COMP101 - INTRODUCTION TO PROGRAMMING IN JAVA

1. OVERVIEW

COMP101 is the first year, semester one, "introductory problem solving by computer using the Java programming language" module. The aim is to provide a comprehensive introduction to the software engineering of computer programs to produce solutions to problems.

The module is continuously assessed. The final mark being made up of 8 individual marks awarded for 8 pieces of practical work.

Going on past figures we can expect some 150 students on the module; drawn from many different degree program, many of them outside of the department of computer science (Table 1 gives some sample data from the previous five years).

2. TEACHING METHOD

3. TUTORIALS AND PRACTICALS

There are two non-assessed tutorials and eight assessed practicals.

3.1. GUIDANCE NOTES FOR RUNNING TUTORIAL 1

The following is a suggested outline only, experienced COMP101 tutors may very well wish to adopt their own "tried and tested" approach.

3.2. GUIDANCE NOTES FOR RUNNING TUTORIAL 2

3.3. GUIDANCE NOTES FOR RUNNING PRACTICALS

The remaining 8 practical sessions are a formal meeting between tutors and their tutees which all COMP101 students are required to attend. There function is as follows:

1. To allow tutors to monitor their tutees progress (remember to record attendance and marks).
2. To allow tutors to hand back work.
3. To allow tutees to obtain assistance from their tutors, should they need any, regarding technical programming problems etc.
4. To allow tutees to have an official reserved time to work on their assignments.

If there appears to be a general problem shared by the majority of tutees in a group it is a good idea to run through the solution on the white board (but try and leave something for the students to work out by themselves!)

4. WHAT TO DO IF A TUTEE FAILS TO TURN UP TO A TUTORIAL/PRACTICAL

From time to time students are unable to attend a tutorial; illness, funerals, etc. They have been told that if they know they are going to be absent in advance they should inform their COMP101 tutors as soon as possible so that arrangements can be made for the handing in of work, etc.

If one of your tutee unexpectedly fails to turn up to a tutorials/practicals, the tutor should in the first instance:

1. Record the tutee as absent (A) in the attendance table of the COMP101 DB, and
2. Email them to find out why (there may be a very good reason, road accidents etc.).

If a tutee fails to respond to this email by the following tutorial (i.e. he/she is still inexplicable absent) report the student to Frans Coenen

Tutors should keep a copy of all significant email exchanges that they may have with their tutees regarding absenteeism as these may need to be reproduced at exam boards, disciplinary hearings etc.

5. PRESENTATION OF WORK

6. PRACTICAL ASSESSMENT

All submission is electronic. The technical staff will email tutors with the work submitted by their tutees as soon as possible after the closing date for each practical. The technical staff will also ptint-off paper copies of the work for tutors to collect from the "Work shop".

When marking work it is good practice to include appropriate feed back. Some tutors do this by making notes on individual pieces of work, others produce a "comment sheet" of collated feed back which is given or emailed to each student. When returning work tutors should discuss their comments with the individual students.

6.1. Failure to hand in course work (late submission policy)

If a student fails to hand in work on time the tutor should ascertain whether there are any mitigating or extenuating circumstance (e.g. bereavements, injury etc) which explain this lateness. It is then up to the tutor to determine whether the circumstances warrant an extension.

If an extension is awarded then the work, once submitted, should be marked in the normal manner. When awarding extensions tutors should bare in mind that the student in question should not be able to benefit from feedback supplied to other students. Extensions normally comprise one or two days (an extension of more than 1 week is exceptional).

If there are no mitigating or extenuating circumstance, or the tutor deems the circumstance to be such that they do not warrant an extension (e.g. the student has simply failed to manage his/her study priorities properly) it is the University's policy that such students should still be given additional time to complete. However, in this case a penalty should be applied as follows:

	For work marked out of 100, five marks should be deducted from the mark awarded for each working day (or part of a working day) of lateness.
	If the penalty would reduce the mark below the pass mark (40%), the mark should be returned as a bare pass (40%).
	If the original mark is below the pass mark, no deduction should be made for up to five days of lateness.
	Work received more than five working days after the deadline should be awarded a mark of zero, unless an extension has been granted (see above).

The penalty imposed should be indicated on the returned work

6.2. plagiarism

From time to time we have problems on COMP101 with students "plagerising" each other's work. Plagiarism is the practice of presenting the thoughts or writings of another or others as original. This is not the same as collaboration --- in deed we should be positively encouraging the exchange of ideas amongst our students. In most cases, at least in the context of COMP101, where students submit identical pieces of work this is not the consequence of plagerism, but of "collusion".

Although unacceptable this is not as serious as plagerism (as defined above). In cases of collusion, usually what happens is that one member of the group does the work (becuase he/she has the intellectual capacity to do so) while the others (who for what ever reason do not have the required intellectual capability) offer what support they can. If this practice goes on unchallanged the result is that the less capable members of the group fall further and further behind but still pass COMP101 despite the fact they have no programming ability.

To prevent this from happening we use a similarity detection system (Moss) is run on all submitted Java source files. If a high degree of similarity is discovered between any pair of submissions the member of staff responsible for the module (Dr Frans Coenen) will investigate further. (Usually close collusion occurs across tutor groups, although it can also occur within tutor groups.) If, as a result of the investigation, plagiarism or collusion is found to have occured, then the appropriate tutors will be informed regarding the action to be taken. Typically the offending students will be asked to explane themselves after which appropriate action will be taken. Where plagerism or collusion has deemed to have occured the offending student(s) will usually be awarded a mark of 0.

Where a tutor discovers what he/she suspects is a case of pagerism or collusion, the case should be referred to Dr. Frans Coenen.

ThevUniversity's "Code of Parctice on assessment" gives definitions of plagiarism and collusion.

6.3. SUBMISSION AND RETURN OF PRACTICAL WORK

Each practical should take about 5.5 hours to complete (the more able students will be able to do it in less, others will require more). Completed practicals should be electronically submitted, by the students, at the following weeks tutorial session (at the very latest). Thus the students will be working on practical 2 in week 4 and will hand in the result at their tutorial session in week 5. Tutors should endeavour to return work by the following week's session. For example tutors should aim to mark and return practical 1 (which commences in week 4 and is handed in week 5) to students in week 6. As there is no scheduled session for the last week of term tutors should make their own arrangements with their tutees for the handing in of Practical 8 and the return of this practical and practical 7.

7. STUDENTS SEEKING ADDITIONAL HELP

It is not unusual for some students to require additional help with practicals outside of formal weekly tutorial sessions. Tutees have been advised that in this event they should email their tutor and ask for an appointment, if at all possible tutors should try and respond promptly.

Some tutors keep "office hours", one or two set times during the week when they make themselves available in their office should any of their tutees wish to contact them. This is a good idea when running several COMP101 tutorial groups.