CS14 Programming with Visual Basic 2008

Fall 2008

Alison Pechenick, Senior Lecturer


 

[Course Abstract]    [Course Objectives]    [Text/Materials]

[Course Guidelines and Logistics]    [Blackboard Course Access (restricted)]

Course Abstract

This course is intended as an introductory programming course. Familiarity with general Windows concepts and utilities is presumed. The course is suitable for students with limited or no prior programming experience.  This course may be used to fulfill the Mathematics distribution requirement in the College of Arts & Sciences.

Course Objectives



Text/Materials:

Text:           Starting Out with Visual Basic 2008, 4th Edition, Gaddis and Irvine, Addison/Wesley 2008.

Useful resources:   http://msdn.com/beginner
                               http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/express/vb
                               http://msdn.microsoft.com/vbasic

Online:       Be sure to log onto Blackboard http://bb.uvm.edu every day.

Software:    1)  Microsoft Visual Basic 2008 Express with Framework 3.5 SDK
                     Bundled with textbook, no extra charge; also accessible for online download at http://msdn.com/beginner
                   
                    2)  Browser (e.g., Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome) for access to Blackboard and homework submissions

 3)  WinZip, WinRAR or other software for packaging files (see downloads.com). 
      Note:  Windows XP already has a built-in compression utility (right-click on your file(s) and select "Send To...")
                  
File transfer interface to move your files between the lab machines and your own:  http://www.uvm.edu/filetransfer

OR  

Access your M drive (Votey network space) from  somewhere else:  

Map a drive (right-click on the "My Computer" icon or see  the Tools menu in the "My Computer" folder) to  \\sidney.cems.uvm.edu\userid (can also type this path in the Start, Run textbox).  See http://www.uvm.edu/~cems/?Page=compservices/howto.php#mdrive

Note:  You can physically be on campus, or off-campus and connected via the UVM Virtual Private Network
           VPN - free software available at UVM's software archive, www.uvm.edu/software.

OS:              Windows 2000, XP, Vista

Hardware:   Network connection; optical drive to access student files accompanying book

Course Guidelines and Logistics
 

Instructor Contact Information
Office:  319 Votey
Phone:  (802)656-2547
Mail:  Alison.Pechenick@uvm.edu
Office Hours in 319 Votey:
 Mondays, 10 a.m. - noon
Fridays, 1:30 - 2:30 p.m.
or by
 Appointment
Teaching Assistant

Huimin.Ye@uvm.edu

Office Hours: 
Tuesdays, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. in 246 Votey
and by appointment (e-mail to arrange)

Huimin  is responsible for grading all homeworks. Please address any homework grading questions directly to her within one week after grades have been posted.

We also have the assistance of Jacob.Beauregard@uvm.edu.  He will be available in lab, and by appointment via e-mail.
Lectures are in 427 Waterman
Mondays and Wednesdays
2:30 - 3:20 pm 
Labs are in 246 Votey
Fridays 2:30 - 3:20 p.m.
246 Votey
Please bring your book (and laptop if you wish), to lab each Friday
Votey Lab Facilities

 

For practice and homework preparation, you may use your own machine, or one of several labs in Votey (206, 229, 246).
 If you work in a lab, be sure to
Save your work on your M drive, OR ftp it to yourself, OR use a thumb drive
so you can access your files later and elsewhere.
Any work you do on your home machine can also be transferred to your M drive to show the TA's. 
You may use the SSH software, or the VPN client and a mapped network drive (see above), or ftp, or thumb drive

Please see the EMCF lab schedules for rooms 206, 229 and 246.  If no class is formally scheduled, the room is open for your use (24/7). 

Note:  After hours, you will need to swipe your UVM ID to open the doors to the building.


Hourly Exams





 Final Project


A final project will be assigned 
in lieu of a final exam.
Exam 1:  Wednesday, October 8
Exam 2:  Wednesday, November 12

Make-up exams will only be scheduled in the case of  documented emergency situations


Final Project Presentations:

Tuesday, December 16, 11:15 a.m. - 3:15 p.m. 

This extends our official exam block of 11:45-2:45, so we have time for everyone.

If the group prefers, we can reduce this meeting and schedule additional time on the 12/17 reading day.

Your attendance is REQUIRED.  
Homework Guidelines

(Unless otherwise noted,
all homeworks will be due Wednesday evenings
by 11:55 pm.)

Students are allowed to submit assignments up to 48 hours late, with a 10% penalty per day. 

Homework assignments will be due on Wednesday night of the week after the chapter is explored in class.

A detailed assignment description will be posted inside Blackboard.

Your work will be submitted via Blackboard.

You may contest a grade for a period of one week from the time the grade is posted on Blackboard.

All homework grading questions should be addressed to our grader  (Huimin).

Open-Note Quiz Guidelines

 Short quizzes will be given at the beginning of class.  They are unnannounced, and based on your notes.

The lowest quiz grade will be dropped.
There will be no make-ups for missed quizzes.

Grading
 Mid-semester 50-minute exams 25% (12.5% each)
Final project  25% 
Homeworks  40%
Classroom (open-note) quizzes  10% 
Code of Academic Integrity
You are honor-bound by UVM's Code of Academic Integritynot to collaborate in any way on homework assignments, quizzes, exams, and projects, other than as indicated here and elsewhere by the instructor.
  
Anyone violating this code will receive a zero on their work, and will be reported to the Center for Student Ethics & Standards.  You also run the risk of receiving an XF ("failure resulting from academic dishonesty") in the course (this is not something pretty on your transcript).  If you are not sure about a specific situation, please feel free to ask the instructor.

In the spirit of mastering the material to the fullest: 
  • Discussing your homeworks (e.g., project development strategy and debugging help) is permitted.
    It's OK to point the way!
  • Sharing code is not permitted!  Even collaboration on a homework assignment can result in a failure in the course.   Your code, verbatim or altered, should NOT appear in another person's work.  Do NOT give your project files to anyone else or share them in any way.  Whether you use, or provide, work in this manner, you are equally culpable.
  • The teaching assistants and the instructor are happy to assist you. 
  • It is your responsibility to protect your own work. 
  • All work that appears to violate the Code of Academic Integrity will be referred directly to  the Center for Student Ethics & Standards.

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Last updated on September 8, 2008