Secretary: Gwen Arias, 3532-F, <gwena@cs.ucla.edu>, 310 825-1322, 825-4033

Web Site: http://www.cs.ucla.edu/~klinger (append /main.html, /detext.html, /detables.html, or /over.html)

Objectives: 1. Learning to work in a group and set one's own goals. 2. Developing skill at transmitting ideas. 3. Developing fundamental ethical standards. 4. Creating new designs in computer hardware, software, or analytic-models. 5. Enabling students to share their knowledge.

Talks and Reports: Each person gives three or more individual talks to the class: at least two are on the project tasks he/she undertakes. Most talks should describe things done in your project design. The purpose is to get suggestions, enable improvement, or explain the design before an approach becomes frozen. Everyone must present a talk about something done in support of the project, preferably some design.

First Presentation: This could explain a project idea with the goal of recruiting partners. The basis of a talk could also be a book in the professional development area, an aspect of computing you need to know about, or information found from a web site. (However the main purpose of the talks is to advance the design. Do not expect a good reception for a non-design talk after the middle of the quarter.)

Presentation Flexibility: This is to support gaining practice. Creating visuals for a general talk could pay off later in a better design presentation. (Subjects for past general talks are: JAVA, registering domain names, CGI scripts, etc.)

Work Focus: Prepare figures, graphs or tables. Pass out copies. (Film transparencies and computer presentations accelerate the process and allow you to say more, but aren't essential.)

Activities and Grades: Select reading material. Choose a project. Grades based on each student's ten-week efforts. Creating an effective joint work effort is essential to obtaining an excellent grade. Everyone participates in preliminary and final reports, and an eleventh week briefing. Attendance and active participation at course meetings is essential for obtaining an excellent grade. Contributing to other projects. Student comments at talks, reviews of progress reports and paper drafts, and good citizenship contribute to grades. The course grades reflect team results, initiative and work quality; and individual participation.

Calendar:

Project - 1^st 3 Weeks: Form team. Choose project. Project teams of three or four members. Merge different visions of what will be done. Teams can work on coordinated projects, or do the same project independently. Process concludes when instructor approves Project Description.

Midterm and Final Requirements: Two high quality written project reports: Interim and Final.

Procedures: Write individual weekly progress reports. Write summary and/or reaction items re chapters or articles read. At course conclusion submit a letter describing the group experience. Participate in all evaluation activities and serve as a responsible commentator and reporter re class meetings.