Syllabus
Contact
and Administrative Information
Instructor: Dr. Katie A. Siek
Professor Siek can be reached at: ksiek at cs dot colorado dot edu
Please include 'MI:' in the subject field of messages
Course Management & Collaboration Software
We will be using google docs for course management purposes. Google docs will provide wiki functionality for collaboration and file sharing. The google group will be used for announcements and general communication.
This course is a CAETE course - all students (even in-class students) can view lectures at the following sites:
- cua.colorado.edu
- emponline.colorado.edu
- itponline.colorado.edu
We all get more email than we can read every day. If you email the instructor concerning this course it is VITAL that you begin the subject line with "MI:"; otherwise your message may not get read as soon as you might hope.
Travel
If you will miss class because of travel, please let me know as soon as possible so we can accommodate your absence.
While I am traveling, I will have varying access to Internet and may not be able to answer emails in a timely fashion.
Course Requirements
Personal Profile
The purpose of the personal profile is to collect information about course participants to better tailor the curriculum to your background, skills, and interests.
Readings
This is not a lecture course; we spend the majority of the class period discussing the readings assigned each week, practicing skills learned from them, and doing synthesis work. As such, you are expected to be prepared and to have read the assigned materials, as indicated on the syllabus, BEFORE coming to class. On average, you should plan on spending at least two hours a week on the course readings.
Quizzes (20% of Grade)
There will be 8 quizzes given on Fridays throughout the semester (see agenda for more details). The quizzes will test your knowledge of the readings due during the week. CAETE students will not need a proctor for quizzes - quizzes will also be available online for CAETE students. In-class students can only make up a quiz if they have a suitable reason or notified the instructor of absence before class (e.g., illness).
Class Discussion & Grad Assignment (20% of Grade)
The 5312 students are required to research a paper for a class meeting that is related to the theme for that class period and present a 15 minute presentation during the class period and then lead class in a discussion for 10 minutes. The student must have the paper approved by the instructor and provide a pdf of the paper at least one week before the paper is presented in class. The presenter will be graded on their overall understanding of the paper and ability to engage the class in a discussion about the paper.
Occasionally, all students who watch the class via video (e.g., CAETE students), will be asked to participate by answering questions proposed in class via a google doc. If answers are not posted at least one week after the class, participation points will be subtracted.
Synthesis Paper (30% of Grade)
Students will research an area by selecting and reading three related works from highly selective conference or journal venues. The student will then construct a taxonomy and use the taxonomy as an organizing principle for the student's thoughts and for the paper. The synthesis paper can be a breakthrough experience in independent scholarship for a student. The synthesis paper will provide a natural lead-in to the final project and a path for independent scholarship beyond this course resulting in publishable material suitable for a workshop or conference. (Modified from B. Plale)
Final Project (30% of Grade)
This requirement has multiple parts detailed in the final project resource.
On campus students will work in teams of 2-3. There are 4 parts to the final on-campus student project:
- Topic Report worth 15 points of total final project grade; 5 points will be subtracted for each day this part is late. 10 points will be subtracted from this part if group members are more than 10 minutes late for topic meeting.
- Update Report worth 25 points of total final project grade; 5 points will be subtracted for each day this part is late. 10 points will be subtracted from this part if group members are more than 10 minutes late for topic meeting.
- Final Presentation worth 30 points of total final project grade; 10 points will be subtracted for each day this part is late.
- Final Report worth 30 points of total final project grade; 10 points will be subtracted for each day this part is late.
CAETE students will work individually. There are 3 parts to the final CAETE student project:
- Topic Report worth 25 points of total final project grade; 5 points will be subtracted for each day this part is late.
- Update Report worth 35 points of total final project grade; 5 points will be subtracted for each day this part is late.
- Final Report worth 40 points of total final project grade; 10 points will be subtracted for each day this part is late.
Grading
20% Quizzes
20% Class Participation
- For Graduate Students: 15% of final grade is Grad Presentation and 5% is Class Participation
30% Final Project
Class Absentee Statements
Illness
In the event you become ill and cannot attend class, I will need a health professional's note specifically saying that you could not attend class. It is not sufficient for the doctor to say that they saw you.
In the event a loved one becomes ill and you cannot attend class because you must care for your loved one, I will need a health professional's note saying that the loved needed someone to care for them and the dates that the care will be needed.
Travel
In the event that you have to travel during the semester and miss class, I must be notified at least two weeks in advance (business travel will be given some leeway with the time frame) and you must present a plan on how you will complete your individual and team work.
Death
In the event that a love one dies and you must miss class or your progress slows, you must present documentation of the death (e.g., funeral card or funeral program).
Law Incidents
In the event you or a loved one has an incident with the law, documentation will be needed to show that the incident happened during class and that is why you could not attend.
University Policies and Statements
The University asks that the following statements be presented to students at the start of each semester.
Disability Accommodations
If you qualify for accommodations because of a disability, please submit to me a letter from Disability Services in a timely manner so that your needs may be addressed. Disability Services determines accommodations based on documented disabilities. Contact: 303-492-8671, Willard 322, and htp://www.Colorado.EDU/disabilityservices
Disability Services' letters for students with disabilities indicate legally mandated reasonable accommodations. The syllabus statements and answers to Frequently Asked Questions can be found at http://www.colorado.edu/disabilityservices
Religious Observances
Campus policy regarding religious observances requires that faculty make every effort to reasonably and fairly deal with all students who, because of religious obligations, have conflicts with scheduled exams, assignments or required attendance. In this class, please send me e-mail or visit me in office hours to notify me of such a situation at least two weeks in advance of the event. See full details at <http://www.colorado.edu/policies/fac_relig.html>.
Classroom Behavior
Students and faculty each have responsibility for maintaining an appropriate learning environment. Students who fail to adhere to such behavioral standards may be subject to discipline. Faculty have the professional responsibility to treat all students with understanding, dignity and respect, to guide classroom discussion and to set reasonable limits on the manner in which they and their students express opinions. Professional courtesy and sensitivity are especially important with respect to individuals and topics dealing with differences of race, culture, religion, politics, sexual orientation, gender variance, and nationalities. Class rosters are provided to the instructor with the student's legal name. I will gladly honor your request to address you by an alternate name or gender pronoun. Please advise me of this preference early in the semester so that I may make appropriate changes to my records. See polices at <http://www.colorado.edu/policies/classbehavior.html> and at <http://www.colorado.edu/studentaffairs/judicialaffairs/code.html#student_code>.
Discrimination and Harassment
The University of Colorado at Boulder policy on Discrimination and
Harassment (
All students of the University of Colorado at Boulder are responsible
for knowing and adhering to the academic integrity policy of this
institution. Violations of this policy may include: cheating, plagiarism,
aid of academic dishonesty, fabrication, lying, bribery, and threatening
behavior. All incidents of academic misconduct shall be reported to the
Honor Code Council (