Course: CSC 230 Algorithm Development

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Course CSC 230 Algorithm Development

• Course Instructors Kelly Van Busum and Dave
  Powell
• May 22, 2003

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CSC 230 - Course Description

• This course continues the study of the
  development of algorithms and provides an
  introduction to the analysis of time and space
  complexity. Topics include program correctness,
  recursion, elementary data structures,
  object-oriented design and program structure.
  Approved for advanced-level designation.

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Course Goals

• Expand on the material from CSC 130 to broaden
  the students understanding of object-oriented
  software development.
• Establish the object-oriented principles of
  inheritance, interfaces and polymorphism.
• Require a stronger emphasis on problem analysis
  by students.
• Establish the concepts, specification, and
  implementations of linear data structures such as
  stacks and queues.

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Learning Objectives/Topics

• Object oriented design concepts
• Graphical User Interface Development using APIs
• Linked Structures
• Abstract Data Types
• Recursion
• Data Structures
• Basic Analysis of Algorithms
• Sorting
• Searching
• Use an IDE
• Elimination of the keyboard class from CSC 130
• Software validation

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Miscellaneous

• Software Java, JBuilder IDE, emacs or vim
• Hardware Intel Pentium with Linux or Windows
• Project Required - Yes. Many small projects
• Presentation Required No.
• Expected knowledge/topics from previous course
  Firm understanding of Java data types, Strings,
  arrays, control structures and classes. Moderate
  object-oriented software development.

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ACM Guidelines

• Textbooks
• Data Structures and Algorithm Analysis in Java,
  Mark Weiss.
• Java Software Solutions, Lewis and Loftus. Second
  Edition
• Thinking in Java, Bruce Eckel. Third Edition
•  ACM Topics
• PF2 Algorithms and problem solving (6)
• PF3 Fundamental data structures (14)
• PF4 Recursion
• PF5 Event driven programming (4)
• AL1 - Basic algorithmic analysis (4)
• HC2 Building a simple graphical user interface
  (2)
• SE2 Using APIs (5)
• SE6 Software Validation (3)

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Assessment 5/22/03

• Objective gt 70
• Stacks/Queues 89 84
• Linked List 32 23
• Sorting 83 84
• Big Oh 84 80
• Recursion 57 50
• Polymorphism 73 65

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Assessment Stacks/Queues

• Learning Objective Data Structures
• Assessment Metric Test (questions a-g)
• Assessment Objective 70
• Assessment Score 84
• Evaluation Easy question demonstrates concept
  understanding.

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Assessment Linked List

• Learning Objective Linked Structures
• Assessment Metric Test (1 question)
• Assessment Objective 70
• Assessment Score 23
• Evaluation Spent adequate or above adequate
  time. Programming assignments were given. Need
  to place in more assignments and quizzes.

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Assessment Sorting

• Learning Objective Sorting
• Assessment Metric Test (1 question)
• Assessment Objective 70
• Assessment Score 84
• Evaluation Satisfactory.

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Assessment Big Oh

• Learning Objective Basic Analysis of Algorithms
• Assessment Metric Test (questions - 2)
• Assessment Objective 70
• Assessment Score 80
• Evaluation Easy question. Poor understanding of
  O(logN) but did not include in assessment.

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Assessment Recursion

• Learning Objective Recursion
• Assessment Metric Test (questions - 1)
• Assessment Objective 70
• Assessment Score 50
• Evaluation Assessment metric is questionable as
  some students did not focus on recursion but
  provided iterative answer.

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Assessment Polymorphism

• Learning Objective Object oriented design
  concepts
• Assessment Metric Test (questions 3)
• Assessment Objective 70
• Assessment Score 65
• Evaluation Students performed close to
  expectations on difficult concept.

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Miscellaneous

• Too many topics Need to concentrate on fewer
  topics. Perhaps reduce time on packages, this,
• Use GUI throughout course
• Poor return on File IO for amount time spent on
  it.
• Student effort level below ACM requirements.
• Better book or perhaps single book.
• As long as class is mixed composition assessment
  results will be mixed.
• Need to identify expectations of Familiarization
  versus mastery.