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Syllabus

Course Description:

The Vertically Integrated Projects provides students to work in large projects with students from different majors working in real-world projects with university and external mentors.
This course is reserved for vertically integrated projects (VIP) program students with the purpose to advanced research via implementation, discovery, and team work across disciplines.

Course Objectives/Outcomes:

  • Master Mentoring, Team-work, Agile Development, and Research.

    • Prerequisites:

    • Instructor's consent

    Final Exam:

    Presentations required.

    Electronic Equipment During Class:

    While I'm fine if you use electronics for class, I reserved the right to ask you to put any electronics away either in a one by one case or the entire class. In other words, you are an adult and I want you to utilized electronics devices to aid your learning but if I think it is a distraction, then I will ask you to place them away. This is specially true for phones during class.
    As a default rule, I do ask you to remain from having your cell phone in display and keep it on vibrate mode only (or off). I also ask you to refrain from recording audio or video (or both) during class without prior permission from the instructor. If you make notes with your tablet or computer, you can let me know, in order for me to be aware of that.

    Project:

    We follow the agile development with typical cycles of two weeks. This will be explain in our first meeting and via email.

    I do ask you to reserve the time needed for this class depending on your own understanding of yourself. It is required (depending on the section you are), to commit anything between 10 to 20 hours a week (sometimes more). This is a very intensive course because it provides real-life world experience to an outside project.

    Status of Syllabus: Draft (Last Updated: Jan. 7th, 2017).

    Time and Location:

    • We meet depending on the schedule of your section and requirement of the instructors. This class does not have a fix schedule but you will have to make yourself available for the agile meetings and other meetings we have. We will find the best time that works for all of us.

    Required Textbook(s)

    • None.

    Tentative Outline/Topics

    For a detailed schedule, please go to schedule.

    About Grading

    Please note that FIU starting Fall 2016 does not longer have C-,D+,D-. That means that right after a letter grade C, you will earn a D, and then an F.

    Grading (general guidelines but because this is a project course, it is the right of the instructor to adapt the grading to the project of the student (and depending the major of the student))

        IDS-4993-U02 (CS Majors replacing Senior Project -- Implementation Focus)
      • Bi-Weekly sprint reviews presentations: 15%
      • Final Documentation and Videos: 20%
      • Final Presentation and Showcase: 20%
      • Daily scrum meeting participation: 5%
      • Final Research Project Implementation:10%
      • Research Paper: 30%
        IDS-4993-U01
      • NOTE: The amount of work expected is different from Senior VIP. This is meant to be a more exploratory/research phase.
      • Bi-Weekly sprint reviews presentations and Daily Scrums: 10%
      • Final Presentation, Videos, Documentation, and Showcase: 20%
      • Final Research Project/Implemenation: 20%
      • Research Paper: 50%
        IDS-5993-U02 (Graduate students)
      • Research Oriented
      • Research Paper: 50%
      • Research Application: 25%
      • Final Presentation, Videos, and Showcase: 20%
      • Bi-Weekly sprint reviews presentations and Daily Scrums: 5%
      • Implementation Oriented
      • Bi-Weekly sprint reviews presentations: 30%
      • Final Documentation and Videos: 30%
      • Final Presentation and Showcase: 20%
      • Daily scrum meeting participation: 10%
      • Research Paper: 10%

      Differences between each IDS course:

    • IDS-2947 and IDS-3948 are used for free electives (not the same as technical/in-major electives). Students are expected to work 5 hours for IDS-2947 and 10 hours for IDS-3948 a week. This is a project class (with research component.)
    • IDS-4993 has differences. If you are a Computer Science student and looking to replace your technical elective and senior project, you will take this for two semesters. The first semester you will take IDS-4993 section 01 and the second one IDS-4993 section 02. In rare cases, some students maybe allowed to take IDS-4993 if they happen to be graduating the same semester and the instructor validates that the student is ready for the course.
    • IDS-4993-U01, when taking by an IT student, replaces the fifth elective. They are expected to work 20 hours a week on this project.
    • IDS-4993-U01, when taking by a CS student, they are expected to work 10 hours a week (sometimes more) and the focus is different, left up to the instructor and the student.
    • IDS-4993-U01 taking by a major outside of CS or IT, requires 10-20 hours a week, left to the discretion of the instructor.
    • IDS-5993 is the course for graduate students. This course requires 20 hours a week and each student will work in a different concentration (e.g., research, implementation, mentorship). This is left to the discretion of the instructor.

      Grading Scale:

      • A: 90
      • A-: 87
      • B+: 84
      • B: 80
      • B-: 77
      • C+: 74
      • C: 70
      • D: 50
      • F: 49 and below

      Course Policies

    • Attendance: Attendance is not graded but it may be taken. Missing classes may affect your grade if we have graded activities.
    • Academic Misconduct: For work submitted, it is expected that each student will submit their own original work. Any evidence of duplication, cheating or plagiarism will result at least a failing grade for the course.
    • Deadlines: see Moodle
    • To get assistance, always email me before you come to my office to make sure I'm not with another student or doing some other work. See my office hours.
    • Students are encouraged to ask questions and to discuss course topics with the instructor and with each other.
    • DO NOT send assignments by email. Use Moodle for all communications and assignment submissions. Sending via email will only cause confusion. This is even true when Moodle closes and students will send emails with their assignment. Do not send me attachments via email, unless if I ask you for it.
    • Instructor reserves right to change course materials or dates as necessary.

      Student Conduct and Learning Environment

      Florida International University is a community dedicated to generating and imparting knowledge through excellent teaching and research, the rigorous and respectful exchange of ideas, and community service. All students should respect the right of others to have an equitable opportunity to learn and to honestly demonstrate the quality of their learning.
      Therefore, all students are expected to adhere to a standard of academic conduct, which demonstrates respect for themselves, their fellow students, and the educational mission of the University. All students are deemed by the University to understand that if they are found responsible for academic misconduct, they will be subject to the Academic Misconduct procedures and sanctions, as outlined in the Student Handbook:       http://globaldatebooksonline.com/flipbooks/FIU/#2
      YOU CAN ALSO DOWNLOAD A LOCAL COPY HERE: Student Handbook PDF - LOCAL COPY

      Can I change this document?

      From Faculty's handbook:

      Instructors retain the right to modify the course syllabus for any reason throughout the semester provided that:

    • Fair and adequate notice is given to enrolled students either by e-mail, in writing, or through online publishing.

    • Modifications to the syllabus are not arbitrary or capricious.

    • Students are not unfairly disadvantaged by mid-semester changes to grading standards, attendance standards, or performance measures.

      NOTE: In most cases, I will only change this document to accommodate the entire class. I will let you know if there are any changes.

      POLICIES:

    • Code of Academic Integrity:
          http://www.fiu.edu/~oabp/misconductweb/2codeofacainteg.htm
    • University Policies: academic misconduct, sexual harassment, religious holydays, and information on services for students with disabilities
          http://www.fiu.edu/provost/polman/sec2/sec2web2-44.htm

      • If you have any disability make sure you let me know with time to make any accommodation. Also, please make sure you check the FIU Disability Center web site at : http://drc.fiu.edu I will be more than happy to accommodate any part of this class, based on the recommendation of DRC.


      Incomplete Grade Policy:

      Only given in extreme cases and I reserve the right to deny an incomplete. In most cases, an I grade is given if you need to deploy (military service), serious and documented illness, or documented death of a family member. You cannot use an incomplete to get extra time to finish the class. You must have a passing grade at the moment you request the incomplete.

      Important Dates:

      • See FIU Academic Calendar here or by looking at the PDF provided by FIU.

      CLASS READING MATERIAL:

      Go to Moodle for information

      ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

    • I will try to accommodate legitimate, verifiable cases of illness and emergencies. I do accommodate religious holidays.

    • Link to undergraduate student misconduct.

    • Link to graduate student misconduct.