Instructor: 

Chris Romero

chris-romero@redwoods.edu; phone: 707-476-4366

Welcome:

Welcome to Programming Fundamentals online. This site is for students who are considering this course or have already registered for the class..

Course Description:

A study of computer programming fundamentals and problem solving techniques. Topics include basic logic and data structures, decision and looping structures, methods, functions, and event-driven programs.

Required Textbooks/Materials:

Starting Out with Alice. A Visual Introduction to Programming.

By: Tony Gaddis

Please purchase your textbook well before the class begins. You will need it beginning the first day of class.

Course Availability:

The course will become available the weekend before CR classes begin in the Fall.

Instructor Contact:

You may contact me at the email address listed above. During the academic year: On weekdays I usually respond within a few hours. At other times, including weekends, I check my email and class website nearly every day. My office phone number is 707-476-4366 where you can also leave a voice-mail message. You can always visit me in person at my Eureka campus office in the Administration Building (AD 100K). During the summer and holidays:  I check my email intermittently, usually weekly.

Student Contact:

It is very important that College of the Redwoods has your current email address. You can confirm or update your email address by going to WebAdvisor from the CR homepage, logon, and choose the "student" option. Click on address/phone/email update.

On-Campus Requirement:

There are no requirements to attend on-campus meetings. All exams will be online.

Student Requirements:

Prerequisite:  None

Recommended: CIS1 and Math 376

Computer Set-Up and Skills

Your Computer Skills: Online courses require adequate computer skills. You should be able to navigate websites, open and download files, and submit files to MyCR. Familiarity with MyCR or another course management tool is recommended. Go to http://mycr.redwoods.edu/ for more information about MyCR.

Computer Requirements: Most computers and internet providers are adequate. You will need the software and speakers (or headphones) to listen to the brief tutorials. I would recommend broadband services through cable, DSL, or satellite providers.  You need to have regular access to the internet at least twice a week and for upwards of an hour or two at a time for 15 weeks.

This class uses the Alice software program. Go to www.alice.org for system requirements and download information about Alice. I strongly suggest you download Alice and view the tutorials before the semester begins.  We will be using Alice version 2.2 (current release 6/10/2009).  Alice 3.0 is available as a beta release, but is very different from version 2.2, and therefore we will not be using it.

Online Commitment: 

Your commitment will require at least as much time as you would dedicate to a traditional class and greater self discipline. A typical 4 credit hour lecture/lab class will require about 12 hours per week of your time. You will need to read posted lectures (and/or listen to lecture audio files), read textbook chapters, participate in online discussions, complete assignments, write and submit programs, and take online midterm and final exams. Plan to be online at least 2-3 times each week.

Discussion Boards

Active online participation is required.  Our class discussions will be more interesting and meaningful when each student provides comments and personal insight about the subject matter.  The quality of your forum posts will be a significant part of your final score. 

You will be required to make one quality post by Wednesday of each week and make two quality responses to your peers by Saturday of each week.  Please refer to the syllabus for details on how to succeed with your online participation.

Student Online Readiness

The online learning environment is not for everyone. In addition to your commitment, you need to be aware of what online learning involves. I strongly recommend you visit the following links to see if online learning is right for you. Lastly, we do offer this class on the Eureka campus every Spring semester.

Take the online readiness survey

Online student profile

Tips for the online student

Registration:

Registration is easiest online using web advisor. If the class is closed, please do not contact me as I will direct you to web advisor and encourage you to keep trying to add the class. 

Getting Started: 

On or shortly after the first day of class, go to the MyCR login site at http://mycr.redwoods.edu/   Username and password instructions are available at this site. After you login you will find a link to the class where you will receive detailed instructions on how to proceed. You must participate fully by the end of the first week (Sunday) or you may be dropped from the class.

Accommodations:  

If you need accommodations to succeed in this online class you should contact Disabled and Student Services Program at 707-476-4280 and the instructor. This course is designed to be accessible to students who have visual or auditory impairments.

Student Resources