Course Syllabus

SDEV 218: Java Foundations

Fall 2021 (Item #8309 and #8307)

Course Information

• Meeting times: MTWTh 11am-12:05pm
• Location: Zoom (passcode: sdev218)
• Credits: 5
• Prerequisite: Eligible for MATH& 107 or higher; or instructor's permission.

Instructor Information

• Name: Tina Ostrander
• Email: tostrander@greenriver.edu 
• Office Hours, by appointment (email me with 2-3 times that you are available)
• I will reply to emails within one business day. If you haven't heard back by then, please try again in case my spam folder ate your message!

Course Format

Important: This is a VIRTUAL course that meets via Zoom during the scheduled class times. It is NOT an online class. Please make every effort to attend. This is not an online class. We will have in-class activities, including pair programming and review exercises. If you are unable to attend, be sure to watch the class recording to find out what you missed.

Course Description and Outcomes

Learn the concepts of Java programming and create Java programs using hands-on, engaging activities. Foundational topics include Java data types, methods, parameter passing, decision and loop constructs, arrays, and using library classes.

You should expect to spend about 10 hours per week  reading the textbook, practicing, and completing class assignments.

Students who successfully complete this class will be able to:

• Write (code) and test small Java programs to meet a specification.
• Identify and correct errors in a small Java program.
• Identify Java data types (e.g., int, double, char, boolean, array) and the operators that are defined on those types.
• Define variables and use them appropriately in expressions.
• Apply appropriate control structures (decisions and loops) to correctly control the flow of a program.
• Implement and call methods in a program with parameters and a return value.
• Apply (instantiate) objects and call methods from the standard library or a provided library.

Program and Campus Learning Outcomes

Course Resources

Required Textbook

• The Free Java Book (online)

Canvas

All assignments, supplementary materials, the course schedule, due dates, and updates to this syllabus will be posted to the course web site in Canvas at https://egator.greenriver.edu/

Check the course web site and your @mail.greenriver.edu email account daily for important announcements.

If you have any questions about the course, reading, or the homework, please post them to Canvas Discussions. This will enable you to get an answer to your questions more quickly, and also help classmates who might have the same question. If you see a question in the Discussions that you think you can answer, please do so! 

If you have questions of a personal nature, such as regarding a specific grade or scheduling an appointment, then either email me or visit me during office hours.

Tutors

There are tutors available both at Auburn Center and the main campus (Holman Library) for all IT Software Development classes. View the Tutoring Schedule

Tutoring Protocols

• It is OK to ask a tutor for feedback on your assignment ahead of time.
• It is OK to bounce ideas off a tutor and/or for them to suggest specific constructs for approaching a problem.
• It is OK to go over how specific constructs work (e.g. Try stuff in a sandbox)
• It is OK to debug your code with a tutor as long as the tutor is asking questions and not dictating exactly how to correct each mistake.
  
• It is NOT OK for a tutor to "drive" by correcting or writing code for you.
• It is NOT OK for a tutor to dictate a step-by-step approach to solving the problem.
• It is NOT OK for a tutor to show you their own solution to an individual assignment.

Student Portal

my.greenriver.edu contains information and links for important student resources.

LinkedIn Learning

LinkedIn Learning provides a wide range of technical video tutorials, and is free to Green River students.

Course Policies

Late Work

All assignments are posted well in advance, so be sure to get an early start! Late assignments will be accepted up to one week after the due date, and will receive 50% credit. Pair programs may be turned in within one week of the due date without penalty.

Attendance

Regular attendance and participation are required to succeed in this course. Absences have a huge impact on your team productivity, as well as your individual learning. If missing a class is unavoidable, you are responsible for watching the course recording, and communicating with your teammates.

Extra Credit

You may earn up to 12 points in extra credit. Each extra credit activity is worth 4 points. If you have other ideas for extra credit, please share them for consideration. To receive extra credit, submit a brief 1-2 paragraph writeup of your experience in Canvas within one week of the event. The link is under Course Resources.

No extra credit will be accepted more than a week after the event, or beyond the last day of class.

• Attend a tech Meetup
• Participate in a hack-a-thon
• Volunteer in a technical role
• Complete a technical interview (limit one per company)
• Attend a BoardMasters club meeting (limit one for extra credit)
• Participate in Mentors in Tech (MinT) (limit 2 meetings/events for extra credit)

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Academic Integrity and Collaboration

Plagiarism occurs when you knowingly submit someone else's work (ideas, words, code) as your own. Plagiarism is an act of intentional deception that is not only dishonest, it robs you of the most important product of education - the actual learning. Should I suspect that you have plagiarized, I will talk with you one-on-one and ask you to prove the work in question is your own. 

You may use AI tools for learning or research, but you are responsible for verifying the accuracy of any AI-generated information. All submitted work must be your own. AI-generated submissions will be considered academic dishonesty.

The purpose of this restriction is to ensure that students develop a fundamental understanding of technical concepts and problem-solving skills.

Software Development and Data Analytics are skills that demands active engagement, critical thinking, and hands-on practice. By prohibiting the use of AI text generators, we aim to promote a genuine learning experience where students grapple with challenges, debugging issues, and algorithmic thinking on their own. This approach encourages the development of analytical skills, creativity, and the ability to translate conceptual knowledge into practical solutions.

Furthermore, fostering a learning environment that relies solely on individual effort and peer collaboration prepares students for real-world scenarios where coding proficiency is essential. While tools like ChatGPT have their place in certain applications, this course aims to lay a strong foundation in skills that students can build upon throughout their academic and professional journeys.

Students are encouraged to seek assistance from the instructor, tutors, and peers, as well as to utilize the provided course materials and resources to enhance their understanding and overcome challenges. Embracing the learning process, persevering through difficulties, and honing problem-solving abilities are key objectives of this course, and refraining from the use of AI text generators supports the achievement of these goals.

If your work is not your own, you will receive a failing grade of zero on the assignment. If your work continues to be plagiarized during the quarter, you will receive a failing grade for the course.

Grading

Grading in this course consists of your demonstrated competency and professionalism. If you have any questions or concerns about a course grade, talk to the instructor within two weeks of receiving the grade.

Grades will be converted according to the following scale: