Aarhus Universitets segl

Example: Introduction to Programming


Faculty: Science and Technology (formerly)
Department: Department of Computer Science
Course: Introduction to Programming
Place: 1st year, 1st and 2nd quarter
Number of students: 200
Course responsible: Kurt Jensen

With the reintroduction of the semester structure, Introduction to Programming merges two exams into one. The new assessment consists of continuous assessment and a final exam, each accounting for 50% of the final grade.

Assessment method
Final Assessment
Continuous assessment 
Continuous assessment 

Percentage of grade

50

25

25

When

After the course

Week 7

Week 8-14

What

20 minutes individual oral exam without preparation.

30 minutes individual practical assessment in programming at computer.

Group project with weekly deliverables (in groups of 2 students) on the development of a game.

Why

To orally explain basic concepts and simple programs (in the learning outcomes described as explain ...).

Programming skills require practice and automatization of procedures. Sufficient programming skills are a prerequisite for the remaining part of the course (in the learning outcomes described as apply ... and develop ...).

To develop a game by gradually improving it with respect to topics covered during lectures (in the learning outcomes described as develop ... and apply ...).

How

In the oral exam students draw one of ten topics and hereafter present important concepts and related code for the topic. Exam questions are known beforehand and followed by questions in the entire syllabus.

Students individually solve 10 questions by writing a program on their own computer. The first eight questions should be answered correctly to pass.

The project is developed over 6 weeks with weekly deliverables. Each week students receive feedback and the project is scored. The project can be resubmitted once within a week to increase the scores. A minimum number of scores are required to be allowed to take the final oral exam.

 

Teaching activities

Students practice oral presentation (in week 9-14) and receive feedback from peers and teaching assistant.

Programming skills are practiced during theoretical exercises. In week 1-4 students work in pairs on obligatory assignments where they receive feedback and can resubmit until these are approved. In week 5-7 students hand-in individual assignments.