About the self-paced track

The self-paced option is for students with a fair amount of programming background already -- that is, students who already have a reasonable degree of experience in some programming language (like C, C++, Java, Pascal, or Basic).

If you choose this option, you will spend the time during the programming lectures in the computer clusters practicing Java.
Anticipated times for this are the following:
DateTime
Wed 2 Jul11:30-12:30
Thu 3 Jul11:30-12:30
Tue 8 Jul11:30-12:30
Wed 9 Jul11:30-12:30
Thu 10 Jul11:30-12:30
Fri 11 Jul11:30-12:30
(Some years these times vary. Also, this year, we have July 4 off.)

The CS TA's will be there to answer questions and to monitor your work. (Of course Dr. Bob, who will be lecturing, will be unable to attend.)

There's some small chance that we'll finish the programming lectures early, in which case you'll be told to return to class.

Rules

PGSS approves of the self-paced option only with certain restrictions. The following rules, therefore, apply.

  1. The self-paced option is available only to those who have significant programming background. More specifically, the student is expected to be somewhat comfortable with variables, loops, and hopefully functions in some programming language.
  2. You must be either at lecture or in the assigned cluster during class time. The TAs will take attendance.
  3. You must work on CS during the scheduled time. (You are certainly welcome to work on CS at other times too, but you cannot defer self-paced study to other times.)
  4. During this time, you will complete and submit "Exercises" listed on this website. Do not work on "Assignments" during CS lecture time. (This does not apply to the Assignment 0 programs, specifically listed as exercises.) Working on assignments or on other classes undermines the experience for other students. This is regarded as cheating! Your submissions will be evaluated by the course staff and will count toward your final evaluation.
  5. The TAs will be happy to answer any questions you have. In addition, the instructor will be in the cluster at announced times (and often at unannounced times) to answer questions. And of course you should always feel free to stop any of us, any time, to get help.