Course Philosophy
My main priority as a teacher is that this course is as useful as possible for you, the students. Each of you have different starting points, perspectives, and goals in terms of what you would like to get out of this semester and the best way to achieve them. Some of you might already have experience with programming or data analysis; others might be starting from scratch. I am approaching this class not as an all-knowing professor doling out a preordained body of knowledge, but as a coach and mentor who will, as much as possible, work with each of you to tailor the course to meet your individual needs.

I also want this class to foster experimentation, creativity, and even failure - all useful, and even necessary, for learning new technical skills. To that end, I am abandoning some of the familiar tenets of college courses. In particular, I won’t be using traditional grading. I’ve found that letter grade models cause students to focus on the wrong things: “What do I need to do to get an A in this course?” rather than “What can I do to learn?” By moving away from a punitive system in which I act as a judge telling you what you did wrong, I hope to create a space for you to take more intellectual chances and push yourself in ways that you might not otherwise if you were worried about getting a low grade. You will, of course, receive a final letter grade for the course that appears on your transcript, but the way in which you arrive at that grade will look quite different from other classes.

So what does this philosophy look like in practice? I will be using a system of consultative grading in which you take ownership over your own learning. I have established a baseline of expectations for the course along with more formal assignments, both of which can find under the Assignments Page. You need to meet these expectations and complete each of the assignments with a requisite level of effort. However, rather than give you a letter grade for these expectations and assignments, I will be marking them as complete/incomplete and then providing qualitative feedback that focuses on what I think you did well and what I would like you to improve on for future assignments. I’m going to base your final grade for the course on how you responded to this feedback along with a series of self-assessments. Throughout the semester I will ask you to reflect on your learning goals and how well you feel are accomplishing them, culminating in a final self-assessment for the semester in which you will assign yourself a grade for the semester and explain your reasoning. I reserve the right to adjust this grade up or down if I think you are either being too harsh on yourself or taking advantage of this system. In short, let’s stop worrying about grades and focus on what matters: learning.

COVID-19
This class is taking place under extraordinary circumstances due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The first two weeks of the semester will be held remotely over Zoom, and depending on how the pandemic progresses there is a chance that the format or logistics of the course might need to change based on circumstances. My goal is to provide you with a valuable learning experience despite these circumstances, and I plan to teach with as much flexibility, resilience, and compassion as I can. I ask you to do the same with your classmates and myself as we navigate this semester together. To that end, please contact me over email if you are experiencing any unforeseen challenges (health, housing situation, family, food security, etc.) that will keep you from learning. I will do my best to work with you to meet those challenges.

Health and Wellness
Every student should prioritize their physical, emotional, and mental health. Any student who is struggling to do so (lacking a safe and stable place to live, having difficulty affording sufficient food to eat every day, facing financial stresses, etc.) is urged to consult the resources listed here: https://www.ucdenver.edu/student/health-wellness, and in particular the University’s Counseling Center.

Learning Community
My goal is to build a strong learning community for all of my students. I expect everyone to treat your fellow classmates and professor with respect: listening attentively, not interrupting, and maintaining a civil discourse. It is my intent to create an environment that respects diversity: gender, sexuality, disability, age, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, race, religion, and culture, etc., and supports a wide array of thoughts, perspectives and experiences. To maintain this learning community, bullying or personal attacks will not be tolerated. Learn each other’s names and, if volunteered, preferred pronoun. Always assume the best intentions in each other. If something was said in class (by anyone, including myself) that made you feel uncomfortable please talk to me about it either directly or through anonymous feedback forms that I will periodically administer in class.

More broadly, the University of Colorado Denver is committed to maintaining a positive learning, working and living environment. The University prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, pregnancy, creed, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, gender expression, political philosophy or political affiliation in admission and access to, and treatment and employment in, its educational programs and activities, working, and living environment. University policy prohibits sexual misconduct, including harassment, domestic and dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or related retaliation. If you have experienced some sort of sexual misconduct or discrimination, please visit the Office of Equity/Title IX web site to understand the resources available to you or contact the Office of Equity/Title IX Coordinator (303-315-2567).

Slack
We will be using a Slack workspace for the class as a backchannel for discussion, to share files, links, etc., and a place to ask for help on assignments outside of class periods. Slack has become a widely used communications and collaboration platform in many workplaces - using Slack will not only help us communicate during the semester, but give you relevant experience with this platform moving forward.

Hypothesis Annotations
We will be using the social annotation platform Hypothesis for many of the semester’s readings. Rather than passively reading something, in Hypothesis you will add comments and questions linked to specific passages of a reading. You will then be able to read and reply to your classmates’ comments on the same document, creating a conversation on the day’s topics prior to the start of class. All readings that require annotation will be flagged in the Course Schedule and you will need to access through the course Canvas site.

Office Hours
I will be conducting office hours on Thursdays, from 9:30-10:30am over Zoom. If that time does not work for your schedule, please contact me over email or Slack DM and we will find a different time to meet. Take advantage of office hours as an opportunity to talk with me about any aspect of the class: the week’s reading, ideas and strategies for upcoming assignments, feedback you have received, or difficult themes and concepts. Or, just drop by and let me know how the rest of your classes, work, etc. are going! I enjoy hearing about what my students are doing and look forward to getting to know each of you.

Required Course Material
The course’s assignments, readings, and in-class activities require a functioning computer. Because of this, you will need to bring a laptop to class with you to class - please notify me ahead of time if your computer runs into technical glitches and you will be unable to bring it to a particular class. As a matter of principal, I have tried to keep your costs for other kinds of course material to a minimum. Nearly all of the assigned tutorials, textbooks, readings, etc. are available for free and there are no required books or textbooks to purchase.

Late Assignments
If unforeseen circumstances come up during the semester and you need an extension on a particular assignment, please notify me via email or Slack. Otherwise you are expected to submit all assignments by the due date.

Reasonable Accommodation
I am committed to providing everyone the support and services needed to participate in this course. If you have a learning disability please contact Disability Resources and Services at 303-315-3510 or by e-mail at disabilityresources@ucdenver.edu and, if you are comfortable, notify me directly as well. If you have a temporary medical condition or injury, please reach out to Disability Resources and Services.

Students Called for Military Duty
Students in the military with the potential of being called to military service and/or training during the course of the semester are encouraged to notify their school/college Associate Dean or Advising Office.

CLAS Incomplete Policy
The faculty in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences passed the following policy relating to the awarding of incomplete grades. Incomplete grades (IW or IF) are meant for students with special circumstances beyond their control that preclude them from attending class and completing graded assignments. They are not granted for low academic performance, and students must have completed a majority of the course’s assignments and classes in order to qualify. Incompletes cannot be awarded that stipulate: (1) a student may repeat the entire course, (2) repeat or replace existing grades, (3) allow the student an indeterminate period of time to complete a course, or (4) allow the student to repeat the course with a different instructor. The CLAS Course Completion Agreement is available from the CLAS Advising Office, NC 2024.

Religious Observances
If, because of religious obligations, you have conflicts with required assignments/attendance please email me directly as soon as possible at the beginning of the semester.

Academic Integrity
Students are expected to know, understand, and comply with the ethical standards of the university, including rules against plagiarism, cheating, fabrication and falsification, multiple submissions, misuse of academic materials, and complicity in academic dishonesty.