🧙 What's new in for 2022? 2️⃣2️⃣
This pages lists the major changes to CS 300 we made for 2022. We also discuss these in the first lecture.
Active Listeners
In 2021, we tried out a new model for the virtual course: rather than hold conventional, synchronous lectures on Zoom, we accommocated different time zones and made the Zoom experience as interactive as possible by splitting the class into small "active listener rotations" (ALRs).
This year, we're back to in-person lectures, but we are trying to keep the best parts of the ALR system. Here's some of what students said they liked about the 2021 structure:
- "I would otherwise rarely have actively contributed to class discussions, but I was able to voice my ideas quite comfortably in ALRs."
- "Having a dedicated group of people [... whose] answers and questions are prioritized [...] could continue to get input from diverse voices [even in an in-person class]."
- "It was awesome to be able to meet [...] in smaller groups and the setup really encouraged me to participate and stay engaged."
So, for 2022:
- For each lecture, there will be one or two groups of ~15-20 students who are designated active listeners. The students are particularly encouraged (and expected) to participate interactively in the lecture, and their questions will have priority.
- When you are an active listener, your attendance is required. We expect you to attend class, be prepared, ask questions and contribute to the discussion.
- To facilitate this discussion, we encourage active listeners to sit in the front of the classroom (in the first five rows or so). By switching seats, you will also meet new people!
- Each lecture is centered around one or two concepts or demonstration programs. Since we want you to participate actively in the lecture, we may occasionally ask active listeners to do some (brief) preparation work.
- If you are not an active listener, you are nevertheless highly encouraged to participate in class! We will merely prioritize active listeners when there are many students who want to contribute, and they should be prepared to be asked to participate when input is needed. This way, everyone gets a fair share of interaction in class.
- Over the course of the semester, each student will be an active listener in about 5-7 lectures.
- You will not generally be an active listener in a week when you sign up to attend section (see below), as section provides a small-scale forum for interaction with the course staff.
Sections
The TAs and instructor will offer sections at various points throughout the course. These sections will review material and practice key skills, as well as offering a chance for you to ask questions.
Section attendance is optional, and we will publish a sign-up form for each section that allows you to indicate interest and point out specific material you'd like to see discussed. However, we want to keep the sections small and intimate, so if too many people sign up, we will prioritize students who haven't attended many sections for in-person, live attendance. Others may watch on Zoom or watch the recording, but the section will be focused on interaction with students who are in the room.
Sections are not gear-ups or TA hours. They serve to review material, have it explained again in different words, and to address you conceptual questions.
Details on section timing will be announced on EdStem.
TA Hours Format
TA hours have a very specific purpose. That purpose is not for TAs to fix your bugs for you, or to tell you the solution to a problem you face, or how to do an assignment. TA hours exist for TAs to help you figure out issues yourself. With this goal in mind, and given CS 300's collaboration policy, this year we are trying a TA hours format that might be different to what you're used to.
TA hours will be collaborative, rather than 1-on-1. This means the following:
- Hours will be open and collaborative. Simply come to the room where hours are being held and sit down with the TA/other students. There will be a SignMeUp queue to establish an order for the TA to visit students.
- The TA holding hours will group students according to what part of the assignment they are on. You are encouraged to work with your peers to answer each other's questions (remember, you're free to look at each other's code!). If you have a question for the TA, then you may sign up on the SignMeUp queue and the TA will visit groups in order.
- In order to help as many students as possible, TAs will help you work out the next step of the assignment and then leave you to work through the implementation with your group while they visit other students.
