Reflection 2.3 - Good Code and Design

[Due by the start of class on Monday, March 21]

Reading

The goal of this segment of the course is for each participant to gain a better understanding of good program design.

Program design affects the code and can make the program easier to read, easier to revise, more likely to be correct, etc. Novice programmers usually, and reasonably, focus on learning how to use language elements to accomplish given tasks. Considering alternative approaches to/designs of the problem solution is not high on their priority list. But, it is an important step in becoming a more accomplished programmer (and problem solver).

You might think, didn't we just do this last week?  Last topic, we examined one aspect of good code—readability. In this unit we will examine program design which also affects the understandability of code. As noted above, however, good design goes beyond readability/understandability (correctness, revision, etc.). Heeding the lessons in this topic will allow you to have code that is good looking and good (or at least better).

Reflection

This is an exact duplication of the format from Reflection 2.1

This activity is almost entirely about the readings. The reflection is here mostly to keep you on task and to let me see if you have questions and what you are thinking.

For each of the two readings listed above write a 1 to 2 paragraph response. These can include any combination of things such as:

• What are the main points?
• What did the reading make you think about from the Fundamentals of Programming class?
• What questions do you still have after completing this reading?
• What was in here that might be helpful in your (future) classroom?

Submission

As with the prior work, I do not see there being any right or wrong answers in this activity.  Similarly, length of your answer does not necessarily correlate with the quality of your answers.  Instead, I will be looking to see if you have considered a broad set of ideas/concepts for this reflection and will be looking at the clarity with which you have crafted your response(s).  This includes things like spelling, grammar, formatting, etc.

Remember that I will be grading this on purely a 1/0 basis.  You get credit for submitting something on time and that shows that you put time and effort/thought in to crafting a meaningful response.  One of the things that I have found helpful - for both of us -when I grade like this is to ask you to provide a brief self-assessment of your own work.  As such, I would like you to add a 2-3 sentence self analysis at the end of your deliverable.  This should consist of a reflection on the quality of what you submitted.  This reflection should contain whether you think your work is

• excellent
• good
• okay
• marginal
• poor

and then a brief explanation of WHY you made this assessment

I want to be able to give you some guidance as to how this kind of response would be graded if it were part of a competency demo.  If I look at what you submitted and think it is marginal and you think it is excellent, then we should talk so that we are on the same page. On the flip side, if I think your reflection is excellent and you think it is marginal, then we should also talk. I appreciate your honest admission when an assignment was rushed and you know it.  It allows me not to have to have a detailed talk with you if we both understand this is sub-par but you admit is an exceptional situation

To submit your work you should word process your entire reflection (including the final, self analysis) and save/print as a PDF. 

You should then look on Blackboard for the submission link for this activity.