Syllabus, Policies, Description
CSE 203: Computational Thinking in Context: Interactive Animations
and Games
Description
This course is an introduction to computational thinking, focusing
on problem solving and programming concepts and skills needed to create
interactive graphics, animations, and
games. It includes many opportunities to exercise your
creativity and imagination.
Objectives
The main object is learning how to program a computer. We keep it
fun by solving problems in the domains of interactive graphics,
animations, and games. Some technical jargon that names some of
the things you will be learning is found in the following list of
intended learning outcomes. Impressive, isn't it?
- Master using basic constructs provided by high-level imperative
programming languages: sequencing, selection, and iteration.
- Be familiar with algorithmic thinking.
- Be familiar with procedural composition.
- Be familiar with many of the possibilities available for
creative combination in programmed interactive media environments.
- Be familiar with using a modern interactive program development
environment.
- Be exposed to the virtual machine model of modern computer
systems.
Prerequisites
None
General Information, Exclusions, Cross-listings, etc.
- Recommended for students with little or no programming experience
or who are not confident in their programming background.
Texts and Other Course Materials
- Phrogram software available on CSE laboratory PCs and/or
installed on your own PC.
- http://carmen.osu.edu
- http://phrogram.com
Topics
Many of these hours are spread throughout the course at different
times. This is a preliminary list, highly subject to change!
Number of Hours |
Topic |
3 |
Course introduction, software
configuration, first program, and window coordinate system |
2
|
Basic iteration and movement of
sprites |
4 |
Sequencing and drawing |
4
|
Continuation conditions and
collision detection |
3
|
User interaction, polled input, and
selection |
4
|
Managing
sprite velocities
|
14 |
Course project: discussion and
evaluation
of preliminary ideas; discussion of problems encountered and possible
solutions; presentation and evaluation of final projects |
3
|
Quizzes on computing fundamentals
|
3 |
Midterm and exam reviews |
Communication
Electronic Mail
You will be expected to be able to use electronic mail to
communicate
personally with your instructor or grader or anyone else.
Relevant
e-mail will be sent to your name.number@osu.edu address! So,
please make sure
you check it-- or have e-mail forwarded to your preferred
account.
Please get in the habit of checking your e-mail once every day or
two.
When sending e-mail to your instructor or grader, please be aware
that
"spam" filters may intercept e-mail sent from an external account
(e.g.,
sally@aol.com or bill@hotmail.com) and either delay it or prevent it
from
reaching your intended recipient. We therefore recommend sending
e-mail from an OSU account. Furthermore, it is best to place the course name and number, "CSE
203", in the subject line of each email message to your
instructor or grader.
Carmen
You will be expected to be able to use forums on Carmen
(http://carmen.osu.edu) to communicate with people associated with your
entire course, including
instructors and graders, as a group. Please get in the
habit
of checking this course on Carmen every day or two.
Messages intended for your entire course -- or sometimes just your
section
-- will appear on Carmen. Feel free to send messages
to an appropriate Carmen forum if you have technical course-related
questions
or answers to communicate to all those affiliated with the course or
section. In particular, notice and make use of the "Questions"
forum and the topics: "Ask the instructor", "Ask each other", and
"Carmen questions".
Etiquette
Three criteria may be used to assess the quality of your class
participation,
both in the classroom and in on-line discussions:
- the ability to provide regular and thoughtful questions and
comments on
the readings, instructor questions, and other students' questions,
answers,
and arguments;
- the willingness to hear out, in a respectful manner, a range of
perspectives
and reactions;
- the ability to articulate your questions and answers in a manner
that
extends
the conversation in positive ways.
Do not confuse understanding with agreement. You are not being
asked
to agree with the views expressed by another; but there is one
important
rule:
Please engage and understand the perspective with which you
may disagree and do so in a civil and even-tempered manner.
It is rare that a student forgets this rule in a face-to-face setting,
but about once a quarter someone forgets it during an on-line
discussion.
Please try not to be that person.
Computing
You might hope to be able to do the lab assignments on your personal
computer.
In fact, normal written assignments are best done this way (see
below).
But your programming assignments will rely on software that is
available
only on the workstations in the CSE laboratories, unless you port it to
your personal computer. The course instructors will not be able
to
assist you in setting up this sort of thing; which is not to say it's
impossible,
only that you shouldn't expect the instructors to help. However,
you may look on Carmen for information pointing the way to installing
Phrogram on your own PC. If you do so, you may want to obtain
your own USB drive as a way of getting files back and forth between
your CSE network drive and your own PC.
Currently, the best access to workstations is available in CL 112.
For
additional information about this and other laboratories, such as hours
of operation, see the CSE Labs page,
http://www.cse.ohio-state.edu/cs/labs.shtml.
Exams
If you expect to be unavailable for an exam, please make alternate
arrangements
in
advance. You will need a documented, valid excuse for missing an
exam.
If you have trouble writing in English (and this goes for native
English
speakers, too), then practice! Points will be deducted for
incomprehensible
answers -- probably more than for wrong ones.
Assignments
Homework and other written assignments should be done in a
"professional"
manner. This does not mean "expensive". It means that you
should
make your reports look nice in addition to having the right content.
You
are strongly encouraged to use a word processor to prepare them.
You should consider keeping a copy of each homework assignment you
turn
in. There are many homework assignments and sometimes the grader
gets behind in returning them. Keeping a copy might help you when
it's time to study for an exam, if the assignment hasn't yet been
returned.
Late-Work Policies
- Homework assignments are due at the start of class on the
due
date.
Late homework will not be accepted.
- Lab (programming) assignments are due at the deadline time on the
due
date.
Maximum credit will be reduced by 20% of the original value for each
day
(24 hours), or part thereof, the assignment is late.
Accommodation for Disability
If you need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability, you
should
contact your instructor to arrange an appointment as soon as
possible.
At the appointment you and the instructor can discuss the course
format,
anticipate your needs and explore potential accommodations. We
rely
on the Office for Disability Services for assistance in verifying the
need
for accommodations and developing accommodation strategies. If
you
have not previously contacted the Office for Disability Services, we
encourage
you to do so.
Cooperation, Collaboration, and Professional Ethics
The policy on collaboration with others is fairly liberal -- but please
don't be tempted to test its limits. Certain activities are
always
permissible, except on exams (e.g., discussing problems and solution
approaches);
other behavior is never permissible (e.g., passing off as your own the
work of someone else). Some people think there is a fuzzy area in
between. If you have doubts about the middle area, ask your
instructor
for a ruling in advance. Violations are surprisingly easy
to detect and they must and will be dealt with according to OSU rules
on
academic misconduct.
The following rules are always in effect:
- You may ask the consultants or others for assistance with the
computers, or Phrogram (including interpreting the meanings of error
messages
and general advice about what causes them, but not including actually
fixing
the errors).
- You may not turn in an assignment solution from a
previous
quarter's offering of the course, even if you have previously
taken
the course and you think it might save you some time to turn in an old
solution.
One possibly ambiguous area involves talking about homework assignments
and about the design, logic, and implementation of a program. You
are encouraged to talk with others -- especially others taking
the
class -- about these things. But do not give anyone or take from
anyone written or recorded material, and in all cases please write up
your
own solution without assistance from anyone (other than your
teammate(s),
if applicable; see below). If you feel the need to test these
rules
or are not sure whether some activity would constitute cheating, please
discuss it with your instructor first!
For information about what constitutes appropriate use of the
laboratory
computing facilities, please see the official
policies, http://www.cse.ohio-state.edu/Excite/AT-policiesquery.html.
Specific Rules for Team Assignments
Some assignments are explicitly required to be done by a team of
individuals
("teammates"), and most others (except quizzes and exams) are
explicitly designated as permitting
teamwork.
Most teams have exactly two members. For such an assignment:
- Your name and the name(s) of all your teammates must be
clearly
visible on the submitted work. One team member will submit one
copy
of the solution on behalf of the entire team, and all teammates will
receive
the same grade for that assignment.
- You may not write or otherwise record any part of
your
solution
to an assignment while someone other than a teammate is helping you.
- You may not take a physical or electronic copy of
any
part
of a solution to an assignment from anyone other than a teammate.
- You may not give a physical or electronic copy of
any
part
of a solution to an assignment to anyone other than a teammate.
Grading Policy
- An assigned grader will
grade all assignments except the midterm and final exams, which the
instructor will grade.
- Missed assignments or tests without prior approval
will receive a grade of zero.
- Reasonable excuses must be given in writing to the instructor
one week prior to the due date or test date, at which time the
circumstances
will be evaluated, and approval granted or rejected.
- Exams are closed book, closed notes, and cover all
of the material up to that point.
Grading Weights:
Grading Scale
The instructor hopes to use a 90-80-70-60 grading scale, but reserves
the right to make adjustments in the students' favor at the end of the
term.