Briefly

Consider joining us this spring for CS35/181y, i.e., "CS5, part 2"!

More thoroughly

In the spring of 2021, we again invite students to join a still-evolving CS course, numbered 35 and titled "CS for Inquiry" and "CS for Insight". We're especially looking for people who'd be interested in helping experience - and refine - the long-term vision for the course.

Our motivation is to develop and practice "investigative computing" skills.

For us, "investigative computing" means creating small prototype programs that (1) use data, simulations, and/or other computing to gain insight -- especially insight in fields other than CS; and (2) develop capabilities/confidence with existing libraries that support such investigations.

It's decidedly not software engineering; perhaps we could call it "scripting with savvy"?

We'll use Python (hence the cs5 prerequisite) and will introduce/reinforce several Python libraries, e.g., NLTK, OpenCV, Matplotlib, and others. We'll practice getting comfortable with large, unfamiliar libraries in the process of investigating problems. The latter part of the course will include an open-ended "investigative" computing project of each student's or team's choice. Overlaps with thesis/research work or other efforts are welcome.

Pairing on coursework and projects will be strongly encouraged. One very concrete goal is that, through the course, every student create an online portfolio of their work.

All majors and class years of 5C students are welcome, and we plan on having at least 42 seats available. Classes will be seminar-style, alternating between presentation meetings and hands-on experimentation/work sessions. The class will be taught by Prof. Dodds in Spring 2021 (We look forward to Prof. Medero rejoining in the future!)

         Join us!

We have a number of early drafts, proposals, and documents related to this course. We include them here for reference.

Please do keep in mind that the course is evolving -- and will evolve most as we learn what's worthwhile through its first offering. Thus, these early-draft plans are ideas, but not guarantees, of what the course may cover. Join us and help shape what it should be!

• The one-page overview
• The five-page rationale and proposal