Course Syllabus

IMPORTANT NOTE:  Due to COVID-19, all dates and policies contained in the CS 6961 syllabus and Canvas course are subject to change.  Students can expect to be informed immediately and clearly of any changes.

Course Information

CS 6961: Teaching Computer Science in Higher Education (3.0 credits) is a new graduate course for preparing students to teach basic computer science concepts at a university level, with a focus on how to effectively teach undergraduates.  The course leverages the School of Computing (SoC)’s excellence in teaching and experienced faculty for the benefit of graduate students who intend to pursue careers in academia.

Who can take CS 6961

Enrollment is by permission code and limited.  Students must have a bachelor’s degree and be pursuing a graduate degree in Computing or Computer Science.  Prior experience as a TA or TM is preferred.

Instructor

D. Erin Parker, parker@cs.utah.edu, 3144 MEB

Textbooks

Main text:  Regular reading is assigned from Teaching at Its Best: A Research-Based Resource for College Instructors by Linda B. Nilson (4th ed, ISBN 978-1-119-09632-0).  Students should buy or rent the text; if this is a hardship for you, please talk to the instructor. 

Auxiliary texts:  Occasionally, reading is assigned from the following, which may be borrowed from the Marriott or SoC library.

• McKeachie's Teaching Tips: Strategies, Research, and Theory for College and University Teachers by Wilbert J. McKeachie (11th ed in SoC library)
• Small Teaching: Everyday Lessons from the Science of Learning by James Lang (1st ed in SoC library)
• Understanding by Design by Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe (online access via Marriott Library)

Learning outcomes

Upon completion of CS 6961, students will be able to:

1. prepare documents typically requested in faculty applications, such as a statement of teaching philosophy
2. observe and critique an existing undergraduate computer science course, while considering how to productively serve as its instructor in a subsequent semester
3. argue the importance of leveraging a learning management system and other class tools to provide an understandable and organized course to students
4. construct and deploy lectures, laboratory exercises, and assignments under the guidance of a supervisory instructor
5. identify strategies for managing the classroom to establish a welcoming environment that supports each student
6. recognize methods for evaluating their own teaching, including collecting and responding to feedback from students and supervisory instructors, ensuring continuous improvement

Students can expect to achieve these outcomes only if they attend class meetings, complete assignments in good faith and on time, and read the designated textbook sections.  Furthermore, students may vary in their competency level on these outcomes.

Course Schedule

Meeting times

CS 6961 meets Mondays and Wednesday, 1:25-2:45p in 3115 MEB.  Occasionally, class is cancelled, when it conflicts with students observing and participating in the mini-practicum (see below).

Presentation of topics

CS 6961 material includes the following topics:

• Matching teaching methods and principles to course learning goals
• Constructing and delivering effective lectures
• Learning management systems and other class tools
• Summative assessment via assignments and exams
• Formative assessment and feedback
• Understanding student learning
• Managing a classroom and setting course policies
• Collecting and using feedback
• Writing a syllabus document
• Diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Handling student cheating
• Managing TAs

The coverage of topics by class meetings and other class activities is given by the schedule on the home page of the Canvas course for CS 6961.  To ensure a broad and balanced perspective on teaching, a number of SoC faculty with expertise in CS education contribute as guest lecturers.  The posted schedule is subject to change, especially to accommodate guest lecturers and observation of mini-practicums.

Student Evaluation

Assignments

A number of assignments are given throughout the semester.  The specifications of each assignment and its due date is posted on the class schedule.  There are no tests or exams in CS 6961.

Mini-practicum

The core class project of CS 6961 is a mini-practicum, in which each student prepares and delivers one week of materials for an undergraduate course offered by the SoC in the same semester.  The actual courses available for hosting mini-practicums are subject to suitability and scheduling constraints, but are typically large, introductory-level courses.  For such courses, one week consists of two lectures, one laboratory exercise, and one assignment.

Each CS 6961 student is guided in preparing the mini-practicum materials, with constructive feedback between a first and final draft.  Delivery of the materials is supervised by the CS 6961 instructor, as well as the instructor of the course hosting the mini-practicum.  Students in the course hosting the mini-practicum are surveyed in the style of a typical teaching evaluation.  All feedback and evaluations of the mini-practicum are used to help the CS 6961 student improve their teaching.

Full-practicum

CS 6961 students who perform well in the mini-practicum are selected to complete a full-practicum, in which they teach an entire SoC undergraduate course in a subsequent semester.  The actual courses available for full-practicums are subject to scheduling constraints, but are carefully matched to the CS 6961 student to ensure a positive experience for all.  The CS 6961 student and a supervisory instructor, selected as mentor and guide, are listed as the instructors of record for the course.  The CS 6961 student is compensated according to the SoC’s standards for graduate student instructors.  A portion of CS 6961 is devoted to matching students to and preparing them for a full-practicum. 

Evaluation

Each CS 6961 assignment is evaluated by the instructor using the UofU criteria for letter grades:

A, A- excellent performance, superior achievement
B+, B, B- good performance, substantial achievement
C+, C, C- standard performance and achievement
D+, D, D- substandard performance, marginal achievement
E unsatisfactory performance and achievement

Numerical grades are not used.   Students who wish to appeal a grade on an assignment must do so within one week of receiving the grade.   At the end of the semester, a student’s course grade is determined by the performance on all assignments, as well as overall participation and contribution.

Course Guidelines

Communication

Students should use email, parker@cs.utah.edu, to reach the instructor and can expect a timely response 9a-5p Mon-Fri.  (Use of Canvas Inbox is discouraged.)  When the instructor needs to reach the students outside of class, she will use email — make sure she has your preferred address and you check it daily Mon-Fri.

UofU student code

All students are expected to maintain professional behavior, according to the University of Utah Student Code (Links to an external site.) .  Students should read the Code carefully and know that they are responsible for the content.  According to Faculty Rules and Regulations, it is the faculty responsibility to enforce responsible classroom behaviors, beginning with verbal warnings and progressing to dismissal from class and a failing grade.  Students have the right to appeal such action to the Student Behavior Committee.

ADA statement

The University of Utah seeks to provide equal access to its programs, services and activities for people with disabilities. If you will need accommodations in the class, reasonable prior notice needs to be given to the Center for Disability & Access, 162 Olpin Union Building, 801-581-5020. CDA will work with you and the instructor to make arrangements for accommodations. 

All written information in this course can be made available in alternative format with prior notification to the Center for Disability & Access.

Other policies and guidelines

CS 6961 students are also bound by the following policies and guidelines:

• SoC Graduate Handbook  (Links to an external site.)
• The College of Engineering Semester Guidelines  (Links to an external site.)

Students should thoroughly read and understand each of these documents, asking questions as needed.

COVID-19

University leadership has urged all faculty, students, and staff to model the vaccination, testing, and masking behaviors we want to see in our campus community.  These include:

• Vaccination
• Masking indoors
• If unvaccinated, getting weekly asymptomatic coronavirus testing

Vaccination

Get a COVID-19 vaccination if you have not already done so.  Vaccination is proving highly effective in preventing severe COVID-19 symptoms, hospitalization, and death from coronavirus.  Vaccination is the single best way to stop this COVID resurgence in its tracks.

Many in the campus community already have gotten vaccinated:

• More than 80% of University employees
• Over 70% of University students

Visit http://mychart.med.utah.edu, http://alert.utah.edu/covid/vaccine, or http://vaccines.gov to schedule your vaccination.

Masking

While masks are no longer required outside of Health Sciences facilities, UTA buses and campus shuttles, CDC guidelines now call for everyone to wear face masks indoors.  Check the CDC website periodically for masking updates.  Treat masks like seasonal clothing (i.e., during community surges in COVID transmission, masks are strongly encouraged indoors and in close groups outside).

Testing

If you are not yet vaccinated, get weekly asymptomatic coronavirus tests. This is a helpful way to protect yourself and those around you because asymptomatic individuals can unknowingly spread the coronavirus to others.  Asymptomatic testing centers are open and convenient:

• Online scheduling
• Saliva test (no nasal swabs)
• Free to all students returning to campus (required for students in University housing)
• Results often within 24 hours
• Visit https://alert.utah.edu/covid/testing 

Remember: Students must self-report if they test positive for COVID-19 via https://coronavirus.utah.edu.

Student mental health resources

Rates of burnout, anxiety, depression, isolation, and loneliness have noticeably increased during the pandemic.  If you need help, reach out for campus mental health resources, including counseling, trainings and other support.

Consider participating in a Mental Health First Aid or other wellness-themed training provided by our Center for Student Wellness and sharing these opportunities with your peers.