Catalog Description:
Introduction to Java programming. Includes learning the Java environment, using and creating Java applets, and writing stand-alone applications. Covers the Java environment, object-oriented programming, language basics, classes, interfaces, packages, threads, and exceptions. This course has the option of a letter grade or credit/no credit.
Units:
4 Hours: 3 Lecture, 3 Laboratory. Advisory: CSIS 45 C++ Programming or equivalent programming
experience.
End
of catalog description.
Instructor:
E-mail: dvantassel@gavilan.edu
Class Hours: The Fall class is hybrid class, which means
you can take it as an Online class, or Lecture class.
Lectures are Monday evenings at the Morgan Hill site.
So you can sign up for the online or lecture
version of the course, then attend lectures if you need them.
We will be working in a computer lab where you can do your homework,
and get help from me on your assignments.
Office Hours: One half hour before class. Also Open computer lab, Sundays,
4:00 – 7:45 PM, (Fall and Spring semesters only, not during Summer) at
Assignment sheet: If you sign up for the
class and tell me, I can e-mail you the assignment sheet for the class so you
can start early, but I will not send you the assignment sheet until you sign up
for the class. All these class Green Sheets are stored at my campus web site.
Campus web address: http://www.gavilan.edu
The
web site is good place to look for a wide variety of information, such as
college catalog, course description, phone numbers, etc.
Instructor class
description: This
class is a beginning programming class, but previous experience with C++ would
make the class easier. We will work through much of the assigned textbook. You
will need the textbook the first meeting of class. This is a difficult class.
The material is difficult and there is a lot of homework.
Grading: This course has Credit/No
Credit Option. You will normally get a grade in the class, but if you fill out
a Credit/No Credit petition before 1/3 of the class has passed, you can take
the class for credit/no credit. Petitions are available at the office or
registrar. Please tell me if you do request a Credit/No Credit Option. In order
to get a Credit, you need to earn at least a C grade.
Student Responsibilities: If you are taking the lecture version come to class. Read the text. You need
spend several hours EVERY week on this class. If you disappear AND stop
working on this class, I may drop you.
Texts & Materials, Spring: Object-Oriented Program Development Using Java: A Class-Centered Approach, by Gary Bronson,
Course Technology, 2005, ISBN: 0-619-21720-0. You need the textbook the first day of class,
and all assignments will be from the book. The book is available for very cheap
from http://www.amazon.com or http://www.half.com. Or you
can use the above supplied ISBN and got to the Web site: http://www.campusbooks.com/ and they
will provide a comparison shopping for your textbook.
The most common characteristic of people that do not pass this course is
that they did not buy a textbook. It is like trying to make a long trip with
out a map ‑ very difficult and in this case impossible. Another Java
Programming book would be useful for reference.
You can save yourself a lot of wasted time and learn
a lot more if you read the textbook.
Obtaining
software:
You can obtain a free copy of the Java compiler from www.java.sun.com. Select Java SE. You need
to install this Java compiler on your computer if you plan to work at home. You
can also do your work at the computer labs at the college.
Assignment: On the computer type up a
short note about yourself. Please indicate your name, e-mail address, computer
experience, previous programming background, and why you are taking the class.
If you do not have an e-mail address, please go to www.hotmail.com and open a
free e-mail account. If you want to you can give me your phone number and
address, and if you miss class I may send you assignments either through the
You do not need a computer at home to do this class,
but you can do homework outside class on other computers. One of the computer
labs in the
Attend class: Do not get behind in the
class. The class is accumulative. What you learn this week will be used to do
the work next week. If you miss classes you will soon be lost. Plan to miss no classes. In Online
classes, attending class means logging into the class each week and doing the
assignments.
Grading: This course has Credit/No
Credit Option. You will normally get a grade in the class, but if you fill out
a Credit/No Credit petition before 1/3 of the class has passed, you can take
the class for credit/no credit. Petitions are available at the office or
registrar. Please tell me if you do request a Credit/No Credit Option. In order
to get a Credit, you need to earn at least a C grade.
If you want or need a good grade because you want to
transfer to a 4-year school, are on academic probation, want a scholarship, or
just want good grades do the work
for a good grade. Don’t bother telling me you need a good grade the last week
if you have not done the work for a good grade.
Course Grading Method
This class will be graded according to the following method:
C grade, finish Chapters 1-7, and sections 8.1 and 8.2 on arrays.
B grade, finish chapters 1-9
A grade, finish chapters 1-11.
I have posted assignments all the way through Chapters 13.
To get those grades you need to obtain 90% on chapter work. If you do worse in an earlier chapter, you can do another chapter to make up for missed work.
If you decide to stop at a B or C grade, send me a message and confirm with me your potential grade.
Course Learning Outcomes
The
student will create, execute, and test Java programs using calculations and decision
statements. The student will create, execute, and test Java programs using
loops and arrays. The student will create, execute, and test Java programs
using functions. The student will create execute, and test Java programs using
structures, classes, and objects. The student will create, execute, and test
Java programs using standard input/output, character I/O and file I/O. The
student will evaluate and select the best programming method to solve problems.
Incompletes: I seldom give incompletes
and never give them just because you have not done the work. Almost no one ever
finishes an Incomplete. Occasionally, people that have been doing the class
work have severe family or personal problems and I do give them an Incomplete.
Drops: If you stop attending class,
you must fill out a class drop form or you will get an F grade in the class.
This does not do you, me, or the school any good. So if you stop taking the
class, drop it at the A&R
office, or the front desk at
Special needs: If you have special needs
such as hearing problem, visual problems, or other needs, please tell me after
class and I will try to assist you.
After all that, this is a fun class. You will learn
a lot that will help you in your other classes and help you obtain useful job
skills. I am interested in suggestions about assignments, lectures, and the
material covered.
Necessary math
skills: If
you are having trouble doing the math needed to solve the problems in the
programming exercises, then you should take Math 233, Intermediate Algebra. We
have noticed that one common reason students do not succeed in programming
classes is the lack of math skills need to write programming algorithms. At
many 4-year colleges, potential Computer Science (CS) students must take one year
of calculus before becoming a CS major.
Next classes
to take:
The next classes you might take are CSIS 45 C++ Programming and CSIS 54 Perl
Programming. In both classes the language syntax is very similar to Java, so
that will give you a big help in those classes. Also, consider CSIS 51 Visual
Basic Programming which you should find easy and there are a lot of jobs in all
three languages. If you have not taken any programming classes, CSIS 10 Basic
Programming would be a good place to start.
Address of this page:
http://hhh.gavilan.edu/dvantassel/csis24/csis24.html
Please feel free to send us your comments and questions.
Send e-mail messages to Dennie Van
Tassel at dvantassel@gavilan.edu
Last revised on July 24, 2011.