Essential Information for CSE1300 First-Year Experience Students

Welcome to the First-Year Experience! This is CSE1300 We re glad you re here!

First Things First http://ccse.kennesaw.edu/fye The FYE site includes: Up to date schedule These powerpoint presentations Instructor Office Hours GTA Hours Access to tutoring Course policies Lots more...

Why are you here? You might be a college of computing major: IT, CS, SWE, Data Analytics, Cyber Security, etc. You may not have any experience programing and need a soft introduction to problem solving and coding. You might be a non computing major, who is interested in learning more about how computers work and get an introduction to problem solving.

Problem solving While the primary topic of this class is computing, a big part of what we teach here is problem solving. These are real life skills which work in all fields. Being able to take on a task that is scary, that you ve never seen before, that you have no idea how to solve, and work through it is life changing. It s one of the highest predictors of success in a career.

How does this class work You ll have lecture every week. Slides are posted on the FYE site (see first slide) Videos of class are also posted, thus if you need to miss a class you can watch the video if necessary WARNING: Class attendance is HIGHLY recommended. Folks who do not attend and pay attention have a much lower success rate. Many of these topics will see obvious when you listen in lecture or watch the videos. However, you won t understand them until you do them.

Actually Learning You ll have Quizzes most week. They are taken in D2L. They are open notes, open book. We drop your lowest quiz grade at the end of the semester. As such you should be able to get close to 100% average on quizzes. You ll have assignments to do multiple times per semester. You should attempt these assignments yourself. This is how you ll know if you ve learned the material or not. If you are stuck, you should ask questions. You can come to my office hours (virtually or in person) or you can come to the GTAs live sessions. Each time you go to live sessions, you earn extra credit. Do not just find someone to give you the answer. If you do, you ll almost certainly fail the final and the class. We ll drop your lowest assignment.

Exams You ll have 3 exams They are closed notes, closed book. It s measuring how much you have learned. You ll take them online in D2L via lockdown browser Exam 1 will cover the material up to Exam 1 Exam 2 will cover all the material up to Exam 2 (including Exam 1) Final Exam will be comprehensive covers everything in the course. If you miss Exam 1 and/or Exam 2, your final exam grade will replace the zero(es) If you take all 3, and your final exam grade is higher than either Exam 1 or Exam 2, the final exam grade will replace your lowest exam score. We care that you know the material by the end of the class. Do not decide to blow off Exams 1 and 2 and hope you can just pass the class on the final I ve seen many fail on this plan.

How to succeed in CSE1300 If you are in an in-person section, come to class each day, pay attention and participate in the discussions. If you miss class (for any reason), it is your responsibility to watch the missed lecture content and ask a classmate for notes from class. If you are in an online section, keep up with the videos each week Most importantly! You will NOT understand everything you see in the videos/lecture. Some of it won t make sense. When this happens ASK someone. Folks who get lost in week 5 and are too afraid to ask questions usually end up failing the class. You paid for this class, so if you don t understand something ask. You can ask others in the class, reach out to the person next to you, chances are they are confused too, between you you may be able to work it out. Go to live sessions. Ask the GTA for help. They ll help, and you ll get extra credit. Go to office hours for your instructor, ask questions.

Who to communicate with and how There are many different places you can go for help: 1. CCSE Tutoring sessions, go ask questions. 2. Email a GTA (See D2L for details). They can answer one on one questions 3. Email your instructor (please let us know what class and section you are in because we teach many classes) 4. Go to your instructor s office hours. Atrium Building 353D, or schedule a Teams meeting (see Syllabus for instructions).

The Technology We Use D2L This is our shell and also where you take quizzes and exams Respondus Lockdown Browser with Monitor used to take tests/exams. The installer is available via D2L using the Respondus Setup Quiz. A webcam is REQUIRED for all exams Replit We ll use Replit.com a lot in class to show code examples when you are working on your Python code. Gradescope Used to submit your assignments for grading It is your responsibility to ensure that the correct file is uploaded to the appropriate assignment by the deadline No enrollment code, we add you after add/drop ends

Grading & Regrade Requests We will do our best to get everything graded and back to you within two weeks of the assignment deadline (not when you submitted your file(s)). The Assignments are graded by the GTAs so please be patient as it may take the full two weeks to get the grading completed due to their course and workload. Regrade Requests are our process for a student to review their graded assessments and submit corrections based on errors in the grading/rubric or in the course materials (ambiguous answers, incorrect answer marked as correct, etc). We cannot accept any changes to your submitted answers or files via Regrade Requests nor can you submit files via a regrade request This includes assignments, exams and quizzes.

Late Work / Makeup / Extra Credit No late work is accepted. Period. We drop the lowest assignment & quiz, so you can miss one if you have an emergency/sickness/oops moment. Your final exam replaces Exam 1 and/or Exam 2 if you have an emergency/sickness/oops moment during either or both exams. As such, no late or makeup Assignments, Quizzes, Exam will be offered. No individual extra credit is offered.

Bonus points Each time you go to a CCSE Tutoring session and ask a good question, you ll receive a point bonus on your final exam score. You can earn a max of 5 points if you attend 10 sessions. Showing up and saying Give me my point doesn t count, you must ask a question about class, and learn something. Go for help with the assignments, or when you are studying for the tests. Go if you didn t understand something in lecture but were too afraid to ask a question because there are so many people here. Go if you want to understand something more than we covered it in Lecture Bonus points are only awarded for visiting live sessions with GTAs, you can still come to office hours and ask questions, but you don t get bonus points for that.

Exam/Assignment Policies Exams are taken in D2L You must have a photo ID with you when you take the exams While taking the exams, you must: Make your full face visible to the camera (i.e.: brightly lit room, no sunglasses, hoodies etc.) Ensure you have a quiet place where will not be disturbed (i.e.: No cats/dog/parents/roommates can bother you). You cannot talk to or listen to anyone or anything while taking the exam (i.e.: no headphones, earbuds, cellphones, other chats/calls) Ensure you have adequate wireless signal and battery to take the test. If you exit the exam for any reason, you get a 0. All work must be your own, or you will face a hearing with SCAI and possibly fail the class.

Academic Integrity / Cheating We strive to make the class fair for all students, as such, we take cheating seriously. All work you turn in, must be your own. Period. Anything else is considered cheating. Anyone who is suspected of cheating will be turned over to SCAI for a hearing. Every semester we end up failing numerous students for cheating. Don t risk it. Typically, this will result in the student failing the assignment and or the class. Ask yourself, what will you gain by cheating? Perhaps you pass this class, but you ll fail later classes, and even if you don t you won t be able to pass a tech interview and get a job, so what s the point?

Withdrawal Day In case of emergency, it is YOUR decision whether to withdraw We can only give you advice Withdrawing on/before Withdrawal Day == W See the registrar s site for drop date information: https://registrar.kennesaw.edu/academic-calendars

What we are going to learn in this class How computers impact society What types of jobs exist in computing What makes up a computer and the internet How computers are made, and how they work How to program a robot How to build a website How to think in an algorithmic way and how to problem solve. How to write some basic Python.

Advice Don t just sit in lecture, practice! This isn t high school, so take charge Practice some more. Take advantage of resources Follow assignment directions then TURN THEM IN If you don t understand something: Don t go to bed before reaching out for help Start assignments early Practice some more.

Finally We care: It s not easy, but we want you to be successful! We want you to be employed Please (please!) reach out early if you re having problems Again: http://ccse.kennesaw.edu/fye