Syllabus: RAPT Summer Program
Program Goals
The goal of the course is to introduce you to the basic elements of
programming with games as an application area. We will use object-oriented
technology as a means to an end to design solutions and actually implement them
in software. Java is the language used; it is an object-oriented programming
language that was designed for developing large systems from reusable
components. Programming assignments are an integral part of the program and we
hope you will enjoy problem solving through programming.
Texts
- Ground-up Java by Philip
Heller
- This book is the
required book for the program. It has a CD with a lot of nice tutorial programs
and gives short and concise explanations of different programming
concepts.
- Harley Hahn's Student Guide
to Unix, 2nd Edition by Harley Hahn
- This is an optional
book for the course. You’ll be learning basic Unix and some of you will
be Ok with the faculty-written Beginner’s Guide (see below) as well as
the Unix reference sheet, others of you may prefer a more in-depth look
at the commands and an introduction to scripting in Unix. If you prefer
having a book at hand for your learning, then this is a good book to get
for basic Unix.
Grading Policy
You will not receive an official grade for this program, but grading is
still very important as this program leads up to the placement exam when you
come in the fall (assuming you have not already placed out of CS1 as an AP
student). You will participate in individual quizzes, homework assignments, and
on-line activities. Expect that for many of these activities you will get a grade
and you should use that grade for improvement.
Please note that if you have questions about the grading of any homework
assignment or quiz, you should bring it to the instructor’s attention in a
timely manner.
Course Format
This course requires 2 hours of time on-line per week for synchronous
learning activities and 2 hours for asynchronous learning activities. Examples
of synchronous activities include guest speakers from the game development
industry and on-line lectures. Examples of asynchronous activities include
working with others on a homework assignment as well as showing demos of your
program to the class.
In
industry, you will spend most of your time working in a group and we want you to
become comfortable with that environment. Additionally, there is a lot of
documented educational research that indicates that people learn better when
they cooperate and help each other with the material. You reinforce your own
learning by explaining the material to someone else, and a peer may be better
able to explain something to you than an instructor who is “coming at it” with
a very different perspective and background than you
If you are going to be away on vacation
for a week or more during the summer, please let the course instructor know.
It’s easier to work with you before you go away rather than to try and get you
caught up in the course after you return.
Surveys
As
this program is a pilot, you may occasionally be asked to fill out on-line surveys
about specific portions of the material in order to help improve the program
for the future. Tabulated results of these surveys will be made available to
students and may appear in papers about the program. Such results will be
cumulative in nature and will not use individually identifying information.
Students will need to give permission for the instructor to include any
individual comments.
Quizzes
There will be several quizzes during the quarter. The quiz instructions will
let you know whether you are allowed to use notes or the book during the quiz.
Even though you are at home and nobody can see you if the take a peak at the
book, we ask that you don’t do this if you are asked not to for the quiz.
Quizzes are for your own benefit, but also give feedback to the instructor of
the class about what you do or do not understand. The instructor may choose to
revisit topics that students are having problems with.
Academic Honesty
It is a shame that this must be stated at all, but there are always a few
students who do not abide by the rules of proper academic conduct. For the
record:
- You may communicate with each
other freely regarding how to do the homework assignments, as the purpose
of them is to increase your understanding of the program materials.
- However, this does not
mean that someone else can do the assignment for you. Any
assignment you submit must contain a significant intellectual contribution
by you.
- The corollary is that you may
not do someone else's work for them either. A willing supplier of the
material is as guilty of academic dishonesty as the receiver.
- Any help you receive from
someone must be acknowledged in the work submitted. Failure to
acknowledge the source of a significant idea or approach is considered
plagiarism.
Those who behave in a dishonest or unethical manner in computer science
courses or programs, or in their dealings with the Computer Science Department,
are subject to disciplinary action. In particular, dishonest or unethical
behavior in the execution of assigned work in a computer science course/program
will be treated as follows:
- For a first offense the
student involved will be warned and will receive a grade of 0 for the
assignment.
- For a second offense, the
student will be removed from the program.
For more details on the academic policy for regular courses, refer to the DCS Policy on Academic
Dishonesty. For most of you, such warnings are unnecessary. We have to
mention this because otherwise some students would say, ``but you never said I
couldn't just copy
Disclaimer
Every effort has been made to provide accurate information in this document.
We reserve the right, however, to make changes to any facet of the course
should circumstances warrant it. Any such changes will be announced.
