CSC 105	Grinnell College	Spring, 2005

An Algorithmic and Social Overview of Computer Science

Class Questions for CSC 105.01, Spring 2005

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Introduction

Throughout this semester, you are asked to read chapters from:

Walker, Henry M., The Tao of Computing: A Down-to-earth Approach to Computer Fluency, Jones and Bartlett, 2005.

Rather than repeating this same material in lecture, much class time will be devoted to clarifying topics covered in readings, tying topics together, and expanding ideas introduced in the texts. Toward this end, students must read assigned materials before class and formulate two class questions. Some appropriate types of questions are:

Questions concerning terms not defined in the reading,
Questions to clarify ideas,
Questions about the relationships between ideas or approaches,
Questions regarding assumptions behind approaches,
Questions concerning the motivation or necessity of ideas or protocols.

Thus, questions should seek to clarify points of confusion or to expand ideas just introduced briefly. For the most part, simple factual questions should be avoided (unless the facts are in dispute). The instructor will assume that students have a clear understanding of topics not covered in questions, and students should be prepared to contribute to class discussions on all areas not asked.

Mechanics

During the semester, the Tentative Class Schedule (available in .dvi , postscript and pdf formats.) specifies reading assignments for 16 class sessions. Students are expected to submit two discussion questions on most readings. In addition, questions are solicited for a presentation by ITS Director Bill Francis. Overall, a total of 34 questions may be submitted, and students are expected to submit 30 questions over the semester. (Additional questions may be submitted for extra credit, except that no more than 2 questions may be submitted per assigned reading.)

For bookkeeping purposes, students should submit these questions via the quiz feature of Grinnell's on-line blackboard program. Questions for a given day should be submitted no later 11:00 pm the previous day. This will give the instructor time to review questions prior to a class.

Discussion questions will be graded using a binary scale (0 or 1). Reasonable questions related to the reading will earn 1 point. Trivial questions or questions unrelated to the material at hand will receive 0 points.

Submitted Class Questions

For most days, class questions will be posted through links below.
An attempt will be made to limit access to these links to on-campus workstations only, but this restriction is not guaranteed.

This document is available on the World Wide Web as
http://www.cs.grinnell.edu/~walker/courses/105.sp05/class-questions.html

created 5 December 2003
last revised 11 May, 2005

For more information, please contact Henry M. Walker at walker@cs.grinnell.edu.

created 5 December 2003 last revised 11 May, 2005

For more information, please contact Henry M. Walker at walker@cs.grinnell.edu.