Course Description:
CS 136: Elementary Algorithm Design and Data Abstraction
This course builds on the techniques and patterns learned in CS 135 while making the transition to use of an imperative language. It introduces the design and analysis of algorithms, the management of information, and the programming mechanisms and methodologies required in implementations. Topics discussed include iterative and recursive sorting algorithms; lists, stacks, queues, trees, and their application; abstract data types and their implementations.
Dave's Comments:
Teaching Evaluations:
Number of Respondents: 20 / 132 (15%)
| The learning outcomes for this course were clearly identified. |
| Strongly Disagree | Disagree | Neutral | Agree | Strongly Agree |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 7 |
| 5% | 10% | 15% | 35% | 35% |
| The course materials and activities helped me to understand the course concepts. |
| Strongly Disagree | Disagree | Neutral | Agree | Strongly Agree |
| 1 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 5 |
| 5% | 5% | 25% | 40% | 25% |
| The course introduced an appropriate amount of new material. |
| Strongly Disagree | Disagree | Neutral | Agree | Strongly Agree |
| 2 | 2 | 4 | 9 | 3 |
| 10% | 10% | 20% | 45% | 15% |
| The course content was well-organized and clearly explained. |
| Strongly Disagree | Disagree | Neutral | Agree | Strongly Agree |
| 1 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 6 |
| 5% | 15% | 15% | 35% | 30% |
| The intended learning outcomes were assessed through my graded work. |
| Strongly Disagree | Disagree | Neutral | Agree | Strongly Agree |
| 2 | 3 | 9 | 6 |
| 10% | 15% | 45% | 30% |
| The assessments contributed to my learning. |
| Strongly Disagree | Disagree | Neutral | Agree | Strongly Agree | No Basis for Rating |
| 1 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 7 | |
| 5% | 10% | 10% | 40% | 35% | |
| The way in which the course material prepared me for the assessments was fair and appropriate. |
| Strongly Disagree | Disagree | Neutral | Agree | Strongly Agree |
| 1 | 2 | 6 | 7 | 4 |
| 5% | 10% | 30% | 35% | 20% |
| Feedback on assessments was provided within a reasonable timeframe. |
| Strongly Disagree | Disagree | Neutral | Agree | Strongly Agree |
| 1 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 5 |
| 5% | 15% | 25% | 30% | 25% |
| Feedback on assessments contributed to my learning. |
| Strongly Disagree | Disagree | Neutral | Agree | Strongly Agree |
| 2 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 4 |
| 10% | 10% | 25% | 35% | 20% |
| The course environment was supportive and helped me to learn. |
| Strongly Disagree | Disagree | Neutral | Agree | Strongly Agree |
| 1 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 6 |
| 5% | 11% | 26% | 26% | 32% |
| The course personnel were helpful to students seeking assistance. |
| Strongly Disagree | Disagree | Neutral | Agree | Strongly Agree |
| 1 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 5 |
| 5% | 20% | 20% | 30% | 25% |
| My interest in this topic was stimulated by this course. |
| Strongly Disagree | Disagree | Neutral | Agree | Strongly Agree |
| 2 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 5 |
| 10% | 5% | 25% | 35% | 25% |
| The course material and course personnel encouraged me to be engaged with the course. |
| Strongly Disagree | Disagree | Neutral | Agree | Strongly Agree |
| 1 | 2 | 4 | 9 | 4 |
| 5% | 10% | 20% | 45% | 20% |
| On average, how many hours per week did I spend on this course? |
| 0 to 5 | 5 to 10 | 10 to 15 | 15 20 | > 20 |
| 2 | 7 | 4 | 7 |
| 10% | 35% | 20% | 35% |
| The course introduced an appropriate amount of new material. |
- [Neutral] There was a lot of material taught each week.
| The way in which the course material prepared me for the assessments was fair and appropriate. |
- [Neutral] I felt like the lectures gave sufficient information to complete the assignments, but the assignments took way too long to complete.
| Feedback on assessments was provided within a reasonable timeframe. |
- [Disagree] The marmoset feedback was given almost instantaneously however, there was not near enough feedback to know where we went wrong in our solutions and how to fix them.
| The course personnel were helpful to students seeking assistance. |
- [Disagree] I think office hours were helpful, but the response time on piazza was way too long and that is if a response was even given.
| My interest in this topic was stimulated by this course. |
- [Neutral] The assignments were a bit too long and frustrating - by the time I was done them for the week I didn't feel like learning anything new about CS. I understand their point though, they just detracted a little bit from my interest.
Note: This is a complete list of comments I received, listed alphabetically to avoid bias.
| The most important thing I learned in this course was: |
- important data types, how to code more efficiently
- pointer and memory allocation
- Start homework early
- The most important things I learned in this course were memory management and how to use pointers.
- the use of pointers in C
| What helped me to learn in this course was: |
- I found the assignments helped solidify my understanding of the course material. I also, appreciated the time in the tutorials where you allowed us to connect with our classmates.
- nothing really
- online programmer sites and online judge sites
- starting assignments early
- Youtube course vedios
| What changes, if any, would I suggest for this course? |
- break assignments into smaller sections
- I felt like the assignments were way to time consuming considering most students are taking 4 other courses. I also didn't appreciate the lack of assignment solutions. If I didn't figure out the solution there was nothing to reference to see where I went wrong. I felt like the course staff was not present enough on piazza at all and would just to choose to ignore certain posts. I think it is fair to ask students to spend 6 hours a week on assignments and in the last few weeks of the course I was spending 15 hours a week per assignment to not even get the tests to pass.
- Make something different from the assignments to measure my skills, we never work alone and people help each other all the time. So individual assignments are not an efficient way to check our skills, and this just increases the students anxieties and reenforce their low self view when they are unable to complete the malone.
- please stop having online CS classes, they help nothing in study
- prefer a nighttime deadline instead of 1:00pm
- the homework is really difficult, and why the hardest question take 40 marks in one assignment and you just evaluate it based on the secret and public tests result? It is so hard for me to get 60 since assignment 7, it would be better if you gave more marks based on the coding process.