COP 4020 Learning Objectives and Outcomes

This page specifies the learning objectives and outcomes for the course. Objectives are skills that students will exhibit 3 to 5 years after the course; that is, they are long range goals. Outcomes are skills that students are measured against during the course. In essence, the objectives are a (requirements) specification we refine into the more detailed outcomes, which we try to achieve by the instruction given in 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.

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 "Educational Objectives" for "Computer Science"). The purpose of the following is to tie this course in with the school's document. Thus the presentation is organized by the school'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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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 "Program Outcomes" for "Computer Science"). The purpose of the following is to tie this course's outcomes into the school's document. Thus the presentation is organized by the school'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]

"All graduating CS majors shall demonstrate knowledge of discrete and continuous mathematics and their ability to apply logic and mathematical proof techniques to computing problems."

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

Outcome 2 [CSOut2]

"All graduating CS majors shall demonstrate their knowledge and ability relating to algorithm design and complexity analysis."

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

Outcome 3 [CSOut3]

"All graduating CS majors shall demonstrate their knowledge of, and ability to apply, the programming fundamentals in at least three programming languages."

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

Outcome 4 [CSOut4]

"All graduating CS majors shall demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of, and their ability to apply, the concepts, design principles and fundamental algorithms relating to: data structures and their manipulation, programming languages, computer architecture and organization, computer operating systems, and computer networks."

Impact: This is also related to an enrichment outcome for COP 4020 [Tradeoffs] [EvaluateResearch]. However, this will not be directly assessed.

Outcome 5 [CSOut5]

"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 6 [CSOut6]

"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."

Outcome 7 [CSOut7]

"All graduating CS majors shall demonstrate an ability to function effectively on teams to accomplish a common goal."

Impact: the course grading policies allow students to work in teams. However, since this is not required, due to the nature of the material, it is also not assessed.

Outcome 8 [CSOut8]

"All graduating CS majors shall demonstrate an understanding of professional, ethical, legal, security, and social issues and responsibilities."

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

Outcome 9 [CSOut9]

"All graduating CS majors shall demonstrate an ability to analyze the local and global impact of computing on individuals, organizations and society."

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

Outcome 10 [CSOut10]

"All graduating CS majors shall recognize the need for, and demonstrate an ability to engage in, continuing professional development. "

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

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Last modified Wednesday, May 28, 2008.

This web page is for the Spring 2008 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. Some of the policies and web pages for this course are quoted or adapted from other courses I have taught, in partciular, Com S 342.