CS 2190, Spring 2017 – Beginning of Course Memo

Seminar Manager:  Dr. Tom Horton.   horton.uva@gmail.com    Phone:  982-2217
        Office Hours:  Mon. 1-2pm; Tue. 12:30-2:00pm; Wed. 1:00-2:00pm; Fri. 1:00-1:30pm.
On-line class site: See Collab.

Description:     This seminar is required experience for students in the 2nd year of their BSCS degree.  (Others are welcome, but there are some different goals and rules -- see below.)

1. One goal is to expose 2nd years to state-of-the-art research in computer science. Learning about areas of computing will help you choose electives, choose a senior thesis topic, decide on directions for your career or graduate school, identify faculty with whom you'd like to do research with during the summer or academic term, etc. But at the very least this will give you a broader perspective of the field of computing.
2. A second goal is to explore some professional, ethical, legal, security and social issues and responsibilities relevant to computing, and also local and global impacts of computing on individuals, organizations, and society. These may include "contemporary issues" relative these ideas (e.g. patents, privacy, whistle-blowing, open-source, socially-relevant computing, work-force issues, education).

 

In summary, this course is intended to help you better understand all the possibilities the field of computer science can offer, both here at UVa and later.  We believe that having this kind of experience in the 2nd year will improve what you get out of the rest of your BSCS degree. This is one reason why (in response to students’ recommendation) we require this in the 2^nd year.

Course Objectives:  Upon completion the course, a student will:

• Have been exposed to a wide range of state-of-the-art research topics in computer science and possibly of related disciplines.
• Be better prepared to to undertake an in-depth research project in computer science or a related field, and to choose sub-areas of computing to learn more about.
• Have been exposed to issues and questions in ethics and professionalism in computer science.

Readings:  There is no textbook, but readings will be assigned of web-articles and possibly articles or short chapters of library books on reserve.    Students must do assigned readings by the deadline stated, and quizzes or other means may be used to ensure compliance.

What’s Expected of You:  This course is unlike most academic courses in the program, and what’s expected of you and what will help you earn your grade will probably seem different too.

Participation matters! You're in this class for 50 minutes a week, and there is not much outside work. To meet the course goals we will insist that you attend class and be focused on whatever is going on that day.  This means:

• On certain days, we may say that the use of notebook computers or other electronic devices is not allowed. 
• Reading of materials, doing course-work, Sudoku, etc. isn't allowed.  (We'll wake you up if you fall asleep, too.)
• Attendance is required. Excused absences may be possible with advance notice, but there may be some extra reading or report (wiki entry etc.) required.
  • There will be a system by which you’ll record that you are there.  If you use this system to indicate you’re there when you’re really not, this is an Honor Violation and you’ll receive an “F” in the class.

 

Assignments and Grade Components:  Final grades will be based on the traditional 10-point scale.

• Attendance:  60%
• Quizzes and simple homeworks: 40%

Final Exam period: There is no final exam. We will not meet in that period.  (There are no exams.)

Assignments and readings:  There will be a number of short readings related to problems in the area of ethics, computing professionalism, or computing in a broader context.  We will probably give an on-line quiz for these readings.

Honor Policy:  The University of Virginia Honor Policy is in effect in this class.  Rules for collaboration will be discussed for each assignment.  If in doubt, ask.  If you’re not sure, assume the assignment is an individual assignment.  Trying to deceive the instructor about class participation or other policies will be considered as part of a honor violation.