© Peter Andreae Introduction to Computer Science COMP 112 2015 T1. David Streader Engineering & Computer Science Victoria University of Wellington.

© Peter Andreae

Introduction to Computer Science

COMP 112 2015 T1 .

David StreaderEngineering & Computer ScienceVictoria University of Wellington

© Peter Andreae

COMP112 1:2

Introducing the Course.

• COMP112 is one year old.

• Designed as a first university course in Computer Science for students who have already done some programming, and already know much of COMP 102

• Driven by the new NCEA standards in Programming & CS

• Exciting because it is a course full of students who understand something of what this subject is about.

COMP 102

COMP 112

COMP 103

No programming experience

Programming experienceeg level 3 NCEA DT

programming standards

© Peter Andreae

COMP112 1:3

Introducing People.

• Students:• Group 1: Done NCEA level 3 DT standards in programming

and maybe Computer Science.

• Group 2: Learned programming by themselves (not in a classroom)

• Group 3: Learned programming in another course (eg COMP102, INFO 102, other institution, school course…..

• Course is for all of you, but targeted at group 1.

© Peter Andreae

COMP112 1:4What did language(s) did you learn?• What programming languages have you used?

(find out from the people around you).

• COMP 112 will teach you:• The Java programming language (used in later courses)• More about programming• Exercises toutching aspects of computer science such as

• Graphics Artificial Intelligence• Networking Relational Databases

© Peter Andreae

COMP112 1:5

What does COMP112 assume?

• COMP 112 assumes programming experience up to this level:• variables, loops, conditionals (ifs) input and output• writing functions/procedures/methods with parameters• lists or arrays• little bit of event driven input, object oriented design

• Doesn’t care what language you used • (as long as it is not drag-and-drop).

• What if you haven’t done enough to cope?

• Tell us!!! we may be going too fast.

• We will talk to you in labs to find out how you are doing.

• We will let you switch back to COMP102 during the first 4-5 weeks.

© Peter Andreae

COMP112 1:6

Does it matter if you aren’t ….

• We don’t assume you have been programming since you were small

• We don’t assume you spend all you life programming and configuring computers.

• We don’t assume you to be male or scocially inadequate.

© Peter Andreae

COMP112 1:7What will you do in COMP 112?• Design and write lots of little programs for a wide

variety of tasks. • 1st five weeks: four fairly small programs, getting up to

speed in Java

• Rest of course: three larger programs for• Graphics: bunch of photoshop-like tools for

images• Networks: build an IRC client

(chat program for real IRC services)• Databases: Program to interface to a Relational

Database.

• Several exercises on other aspects of Computer Science.

© Peter Andreae

COMP112 1:8

Work hard for you. Not for us.

• The shift from school to university is a major cultural shift that some students fail to make

• A degree can only open a door to a job.• But to keep the job you must be good at what you do• Passing your degree with out learning is very self

destructive.

© Peter Andreae

COMP112 1:9Your attitude and Your success• If you believe that you intelligence has been given to

you by a fairy godmother and is now fixed then you:are likely to not work very hard

• If you believe that intelligence is strongly influenced by the effort you put in then you:

are more likely to work hard• Fear of humiliation changes your behavior and limits

your ability to learn

• Research clearly shows that your attitude will significantly effect your likelihood of success! So view intelligence like weight lifting as improved with effort. What you are today is not what you are tomorrow.

© Peter Andreae

COMP112 1:10

University Study

© Peter Andreae

COMP112 1:11

Course Organisation

Lectures• Mon, Wed 12-13 HULT 323.• Present new ideas, techniques, examples.

• Fri 12-13 HULT 323

• Codeing ideas

Optional Tutorial/Review Session • May offer a tutorial from third week.

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COMP112 1:12

Course Web Site

An essential resource for the course:

• http://ecs.victoria.ac.nz/Courses/COMP112_2015T1

• Course information, announcements, handouts, videos

• Lab Assignment details (times, dates, handouts, files, ...)

• Forum, for questions and discussion

• Info about doing work at home.

• Java documentation

• Other useful links

Primary administrative communication channel.

© Peter Andreae

COMP112 1:13

People

Lecturers (Academic/content issues)

• David Streader Office : CO 260email : [email protected]

Senior Tutor (Administrative issues, esp labs)• Zarinah Amin Office: CO 343

email : [email protected]

Tutors (Help in labs or via online help system)• Range of Undergraduates and Graduates

Technical Staff (Reporting problems with the computers) email : [email protected]

School Office (Forgotten passwords)• Renee, and Prema School Office: CO 358

© Peter Andreae

COMP112 1:14

Lab assignments

• Seven lab assignments • hand out on Thursdays.• 4 assignments: 1 week each• 3 assignments: approx. 2 weeks each.

• Apply material from lectures and text book to practical programming problems.

This is where your learning happens!

• Done partly in scheduled lab sessions

• Further work required: expect 5 hours outside labs • any of the ECS labs, • on your home computer

© Peter Andreae

COMP112 1:15

Scheduled Labs

• 2 1-hr labs, in CO 219/238• Fri 9-10 and 10-11 Tue 10-11 and 11-12

• Tutors present to help.

• Start THIS week (Friday)• First assignment is a real assignment!

• Sign up online• https://signups.victoria.ac.nz/

Help Desk TBA

© Peter Andreae

COMP112 1:16

Text Book and Handouts

No assigned Text BookCOMP102 & COMP103 text book:• Java Foundations Lewis, DePasquale, Chase

• May be a useful resource.• The lectures complement the text, not replace it.• Neither lectures nor text will cover all the details you

need! • You need to go and find things out!

Handouts• Course outline, Lecture slides, Assignments• On COMP112 web page.

Hope to video record the lectures.

© Peter Andreae

COMP112 1:17

Tests and Exams

Terms Test:• 15%• Tue 15 April 4-5 pm

Exam: • 55% • Date tba (between 13 June and 2 July)

© Peter Andreae

COMP112 1:18

Assessment

Read the Course Outline!!!

Mandatory Course Requirement:• 40% for at least 6 of the assignments.

Final Grade:• Lab assigs 1-4: 12% (3% each)• Lab assigs 5-7: 18% (6% each)• Terms Test: 15% (mark boosted to exam mark, if better)• Exam: 50%

To pass the course, you must:• Satisfy the Mandatory Requirement.• Get overall grade of C- or better.

Note for returning students: Passing grades now C-, C, … A, A+

© Peter Andreae

COMP112 1:19

Withdrawal dates

• Early withdrawal with refund: by Fri 14 March• no consequences to early withdrawal

• Standard withdrawal without refund: 17 March – 16 May• Withdrawal recorded• No grade recorded on transcript• Withdrawal counts as a fail for determining "Satisfactory

Academic Progress"

• Late withdrawal with Dean's permission: after 16 May• Requires permission of Associate Dean• Normally given only when special circumstances arise after

16 May.

© Peter Andreae

COMP112 1:20

Plagiarism (Cheating)

• You must not present anybody else’s work as if it were your own work: • Basic principle of academic honesty.• If you declare any work from someone else, then it isn’t

plagiarism!!!

• In COMP112: • We encourage you to talk to each other and help each other

understand and solve problems BUT• The code you submit should be yours.

If you got some of the code from the web or someone else, you must put a comment in your code saying that.

© Peter Andreae

COMP112 1:21

Cheating in the assignments.

Assignments are primarily for learning, not assessing

Cheating in the assignments is not worth it!

• You won't learn, so you will probably fail.

• If caught, you'll lose marks --- or worse.

• Assignments have a fairly small contribution to your grade.

© Peter Andreae

COMP112 1:22

Lab Facilities

• All scheduled labs are in CO219/238 • Can also use other ECS labs• Can also use home computers.

• Lab Hours: 24/7• Need ID card to access in evenings and weekends

• The labs are for getting work done• Don’t prevent other people from working• If you want to play around, go somewhere else

Read the lab rules!

© Peter Andreae

COMP112 1:23

Where to go for Help

Depends on the kind of help needed

• Staff: Lecturers, Senior Tutor, tutors• Forum

• Questions, answers, comments, discussion.

• Online help system.

• ECS School Office:

• Student Services: http://www.vuw.ac.nz/st_services/

• Science/Engineering/Arch&Des Awhina programme

• The Web

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COMP112 1:24

What to do NOW!

• Sign up for the labs Note: You need to be registered for the course

(a) to sign up for a lab(b) to be able to use the ECS school computers

• Read the course outline.

• Read Assignment 1 before your lab session• You can start on the assignment before the lab session if you

wish.