Course Introduction - Fall 2021

Resources

• Slides

Video Script

[Slide 1]

Hello and welcome to the Computational Core program!

My name is Emily Alfs-Votipka, and I’ll be one of the instructors for this program. My contact information is shown here, and is also listed on the syllabus.

[Slide 2]

There are many other instructors and TAs for this program that you may interact with or see in the tutorial videos. They all have been instrumental in the development of this program.

[Slide 3]

In this course we will primarily use a K-State email group (cc110-help or cc110-help@ksuemailprod.onmicrosoft.com) to communicate. Email sent to this address is forwarded to all instructors and TAs. Our replies to you will also be shared amongst the instructors and TAs so we all have access to the assistance you have already received. We will respond to you within a business day So a question emailed Friday night may not receive an answer before Monday.

If you wish to pose a discussion topic to you classmates, you should use the discussion feature in Canvas. Please note that asking a question on a discussion forum is not the same as emailing cc110-help; we will certainly monitor the discussion channels, but not with the same speed as the “help line”. Please read and adhere to the guidance on Netiquette in the syllabus for all electronic communications.

[Slide 4]

In addition to email and Canvas, we’ll be using the online learning platform Codio for most of the programming tutorials and projects in this program. We’ll also discuss how to use Codio later in this module.

[Slide 5]

The Computational Core program consists of several courses, and each course contains a number of learning modules. There are about 30 modules in this course. Each module will usually consist of some lecture material and quizzes, and there are a few modules which include a programming component. The modules themselves are gated, which means that you must complete each item in the module in order before continuing. In addition, the modules enforce prerequisite requirements from other modules. For CC 110 you must complete them in order starting with module 0, the enroll module should be completed first, but is not a prerequisite.

You are welcome to work on this course at any time during the week as your schedule allows, provided that you complete each module before the listed due date. There will be roughly two modules due each week. The modules are self-contained, and nearly all of the grading in this course is completed automatically through Canvas and Codio. So, you can complete modules at any time before the due date, and once a module is complete, you may immediately start on the next one.

[Slide 6]

Looking ahead to the rest of this introductory module, you’ll see that there are a few more items to be completed before you can move on. In the next video, we’ll discuss a bit more information about navigating through this course on Canvas and using the Codio learning environment.

[Slide 7]

One thing we highly encourage each of you to do is read the syllabus for this course in its entirety, and let us know if you have any questions. My view is that the syllabus is a contract between me as your teacher and you as a student, defining how each of us should treat each other and what we should expect from each other. We have made a few changes to the standard syllabus template for this program, and those changes are clearly highlighted. Finally, the syllabus itself is subject to change as needed as we adapt this program to meet the needs of its students, and all changes will be clearly communicated to everyone before they take effect.

[Slide 7]

One very important part of the syllabus that every student should read is the late work policy. First off, each module has a due date, and you may work on that module at any time before it is due, provided you have met the prerequisites. As discussed before, you must do all the readings and assignments in a module in listed order before moving on, so you cannot jump ahead. A module is considered completed when all items have been completed.

For the purposes of grading, we will use the date and time that the confirmation quiz was submitted at the end of each module to determine when the module was completed. This is due to the way that Codio handles automated grading, as it may resubmit previously graded assignments if an error in the module is corrected, making a previously completed assignment appear to be submitted late.

If any work is submitted after the due date, a penalty of 10% of the total points possible in that assignment will be deducted for each day it is late, up to a maximum of 3 days. After 3 days beyond the due date, you will receive a 0 on the assignment. Please refer to the full late policy in the syllabus for more information about how late work is handled in this course.

Finally, even if a module is late, it still must be completed before you can move on to a later module. So, it is very important to avoid getting behind in this course, as it can be very difficult to get back on track. If you ever find that you are struggling to keep up, please don’t be afraid to contact either the instructors or GTAs for assistance. We’d be happy to help you get caught back up quickly.

In this program, the standard “90-80-70-60” grading scale will apply, though I reserve the right to curve grades up to a higher grade level at my discretion. Therefore, you will never be required to get higher than 90% for an A, but you may get an A if you score slightly below 90% if I choose to curve the grades.

This is intended to be a completely online, self-paced course. There are no mandatory scheduled course times. All of the content is available online, so you can work whenever and wherever you want. It could be a 3-hour block once a week, or a few minutes here and there between classes. It’s really up to you and your schedule. However, remember that each module may require 4 to 6 or more hours of work to complete, so make sure you have plenty of time available to devote to this course.

Also, a vast majority of the grading in this course will be handled automatically through Canvas and Codio. This means that you’ll be able to receive feedback directly from those systems as soon as you submit your work. You may also contact the instructors and GTAs for additional tips and feedback regarding your work, but depending on the number of students in the program, we may not be able to review every student submission directly.

In addition, due to the flexible online format of this class, there won’t be any long lecture videos to watch. Instead, each module will consist of a guided tutorial and several short videos, each focused on a particular topic or task. Likewise, there won’t be any textbooks required, since all of the information will be presented in the interactive tutorials through Codio. Finally, since we are using Codio as our learning platform, you won’t have to deal with installing and using a clunky integrated development environment, or IDE, just to learn how to program. Codio helps make learning to program quick and painless by moving everything to the web.

For this course, the only supplies you’ll need as a student are access to a modern web browser and a broadband internet connection. No other special hardware or software is necessary!

Finally, as you are aware, this course is always subject to change. This is a relatively new program here at K-State, and we’re always working on new and interesting ideas to integrate into the courses. The best advice I have is to look upon this graphic with the words “Don’t Panic” written in large, friendly letters. If you find yourself falling behind, or not understanding seek our help via cc110-help.

So, to complete this module, there are a few other things that you’ll need to do. The next step is to watch the video on navigating Canvas and Codio, which will give you a good idea of how to most effectively work through the content in this course.

To get to that video, click the “Next” button at the bottom right of this page.