Attendance & Absences

Lecture attendance is mandatory. While no credit is provided for attending lecture, that does not mean that it's optional. Per university policy, "students have an obligation to be present throughout each term at all meetings of courses for which they are registered."

The single most important thing you can do as a student to be successful in this class is to regularly attend lecture. This means you should come to lecture prepared, arrive and be seated before the start of lecture, and engage/participate during class. Historically, students that have regularly attended class earn at least a letter grade higher and report using fewer office hours.

Please respect your peers' learning and arrive on time. Arriving late is disruptive to your peers' learning.

On-Time Attendance

Attendance is taken through in-class activity handouts. It is your responsibility to complete the in-class activity handout and physically submit it before leaving the classroom to be counted as present for that class. If you arrive after the start of lecture (class starts exactly at 10:10:00am), but within 10 minutes of the start time (10:20:00am), you will be counted as half present for that class. If you arrive more than 10 minutes after the start of lecture (after 10:20:00am) or leave before lecture is dismissed, you will be counted as absent for that class. No exceptions.

Class Engagement & Participation

Twice during the semester, you will be randomly called on to answer a question during lecture/studio. You need not answer correctly to receive credit, however you must be present to receive your participation/engagement credit.

If you are not present when your name is randomly called, you will not receive participation/engagement credit for that class. You may not make up participation/engagement credit for a class you were absent from unless your absence was excused prior to the class. Contact info4340@cornell.edu if you have a legitimate reason for missing class and would like to request an excused absence.

Catching-up if You Miss Class

If you miss class, you should connect with a peer from the course. Arrange a time to meet and go through the notes (don't just copy them) and practice the in-class activities together. This benefits the learning of both you and your peer.

I do not recommend relying solely on posted notes/slides to catch-up for missed classes. Unfortunately, slides are not a substitute for the learning that occurs during class.

Laptop and Cellphone Usage, Recording During Class

I care about your learning and distractions get in the way of that goal. Students that take notes by hand learn better (i.e. retention and performance) compared to their peers that take notes on their laptops. You are encouraged to take notes by hand and only use your laptop for in-class programming activities.

Please do not use your phone during class. Cellphones are distracting in the classroom and may inhibit your learning and that of your peers.

Do not record or take photos during class without the explicit permission of the instructor. Recording someone without their permission is an invasion of their privacy; please respect the privacy of your peers and the course staff.