Spring 2012 Com S 107

Com S 107 is a purely online course. There is no regular meeting time. Students need to log onto the Blackboard Learn to see all the course materials.

Goals

To provide elementary programming skills in a high level programming language. Topics covered in this semester are:

• An Introduction to Visual Basic 2010
• Creating a User Interface
• Memory Locations and Calculations
• Making Decisions in a Program
• More on the Selection Structure
• Repeating Program Instructions
• More on the Repetition Structure
• Sub and Function Procedures
• Arrays
• String Manipulation and Menus
• Structures and Sequential Files
• Creating Classes and Objects

Audience

Students desiring a terminal and practical programming course; any other students who want to learn how to program.

Class Structure

This class is to be offered in an entirely on-line format. All information that includes lectures, assignments, programs, TA and instructor interaction, tests and exams, submitting/reviewing work will be provided through the course website (Blackboard Learn). Therefore the course work can be done anytime according to the student's schedule and anywhere from any personal computer with Internet connectivity. This type of approach requires that the student be geared towards "self-learning" and be able to structure their time to allow adequate time for the programming assignments.

Class Requirements

Students are required to access the course website in Blackboard to take the on-line lectures and become familiar with the material. The student should also daily examine the announcements and assignments to be submitted on-line. To write, compile and run a computer program in a high level programming language, students can install a programming environment in their own personal computer that must satisfy the system requirements announced via the course web page, or use computers in the computer lab of computer science department opened 24 hours a day-7 days a week. There are 12 programming assignments this semester. These assignments are essential parts of the course, since learning basic programming is the major objective of the course. This class also requires students to take 12 on-line quizzes. Besides that, there are two comprehensive exams. Both the instructor and the teaching assistant observe on-line office hours and encourage students to take advantage of this when they have questions and experience programming difficulties.

Computer Requirements

This course uses Microsoft Visual Basic 2010 Express. This Microsoft Visual Basic 2010 Express only can be installed on the following windows systems:

If your PC does not run one of those Windows systems, you will not be able to write and test any program using Visual Basic 2010. This course strongly recommends Microsoft Windows XP with Service Pack 2 as your operating system. In addition, this course web page is designed to support Microsoft Internet Explore 6.0 with Service Pack 2 or the lasted version only. Any other web browser will not be supported.

You can download Visual Basic 2010 Express for free of charge.

Grading Policy

Grading is based on the solution of 12 program problems(assignment #1-assignment #12), 12 quizzes, and 2 exams(Midterm and Final).

 Your final grade will be based on assignments, quizzes and exams. These will be weighted as follows.

60% Assignments (12 Programming assignments)
18% Quiz (12 quizzes)
11% Midterm exam
11% Final exam

All the assignments must be done individually.

On all the assignments, late submission will have 10% penalty a day strictly and Microsoft Visual Basic 2010 Express must be used.

No late homework will be accepted after one week since the deadline! Or say no late homework will be accepted after the deadline of next homework.

Grades may be appealed for one week after they are posted. Grade change requests may be denied after the appeal period has expired.

There are two exams in this course(Midterm exam and Final exam). Exams will be offered via the course website in Blackboard Learn. Each exam will last 1 hour.

For in campus students, you are required to do the two exams in CDOL Testing Center Room 60 Carver Hall. Please make sure read the Policies and Precedure at least one week before the exams start. Another link might be of some help is Presentation regarding the Testing Facility.

For off campus students who registered in XW section, you are responsible for finding a proctor for your two exams.Please make sure read the link Exam Proctor Information for Students before looking for proctor. The link Important Proctor Information contains more information on whom may act as proctor. Please find a proctor as early as you can considering we need some time to verify the quality of proctor you provide.

In semester of Spring 2012, the exams time are arranged as follows(tentative):

Midterm Exam: start from 8:00am on March 5 and end at 4:00pm on March 9, 2012.

Final Exam: start from 8:00am on April 30 and end at 4:00pm on May 4, 2012

Prerequisites

No formal course prerequsite. PC literacy and skills in a Windows environment are necessary to navigate the website and utilize the compiler. Typing skills are useful since programs are entered from the computer.