and programming exam during the final exam period. The format of the final exam questions will be similar to the weekly quizzes.
Grading¶
| zyBook Readings | 5% |
| In-Class Activities | 10% |
| Homework/Programming Assignments | 15% |
| Quizzes | 45% |
| Final Exam | 25% |
Letter grades will be assigned on the scale A=90–100, B=80–89, C=70–79, D=60–69, F=0–59, with potential minor adjustments after considering the overall performance of the class and actual distribution of numeric scores. I will use + and - grades at my discretion. I do not assign WP or WF grades except in unusual circumstances.
Students who score below 60% on the final exam will receive a grade no higher than C- in the course. You must earn a B- or higher grade in CS 149 to enroll in CS 159.
Culture of Learning¶
Professional Conduct¶
The ACM (https://www.acm.org) is the main professional organization for computer scientists. It is expected that your work in this course will conform to the the ACM Code of Ethics (https://www.acm.org/code-of-ethics), which forbids discrimination and harassment of all types. If you believe someone is violating these principles (e.g., by making inappropriate or demeaning remarks), it is your responsibility to take action by informing me or, if you feel comfortable doing so, addressing the individual directly. I will do my best to preserve your confidentiality when addressing the issue.
Mutual Respect¶
Learning environments should be built on mutual respect and support a diversity of thoughts, perspectives, experiences, and identities. Please advise me regarding any concerns or personal circumstances (including your name's proper pronunciation, any name or pronouns not reflected on MyMadison, or significant extracurricular commitments) that would be relevant to your full participation in this course.
Academic Honesty¶
Honor Code¶
Students who violate the Honor Code (https://www.jmu.edu/honorcode/code.shtml) will receive a reduced or failing grade in the course. Other penalties may be imposed, and all violations will be reported to the Honor Council. Representing someone else's work as your own, in any form, constitutes an honor code violation. It is also a violation of the honor code to "render unauthorized assistance to another student by knowingly permitting him or her to see or copy all or a portion of an examination or any work to be submitted for academic credit." Automated tools may be used on any assignment, at any time, to detect inappropriate collaboration and the originality of submissions.
Generative AI¶
You are encouraged to use AI technology in ways that support your learning. The use of AI is strictly prohibited during quizzes and exams, so make sure you can program independently. Refer to the Generative AI in Computing Education Student Guide for examples of appropriate use.
Attribution¶
A key component of academic integrity is giving credit where credit is due. If you receive assistance, either from another student, an online source, or an AI-enabled tool, you must provide a clear and explicit acknowledgment of that assistance in your submission. To that end, every homework assignment must include a statement describing your process for completing the work. Here is an example illustrating the format that I expect:
"I was able to complete questions one and two with no assistance after reading the zyBook chapter. I got stuck on question three, but TA Jamie talked me through the solution during office hours. My solution for that question is based on her advice. I had no idea how to get started on question four, so I put the prompt into ChatGPT and asked it for an annotated solution. I didn't understand the resulting code, so I talked it over with my friend Xavier. He explained how negative string indexing works, which helped me to understand the code. My final submission for that question is copied from the ChatGPT output along with some added some comments explaining the parts I found confusing."
Any submission without such an acknowledgment statement will receive an automatic zero.
Full credit for homework assignments is conditional on making a good-faith effort to develop the skills necessary to answer each question independently. Submissions like the following would result in a zero on the assignment.
"I was in a hurry so I just copied all of the prompts into ChatGPT and uploaded the resulting code."
"My friend Bill had already completed the assignment and sent me a copy of his solution. I submitted a copy of his code after reading it over and improving some variable names."
University Requirements¶
Attendance Policy¶
You are expected to participate in every class. I understand that things come up, and you might need to be absent occasionally. In that case send me an email before the absence with a brief explanation of why you can't attend. I may not respond immediately, but your email will provide a record of the circumstances. You will not receive credit for in-class work if no prior notice is provided.
If you are not feeling well or suspect you might be ill, please stay home. Note the following when you are absent:
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Monday
You have until Friday to complete the in-class work.
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Wednesday
Please contact me as soon as possible. I will allow you to make up the quiz before Friday's class, unless you have a chronic pattern of absences.
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Friday
You have until Wednesday to complete the in-class work.
Adding/Dropping¶
You are responsible for enrolling in courses and verifying your schedule on MyMadison. The last day to add a semester course is Monday, 09/11/2023 (permission required after Friday, 09/01/2023). The last day to withdraw from a course with a W grade is Wednesday, 10/25/2023.
Disability Services¶
If you have a documented disability and need accommodations in this course, please register with the Office of Disability Services (http://www.jmu.edu/ods, Student Success Center, Room 1202, 540-568-6705). ODS will provide you with an Access Plan Letter to verify your need for services and make recommendations for the course.
Excused Absences¶
Students who are unable to attend class due to JMU sponsored activities (such as sports, band, academic competition, field trips, etc.) or personal religious observances may request reasonable accommodations. Please notify me during the first week of class regarding potential absences so that you and I can plan ahead.
University Closings¶
Given severe weather and other unexpected circumstances, be sure to watch for announcements relating to make-up dates. See http://www.jmu.edu/JMUpolicy/1309.shtml for JMU's cancellation policy. Although the schedule may adapt to canceled classes, assignment deadlines generally do not change.
Religious Observation Accommodations¶
I will give reasonable and appropriate accommodations to students requesting them on grounds of religious observation. If you require such accommodations you must notify me at least two weeks in advance.
Your Well-Being¶
As a university student, there may be times when personal stressors interfere with your academic performance and/or negatively impact your daily life. If you or someone you know is experiencing mental health challenges at James Madison University, please connect with the Counseling Center located within the Student Success Center on the 3rd floor. You can learn more about available services by visiting https://www.jmu.edu/counselingctr or calling 540-568-6552. These services are free and confidential. Other available support resources to consider include, but are not limited to, the Office of the Dean of Students, the Health Center, and Learning Strategies Instruction.