This guide will help prepare you for the first day of remote learning for CS 186-02 Community Engaged CS for Fall 2020 with Professor Sophie Engle.
Using Zoom
We will use Zoom meetings for remote lectures. Zoom is free to install and use on Windows, Mac, and Linux systems. Enrolled students also have free access to extra Zoom features via their USF accounts.
See the Getting Started with Zoom guide for details on how to download, install, login, and use Zoom for remote learning.
The Zoom information for CS 186-02 lectures is:
Zoom Meeting ID: 941 4305 4441
https://usfca.zoom.us/j/94143054441
It is important you use your USF account to join!
If you want to add this to your calendar, download and import this iCalendar (.ics) file or use this link to add it to your Google Calendar.
Course Website
The main course website is located at:
https://scholars.cs.usfca.edu/cs186-fall2020/
This website will be your primary source for information. It includes a schedule that links to content and assignments that will be regularly updated. The schedule is organized to show any deadlines that occur the week before lecture, any content related to lecture, and any assignments assigned that week.
The website also links to the syllabus, Canvas, Piazza, and Zoom.
Using Canvas
We will only use Canvas for assignments (including deadlines and submissions), graded discussions, and grades. However, if it is easier to remember, you can use Canvas to access the main course website and Piazza. All other content will be listed on the main course website.
Using Piazza
Piazza will be your primary source for communication. Piazza is a free online question and answer platform. Any time you have a question, Piazza is the go-to place to ask it. This is a faster and more reliable option than sending email or responding to notifications in Canvas. Response times on Piazza average between 30 minutes to 1 hour! Piazza may be accessed within Canvas or by logging in at:
https://piazza.com/usfca/fall2020/cs186/home
Follow the 1 hour rule: you should be stuck on a problem for at least 30 minutes. But, you should immediately ask for help if stuck over 1 hour. Worst case, you figure out the answer before we are able to help. Best case, we can help you get unstuck!
Unless a question is sensitive in nature (for example, dealing with an illness, specific grade, or specific solution), posts should be public whenever possible. Responses and posts may be anonymous to other classmates.
When in doubt, it is okay to make a private post. If it should be public, the instructor or teacher assistant will ask for it to be reposted before responding.
Make sure to add both the @dons.usfca.edu and @usfca.edu forms of your official USF email address. Otherwise, the Canvas integration can end up creating two accounts. Find detailed steps at:
All course announcements will be sent via Piazza.