COSC 235 Programming and Problem Solving

• To develop skills to solve non-trivial problems using computational thinking.
• To be able to translate an algorithm expressed in pseudocode to Python code.
• To understand fundamental programming language constructs: variables, expressions, functions, control structures, and data types.
• To build a foundation for more advanced programming techniques, including object-oriented design and the use of standard data structures (covered in COSC 350).

This class will run in accordance with a Blended Synchronous (Flipped Classroom). You will be expected to prepare for a class meeting by performing a variety of tasks, including:

• reading portions of a textbook
• working homework problems
• watching video tutorials
• etc.

• Blended means that there are in-person and online activities in the course for which you are responsible. While there is a significant portion of the class that happens online, this is not a self-paced course. Assignments have fixed due dates.
• Synchronous means that students who are remote are actively participating in class during the scheduled meeting times.
• Flipped means we will spend class meetings discussing readings, homework problems, and working on problems and projects.

You will be in one of three groups: A, B, or C. Groups A and B will attend class in-person one day a week and attend class remotely one day a week. Students in Group C will work fully remotely. Students in all groups should work synchronously unless there are extenuating circumstances.

During class meetings, in-person and remote students will work together in small teams to solve problems. That way in-person students can grab my attention to address issues.

Social distancing allows only half of the students to be in our classroom at one time. The first day of class will be completely remote. On the first day we will determine whether you are in Group A or Group B. Group C has already been set up. Some of you might join Group C temporarily if necessary. Note: I might revise group assignments during the semester.

Students in Group A will attend “in person” on Wednesday of the first week of classes and every other class meeting after that. Students in Group B will attend “in person” on Wednesday of the first week of classes and every other class meeting after that. The class on November 20, the Friday before Thanksgiving break, will be remote only. Check out the calendar.

We will use Zoom to support remote access. The links for class meetings and for office hours will be available in Piazza and Moodle. Portions of every class meeting will be recorded and made available online. The videos for a class meeting will be available in a Piazza post for that class.

Wearing a mask covering nose and mouth in the classroom is mandatory. A facemask is not a substitute for social distancing. Do not modify the seating arrangement in the classroom.

Please evaluate your own health regularly. Do not attend class or other on-campus events if you are not feeing well. Seek appropriate medical attention for treatment of illness. A doctor's note concerning absences is not required.

You are expected to attend class sessions either in-person or remotely. The General Policy Regarding Attendance in the Wofford College Student Handbook makes you responsible for catching up on missed classes.

Class participation and active learning are important aspects of this class, so your engagement is critical to your success. However, I understand that sometimes you must miss examinations or other academic obligations affecting your grades because of illness, personal crises, and other emergencies. As long as such absences are not excessive (beyond two weeks of classes), I will work with you as best I can to help you succeed in the course. Contact me as soon as possible when such absences arise so we can make arrangements to get you caught up. This policy will not apply in the case on non-emergency absences.

If you will miss class on an “in person” day, please post without any details (anonymously if you prefer) a follow-up message to my Piazza post about the class and tag your post with open-seat so that a student in the other group can occupy your seat in the classroom. If you are in the other group and would like that seat then be the first to post in Piazza a claim for it.

If you will miss a class on a “remote” day, then let me know as soon as you can.

The final exam period is scheduled for 9:00-noon on Wednesday, December 9. You will take the final exam online in Mimir. You must complete the exam in the time allotted.

When attending class in person or remotely, you should dedicate your full attention to class activities. When attending in person, take notes and keep your laptop and other devices put away until we need them. When attending remotely, keep your video on and take notes. Give a holler if you have a question.

You must meet project deadlines. To submit a project late, you must contact me at least a day before the deadline to get an extension. Let me know how much more time you need. I will still expect you to submit the work you have completed so far even if you receive an extension.

Note: Any code you submit that contains syntax errors will receive a score of zero.

Post questions and comments about this course at Piazza. Feel free to respond to a question or to edit a response to a question. We are all learning together.

All questions about the course, including about projects, must be posted at the Piazza Q&A page. If you send me a question via email or via private post that should be posted publicly at Piazza, my reply will direct you to post your question publicly.

Do not post working code at Piazza. Do not include in a response either “fixed” code or a detailed description of how to change code to get it to work. It is okay to post non-working code.

I usually respond to email messages sent Sunday through Thursday within 24 hours—longer when sent on a Friday or a Saturday. I usually respond much sooner to Piazza posts since I have the Piazza app on my phone and receive notifications.

You can send me email messages for private matters, such as letting me know you will be absent or that you'd like to schedule a meeting. However, I prefer that you post a private message via Piazza.

Note: Anonymous Piazza posts are anonymous to classmates but not to me.

The Honor Code requires faculty, staff, and students to maintain a high standard of individual honor and integrity. Work represented as your own must be your own.

I encourage you to collaborate with others in the class—that is, help or get help from others. However, you may not write code for another student or provide code to copy. Doing any of these things is a violation Honor Code.

What is the distinction between collaboration and cheating?

During collaboration,

• You may discuss a project with another person.
• You may work together to figure out how to attack a problem.
• You may describe an issue you are having and get suggestions for resolving it.

Ultimately, you must implement a solution to the problem yourself.

• You are cheating when you copy a solution—or part of a solution—from someone else or when you allow someone to copy from you.
• You are cheating if you let someone else edit your code—or you edit their code.
• You are cheating if you are working along with another and decide together what code to write.

For some projects, you might be allowed to work with other students in the class. In this case, you are allowed to share all your work with your teammates. However, you are expected to do all of the work together. One student should not work without the others contributing.

Don’t cheat because you are up against a deadline. Start each assignment as soon as it is given. If you run into a glitch:

• Seek help from me, either by posting at Piazza or consulting with me.
• Submit on time the work you have done, even if it is not fully completed. You will likely get partial credit for your work. Just make sure any code you submit contains no errors that prevent it from being executed.

Mimir has extensive capabilities for detecting plagiarized Python code. When completing a project or a coding problem on an exam, don’t copy another student’s code or allow another to copy yours.

If you need accommodations, go to the Student tab in myWofford and investigate the Request Accommodations channel. I’ll make every effort to work with you.