Attendance and/or participation policy:

as long as our classroom capacity allows, we welcome both listeners and enrolled students for the lectures. However, for the lab sessions, we can only allow enrolled students due to the limited resources available. Please do enroll the class ONLY IF you are interested in attending at least >90% of the classes and labs, because we expect to have a fruitful, respectful and fun learning and making experiences with you all. We do not do attendance checks for each class, and do not have the time or interest to do so.

Late-work policy:

We accept late submission. For intermediate assignments, there is no need to email anyone for additional notification on late submissions. However, for the final project, please try your best to submit on time. No points will be deducted for late submissions because we are trust-based.

Re-grade policy:

Students can ask to re-grade their work, within one week of receiving the graded assignment, please email both grader and instructor explaining which assignment and why you are seeking a regrade.

Statement on student wellness:

As a student, you may experience a range of challenges that can interfere with learning, such as strained relationships, increased anxiety, substance use, feeling down, difficulty concentrating and/or lack of motivation. These mental health concerns or stressful events may diminish your academic performance and/or reduce your ability to participate in daily activities. CMU services are available, and treatment does work. You can learn more about confidential mental health services available on campus at: http://www.cmu.edu/counseling/. Support is always available (24/7) from Counseling and Psychological Services: 412-268-2922.

The final course grade will be calculated using the following categories:

• Individual or group “idea bank” reports: 20%

• Individual or group “Idea sharing with peers” in class participation: 20%

• Final Project : 60%

The mid-term grade will be calculated using the first two aforementioned categories, each taking 50%.

Additional Information:

Individual or group “idea bank” reports: After most of the lab sessions that happen almost once every week, students will be asked to submit an “idea bank” report related to the lab tasks.

Individual or group “Idea sharing with peers” in class participation: At the beginning of most lecture-based class, randomly selected students will be asked to share their ideas written in their “idea bank”.

Final project: final project has three components including prototyping, presentation and written report. This is conducted in team, and evaluated with a detailed rubic that covers the concept and execution.

Students will be assigned the following final letter grades, based on calculations coming from the course assessment section. Note, based on CMU regulation, only graduate students will have “+” or “-” (e.g., A+). Undergraduate students will be graded with letters without “+” or “-” signs.

For Undergraduate Student:

• A: 90-100

• B: 80 - 89

• C: 70-79

• D: 60-69

• F: 59% or below

For Graduate Students:

• A-: (90 - 93); A (94-96); A+(97-100)

• B-: (80 - 83); B (84-86); B+(87-89)

• C-: (70 - 73); C (74-76); C+(77-79)

• D-: (60 - 63); D (64-66); D+(67-69)

• R (F): 59% or below

For this class, the instructor is conducting research on student outcomes. This research will involve your work in this course. You will not be asked to do anything above and beyond the normal learning activities and assignments that are part of this course. You are free not to participate in this research, and your participation will have no influence on your grade for this course or your academic career at CMU. If you do not wish to participate, please send an email to Chad Hershock (hershock@andrew.cmu.edu) with your name and course number. Participants will not receive any compensation. The data collected as part of this research may include student grades. All analyses of data from participants’ coursework will be conducted after the course is over and final grades are submitted. The Eberly Center may provide support on this research project regarding data analysis and interpretation. The Eberly Center for Teaching Excellence & Educational Innovation is located on the CMU-Pittsburgh Campus and its mission is to support the professional development of all CMU instructors regarding teaching and learning. To minimize the risk of breach of confidentiality, the Eberly Center will never have access to data from this course containing your personal identifiers. All data will be analyzed in de-identified form and presented in the aggregate, without any personal identifiers. If you have questions pertaining to your rights as a research participant, or to report concerns to this study, please contact Chad Hershock (hershock@andrew.cmu.edu).

We celebrate our differences and embrace the things that make each of us unique — these are among the greatest joys of being at a university. We work to promote diversity, equity and inclusion in our classroom because it is necessary! Diversity is a key ingredient in creating excellence, innovation, and learning in the classroom. The ways we are diverse include but are not limited to: race, skin color, sexual orientation, age, nationality, disability, gender identity, religion, beliefs, veteran status, and genetic makeup. We are fully committed to fostering interactions and behavior — during and outside of class — that is in alignment with these core values.
 It is the responsibility of each of us to create a safe and inclusive culture. If you experience or observe unfair or hostile treatment on the basis of identity, we encourage you to speak up and share your experience. In addition to your instructors and TA's, the university offers the following resources:

• The Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion | csdi@andrew.cmu.edu | (412) 268 -2150

• Report-It: http://www.reportit.net/

• All reports will be acknowledged, documented, and a determination will be made regarding a course of action. All experiences shared will be used to transform the campus climate to be more equitable and just.

If you have a disability and have an accommodations letter from the Disability Resources office, the Student Academic Success Center (SASC) encourages you to discuss your accommodations and needs as early in the semester as possible. SASC will work with you to ensure that accommodations are provided as appropriate. If you suspect that you may have a disability and would benefit from accommodations but are not yet registered with the Office of Disability Resources, SASC encourages you to contact them at access@andrew.cmu.edu.

CMU’s Statement on Academic Integrity can be found here: https://www.cmu.edu/student-affairs/theword/academic/statement-on-academic-integrity.html

Do your best to maintain a healthy lifestyle this semester by eating well, exercising, avoiding drugs and alcohol, getting enough sleep and taking some time to relax. This will help you achieve your goals and cope with stress

All of us benefit from support during times of struggle. You are not alone. There are many helpful resources available on campus and an important part of the college experience is learning how to ask for help. Asking for support sooner rather than later is often helpful.

If you or anyone you know experiences any academic stress, difficult life events, or feelings like anxiety or depression, we strongly encourage you to seek support. Counseling and Psychological Services (CaPS) is here to help: call 412-268-2922 and visit their website at http://www.cmu.edu/counseling/. Consider reaching out to a friend, faculty or family member you trust for help getting connected to the support that can help.

SASC focuses on creating spaces for students to engage in their coursework and approach learning through a variety of group and individual options. We offer many opportunities for students to deepen their understanding of who they are as learners, communicators, and scholars. Our services and workshops are free to the CMU community and meet the needs of all disciplines and levels of study. SASC programs to support student learning include the following (program titles link to webpages):

Academic Coaching:

This program provides holistic, one-on-one peer support and group workshops to help undergraduate and graduate students implement habits for success. Academic Coaching assists students with time management, productive learning and study habits, organization, stress management, and other skills. Request an initial consultation here.

Peer Tutoring

Peer Tutoring is offered in two formats for students seeking support related to their coursework. Drop-In tutoring targets our highest demand courses through regularly scheduled open tutoring sessions during the fall and spring semesters. Tutoring by appointment consists of ongoing individualized and small group sessions. You can utilize tutoring to discuss course-related content, clarify and ask questions, and work through practice problems. Visit the webpage to see courses currently being supported by Peer Tutoring.

Communication Support

Communication Support offers free one-on-one communication consulting as well as group workshops to support strong written, oral, and visual communication in texts including IMRaD and thesis-driven essays, data-driven reports, oral presentations, posters and visual design, advanced research, application materials, grant proposals, business and public policy documents, data visualisation, and team projects. Appointments are available to undergraduate and graduate students from any discipline at CMU. Schedule an appointment (in-person or video), attend a workshop, or consult handouts or videos to strengthen communication skills. Specific resources for multilingual students are also available.

Language and Cross-Cultural Support

This program supports students seeking help with language and cross-cultural skills for academic and professional success through individual and group sessions. Students can get assistance with writing academic emails, learning expectations and strategies for clear academic writing, pronunciation, grammar, fluency, and more. Make an appointment with a Language Development Specialist to get individualized coaching.

Supplemental Instruction (SI)

This program offers a non-remedial approach to learning in historically difficult courses at CMU. It utilizes a peer-led group study approach to help students succeed and is facilitated by an SI leader, a CMU student who has successfully completed the course. SI offers a way to connect with other students studying the same course, a guaranteed weekly study time that reinforces learning and retention of information, as well as a place to learn and integrate study tools and exam techniques specific to a course. Visit the website to see courses with SI available here.