COP 4020 Learning Objectives and Outcomes

This page specifies the learning objectives and outcomes for the course.

General information about this course, including more traditionally presented learning objectives and outcomes, and the course's syllabus are found on separate web pages.

COP 4020 Learning Objectives

The learning objectives below are set for computer science bachelor's degree as a whole, and the statements of these outcomes are quoted (or modified) from the school's learning outcomes web site (in particular, the "Report on 2005-06 Assessment Data and Actions Computer Science - B.S." dated November 30, 2006). The purpose of the following is to tie this course in with the department's document. Thus the presentation is organized by the department's objectives, and within each of these, the impact on the course's objectives is stated. Links to this course's learning objectives look like [QuicklyLearn].

Objective 1 [CSObj1]

"To give CS graduates the knowledge and skills necessary to participate as an effective team member or team leader in the development of large computer and software systems covering a broad range of engineering and scientific applications."

Impact: Team design [TeamDesign] is an enrichment objective for COP 4020, since the class is not primarily about language design, which is a more advanced topic.

Objective 2 [CSObj2]

"Prepare CS graduates for professional careers in roles including, but not limited to, the following: computer programmer, software engineer, software systems designer, software applications developer, technical software project lead, computer systems analyst, computer systems programmer, software applications tester and maintainer."

Impact: This is an important objective that leads to all the course's essential objectives [QuicklyLearn] [Master] [Evaluate].

Objective 3 [CSObj3]

"To prepare CS graduates with the knowledge and skills to do advanced studies and research in computer science and related engineering and scientific disciplines."

Impact: This is an important objective that leads to all the course's essential objectives [QuicklyLearn] [Master] [Evaluate].

Objective 4 [CSObj4]

"To equip CS graduates with the communication skills, both oral and written, to become an effective team-oriented problem solver as well as an effective communicator with non-technical stakeholders in computer and software systems development, maintenance and administration."

Impact: This is an enrichment objective for COP 4020 [WriteForEval], since the class is not primarily about such communication skills.

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COP 4020 Learning Outcomes

The learning outcomes below are set for computer science bachelor's degree as a whole, and the statements of these outcomes are quoted (or modified) from the school's learning outcomes web site (in particular, the "Report on 2005-06 Assessment Data and Actions Computer Science - B.S." dated November 30, 2006). The purpose of the following is to tie this course's outcomes into the department's document. Thus the presentation is organized by the department's outcomes, and within each of these, the impact on the course's outcomes is stated. Links to this course's learning objectives, which describe assessment for that outcome, look like [QuicklyLearn]. For more on assessment, see also the course assessment plan. (Also linked are outcomes from ABET's CAC criteria, which look like (c).)

Outcome 1 [CSOut1]

"CS majors shall demonstrate knowledge of discrete and continuous mathematics and skills in logic and proof techniques."

Impact: This is not an outcome for COP 4020 and will not be directly assessed.

Outcome 2 [CSOut2]

"CS majors shall demonstrate knowledge of programming fundamentals by their use of programming languages."

Impact: This is an important outcome that impacts COP 4020 and leads to the essential outcomes [Concepts], [UseModels], [UseLanguages], [EvaluateModels], and [MapToLanguages], which should be consulted for assessment. Related CAC outcomes: (b) (c) (i).

Outcome 3 [CSOut3]

"Graduating CS majors shall demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the concepts, design principles and algorithms relating to computer architecture and organization, computer operating systems, computer networks and distributed computing."

Impact: This is peripherially related to [Concepts], but the main concepts in the course are not related to those describe in this program outcome. There is also an enrichment outcome for COP 4020 [Tradeoffs] [EvaluateResearch] that is realted. However, this will not be directly assessed.

Outcome 4 [CSOut4]

"All graduating CS majors shall demonstrate competence and effectiveness in technical oral and written communication skills, particularly as these skills apply to the dissemination of technical information on subjects dealing with computing technology and applications."

Impact: This is an enrichment outcome for COP 4020 [Writing] and will not be directly assessed.

Outcome 5 [CSOut5]

"All graduating CS majors shall demonstrate knowledge of concepts and principles and skill applying best-practices in software design and engineering processes, principles, methods and tools."

Impact: This is an important outcome that impacts COP 4020 and leads to the essential outcomes [Concepts], [UseModels], [UseLanguages], [EvaluateModels], and [MapToLanguages], which should be consulted for assessment. Related CAC outcomes: (b) (c) (i).

Outcome 6 [CSOut6]

"Graduating CS majors shall be highly competitive professionals in the market place of entry level jobs requiring technical skills in application software development."

Impact: This is not an outcome for COP 4020, and will not be directly assessed, since the course is not about practical application software development, but rather about fundamentals.

Outcome 7 [CSOut7]

"Graduating CS majors shall be highly competitive in their applications for advanced study in colleges and universities ranked in the same tier with UCF or higher."

Impact: The essential outcomes [Concepts] [UseLanguages] relates to standard tests, such as the GRE's Computer Science subject test. See the referenced outcomes for assessment information. Related CAC outcomes: (b) (c) (i).

This also relates to enrichment outcomes for COP 4020 [Tradeoffs] [Design] [EvaluateResearch] that will not be directly assessed.

Outcome 8 [CSOut8]

"CS graduates shall demonstrate knowledge and skill in algorithm design and complexity analysis."

Impact: This is not an outcome for COP 4020 and will not be directly assessed.

Outcome 9 [CSOut9]

"CS majors shall demonstrate skill and maturity in applying programming fundamentals using the programming language C++."

Impact: This outcome leads to the course outcomes [UseLanguages] and [MapToLanguages], which should be consulted for assessment. Related CAC outcomes: (b) (c) (i).

Outcome 10 [CSOut10]

"CS majors shall demonstrate skill and maturity in applying programming fundamentals using the programming language Java."

Impact and Assessment: This outcome leads to the course outcomes [UseLanguages] and [MapToLanguages], which should be consulted for assessment. Related CAC outcomes: (b) (c) (i).

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Last modified Friday, December 14, 2007.

This web page is for the Fall 2007 offering of COP 4020 at the University of Central Florida. The details of this course are subject to change as experience dictates. You will be informed of any changes. Please direct any comments or questions to Gary T. Leavens.