CSCI 2830
Computer Science as a Field of Work and Study
Fall, 2006
Goals : The primary goal of the course is to understand what careers in computing are like The secondary goal is to make you more successful in your studies, by helping you develop useful working skills and practices.
Method: You'll complete a series of short assignments,
detailed below. You'll participate in discussions with people (some of them
alumni) who will share their experiences in a variety of computing-related
careers.
Why this class is offered: Over the years it has happened that many students in the College of Engineering become juniors, seniors, or even graduate, without knowing what a career in engineering would be like, and therefore without knowing whether such a career is what they really want. This happens because engineering curricula often emphasize technical preparation in the various fields, not showing what real engineering work is like. It's obvious why this is a problem: students may make late (and expensive) changes of major, or may find after graduation that they've started a career they dislike. More subtly, they may miss opportunities to prepare themselves fully for what they do want to do, by not seeking appropriate work experience during their student years, for example.
This course attacks this problem head on by giving you the chance to see early in your studies what computing careers are like and how to prepare for them. It will also give the opportunity to think hard about what you really want to do, and how you can best develop your interests.
Another common problem is that students have trouble developing the habits of work that engineering study requires. There has been a trend recently for some high schools to require very little homework, for example; work habits that get you through such a high school program, or even allow you to excel there, will not get you through CU. Even students with well-developed work habits face new challenges: you may find it hard to balance the need to study against the temptation to dive into a new and exciting round of socializing, partying, and skiing. On the other hand, many of you will be holding down jobs, and will be trying to put more than 24 hours in each day to keep up in your classes while paying your bills.
We'll do some things in this course to help you deal with these issues. You'll have the chance to see where your time really goes. And you'll have the chance to assess and discuss how well you are meeting your goals, and what you could do to improve.
I hope these goals seem important and worthwhile to you. But experience in the College also shows that they do not seem important to everyone, until it's too late. Anyone can see the value of developing better work habits when they are suspended for unsatisfactory grades. Anyone can see that work experience in their field is valuable when they don't get an interview in senior year with an attractive company and their roommate does. Another issue is that even someone who realizes that learning about careers, or time management, is valuable, may not devote time to it because other needs always seem more pressing, like doing the next problem set in physics.
That's why we strongly urge all of our students to take this course. It's good for you, whether you know it or not, and it's more important than you may think at this moment.
As it happens, my personal philosophy of education is opposed to required courses. I think you have to develop your own judgment and responsibility, and that having decisions made for you can get in the way of that. And I hate being in a room with people who are there because they have to be, not because they want to be. To reduce this discomfort, I'll be doing my best to make the time you spend on the course interesting as well as useful. My aim is that at the end of the semester each of you will feel that your time has been very well spent. If you do not feel that way, I'll buy you lunch as partial compensation.
Attendance: You should attend the weekly meetings, but you are not strictly required to. You are responsible for knowing about any changes to assignments that might be discussed in class, and for turning in work in class.
Grading: Completing the required assignments adequately and on time will earn a B. Not doing that will earn a lower grade. To earn an A you have to propose and carry out an approved extra project, as described below. Extra projects will not be approved unless you are keeping up with the required work.
Workload: You should expect to spend about two hours per week on this course, besides time in class, on the average (some weeks will be lighter, others heavier). You can spend more time if you want, of course, but let me know if you find that it is taking you more time than that just to keep up.
A word to the advanced student: One of the problems in any course is that people come in with different amounts of background, and so defining activities at the right level for everyone is hard. I expect that some of you will already know quite a bit about careers in computing, through work experience you already have, or through family connections. Some of you will already have great work habits and time management skills. In designing the activities for the class I've tried to choose things that will be valuable to people at all levels, though in different ways. But please let me know if you feel that I'm asking you to do something that does not seem worthwhile, or if some modification would make it more useful for you. I also hope that you'll share your experiences and skills with the rest of the class.
Required assignments:
Important notes: All required written work ( other than filled-in forms) must be produced on a word-processor unless explicitly instructed otherwise. Why? Partly because that's how things are in the real world, partly because studies show that handwritten coursework is evaluated less positively by instructors, so it's in your interest to do things this way in all your classes, and partly because it takes a little more advance planning to get work done this way, which is good.
Submissions must be uploaded to www.turnitin.com on the day the assignment is due. In addition, bring a hardcopy (print out) of your submission to class.
All written submissions should be no more than two pages in length, and should be as clearly and well written as you can make them.
All written work must be ready at the beginning of class on the due dates indicated in the calendar (below), so that it can be discussed in class that day.
All submissions must include your name.
Career interests essay. Imagine
yourself looking back on your life from near its end, sixty or seventy years
from now. What do you want to see? Describe the accomplishments, contributions,
pleasures, or whatever that will be important to you. Then describe the career
path you plan that will get you there.
In preparing this essay, emphasize what is important and rewarding, not
what is easy or familiar or “realistic”. Remember, this is your
life you are thinking about.
Why? Taking some time to think about what you want to do in life, and why, will be a big help in reaching your goals. Also, this information will help me and other members of the class get to know you and help you get where you want to go.
Time log. Most people have no idea where their time goes,
which makes it hard to manage time effectively. Keep a log each day for one
week (Monday, 9/15 through Sunday, 9/21) of how you spend your time. Aim for
accuracy at least to the nearest hour, and to the nearest half hour if possible.
Here are the categories last year’s class agreed to use in the logs; use
these categories in your log.
sleep, eat, homework, physical activity,
class, work(paid), travel/commuting, hygiene/laundry, wasting time,
TV/movies/listening to music, video/computer games, phone, socializing, extra
curricular, creative, other.
For students with Macs, I suggest using Office Time.
VERY IMPORTANT: In addition to the log, submit a summary showing the totals for the week for each category.
Keep your log as you go through each day of the week, taking time frequently to note what you been doing. Don't try to fill in each day by looking back at the end of the day: you won't remember very well. Some people set their watches to go off every 30 min to remind them to note what they have been doing each half hour. Be sure to include the weekend!
Why? If you are like most people, you'll be feeling pressed for time. But the log will probably show that there's lots of time that you could use differently. For example, by combining eating or exercising with socializing you may free up time for other things.
Faculty interview report. Find a partner in the class and set up an appointment to interview a faculty member in CS or a faculty member in another department whose work involves computing. Plan an interview in which you learn their perspective on computing (what's interesting and important about it) and also about any research opportunities for undergrads they may know of. Carry out your interview and submit a brief summary of it. (Note: you and your partner will visit the faculty member together, but you must each submit your own report.)
Why? Studies show that students benefit greatly from direct contact with
faculty, but often are hesitant to approach them. This activity forces you to
take the plunge and talk to some faculty member. Also, CU is a research
university, meaning that faculty work is divided between teaching and research.
Thus CU offers you the opportunity to participate in research work while you
are a student, as a way of broadening and deepening your knowledge of
computing. Your interview can be a start towards developing this opportunity.
Group study report. Think over all of your classes and
choose the one about which you are most concerned. If you are doing extremely
well in all of your courses, you can choose any of them. Contact one or more
students in the class you choose, and set up a group study session of at least
one hour in length. Use the time to go over concepts you and/or your partner(s)
are having difficulty with, or to discuss any aspects of the course you would
like to get more out of. Submit a report of your experience with this,
including what course you chose, what happened in the group session, your
assessment of how useful or useless the session was, and why it
turned out that way. See Notes below on other aspects of this assignment.
Why? Studies show that forming
relationships with other students around academic interests is one of the
strongest factors in promoting academic success. But many students are hesitant
to do this. This exercise forces you to try out the idea.
Notes: (*)If you already have
study partners in the class you have chosen, write your report to describe one of your sessions. (*)Feel free to use
this assignment as your excuse when contacting fellow students. You do not have
to say that you are having trouble in the class, even if that’s why you
chose the class… just say you have an oddball prof who is making you set
up a meeting with one of your fellow students. (*) If you have trouble finding
someone to contact, consider asking your prof or TA for suggestions. (*)If the
timing seems funny, say because there won’t be an exam or assignment for
a while, use the time to discuss the previous exam or assignment. (*) Make sure
you don’t give or receive unauthorized assistance on an assignment as
part of this… if in doubt, use this assignment as an occasion to find out
what forms of help students are allowed to give one another in the class
you’ve chosen. (*)If you are doing great in the course you chose, use the
time to discuss how the course could become more meaningful and valuable for
you and your partner(s).
Course selection report. Take time now to make a tentative selection of
courses for next term and turn in a list. For each course that is not a
requirement, think about why the course you chose is a good choice for
you, and spell out your reasoning in your list. Be frank: if you made
your choices to limit your workload, or to have a convenient schedule, say so.
If you plan to take only required courses next semester, look ahead to the next
time you will be taking an elective, make a selection for that course, and
describe your reasoning in your report.
Why? In November you will be
choosing your courses for next semester. You’ll find you have quite a few
choices to make. Over your CU career you’ll take many elective courses in
various categories, and each of these courses represents a decision you’ll
make about how best to invest your time and energy. How can you get the most
out of these decisions? The thinking you put into this report, and the
discussion of the reports we’ll have in class, will help you.
Employer website review. Choose a company you are interested in, locate their website, and write a report as described below. If you like, you can choose one of the organizations that helps to support our department, for example Lockheed Martin or Microsoft.
DO NOT put your name and student number on this report, but DO attach a cover page with your name, student number, and the name of the company whose site you reviewed.
Your report should include: name of company, URL of the site you reviewed, career or internship opportunities described on the site (brief summary), your appraisal of the company, based on the website: what (if anything) makes you interested in exploring opportunities at this company? What, if anything, would turn you away? What would you do to pursue an interest in this company?
Why? You need to be thinking concretely about where you might work, as an intern or at the start of your career. Nowadays the web is a key way to get information about possible opportunities. For that reason, communicating effectively with you via the web is a key priority for organizations looking for talent. It's helpful to our corporate supporters to learn how well they are doing this... sharing your evaluation, anonymously, with supporters of the department is helpful to them.
Planning for work experience. Identify at least one potential employer, a
place that might hire you for summer work or an internship. Contact that
employer and determine what opportunities might exist for you there and what
you would have to do to get the job. Do all of this as much for real as you
can. For example, if you want to be home during your summers, try to find an
opportunity there and not in
Note: If you already have good work experience in computing lined up, you can choose to do a different version of this activity. Submit a brief description of your past or planned experience, and say what you have learned from it relevant to your career plans, for sharing with the class.
Why? The jobs you can get when you graduate are greatly affected by what kind of job experience you have. When business is slow (as it is now) people with good grades but no experience do not get good jobs. When business is brisk people with experience get better jobs than people without. Further, work experience is the best way for you to find out what kind of job you like or don't like.
For most people the idea of picking up the phone and asking about jobs is frightening, and they put if off. But making these contacts is the way almost all jobs are found (only a few are advertised). As with the faculty interview, this activity forces you to take the plunge. It's much easier the second time around.
Feedback on assignments. Most of the feedback you get on your assignments will come during class discussion. I will not have the chance to give you very much written feedback on what you turn in. Usually I will just be checking that you have done the required activity. I will try to let you know if I see serious problems in your writing, or if in some way what you turn in is unacceptable. I will try to return your work promptly with a check indicating that it is acceptable; if you are attending class and submitting work as required and it is being checked off, you can assume you are on track for a B (or an A if you do an extra project).
Doing an Extra Project: As explained above, you have to do this if you
want to earn an A; doing only the required assignments will earn a B. I use
this unusual grading system because (in my experience) many students who can do
everything they are required to do are not really top performers, because they
can’t take the initiative to go beyond what they are told to do.
They may also lack the planning and time management skills needed to
organize an activity that is not fully spelled out for them, but that must
nevertheless meet some stated requirements. Doing an extra project will help
develop these important personal characteristics.
Your extra project must produce the
script for a presentation you could make to the class (depending on how many
extra projects are proposed, we may not have enough time to actually present
all of them, so the script is what you must submit for evaluation. If you
prefer, and if you have the facilities, you can submit a video recording of the
presentation instead of the script.)
The presentation should dramatize some
issue relating to the theme of this course. Possible forms include debates,
skits, or simulated newscasts. Real-life examples of this kind of activity
include panel sessions at professional conferences, which sometimes present
debates, and “vision videos” produced by companies like Apple,
Microsoft and IBM to dramatize the impact of proposed future technology. Skits
are often used to expose issues that occur in organizations, such as conflicts
between personal and job demands. Issues
you might explore include the impact of future technology or social changes on
the nature of work, ethical dilemmas in the development of technology that you
might confront in your work, or challenges that you face as students.
Your project must be a joint
effort with one or more other students in the class. I require this because
developing your ideas jointly with other people makes them better, because
being able to work effectively with other people is a critical skill, because
(like other activities in this class) it will help you get to know your fellow
students, and because a good team effort is a better indicator of your overall
capabilities than a solo effort.
Here are the steps:
*Find one or more teammates, and agree on a general direction for the project. Start early! (If you ask me, I will provide some time in class to help you find teammates.)
*Complete and submit an Extra Project Proposal no later than the start of class Nov 13. The proposal must list the participants and describe (briefly) the theme and format for the proposed presentation. Note: If you are not caught up with regular assignments you cannot participate in an extra project.
*Work on the project. You should plan to spend about five hours total per person on your project. Note that you still have to do the required assignments, too.
*Prepare your script or video and turn it in at the last class, Dec
11. If we have time, you’ll have the opportunity to show the video or
present your event. Important: your script or video must include credits
indicating who contributed what. If you submit a video, but putting credits in
the video exceeds the capabilities of your production facilities, submit the credits
on paper.
Note: If your project gets in trouble because of
problems with your team, such as people dropping out, please let me know as
soon as possible so that we can discuss how to deal with the situation.
Also note that you cannot
get an A, even if you complete an extra project, if you have not completed the
required assignments.
Calendar
(This schedule is preliminary and subject to change.)
Aug 28 First class, fill out self description, introductions.
Sept 4 Labor Day, no class meeting.
Sept 11 Career interests essay due. Discussion of them. Planning for timelog. Make sure you have read the entire syllabus (this document) carefully.
Sept 18 Visitor
Christopher Williamson from DreamQuest Software
and Bonzoid Studios will be giving and inside look into the how the game
industry works. Check out the website for DreamQuest and have a question or two
ready to ask him.
Keep a time log starting in the morning today and continuing through Sunday night.
Sept 25 Time log due. Be sure to include summary! Discussion of them. Choose partner for faculty interview and plan interview for this week or next.
Oct 2
Discussion/visitor
Dr. Daniel Weaver from
Array Biopharma
will be speaking about computing in the pharmaceutical industry.
Explore and read the web page for Array Biopharma and prepare at
least one question to ask Dr. Weaver.
Oct 9 Faculty interview report due.
Oct 16 Discussion/visitor
Dr. Katie Siek of the CU Computer Science department will be talking
about the role of computer science in health care and her work helping
patients in stage 5 kidney failure.
Oct 23 Group study report due.
Oct 30 Discussion/visitor
Nov 6Course selection report
due.
Nov 13 Discussion/visitor
Herb Morreale will be speaking about entrepreneurial aspects of
computer science. Morreale founded or co-founded several companies, including
XOR, Adeptive Software, Loon Lake Investments, and the Kalos Strategy Group.
Herb is currently the Chief Technology Officer at Gold Systems.
Nov 20 Employer website review due. Begin work on work experience plan. Optional extra project proposals due. Check if you are up to date on all assignments by looking at the list I’ll post. Your extra project won’t be accepted if you are not caught up by 11/24.
Nov 27 Discussion/visitor
Trent Hein, the co-founder of Applied Trust Engineering www.atrust.com, will be talking about entrepreneurial aspects
of computer science and careers in the area of network security.
Dec 4 Work experience plan report due.
Dec 11 Last class meeting. Extra projects due; presentations of them.
Honor Code
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 and those students who are found to be in violation of the academic integrity policy will be subject to both academic sanctions from the faculty member involved and non-academic sanctions given by the Honor Code Council (including but not limited to university probation, suspension, or expulsion).
Please refer to www.colorado.edu/honorcode to view the specific guidelines. If you have any questions related to this policy, please contact the Honor Code Council at honor@colorado.edu.
Disabilities
Disabilities: If you qualify for accommodations because of a disability please submit a letter to me from Disability Services in a timely manner so that your needs may be addressed. Disability Services determines accommodations based on documented disabilities (303-492-8671, Willard 322, www.colorado.edu/disabilityservices).Acknowledgments
Thanks to Clayton Lewis for developing this syllabus and course.