Overview
Welcome to the course webpage for the Fall 2011 term of CSC148H, an Introduction to Computer Science. This course teaches the basics of computer science in Python, which is an industrial-strength programming language used at companies like Google and Industrial Light and Magic.
The course information sheet is required reading in the first week.
The course is delivered through 2 lecture hours a week plus at least eight 2-hour closed labs.
Outside of class and lab, you will also complete a set of assignments and tests and a final exam.
Contact information
Please come visit my office hours! Some of the best learning takes place there.
The office hours start at 10 minutes past the hour unless minutes are provided.
| Instructor | Office | Hours | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Gries | pgries [at] cdf.toronto.edu | BA 4234 |
Tuesday: 2–3
Wednesday: 2:15–3:30 and by appointment. |
Ramp-up session
A FREE one-day workshop will be provided by the CS department to help get you up to speed in Python (up to the level required at the beginning of CSC148H).
The workshop is intended for people who have not taken CSC108H, but have done some object-oriented programing. However, if you have taken CSC108H and think you need a refresher, you are also welcome to attend.
The ramp-up session is on the first Saturday of the semester, 17 September, from 10am until about 4pm (including a lunch break -- bring your own, of visit nearby eateries), and is taught by graduate student Noah Lockwood (who has been a TA for both 108 and 148, and in fact taught 148 years ago). The session is held in BA 3185.
Email 148rampup@cs.toronto.edu to register for the workshop. Please include your CDF username. Please also make sure that you can log into your account before the ramp-up: you'll be doing programming exercises. If you encounter problems with your account we will likely be unable to help: the CDF admins aren't in on the weekends.
Doing your work
The Computing Disciplines Facility (CDF) provides computing support for courses in Computer Science. Here is a list of rooms (with the closed lab rooms listed in bold): BA2200, BA2210, BA2220, BA2240, BA2270, BA3175, BA3185, BA3195 and the Great Hall. There is also a lab in the Gerstein Science Information Centre (at the Sigmund Samuel Library, 7 Kings College Circle) in room 236 at the north end of the second floor. To enter one of the labs you will need to swipe your T-Card through the card reader that is installed outside of each door. (You can also use your T-Card to get into the building itself.)
Help Centre
The Department of Computer Science has a Help Centre with TAs who are able to help you with first year courses (as well as most second-year and some third-year courses). It's open Monday to Thursday from 4-6pm and is located in BA2200. Go visit them if you need help!