Critical Thinking in the Digital Information Age CECS100
Course Syllabus Spring 2017
Department of Computer Engineering & Computer Science
California State University, Long Beach
Instructor: Aisha Moore
Class: 11:00-11:50am - Rm VEC-402
Lab: 12:00-1:15pm - Rm ECS-404
Office Hours
• M 4-5:00PM; TTh 8:20AM-9:20AM
• Room: ECS 525
• Email: aisha.moore@icloud.com
Prerequisites/Corequisites:
ENGL 100 or its equivalent
Required Textbook
• Starting out with Python. Tony Gaddis Third Edition
Course Description
This course will help students to develop their critical thinking skills using technical
software. The main topics will include: identifying engineering issues for
investigation, developing and planning and problem solving strategies, locating
pertinent information and examples, critically analyzing these sources, forming and
testing hypotheses, synthesizing and organizing results for effective communication,
and developing transferrable problem solving skills.
Course Organization
This is a lecture and lab based course in which topics are presented in the lecture
and demonstrated in the lab. It is very important that each lab is completed as each
lab will rely on the knowledge gained from the previous ones. Successful completion
of the course is reliant upon completion of labs.
Course Topics
• Basic problem solving methods and critical thinking
• Introduction to the basic concepts of computer science
• Systematic problem solving skills
• Introduction to computer programming using Python
• Simple input and output
• Python data types, operators, and basic libraries
• Selection and repetition statements
• Functions and arrays
Course Goals
• Identify in the current media topics that are relevant to engineering analysis
• Apply problem solving strategies to various engineering problems
• Locate or develop sources of data in the media, internet and/or program
output
• Critically analyze data information for logical validity and applicability
• Form and test hypotheses
• Effectively communicate results
• Exhibit problem solving skills
Course Policies and Requirements
Students are expected to attend all sessions, participate in all class discussions, read
assigned materials, complete exams as scheduled, and turn in all assignments on
time. Failure to do so may result in the loss of points.
Grading
Scale
Letter
Grade
90-100
A
Item
Individual Assignments
Group Assignments
Midterm
Final Project
Final
Total
Grading Scale
80-89
70-79
B
C
60-69
D
0-59
F
Weight
20%
20%
20%
20%
20%
100%
Lab Assignments and Homework
Late assignments will be deducted 5% for every calendar day the assignment is late,
and not accepted after a week.
Homework and lab assignments should be submitted through BeachBoard.
I will not accept homework assignments/lab assignments via email.
Tentative Calendar
Week
Date
1
1/24/17
1/23/17
2
1/31/17
2/2/17
Description
Identifying and defining problems
Ch. 1- Introduction to Computers and programming
Overview of logic and design
Identify problem solving steps and tools
Flowcharts and pseudocode
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
Finals
Week
2/7/17
2/9/17
2/14/17
2/16/17
2/21/17
2/23/17
2/28/17
3/2/17
3/7/17
3/9/17
3/14/17
3/16/17
3/21/17
3/23/17
3/28/17
3/30/17
4/4/17
4/6/17
4/11/17
4/13/17
4/18/17
4/20/17
4/25/17
4/27/17
5/2/17
5/3/17
5/9/17
5/11/17
5/15/175/20/17
Ch. 2- Input, Processing, and Output
Python basics (input/output), Python arithmetic expressions
Ch. 2
Ch. 3 Decision Structure and Boolean Logic
Ch. 3
Ch. 4- Repetition structures
Quiz 1
Ch. 5- Functions
Ch.5
Midterm
Ch. 6- File and Exceptions
Ch. 7 List and Tuples
Quiz 2
Ch. 7
Ch. 9 Dictionaries and Sets
Ch. 10- Classes and Object-Oriented Programming
Quiz 3
Ch. 10
Ch. 11 Inheritance
Fall Break & Thanksgiving Holiday
Ch. 12 Recursion
Quiz 4
Ch. 12
Review for Final
Final Exams
Diversity
Learning to work with and value diversity is essential in every program. Students
are required to act respectfully toward other students and instructor throughout the
course. Students are also expected to exhibit an appreciation for multinational and
gender diversity in the classroom and develop management skills and judgment
appropriate to such diversity in the workplace.
Accommodations
Students with disabilities who need reasonable modifications, special assistance, or
accommodations in this course should promptly direct their request to the course
instructor. If a student with a disability feels that modifications, assistance, or
accommodations offered are inappropriate or insufficient, he/she should seek the
assistance of the Director of Disabled Student Services on Campus.
Disabled Student Services is a student support program within the Student Services
Division. The Disabled Student Services office is located on the 2 nd floor in the
Administration Building, room SS/AD 270
Academic Dishonesty, Cheating & Plagiarism
Ethical behavior in the classroom is required of every student. Students are also
expected to identify ethical policies and practices relevant to course topics. Cheating
and plagiarism will not be tolerated in this course. Any individual caught cheating
on quizzes, homework, labs, projects, or the final exam will be punished to the full
extent allowed under University regulations. Please note: plagiarizing another
person’s work is cheating. At a minimum, any student caught cheating will receive
no credit for the work concerned, and will receive a reduction of one letter grade
from their final course grade.
Academic dishonesty includes the following actions, as well as other similar conduct
aimed at making false representation with respect to the student's academic
performance: cheating, inventing false information or citations, plagiarism and
helping someone else commit an act of academic dishonesty. Serious consequences
including forced withdrawal from the course and removal from the university follow
upon academic dishonesty. See student handbook for details.
Withdrawal Policy
You are responsible for completing the course unless you withdraw from it
officially. It is your responsibility to withdraw from any course that you do not
intend to attend and complete. If you fail to withdraw by the deadline date, you will
be assigned a U as your final grade.
Withdrawal after the first two weeks of classes requires the signatures of the
instructor and the department chair, and is allowed only if there are compelling
circumstances.
During the final three weeks of classes, withdrawals are not permitted except in
cases in which the circumstances necessitating withdrawal are clearly beyond the
student’s control (e.g. serious illness), and the assignment of an I (incomplete) as the
final grade is not practical. Ordinarily, such withdrawals involve total withdrawal
from the University.
See the Schedule of Classes for further details about the University’s withdrawal
policy.
I will normally honor drop requests where permitted by University policy.
COE Tutoring
Take advantage of free peer tutoring to keep up your grades in the most challenging
classes. Tutoring is available for undergraduate engineering students in departmental
courses for Electrical Engineering, Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Civil
Engineering, Computer Engineering/Science, and Chemical Engineering.
Tutoring is on a first-come-first-serve, walk-in basis. Tutors are available MondayThursday in the Fall and Spring terms. All tutoring sessions take place in the Engineering
Student Success Center (ESSC) in EN2, Room 300 between the hours of 9:00 a.m. – 6:00
p.m.
Visit the website for detailed tutoring schedules:
http://web.csulb.edu/colleges/coe/views/essc/academic_success/engineering_tuto
r.shtml#asp_ETP
Important Dates
Date
1/23/17
3/27-4/2/17
3/31/17
5/12/17
5/15-5/20/17
5/23-5/26/17
5/26/17
Event Details
First Day of Spring Semester, Classes Start
Spring Break (No Classes)
Cesar Chavez Day (Campus Closed)
Last Day of Spring Classes
Final Exams
Commencement Ceremonies
Last Day of Spring Semester