Evaluations CS4311 Fall 2002

• This class was definitely challenging and important for those of us who desire to develop software. However, I feel the current CS curriculum does not provide adequate preparation for such an intense and time-consuming course. My overall feeling is one of frustration because there was so much to do with little time to do it. More preparatory classes should be provided perhaps as technical electives for those students who would like to get a head start on learning about the software engineering process. Either that or the class should be extended to 3 semesters and not just 2. Overall, I am very pleased with the class and what I have learned from it. I truthfully feel much better prepared to enter the world as a successful software engineer.
• The Department of Computer Science intends for CS4310 and CS4311 to be taken in the final two semesters of undergraduate study. It serves as the capstone project required by ABET, the accreditation board. Many students chose to ignore our advice to delay taking 4310/11 until the final two semesters of study. The Department is working to require that these courses be delayed until students are in the final year of study. The Department is continuing discussions of how to better prepare students to succeed not only in 4310/11, but in their field after graduation.
• Dr. Roach is an excellent teacher. He challenges the expectations. Dr. Roach always makes time for his students.
• This class gives students an opportunity to learn very practical stuff. What we learned can all applied is the future work. Weakness: time consuming.
• Obviously a lot to be taught, even in 2 semesters. I feel I have learned a lot. Overall, we done.
• Even though this a tough course. I can say I enjoyed it very much. After taking this course it seems that I finally understood what CS is about. This course is 1 put together everything that I have learned in this university. Also I think the idea of dividing the system into job systems to be implemented by groups will really giver us the experience of how it is like in the real world. Dr. Roach is a very understanding professor and he took the time to meet with us individually and listen to what we had to say.
• A lot of (maybe too much) material for two semesters. In addition, the project and deliverables were challenging and demanding enough to pass as a satisfactory evaluation for the student's there semester. Although this is the nature of the beast.
• I know this class is a simulation of the real world so is it possible to fire people like in the real world? Thank you and God bless you.
• It is a hard class because all the work we have to do and the time we have to put in but I like it. Dr. Roach is a good instructor and he is funny. He really is interested on us understanding the project and be motivate us to think on the best solution for it. I think I will miss this class after this semester.
• It has been though the first part of software engineering so there was no surprise when I have to face this course the one thing that I'd like to comment about is the purpose of the class. I know that it is designed to let student's experience the software engineering part but the implementation of the final product is also important. What I suggest here is before students start this course at lease warn them so that they can be prepared for the tight schedule for implementing and software.
• I attempted to make it clear at the start of 4311 that the time available for coding is brief. The syllabus suggests only a few weeks will be spent coding. We assume that you are competent coders, having been through more nearly all of the Computer Science program by the time you start coding for this project. (You should be in the last month of your undergraduate career.) CS4311 focuses on design, in part because the design of large systems requires more discipline and maturity than the design of smaller programs with which you have experience. A good design greatly simplifies the coding task. The greatest risk students seem to face is not having adequate experience programming using the particular language they have chosen. Unfortunately, it has proven difficult to convince students to practice before the last weeks of the course. Recall that there were programming assignments early in the semester. Few students actually completed these assignments.
• Overall, I enjoyed the course, but also found it overwhelming. My only suggestion is that students take this without other difficult classes or a job.
• At the beginning of this class I though that this class was going to be impossible, but I really like it in fact it is one of my favorites I know I spent too much time and some times I hated you but now I am really happy because I learned so much the way you teach this class is excellent also you helped us a lot in my opinion you are one of the best inductors from all UTEP. I really liked the way you guide us that maybe I'll be here for grad school. Thank you Dr. Roach.
• I would recommend to move up the document assignments and deadlines. I believe that if a project will require limited access to a piece of hardware, there should be enough time to get to know the hardware, this includes learning on how to use it.
• The risks imposed by limited hardware resources for this particular project were identified early in the semester by both the Guidance Team and the students. The programming assingments given early in the semester were intended to get you introduced to the hardware and the programming language, and to help you further identify risks associated with the hardware. In other words, as you began to use the hardware, you should have realized which actions were easy to run and which required more experimentation. Few students completed the programming assignments made early in the semester, and for most of the semester, the hardware sat idle.
• Good lectures the material presented in class was well explained. Through the semester the only thing that it was confusing is when and exactly what we had to turn in. Assignments were not well clarified. Thanks Dr. Roach for all your help.
• The class requires a lot of time personnel affairs should be part on hold, if you can. Try to keep the workweek balanced, ever leading on couple of days and having the rest of the days off just does not work.
• I enjoyed 4311 much more than 4310, probably because doing the design was a more engaging and creative process than producing the SRS was. The class in general seemed more free and open, while 4310 was more constricted. Dr. Roach is hand down the best instructor in the CS department. Insightful, demanding and always willing to help, I have always enjoyed his teaching style. Thank you Dr. Roach.
• This class rally does prepare you for the real world. I wonder if perhaps there could be more time given for the actual implementation. Since this course is so time consuming (more than any I've ever taken) why is it only worth 3 credit hours? Also, is there a possibility for the project (in the future) to be simulated so that there is more control over deadlines, requirements etc. In other words, do we really need real clients? If the professor know what the requirements are (since he makes up the project) there will be less errors in the SRS and he'll be able to better answer questions.
• There is no experience like working for a real client. We (the members of the Guidance Team) think this is an essential part of the project: learning to deal with the ambiguities imposed by a customer who needs software, but may not completely understand what it needs to do.
• I attempted to make it clear at the start of 4311 that the time available for coding is brief. The syllabus suggests only a few weeks will be spent coding. We assume that you are competent coders, having been through more nearly all of the Computer Science program by the time you start coding for this project. (You should be in the last month of your undergraduate career.) CS4311 focuses on design, in part because the design of large systems requires more discipline and maturity than the design of smaller programs with which you have experience. A good design greatly simplifies the coding task. The greatest risk students seem to face is not having adequate experience programming using the particular language they have chosen. Unfortunately, it has proven difficult to convince students to practice before the last weeks of the course. Recall that there were programming assignments early in the semester. Few students actually completed these assignments.