Overview
CMSC100 is a one credit, 10-12 week course designed to accomplish several objectives:
- To make sure freshmen become sophomores
- To help students clarify why they are in college and to set realistic goals for their college experience
- To help produce self-sufficient, independent college students by providing skill development in such areas as time management, learning, communication, and career decision-making
- To assimilate students into the University by introducing them to the wealth of activities, as well as the academic, and social, resources on campus
- To foster an understanding and appreciation of the cultural, social and academic diversities found at UM
Expectations:
- Show up
- Complete assignments
- Ask questions and engage in discussions
- Have fun!
Additional Information and Resources
Grading
The final grade for this course will be earned on the basis of the following:
Attendance/participation:
Because this is a discussion-based course, your attendance and participation in class is essential. Attendance will be recorded at every session. If a situation arises that requires your absence please notify the instructors by email before class. Emergency cases should be handled within 48 hours. Each unexcused absence will drop your final grade by a letter.
Journal:
You are required to submit a weekly journal entry, due by midnight the day after class. This will be done by email and you will send copies to the instructor and the TA. The specific format will be discussed in another section of the syllabus.
Campus Scrapbook:
You are required to construct a scrapbook of events on campus and make a presentation to the class. This will be explained later in the syllabus.
Faculty Interview:
You are required to select a faculty member from one of your classes other than CMSC100 and make an appointment to meet with him/her during office hours. Please choose faculty, not TA's. This will be detailed later in the syllabus.
Grading Breakdown:
- Attendance: 150 points
- Journal: 75 points
- Campus Scrapbook: 50 points
- Faculty project: 25 points
- 276-300: A
- 251-275: B
- 226-250: C
- 201-225: D
- 200 & <: F
If you have a documented disability and require special accommodations, please see me as soon as possible.
All students are expected to adhere to the Code of Academic Integrity. All violations of the Code will be referred to the Student Honor Council.
Journal Guidelines
The journal is a place for you to reflect on the things/people/places during this time of major change. For instance, your adjustment to college life, the new people you're meeting, the people you're leaving behind, and the world of traffic, chaos, and confusion you've entered. Use the journal as a means to communicate with me about the many issues you're confronting, something I discussed in class, or you would like to see covered in class. **Anything you submit as a journal entry is considered confidential and will only be read by myself.
Although you are welcome to correspond with me as often as you like, you must submit one journal entry per week (unless otherwise noted on the class schedule of the syllabus). They are due via email by midnight the day after class. Although it may not be possible, I will make every attempt to get them back to you before the next class. The journal format may be a continuous dialog, or it may be a separate discussion each time, this is up to you. I may also give you a particular topic/assignment with which to reflect in your journals from time to time, but this need not supplant any other thoughts you may wish to share.
Journal entries should be a free-flowing reflection of your thoughts. Our plan is not to assign points to such a qualitative assignment, however I know the difference between a thoughtful entry and a hastily submitted paragraph of the things you did since the previous entry. I will let you know if you are not completing this exercise satisfactorily. In addition, your last journal will be longer than the others because I will ask you to reflect upon the semester as a whole.
Faculty Interview
Set up an appointment with a faculty member and visit them during their office hours to discuss anything you wish. However, please include some or all of the following:
- What can one do with a major in this field?
- What is the job market like?
- How did he/she come to be a professor at UMCP?
- What's a typical day like for the professor?
- What's the best/worst part of your job?
- Difficulties you may have with a course like this?
- How will this course fit into your career goals?
- **Feel free to use this interview to scout for internship possibilities.
The visit should be at least 15 minutes and you may inform the professor that this is an assignment. You will describe/discuss this meeting in a journal entry in October.
Campus Scrapbook
This project will allow you to sample a handful of the many experiences that Maryland has to offer. Your task will be to attend or participate in at least one activity from each of the following four areas and provide some evidence. You'll need to put together a scrapbook using whatever methods/materials you wish to express your experience in these activities. The following information must be included for each event: the date, location, and a short paragraph of reflection. At the last class meeting, you'll give a 2-3 minute presentation to the group sharing your experience. Be prepared to leave your scrapbook with the instructor. If there is an event that is not listed above but which you would like to attend, please get prior approval from the instructors before going.
The categories and activities are:
- Recreation/Entertainment
- Football Game
- Football Game
- Basketball Game
- Soccer Game
- Field Hockey Game
- Cross-Country Match
- Volleyball Match
- Homecoming event
- Family Weekend Activity
- Greek Activity
- Residence Hall Activity
- Campus Recreation Center Activity
- Movie at the Hoff
- Stamp Student Union Activity
- All-Nighter
- Educational/Personal
- Alcohol Awareness Program
- Art/Archeology Exhibit
- Health Center Program
- Music Recital/Performance
- Theater Performance
- Residence Hall Program
- Career Center Program
- Counseling Center Program
- Writing Center or other Campus Tutoring service
- Study Abroad Fair
- First Look Fair
- Leadership
- Greek Organization
- Leadership/Governance Organization
- Honors Advisory Council
- Religious Organization
- Special Interest Club/Organization
- Performing Group Tryout
- Athletic Team Tryout
- Community Civic Organization
- University Governance Meeting (Board of Regents, Faculty Senate)
- SGA Meeting
- Hall Council Meeting
- Citizenship
- Participate in a Blood Drive
- Write for the Diamondback
- Register to Vote
- Community Service for non-academic credit
- Tutor someone else
- Department Engagement
- FAR Series Event - Fridays @ 3pm in CSIC 3117
- 411 Information Event - Fridays @ 3:30pm in CSIC3117
- CS Career and Internship Fair - September 18th
- Tech Talk
- Coding Challenge
- CS club meeting - can include AWC, ACM, Daemons, Robotics, Game Development, Mobile App Development, CS Latinos, or Cyber Security
- CS Cupcake Social, Halloween Social, or Low-Fi Game Night
About this Syllabus
I reserve the right to alter this outline with minimal notice based on our assessment of the course and the needs of the class.
Class Schedule
Topics |
|
September 9 |
Welcome! |
Review syllabus and department calendar |
|
Who am I and why am I here? |
|
Assignment: |
September 10 - Journal #1 due by midnight. Topic: First week, first impression. Fears? |
Recommended Activities: |
Study Abroad Fair - 9/10 10am-5pm @ SSU |
CS Resume Workshop - 9/12 5-7pm @ CSIC1115 |
|
September 16 |
Intro to the Department of Computer Science |
Academics |
|
Time Management |
|
Learning Styles |
|
Faculty Expectations |
|
Assignment: |
September 17 - Journal #2 due by midnight. |
Recommended Activities |
How to ACE the Technical Interview - 9/16 5-7pm @ CSIC1115 |
Rocking the Career Fair - 9/17 5-7pm @ CSIC1115 |
|
CS Career and Internship Fair - 9/18 5-8pm @ Riggs Alumni Center |
|
First Look Fair - 9/18 & 9/19 @ McKeldin mall |
|
September 23 |
The Social Scene and Responsible Choices |
Clubs on Campus - Open discuss about experiences from First Look Fair |
|
Ways to Get Involved |
|
Assignment: |
September 24 - Journal #3 due by midnight. |
Recommended Activities: |
FAR Series @ CSIC |
411 Information Series @ CSIC |
|
Information session or tech talk |
|
September 30 |
Office of Student Conduct - guest presentation |
Assignment: |
October 1 - Journal #4 due by midnight. |
Recommended Activities: |
Tech Talk @ CSIC |
FAR Series @ CSIC |
|
411 Information Series @ CSIC |
|
Terp Service Day - 10/5 8am-4:30pm @ SSU |
|
Science Data Bowl - 10/5 @ CSIC |
|
October 7 |
Writing Center - guest presentation |
Learning Assistance Service - guest presentation |
|
Assignment: |
October 8 - Journal #5 due by midnight. |
October 8 - Take Jung Typology Test and bring test results for next class- www.humanmetrics.com |
|
Recommended Activities: |
Tech Talk or Information Session @ CSIC |
FAR Series @ CSIC |
|
411 Information Series @ CSIC |
|
October 14 |
Stress Management |
Assignment: |
October 22 - Journal #6 due by midnight. Topic: Are you stressed? How do you manage it? |
Recommended Activities: |
CS Department's 40th Anniversary Events |
October 21 |
Jung Typology Test Interpretation - guest presentation |
Assignment: |
October 15 - Journal #7 due by midnight. |
Recommended Activities: |
Tech Talk or Information Session @ CSIC |
FAR Series @ CSIC |
|
411 Information Series @ CSIC |
|
October 28 |
Professional Etiquette and Career Information |
Assignment: |
October 29 - Journal #8 due by midnight. |
Recommended Activities: |
Tech Talk or Information Session @ CSIC |
Halloween Social @ CSIC |
|
FAR Series @ CSIC |
|
411 Information Series @ CSIC |
|
November 4 |
Working with others - how to collaborate in a team-oriented environment? |
Assignment: |
November 5 - Faculty Interview Due! |
Recommended Activities: |
FAR Series @ CSIC |
411 Information Series @ CSIC |
|
November 11 |
College Bucket List - Setting and meeting personal, professional, and academic goals |
Assignment: |
November 12 - Journal #9 due by midnight. |
Recommened Activities |
FAR Series @ CSIC |
411 Information Series @ CSIC |
|
November 18 |
Diversity |
Assignment: |
November 19 - Journal #10 due by midnight. Topic: Challenges of keeping an open mind. |
November 25 - SCRAPBOOKS DUE!! |
|
Recommended Activities: |
Low-Tech Game Night |
FAR Series @ CSIC |
|
411 Information Series @ CSIC |
|
November 25 |
Open discussion |
Assignment: |
None. |
Recommended Activities: |
Have a fantastic break! |
December 2 |
Scrapbook Presentations Group 1 |
Assignment: |
None. |
Recommended Activities: |
Study for finals! |
December 9 |
Scrapbook Presentations Group 2 |
Course wrap up |
|
Assignment: |
December 10 - Final Journal due by midnight. Topic: First Semester Look Back |
Recommended Activities: |
CS Last Day Breakfast @ CSIC |