![[CLIS logo]](IMAGES/head.jpg)
| Instructor 1 | Instructor 2 | |
| Name | Doug Oard | Rashmi Sankepally |
| oard@umd.edu | rashmi@umd.edu | |
| Office | HBK 2118F | AVW 3126 |
| Phone | (301)405-7590 |
| Day | Time | Activity | Room | Instructor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 3:30-4:30 PM | Office Hours | AVW 3126 | Rashmi Sankepally |
| Tuesday | 5:00-6:15 PM | Class | JMZ 2206 | Both |
| Thursday | 3:30-4:30 AM | Office Hours | HBK 2118F | Doug Oard |
| Thursday | 5:00-6:15 PM | Class | JMZ 2206 | Both |
We will meet once a week in JMZ 2206. A schedule that summarizes what we will cover each week and gives a preview of the homework assignments and a reading list showing the reading for each week can be found on the class Web page.
You are responsible for making your own decisions regarding when circumstances in your life require you to miss class. You do not need permission from me to miss all or part of a class. However, you are responsible for all material that is discussed in class, for completing all homework assignments, and for being prepared to demonstrate mastery of all tested material on exams and quizzes. Experience indicates that attending class each week will help you to meet each of these requirements. When you unavoidably must miss all or part of a class, you should still complete the readings before the class session (to avoid getting behind), you should watch the video (if it is available), and you should then (before the next class session) discuss the substance of what was discussed in class with another student who was present in the class and who took good notes. If you have questions after doing that, either of us will be happy to meet with you to discuss what you missed.
There is another section of this course that meets in EDU 3315 on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 1:00 to 1:50 PM. Students who miss the coverage of a topic in one section may sit in on the other section's coverage of the same content if they wish. However, the schedules of the two sections are not synchronized, so students wishing to sit in on the other section will need to sort out when the topic they wish to hear discussed is being covered.
Office hours are a time when you can drop by to discuss anything, whether related to the course content or not, without prior arrangement. You can also contact either of us by email any time, and we'll get back to you within 24 hours (and often much faster). One or both of us will also usually (but not always) be able to stick around after class if that's a convenient time for a discussion. And we'll also be happy to set up discussions (in person, by Skype, or by phone) at other mutually convenient times. Courses are more than what happens in the classroom, and one important part of what occurs beyond the classroom is the opportunity to interact at other times in other ways -- take advantage of those!
The required textbook is Kurose and Ross, Computer Networking – A Top-Down Approach, 7th Edition, Pearson. Page numbers in the syllabus are for the hardcover edition, but you can also use the softcover edition if you map the page numbers yourself. Much, but not all, of the content that we will cover is also present in the sixth edition of the textbook (again, with different page numbers).
Reading assignments for each week can be found on the schedule. Reading assignments must be completed before each class, and you need to plan your time to typically do about 20 pages of reading per session. Don't get behind -- it can be devilishly difficult to catch up. TBA readings will be assigned at least two weeks in advance. Readings that are not in the textbook or freely available on the Web will be available on ELMS.
We will use ELMS only for things that can not be done on the open Web. Examples include submitting homework assignments and viewing grades.
You will need a computer, both for access to ELMS and for the labs. You should bring your computer to class, and you should use it to help with your mastery of concepts that we discuss during class. You may not use any form of communication (e.g., email or social media) or game (online or otherwise) during class; if you must communicate with someone because of a personal emergency, please leave the classroom to do so and rejoin us when you are done.
The course has a mailing list that will be used by the instructors to make announcements. Students will be initially added to the mailing list based on email addresses on file with the university. If you have not received a welcome message from the mailing list before the first day of classes, please contact the instructor to make sure that your correct address is included.
| Component | Percent | Computation |
|---|---|---|
| Homework | 20% | 4% each for the best 5 (of 6) |
| Labs | 20% | 4% each for the best 5 (of 6) |
| Quizzes | 10% | 1.25% each for the best 8 (of 10) |
| Exams | 50% | 25% each for the best 2 (of 3) |
Assignments (Homework and Labs). All homework and labs are due on ELMS before class begins on the date indicated on the syllabus. The homework assignments are designed to provide an opportunity for students to explore specific topics in a structured way. Students may work together on homework assignments and labs, but all of the material that is turned in for grading must be produced individually. For example, students may form study groups and work out homework solutions together on a board or by each working separately on different terminals and then sharing what they have learned, but it would not be permissible for one student to produce a single homework assignment for the group that is then copied and distributed to other group members. The goal of this policy is to encourage the use of homework as a learning aid. Late homework will receive feedback, but will receive a grade of zero. Homework and lab assignments will be posted at least a week before they are due (and usually earlier).
Quizzes. There will be 11 in-class quizzes at the start of the class sessions indicated in the syllabus. Students may not communicate with or receive assistance from any person other than an instructor of this course when taking a quiz. Material from the readings is testable even if not covered in class. All exams will be open book, open notes, and open Internet. Quiz content will be taken from reading assignments, material presented in class, and assignments that have previously been completed. The quizes serve to assess progress and to help to prepare for the exams.
Exams. There will be two exams during the semester, each of which will occupy an entire class session, and one final exam during the final exam period, as shown on the syllabus. The first exam will focus on the first two modules, the second exam will focus on the third, fourth and fifth modules; the the final exam will be comprehensive. Students may not communicate with or receive assistance from any person other than an instructor of this course when taking an exam. Material from the readings is testable even if not covered in class. All exams will be open book, open notes, and open Internet. Your two highest numerical scores on the exams will each count 25% towards the computation of your final score in the course. Your lowest score on any of the three exams will be dropped. There will be no makeup exams - students who miss an exam for any reason will have that score recorded as a zero.
Students wishing to discuss accommodations for unusual circumstances should see Dr. Oard; issues that are known in advance should be discussed by the end of the second week of the semester. We will make any accommodations that are required by law or university policy. Please note, however, that the grading policy already includes accommodations for students who miss one exam, quiz, or homework assignment submission, and that homework and project materials may be turned in in advance. Necessary accommodations which exceed that degree of flexibility are extremely rare.
The University's Counseling Center (301-314-7651, http://www.counseling.umd.edu/) also provides a broad range of expert help to students who are having difficulty with their coursework or with other aspects of their life, and the use of their services is encouraged any time it can be helpful.
A very useful list of course-related policies is available from the Office of Undergraduate Studies at http://www.ugst.umd.edu/courserelatedpolicies.html