Evaluations CS5390 Formal Techniques in Software Verification Spring 2002

• My comment is that I don’t believe on homework assignments. I would like that if homework assignment are absolutely necessary, then to have the chance to resubmit homework as to improve grade. Isn’t the point to learn the material? Is the grade supposed to reflect how much you learned by the end of the semester? Or how you proceed during the semester?

o I don’t like homework assignments, but I do believe in them. I would prefer to suggest problems and let you work on them without my having to grade them. However, I find that when I make these assignments, the students do not complete them, and they tend to fail my exams. When I make assignments and grade them, students put a great deal more effort into completing them, and they do much, much better on my exams. Given this history, I will continue to assign and grade homework. The grade is the best motivation I can provide.

o It is theoretically possible for me to give the opportunity to resubmit homework; however, it is not currently practical. A resubmission policy would require that I regrade homework, possibly multiple times, and keep track of various versions of grades for assignments. I simply do not have the time to handle the additional work involved.

o You are correct; the point is to learn the material. Thus, I give and grade homework to provide you with feedback on whether you have learned. However, grades are not and cannot be based on what you have learned. They are based on what you demonstrate to me. I have no way of knowing what you have learned. I do have tools that give you an opportunity to demonstrate knowledge. One of these tools is homework. It is true that you may not have learned adequately by the time you have completed the assignment, thus I tend to value homework with less significance in the final grade than I do exams and projects.

• The subject is very interesting and the only thing to comment is about the writing, some times what you write on the board is not legible. Its ok if you allow for questions about what you write on the board! That’s it.
• I am the first to admit, as I do in each class, that my handwriting is not legible. I do the best I can and count on you to ask if you have difficulty reading it. I take no offense whatsoever when students ask me to read my handwriting to them or to rewrite things.
• Positive: 1) The class was very interesting in both the material taught and in the way Dr. Roach explained the material. More than any other class, I was able to laugh and enjoy my item in the class. Dr. Roach was always willing to spend time with me to make sure I understood the subject. Dr. Roach was always flexible on when we turn on material as long as he makes sure we did work hard on assignments. Negative: I wish the only project we were assigned was graded on time so that we can know where we stand on terms of grade.
• Thank you for a very educational semester. I think that you have done the course justice. The book is very well written and has been chosen wisely.
• Material was presented very well, work load was fine-change nothing.
• I liked the course; I think it was interesting and best of all, useful. Actually, I can go and apply what I have learned to the project I’m working on. I wish more coursed like this would be offered.
• Dr. Gates and I are attempting to offer a graduate software engineering course each semester. We anticipate that a number of these courses will cover formalisms in software engineering. Look for us in the schedule of courses and remember to pre-register so the courses do not get cancelled!
• Excellent instructor. Should teach more classes.
• The class was a wonderful experience.
• I did like the style of teaching. I do believe that doing some exercises in class helps to understand the concepts. In the model checking class, I think that it was incomplete the idea of a model of a program and then writing the properties was not clear. In spin, we only cover the model in promela but never the LTL formulas. I found the class interesting and challenging.
• We had only a limited amount of time to discuss SPIN. I would like to extend the coverage in this course, but simply ran out of time.
• I think the class was very good and interesting. I would have liked to cover verification more extensively. I feel like we only covered it towards the end of class. Of course maybe the class is based much on logic, and we have to review it. Overall, it is very good.
• Dr. Roach is a good instructor. He explained every thing clearly. He gives a lot of assignments. However this is good because it makes you understand the material. I hope in this class and others that they give the final project early.