CSC151 2008S, Class 55: Review for the Final

Admin:
* FOOD!  (Since I've already distributed EOCEs, I feel comfortable giving you
  food.)
* How I know my children are geeks, story 153126.
* I have a great quote about Grinnell to read to you.
* Good luck on your final examinations!
* Answer key to exam 3 distributed via email.
* EC lists distributed via email.
* Grades to be distributed Monday-ish.
* Max misses class again.
* Do you want to know how EOCEs are used at Grinnell?

Overview:
* Policies for the final.
* Likely kinds of problems.
* Questions on Exam 3.
* Debriefing.
* Final comments.

==The Final==

* In class, not take-home
  * Friday 9-noon
* Closed book, closed computer
  * Open notes (one page, 8.5x11, hand written, double-sided)
* Four problems
  4 correct = A
  3 correct = B
  2 correct = C
  1 correct = D
  "Tried" = F
* PLEASE NOTIFY ME IF YOU INTEND TO TAKE THE FINAL
* Read the instructions!

* The problems
  * Cumulative
  * Likely to focus on
    * patterns of recursion
      * lists (one form of structural recursion)
      * deep recursion (another form)
      * numeric recursion
    * higher-order procedures
      * using map (and equivalents)
      * write HOP given pattern
    * algorithm design
      * searching, sorting
      * divide and conquer

* What if we do poorly on the final?
  (* .30 (- (sum exams) (min exams)))
  Final is always included in this formula

==Debriefing==

* What, if anything, went well?
  * EBoards - Easy to access information
    * But it's too bad that Sam doesn't know what year it is
    * A biased record of everything we've done.
    * With jokes that no one ever laughs at.  (Except Grant)
  * Web site is helpful: Everything is out there and (relatively) easy
    to search.
    * Much more than other classes.
    * "We're the Web generation; we'd rather use electronic than phyiscal
      resources, becuase we can search them."
  * Prof. Flexibilty lowers stress levels
    * Sam cares
  * Exam good, even when frustrating

* What went poorly?
  * Sam can't type or spell.
  * Other than Rebelsky's inability to grade most things
  * Many of the labs were too long
    * But Sam should still talk
  * Open-ended problems ("make something arbitrarily pretty") [TO DO]
    * Fun
    * But longer
    * Examples would help!
    * But some students learn better with "no limits" to what they can
      do
  * Examples would also help in procedure calls
  * Library of code would be nice. [TO DO]
  * Post readings a bit earlier.
    AND GIVE QUIZZES SO THAT THEY DO THEY READING!
  * Too rushed at the end of the semester
    * And no homework

* What would you change?
  * More mentoring hours
    * realize that not everyone can make MoTu 8-9 
  * Maybe more formal mentoring sessions

* What about images?
  * Visualization of what went wrong
  * Source of too many "open ended problem"
  * Slow work is painful (e.g., spirograph)
  * Some of it seemed pointless