Evaluations CS150 Introduction to Programming in Visual
Basic Fall 1999
Learning to program a computer is a
non-trivial task. It takes practice, patience, and self discipline. Simply put,
it is not easy. Given that CSCI 150 is for many students the only programming
course they will ever take, I feel responsible for exposing the CSCI 150
students to the standard programming constructs and give them complex enough
programs that they get a true sense of what it means to construct a program.
Many of these students are buisness majors.
They may well end up in management positions where they have programmers
working for them. I've worked for managers who were totally clueless about what
it takes to create a program. (I've worked for some great managers, too. The
two sets are disjoint.) As an aid to all the programmers who might ever work
for them, those future managers should have at least seen a program that
required more than a few hours of thought and coding.
In the Spring 99 semester, with the exception
of the final project, I felt that the program assignments given for this course
were well in line with assignments for introductory programming courses at
other colleges and universities. I agree that the final project required more
time than I anticipated. I reduced the requirements for that assignment, but I
should have made that a group assignment. I am taking steps to ensure that
future assignments will be tractable for students.
In the Fall 99 semester, I simplified the
final project and made it a team project. Those students who worked on that
project from the start and did not put of working on it until the last week did
very well. Those students who waited to start the project suffered long hours
of last minute debugging to produce fault-ridden software.
- I appreciate the fact that we
are made to work out are mistakes. That part alone, fixing problems and
getting help doing that, has taught me more than anything.
- the instructor needs to
realize that we have not be programing for many years. Needs to teach at
our level.
- I learned a lot more from the
book.
- he needs to be more leiant of
tests. He also needs to explain the subject in more detail. He leaves out
to much syntax
- I expect you to
learn the syntax from the book or from the Help function available in the
environment. I am trying to teach you about the art and science of
programming, which trancends programming is is very difficult to obtain
from a book. In those cases where the syntax is bizzare or poorly
represented in the book, I make an effort to present the correct syntax.
- You need to take time to
explain items for programs.
- you go to fast and when you
stop too ask us if we understand we don't know where to start aking
questions
- He shows you just enough to
get you on your path but still makes it challenging.
- I took t his course before,
but now I know and understand what I'm doing and why.
- He knows his stuff.
- Always takes time out of his
day to help me out. Provides evening help.
- Goes to quick for a first
time programmer.
- BASIC is the name
of the computer language we use in this course.
- What I covered in the course are the fundamentals of
writing code in a third-generation language. I have taught courses
similar to this one at other institutions, and I have discussed this
course with dozens of instructors around the country. The content of this
course is in line with expectations elsewhere, as well as in agreement
with other instructors in my department here.
- I have never seen him stumble
or not know the answer to a question
- I think it shows that he
cares to meet us on Thursdays at 5:00
- I started weekly
help sessions because no tutors were available and many students needed
extra help. In general, students who attended help sessions were able to
complete more of the programming assignments than they would have without
the help sessions.
- The help sessions were well attended for CSCI 150;
however, few students took advantage of the help sessions for CSCI 179.
- For me I learned quite a bit
- The instructor makes this
course. He challenged us and forces us to become good at the matter
- Slow done some on the amount
of subject per week
- What I covered in the course are the fundamentals of
writing code in a third-generation language. The content of this course
is what is required in future courses in this department.