CIS 199 Freshman Seminar

CIS 199 Spring 2000

Patterns of Problem Solving

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Time: TBA

Room: 200 Deschutes

Crn: ????

Instructor: Andrzej Proskurowski

256 Deschutes, 346-4428
office hours TBA, also by appointment
email andrzej@cs.uoregon.edu

Prerequisites:
- Genaral alertness and interest in solving problems.
- Ability of formulating ideas and expressing them in writing.
- Aptitude for manipulating simple formulae.
- Math 111.
Texts
- Required: M. Rubinstein, Patterns of Problem Soving, Prentice-Hall, 1975.
- Auxiliary: G. Polya, How to Solve It?, Princeton University Press, 1973.
General statement At every level of development, from high school through retirement, people benefit from a proper problem solving attitude. Problem solving ability is especially helpful in securing a successful academic experience. Students can benefit from considering patterns of their behavior, especially if they can identify those leading to ``successes": a passed test, solved difficult assignment, or even avoiding a blowup with a room mate. We present the students with a discussion of patterns, communication, formalisms, and models as tools in the problem solving process.
Course description The seminar will examine the problem solving process, from the recognition of a problem situation, through analysis of its constraints, to creation of a model and the problem resolution. The lectures and a discussion session will follow selected sections of the text by M.F. Rubinstein to introduce the concepts in general problem solving, and use the celebrated text by G. Polya to illustrate principles of problem solving in a well formalized domain. The weekly homework assignments will require students to answer questions and solve problems provided by the texts. In lieu of the final exam, the students will propose and execute individualized final projects. Although the course has a strong science flavor, its relevance to computer science lies mainly in the general discussion of patterns and formalisms, deterministic and probabilistic models that can be used in problem solving. Additionally, issues involving interpersonal communication and cultural and ethical aspects will be introduced and discussed.
Course requirements The course will consist of weekly lectures based on the relevant material in the texts, and weekly discussion sessions. Each week, the students will turn in homework assignments that will include answers to problems and exercises from the texts, some in form of short essays. The last two meetings will be devoted to student presentations of their final projects which will constitute part of the requirement. Active participation of the students in class discussions throughout the term is required.
Evaluation
- There will be eight or nine written homework assignments.
- There will be a final project on a subject generally relevant to problem solving, for instance, an important personality, a problem situation and its resolution. The project has to be individually researched and written (an order of magnitude of ten double-spaced, type-written pages).
- Approximate distribution of evaluation criteria:
  
  Weekly Homework Assignments 40%
  
  Attendance 20%
  
  Class Participation 10%
  
  Final Project 30%

Course syllabus (tentative)

Week Subject Text Chapter

Week 1 Models of problem solving process. 1

Week 2 Role of human values and common failings in problem solving. 10

Week 3 Natural language vs. formal language. 2

Week 4 Problem representation and formal models. 5

Week 5 Measurement of information and uncertainty. 4

Week 6 Assimilation of information through will to doubt. 4

Week 7 Concepts of probability theory. 4

Week 8 Elements of game theory. 7

Week 9 Final projects.

Week 10 Final projects.

Selected student comments (1999)
- "By far my favorite course all year."
- "This is one of the courses that requires reading and paying attention in class in order to understand the material."
- "If I need 3 credits, I'll just take PE from now on."
- "Much more logic than what I have encountered in calculus in high school."
- "It was a very small clas, so if you had a question it was sure to be answered. I gained knowledge of CS and Math; I have never taken a CS class before -- it was something new to me."
My comments:
- My goal is to energize students to think and learn; those with incompatible goals would be wasting their and my time.
- Some students come to the university with high intellectual potential not backed by good study habits or skills; I would hope that the seminar will help them to change the latter without impairing the former.
- To benefit from the seminar, one needs to read the text(s), do the homework, express oneself in writing and participate in class discussion (attendance is mandatory).
- Homeworks have to be written cleanly (not "a first and only draft"!) and submitted in a timely fashion.
- Final research projects are expected to be a student's own work, not a compilation of unreliable web pages, relate to the topic of the seminar and include a list of references used.
- My office hours are supposed to benefit students, so please use them!
I am looking forward to the next batch of enthusiatic problem solvers!
Example of scores and grades.

Weekly Homework Assignments	40%
Attendance	20%
Class Participation	10%
Final Project	30%

Week	Subject	Text Chapter
Week 1	Models of problem solving process.	1
Week 2	Role of human values and common failings in problem solving.	10
Week 3	Natural language vs. formal language.	2
Week 4	Problem representation and formal models.	5
Week 5	Measurement of information and uncertainty.	4
Week 6	Assimilation of information through will to doubt.	4
Week 7	Concepts of probability theory.	4
Week 8	Elements of game theory.	7
Week 9	Final projects.
Week 10	Final projects.