CSCI 300 Seminar in Computing (Spring 2025)

Contact Information

  • Instructor: Michael Levet (He/Him/His)
    • Contact: lastnamefirstinitial (at) cofc (dot) edu
    • Office: Harbor Walk East 312
    • Location:
      • Harbor Walk West 213: 2:30-5:15 (Monday)
      • Zoom- Remote Synchronous, for those who wish to participate remotely.
    • Office Hours (Tentative):
      • Monday/Tuesday 5:30-6:30 PM on Zoom
      • By appointment
  • Syllabus
  • Google Forms: (You must be signed in to your CofC account to access these forms.)
  • Schedule Your Presentation.

Announcements

  • 2/22:
    • Ethics Activity 2 Revisions are due on 3/14 at 8 PM.
    • On 2/24, we will have 5 student presentations. The second half of class will be for the Speaker Series.
      • I have explicitly received permission from 3 students to record.
      • The same logistics regarding Zoom from 2/17 will apply on 2/24.
      • Feedback is due by 3/1 at 8 PM.
    • A thoughtful question for either Dr. Hashemi or Dr. Lovellette (OR an ethics article + thoughtful question about said article) is due on 3/1 at 8 PM.
  • 2/14: On 2/17, we will have 6 student presentations. The sceond half of class will be devoted to Ethics Activity 3 (see the announcement on 2/9).
    • I have explicitly received permission from 4 students to record.
    • Some folks presenting on 2/17 would prefer not to be recorded.
    • I will have the folks who are okay with being recorded present first. Their talks will be streamed over Zoom remote-synchronously and recorded, to be posted to OAKS, after class.
    • I will then shut off Zoom, and let the folks who would prefer not to be recorded, present.
    • For each student that presents, you may choose to submit non-trivial, constructive, and respectful feedback to OAKS by 2/21 at 8 PM.
    • Feedback for a single student counts as a single point. So you may earn up to 6 points for feedback.
    • You are welcome to give feedback for your own presentation.
  • 2/13: Revisions for Ethics Activity 1 are due on 2/28 at 8 PM.
  • 2/9:
    • Ethics Activity 3 is due on 3/14 at 8 PM. We will work on this in the second half of class on 2/17.
    • The Alumni Symposium is scheduled for 3/17 (location TBD). If you signed up to present on 3/17 or 3/31, then you will be presenting on 3/31.
    • Our first student presentations will be on 2/17. Please upload to OAKS constructive, non-trivial, and respectful feedback by 2/21 at 8 PM. You can give feedback for all 6 students (earning up to 6 points).
  • 2/8:
    • The first half of class on 2/10 will be devoted to working on your resumes.
    • Someone from Fast Enterprises will be stopping by at the start of class. They are a software development and IT consulting company, looking to hire CS students.
    • Recall that we will have Dr. Baza's research group speak to us in the second half of class. Your thoughtful question OR ethics article/associated thoughtful question are due on 2/14 at 8 PM.
    • Correction: My office hours on February 17 will be 9:30-10:30 AM over Zoom. My office hours on February 18 will be 5:30-6:30 over Zoom (the usual time). My office hours on February 11 will be 3:30-4:30 over Zoom.
  • 1/28: My office hours on February 11 and February 18 will be moved to 3:30-4:30 over Zoom.
  • 1/22:
    • On 1/27, we will discuss algorithmic bias during the first part of class. The Speaker Series will be in the second part of class.
      • There will be an in-class worksheet, which will not be graded.
      • Instead, please submit a thoughtful reflection about algorithmic bias (2-3 solid paragraphs) to OAKS under Ethics Activity 1 by 2/7 at 8 PM.
      • The worksheet might be helpful in reflecting upon the ways in which algorithmic bias can manifest. However, you do not have to limit your scope to the worksheet. You are welcome to explore algorithmic bias more broadly.
    • On 2/3, we will carve out time for our second ethics activity. The Speaker Series will be in the second part of class.
      • Before class, please find two sources related to your term paper.
      • For each source, please write a 2-3 paragraph summary.
      • For one of your classmates, please write a 2-3 paragraph summary of one of their sources.
      • Submit your summaries (all on one document) to OAKS under Ethics Activity 2 by 2/14 at 8 PM.
      • This is intended to be synergistic with your term paper and presentation.
  • 1/15:
    • Due to technical issues with Calendly, I am switching to a Google sheet.
    • Please use this Google sheet to sign up for your preferred time.
    • If you already signed up for a slot on Calendly, your name should appear on the list.
    • This goes without saying, but please do not edit anyone else's slot (editing history is tracked).
    • You must be signed in with your CofC account to access this sheet.
  • 1/13:
    • Your reflections for the Career Fair (or applying for an internship/job, or other relevant career-related event; all of these should be in-discipline) are due by 2/28 at 8 PM to OAKS. You should upload a 1-2 paragraph thoughtful reflection.
    • If you plan to participate remotely in the first half of class and attend the Speaker Series in-person, please make an effort to arrive by 4:10 PM. It is disruptive to the speaker to have lots of folks arriving late.
    • If you need to leave early during the Speaker Series, please plan to sit in the back and leave discreetly.
  • 1/11: I will not have office hours on Tuesday 1/14. Instead, I will have office hours on Thursday 1/16 from 4:30-5:30.
  • 1/7:
    • On 1/27, we will have Jim Allison from Career Services speak to us. Your thoughtful question OR ethics article/associated thoughtful question are due on 1/31 at 8 PM.
    • On 2/3, we will have Dr. Garnar speak to us about microagressions. Your thoughtful question OR ethics article/associated thoughtful question are due on 2/7 at 8 PM.
    • On 2/10, we will have Dr. Baza's research group speak to us. Your thoughtful question OR ethics article/associated thoughtful question are due on 2/14 at 8 PM.
  • 1/6:
    • Please fill out this optional Day One Survey.
    • Please fill out this form to request your Presentation and Paper topics (they can be the same). This is due by 1/17 at 8 PM.
    • Possible Presentation and Paper topics can be found here. You are also welcome to propose your own.
    • Your Presentation and Paper topics are likely to be approved if they are within scope (related to societal, legal, or ethical issues surrounding computing) and are professional in content.
    • Please select a Presentation date here, by 1/17 at 8 PM. For those who fail to select a date to present by the deadline, I will assign a date and will not consider requests to change the date.
      • There are currently 33 students in the class, and so there is limited flexibility to reschedule presentations. Requests to reschedule will only be considered for extenuating circumstances.
      • Please note that the Alumni Symposium will be held on either March 17 or March 31. Therefore, if you sign up to present on March 17 and the Alumni Symposium ends up on that date, then you will present on March 31.
    • Your Professional Email, together with your Resume or CV, is due January 30 at 8 PM.
    • The draft for your term paper is due on February 28 at 8 PM. Please upload a PDF to OAKS.
    • The final submission for your term paper is due on April 20 at 8 PM. You are welcome and encouraged to turn in your paper early.
  • 12/30: Website created.