Sense & Scale

A site to explore cultures, cities, and computing at varying senses and scales. Updated by Ar Ducao, with content from classes at NYU, MIT, CUNY and more.

Contact: see syllabi

  • Agenda

    Assignment

    1. Read/listen, take notes, and be ready for in-class timed exercises & discussions on: 
      • The epigraph and Introduction of Medical Apartheid by Harriet A. Washington, available in ePub and audio. Note that this book was written in 2006; much of its information is (sadly) still correct; but some of its terminology is no longer in keeping with the MLA and APA guidelines on inclusive language.
      • “Sonny’s Blues” by James Baldwin, available in epub and audiobook (NYU login required).
        • With the audio: start in Part 3 at 35:38 and end at Part 4 at 55:37.
    2. What current technology issues come to mind from your reading? Please find a news item about a relevant technology issue, and add its URL to the 9/25 tab in D&T News Items 2024.
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  • Announcements Agenda Assignment

    Announcements

    • Please log into Brighspace now and note the availability of all Timed Exercise extensions. All students must be caught up by this Sunday. No more extensions without an accommodation via Student Advocacy, the Moses Center, or the office of Spiritual Life.
      • I’m grading exercises as they come in, but will refrain from publishing grades until everyone is caught up.

    Agenda

    Assignment

    1. Read/listen, take notes, and be ready for in-class timed exercises & discussions on: 
      • The epigraph and Introduction of Medical Apartheid by Harriet A. Washington, available in ePub and audio. Note that this book was written in 2006; much of its information is (sadly) still correct; but some of its terminology is no longer in keeping with the MLA and APA guidelines on inclusive language.
      • “Sonny’s Blues” by James Baldwin, available in epub and audiobook (NYU login required).
        • With the audio: start in Part 3 at 35:38 and end at Part 4 at 55:37.
    2. What current technology issues come to mind from your reading? Please find a news item about a relevant technology issue, and add its URL to the 9/23 tab in D&T News Items 2024.
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  • Agenda Assignment

    Agenda

    Assignment

    1. Finish reading the syllabus to make sure its writing/reading-intensity is right for you.
    2. Read/listen, take notes, and be ready for in-class timed exercises & discussionson: 
    3. What current technology issues come to mind from your reading? Please find a news item about a relevant technology issue, and add its URL to the 9/9 tab in “D&T Share-outs 2024.”

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  • Contents Overview What does diversity mean in the context of the United States? How does diversity, equity, inclusion, representation and belonging impact the way that technology is designed, developed and scaled in the United States? As generative artificial intelligence has grown into a ubiquitous technology, how might it impact —…

    Contents

    Overview

    What does diversity mean in the context of the United States? How does diversity, equity, inclusion, representation and belonging impact the way that technology is designed, developed and scaled in the United States? As generative artificial intelligence has grown into a ubiquitous technology, how might it impact — and be impacted by — the most challenging diversity-related issues in the United States?

    In this year’s D&T course, we will examine the root causes of diversity issues through the work of five literary writers (Toni Morrison, James Baldwin, Audre Lorde, Ursula K. Le Guin, and Octavia E. Butler) who have led critical thought on sociocultural identity in the American context. This Advanced Seminar is a reading, discussion, writing, and research-intensive course that will encourage students to take personal narratives of demographic representation and apply them to issues of disruptive technology 

    Through research, literary and critical analysis, timed exercises on reading comprehension and ideation, class discussion, occasional field trips, and guest speakers, this course will explore the relationships between many kinds of technology and many kinds of diversity. Literary works will be used in particular to explore identity formation and meaning-making amongst users and creators of technology.

    Students will be required to choose one of the class’s five main topic areas, then use its required reading, plus recommended reading and their own research, to write a peer-reviewed, 15- to 20-page research article in the second half of the semester. Student research articles will examine not only how diversity has and hasn’t impacted technology, but also how technology has and hasn’t impacted intersectional social movements toward diversity, representation, justice, and inclusion.

    Required Prerequisites:  EXPOS-1 and one TCS elective course. 

    This TCS Advanced Seminar is intended to be a capstone of the student’s TCS experience. Although some sophomores might meet the prerequisites, normally this course would be taken in the junior or senior year. For this 4-credit course, students should expect to do 6.6 hours per week of supplemental time as defined by NYU’s guidance on credit hours.

    Recommended prerequisites: This course uses seminal, historical literary work influenced by and influential on feminist theory, queer theory, and critical race theory, with the goal of supporting the values of transformative justice and creating space for transformative learning. Students should have theoretical experience in sociocultural analysis or practical experience in movement-building and organizing work.

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    Learning Goals

    1. Understand what diversity means under federal, state and city human/civil rights law and history. 
    2. Use close literary reading to understand the American context of language, gender, race, spatial sovereignty, and bodily autonomy.
    3. Use close literary reading to conduct sociocultural analyses of generative AI in the context of language, gender, race, spatial sovereignty, and bodily autonomy. 
    4. Develop techniques to use information outside the public internet;
    5. Train with critical analysis and information literacy tools that show how to identify and evaluate the technological oppression of marginalized groups in various contexts; 
    6. Examine modes of technological production in a socioeconomic and cultural setting;
    7. Write a research paper that combines the course’s required literature with the student’s own research on generative AI in the context of language, gender, race, spatial sovereignty, or bodily autonomy. 

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    Course Books & Resources

    Required Introductory Materials

    Topic Areas and Required Books

    For the following topics, students will be required to read and discuss at least 50% of each required text, as directed by Prof. All required texts are available in both e-book and audiobook. For their final writing project, students will choose one of the following topics, then read the entirety of the recommended and additional texts as part of their research. Since this is an Advanced Seminar, you will be trained to create your own bibliography of scholarly journal articles.

    1. Bodily Autonomy
      • Literary text: Beloved by Toni Morrison
      • Data-driven text: Medical Apartheid by Harriet Washington
    2. Race
      • Literary texts by James Baldwin: The Fire Next Time, Going to Meet the Man, and excerpts from Notes of a Native Son and Nobody Knows My Name
      • Data-driven text: Race After Technology by Ruha Benjamin 
    3. Language
      • Literary text: Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde
      • Data-driven texts: Research by Emily Bender (including “On the Dangers of Stochastic Parrots” and the profile “You Are Not a Parrot” about Bender’s work
    4. Spatial Sovereignty
      • Literary text: Dawn by Octavia Butler
      • Data-driven text: The Age of Surveillance Capitalism by Shoshanna Zuboff
    5. Gender

    Additional General Materials 

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    Schedule

    General Session Structure

    We’ll follow this structure on days when we don’t have field trips or guest speakers.

    • 25 mins: Discussion on your news items (led by Prof)
    • 25 mins: Timed Exercise
    • 35 mins: Your collaborative discussion activity (led by students assigned to that session)
    • 25 mins: Research skills (led by Prof)

    Weekly Schedule

    The following weekly schedule is an approximate plan that’s subject to change. We will check in the Add/Drop deadline to finalize class policies. Please note that 

    • Each student will be required to lead two 35-minute sessions of discussion time, as assigned by the professor. 
    • When the weather starts getting cold, we may have more remote sessions.
    • No class on October 14 (Fall break); class on October 15 instead. 
    • Our last class: December 11. 
    SessionTimed exercise onDiscussion onReading AssignmentWriting Assignment
    1First and Second Industrial RevolutionsOverview of semesterIntro materials & Morrison 1Take notes on the reading; find relevant technology news items
    2 Intro materials & Morrison 1Intro materialsIntro Materials & Morrison 2Take notes on the reading; find relevant technology news items
    3 Intro materials & Morrison 2Morrison 1Morrison 3Take notes on the reading; find relevant technology news items
    4 – Last day of Add/Drop (9/16)Morrison 3Morrison 2Morrison 4Take notes on the reading; find relevant technology news items
    5Morrison 4Morrison 3Baldwin 1, Third Industrial Revolution (Crenshaw)Start midterm; find relevant news items
    6Baldwin 1, Third Industrial Revolution (Crenshaw)Morrison 4Baldwin 2Work on midterm; find relevant news items
    7Baldwin 2Baldwin 1, Third Industrial Revolution (Crenshaw)Baldwin 3Work on midterm; find relevant news items
    8Baldwin 3Baldwin 2Baldwin 4Work on midterm; find relevant news items
    9Baldwin 4Baldwin 3Lorde 1Work on midterm; find relevant news items
    10Lorde 1Baldwin 4Lorde 2Work on midterm; find relevant news items
    11Lorde 2Lorde 1Lorde 3Work on midterm; find relevant news items
    12Lorde 3Lorde 2Lorde 4Work on midterm; find relevant news items
    13Lorde 4Lorde 3Butler 1, Fourth Industrial RevolutionFinish midterm; find relevant news items
    14 – midterm dueButler 1, Fourth Industrial RevolutionLorde 4Butler 2Start final; find relevant news items
    15Butler 2Butler 1, Fourth Industrial RevolutionButler 3Work on final; find relevant news items
    16Butler 3Butler 2Butler 4Work on final; find relevant news items
    17Butler 4Butler 3Le Guin 1Work on final; find relevant news items
    18Le Guin 1Butler 4Le Guin 2Work on final; find relevant news items
    19Le Guin 2Le Guin 1Le Guin 3Work on final; find relevant news items
    20Le Guin 3Le Guin 2Le Guin 4Work on final; find relevant news items
    21Le Guin 4Le Guin 3Books for your topicWork on final; find relevant news items
    22All required materialsLe Guin 4Books for your topicWork on final; find relevant news items
    23All required materialsResearch methods & organizationBooks for your topicWork on final
    24All required materialsResearch methods & organizationBooks for your topicWork on final
    25All required materialsResearch methods & organizationAdditional research for your topicWork on final
    26All required materialsResearch methods & organizationAdditional research for your topicFinal Presentations
    27Final PresentationsResearch methods & organizationAdditional research for your topicFinal Presentations
    28 – Last day of class (12/13)Final PresentationsAdditional research for your topicWork on final
    29 – Exam week(s)Final Article DUE

    The table above is maintained in this Google Sheet (NYU login required).

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    Sessions

    (to be scheduled based on student interest/needs)

    Research Sessions

    1. Research with Generative AI
    2. Cultural Competence (Avatar exercise)
    3. Inclusive Language
    4. NYU Research Guides: Machines and Society
    5. NYU One Zone
    6. Sage Research Methods: Narrative Analysis (NYU login required)
    7. Wikipedia 
    8. Google Scholar
    9. Internet Archives
    10. NYU Research Guides: Technology
    11. NYU Research Guides: Literature
    12. NYU Research Guides: Writing
    13. NYU Research Guides: Social Science
    14. NYU Research Guides: STS & TCS
    15. NYU Research Guides: Gender & Sexuality
    16. NYU Research Guides: Other relevant guides 
    17. Other institutions’ research guides (e.g. CUNY, UCLA, Berkeley, NYPL, LoC)
    18. NYU Database Search
    19. NYU Libraries Search
    20. DOI
    21. APA Style Handbook
    22. MLA Style Handbook
    23. NYU Writing Center

    Special Sessions (schedule TBD)

    • A.D Stinnett
    • Civil War / Reconstruction-era walking tour of Downtown Brooklyn + Sojourner Truth
    • A visit from a SAG-AFTRA rep
    • A visit from a WGA rep
    • Tandon @ The Yard
    • Black Movement Library

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    Attendance

    • Please arrive on time. I’ll give you 10 minutes to trickle in, but late arrivals are disruptive and stressful for me. 
    • Illness-Related Absence
      • For short illness: up to one calendar week’s (2 consecutive sessions) absence from class due to illness will be excused, without a healthcare provider’s note. Please try to notify me via email (arlduc [at] nyu.edu) by 11am on the day you’ll be absent. I’m not able to check email between 12-4pm on class days.
        • Please do your best to complete each session’s Timed Exercise on Brightspace. I will drop some of your quiz scores (see grading below), but try to keep on top of these.
      • Chronic and long-term illness should be registered with the NYU Moses Center and Deanna Rayment (see “NYU Policies” below for contact info).
    • Other Types of Absences
      • Unexcused absences: 5 points will be deducted from your midterm and final grades for every class in which I don’t receive 3 hours advance notice. Meaning: I’m flexible if you communicate with me well in advance!
        • If you have multiple unexcused absences, please contact the NYU Office of Student Affairs to get help devising a make-up plan (see “NYU Policies” below for contact info).
        • To be clear: an absence is unexcused unless you notify me and receive confirmation in advance of class (or the same day, in cases of emergencies).
      • If there’s a structural issue that’s keeping you from regularly attending in-person sessions, I will refer you to Tandon Student Affairs for further mediation and support.
      • If you start to feel you can’t keep up with your assignments for this class, I urge you to let me know sooner (e.g. days/weeks ahead) rather than later (e.g. the day of the deadline, or after the deadline has passed). This can be hard to do, especially for minority and marginalized people, but it’s important to ahead of the problem so I can work with you and plan accordingly. I CAN’T STRESS THIS ENOUGH. “Sooner rather than later” is an important rule of thumb for professional settings!

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    Grading

    Midterm

    • 15% In-class timed exercises. An average of your 10 best exercises.
    • 35% Participation and discussion leadership
    • 50% Midterm Essay of 2200+ words (9 pages + bibliography). This can be an essay that compiles your notes and techno-cultural research on all the required reading so far. 
    • Adherence to Attendance Policy (see above)

    Final

    • 15% In-class timed exercises. An average of your 22 best exercises.
    • 35% Participation and discussion leadership
    • 50% Final Essay of 3300+ words (14 pages + bibliography). This essay should reflect your final choice of topic, the required reading for the topic, and your relevant reflections/research from the midterm essay. 
    • Adherence to Attendance Policy (see above)

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    Grading Rubrics

    Timed Writing Exercises
    Does each answer…

    1. Make basic sense?
    2. Demonstrate basic understanding of the reading/listening/viewing?
    3. Correctly cite evidence and details from the assigned reading/listening/viewing?
    4. Use additional information and/or context clues to correctly identify causality, correlation, or other connections, as appropriate?
    5. Use evidence to demonstrate an inferential understanding of deeper themes?

    Discussion
    As a discussion leader, did you demonstrate a curiosity/comprehension of and ask questions about:

    1. Basics from the assigned reading/listening/viewing?
    2. Deeper themes from the assigned reading/listening/viewing?
    3. How such themes play a role in the development, deployment, and/or dissemination of technology?
    4. How such themes are relevant for marginalized communities who hold one or more protected identities (as defined by NYC Human Rights Law)?
    5. Significant passages from the assigned reading/listening/viewing?
    6. Current case studies and news items relevant to this discussion?
      In addition, you will be evaluated on
    7. Accuracy and understandability
    8. Flow and continuity of the discussion
    9. Citations to external references
    10. Clear role division and planning with your discussion co-leader 

    Midterm Essay: Rubric is now in this grade sheet template.

    Final Essay Grading Rubric (will be finalized in a grade sheet soon)

    1. Basics: Word count and APA inline citations, bibliography, and DOI links 
    2. Introduction: Clear theme/thesis that links your topic, literary work, and data-driven work. Your thesis should answer the question: how do these texts highlight and contextualize issues of equity, belonging and representation within your topic? 
    3. Methods: Explain the narrative analysis technique you plan to use. Do you plan to focus on character, temporality, objects, spatiality, etc? Cite specific narrative analysis models.
    4. Literary work
    5. Data-driven work 
    6. Synthesis of how the literary work is connected to the data-driven work. Use the narrative analysis methods you establish in the “Methods” section.
    7. Additional criteria forthcoming
    8. Cultural competence checks (penalties)

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    Your Questions

    Can I use a generative chatbot (eg ChatGPT) to write my papers?

    Sure, if you think it will help your paper! (Given the sociocultural complexity of your writing assignments, I’m skeptical that AI will help you more than it hurts you, but I’m open to you trying!) 

    If you use generative AI for your writing, you must 1) explain how you used it in the introduction of your paper; 2) check and revise the AI’s outputs as needed, such that you’re still fulfilling the writing requirements of this class. I also reserve the right to use generative AI to review your work.

    Can I watch the movie/performance of the literary work(s) I choose? Can I use the Cliffs Notes, Spark Notes, etc?

    You can! I find that all these things can help me understand the text more deeply. But I’ll be quizzing you on the original text, not the derivative works. 

    In fact, here are some supplemental films we might watch in class. You’re also welcome to watch them on your own and cite them in your research.

    1. Beloved (NYU login required)
    2. Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am (DVD from Bobst)

    On Kanopy (NYU login required):

    1. I Am Not Your Negro
    2. Worlds of Ursula Le Guin
    3. Ursula Le Guin and the Ambiguous Utopia
    4. Audre Lorde: The Edge of Each Other’s Battles
    5. Octavia biography (audiobook, link forthcoming)
    6. Kindred (TV series)
    7. Parable of the Sower (opera)

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    Office Hours

    Monday and Wednesday by appointment, preferably before or after class. Ask me or e-mail arlduc [at] nyu.edu to make an appointment. I’ll respond within 1 business day. Appointments can be conducted in person or over Zoom.

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    NYU Policies

    Academic Honesty

    All work for this class must be your own and specific to this semester. Any work recycled from other classes or from another, non-original source will be rejected with serious implications for the student. Plagiarism, knowingly representing the words or ideas of another as one’s own work in any academic exercise, is absolutely unacceptable. Any student who commits plagiarism must re-do the assignment for a grade no higher than a D. In fact, a D is the highest possible course grade for any student who commits plagiarism. 

    Disability & Accessibility

    If you are student with a disability who is requesting accommodations, please contact NYU Moses Center for Students Accessibility at 212-998-4980 or mosescsd@nyu.edu.  You must be registered with CSD to receive accommodations. Information about the Moses Center can be found at www.nyu.edu/csd. The Moses Center is located at 726 Broadway on the 2nd floor.

    Religious Accommodation

    NYU’s Calendar Policy on Religious Holidays states that members of any religious group may, without penalty, absent themselves from classes when required in compliance with their religious observances. You must notify me in advance of religious holidays or observances that might coincide with exams, assignments, or class times to schedule reasonable alternatives. Students may also contact religiousaccommodations@nyu.edu for assistance.

    Additional Support

    If you find yourself needing additional interpersonal, professional, emotional, and/or other kinds of support in the course of this semester, I strongly encourage you to contact Deanna Rayment, Assistant Director of Compliance and Student Advocacy, at the Office of Student Affairs. Professors are working with Deanna to increase the likelihood of your academic success.

    NYU Compliance + Requirements

    For further information on NYU guidelines for compliance, please visit the following sites. I will refer to these if we need to address larger policy issues in the class.

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  • Summer 2024Prof. Ar Ducao, arlduc [at] nyu.eduTuesdays, 12:15-3:15 PMWallkill State Correctional Facility  Overview ?️ ? This course will prepare students to write basic software and web pages, and it will introduce a full foundation of computer science and design coding concepts that can be applied to many kinds of technical…

    Summer 2024
    Prof. Ar Ducao, arlduc [at] nyu.edu
    Tuesdays, 12:15-3:15 PM
    Wallkill State Correctional Facility 

    Overview ?️ ?

    This course will prepare students to write basic software and web pages, and it will introduce a full foundation of computer science and design coding concepts that can be applied to many kinds of technical projects. Students will be exposed to Python, HTML, CSS, and the Unix operating system. This course will take place in the computer lab, so concepts will be demonstrated and discussed through hands-on computer exercises and assignments. Concepts include data types, data structures, syntax, tags, elements, attributes, functions, variables, expressions, inheritance, statements, and version control. 

    Learning Goals ? ⏏️

    1. Learn basic computer science concepts, including data types, non-decimal numeric systems, data structures, input and output, conditions, and iteration.
    2. Work with an IDE (integrated development environment).
    3. Write basic back-end functionality with Python.
    4. Write basic front-end styles with HTML and CSS.
    5. Learn best practices for writing code that other people can read. 

    Schedule ? ?️

    This is an approximate schedule. It is subject to change based on the general work pace of the computers and the students.
    ?️

    For each week, the assignment will be the exercises at the end of the chapters we studied. For example: Week 1’s assignment will be the exercises at the end of Chapter 1 in both the Python book and the HTML/CSS book.

    Starting around Week 5, I’ll reserve the last 20-ish minutes of class for 1-on-1 meetings to check in with each of you!

    1. Introduction and Best Practices (Chapter 1)
      • Python: The Way of the Program
      • HTML/CSS: Structure
      • Other: Python IDLE, Notepad, Explorer. Non-decimal numerical systems (binary and hex), Boolean logic, data types. 
      • Additional assignment: Please write me a letter introducing your past experience with any computer or digital technologies, as well as what you’d like to learn in this class. Thanks!
    2. Introduction Continued (Chapter 2)
      • Python: Variables, Expressions, Statements
      • HTML/CSS: Text
    3. Writing Programs and Building Structure (Chapter 3)
      • Python: Functions
      • HTML/CSS: Lists
    4. Case Studies: Designs (Chapter 4)
      • Python: Case Study: Interface Design
      • HTML/CSS: Links
    5. More Structure (Chapter 5)
      • Python: Conditionals and Recursion
      • HTML/CSS: Images
    6. Input and Output (Chapter 6)
      • Python: Fruitful Functions
      • HTML/CSS: Tables
    7. Looping Forward (Chapter 7)
      • Python: Iteration
      • HTML/CSS: Forms
    8. Strings and Styles (Chapter 8)
      • Python: Strings
      • HTML/CSS: Extra Markup
    9. Case Study and Cascading Styles (Chapter 9)
      • Python: Case Study: Word Play
      • HTML/CSS: Introducing CSS
    10. More Structure and Style (Chapter 10)
      • Python: Lists
      • HTML/CSS: Color
    11. Data Relationships (Chapter 11)
      • Python: Dictionaries
      • HTML/CSS: Text
    12. Wrap Up (Chapter 12)
      • Python: Tuples and Beyond
      • HTML/CSS: Boxes and Beyond

    Course Books ?️ ⌨️

    Grading ?️ ?

    Grades will be based on weekly programming assignments in the course textbooks, which can be started in class. Grades are calculated as follows:

    • 30% Structure: Are all the parts of the program set up?
    • 30% Implementation:  Are all the parts of the program completed?
    • 20% Style: Have you thoughtfully used comments, variable naming, and function naming so as to help make the code understandable? Is your code organized and well indented? Is your code authored by you?
    • 20% Function: Does the program run on the computer properly? NOTE: This part can take the longest, so for the short assignments in this class, I recommend that you draft out the structure, basic implementation, and style first.

    Extra credit can be earned in a few different ways:

    1. Participate extensively in class discussions by sharing an answer or informed, respectful opinion. 
    2. Help another student with their assignments. If you write (in your assignment) you helped them that week and they verify it in writing, you’ll receive a few extra credit points for that week.
      • If someone helps you, please give them credit by writing an acknowledgment in your assignment submission!
    3. Work ahead in the Python text book. If all goes smoothly with the computer lab, we will probably reach Chapter 12 in class, so completing Chapters 13 and beyond will count as extra credit.
    4. Creative modifications to the Free Python Games modules installed on some computers. If you’re interested in this, please discuss with me in advance!

    Helpful Notes As You Begin: How to Make Your Code Readable, Not Just Functional!

    BASED ON GOOGLE STYLE GUIDES

    ?️

    Optimize for the reader, not the writer
    Codebases often have extended lifetimes and more time is spent reading the code than writing it. Choose to optimize for the experience of the average software engineer reading, maintaining, and debugging code rather than the ease of writing said code. For example, when something surprising or unusual is happening in a snippet of code, leaving textual hints for the reader is valuable.

    • PROGRAM STYLE
      • Import all external packages at the beginning of your program, just after any module comments and docstrings and before module globals and constants. 
      • Indentations: Be consistent in your indentations. Python IDLE should auto-format your code, but I recommend indenting your code blocks with 4 spaces or 1 tab. Never use tabs or mix tabs and spaces, because this will cause an error when you run your code.
      • Maximum line length should generally be 80 characters. Exceptions:
        • Long import statements.
        • URLs, pathnames, or long flags in comments.
      • Generally place only one statement (conditionals and iterations) per line. However, you may put the result of a test on the same line as the test only if the entire statement fits on one line. 
      • Functions: Try to keep them short. Long functions are sometimes appropriate, so no hard limit is placed on function length. If a function exceeds about 40 lines, think about whether it can be broken up without harming the structure of the program.
    • NAMING STYLE
      • Function names, variable names, and file names should be descriptive; avoid abbreviation. In particular, do not use abbreviations that are ambiguous or unfamiliar to readers outside your project, and do not abbreviate by deleting letters within a word.
      • Always use a .py filename extension. Never use dashes or hyphens.
      • Do not use single character names except for counters or iterators.
      • Guidelines derived from Google’s Python Recommendations:
    TypeStyle
    Functionslower_with_under()
    Global ConstantsCAPS_WITH_UNDER
    Global Variableslower_with_under
    Local Variableslower_with_under
    • COMMENTING STYLE
      • Add an explanatory comment above every conditional and iterative statement. Example:
        # Iterate through each person in class
        for y in our_cs_class
      • Add short inline comments to help explain potential surprises. Example:
        print(eggs + chocolate + plantain_chips) #not printing cheese yet

    Thanks for taking this class!
    ?️ ? ? ⏏️ ? ?️ ?️ ⌨️


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  • Ideal Scenario We’re able to install new software in the lab during the spring, then we’ll be ready for CS in the summer. New software: New Books: Bonus: Blender “Donut” Tutorial Videos Less Ideal Scenario We’re not able to install new software. In this case, we would go with the…

    Ideal Scenario

    We’re able to install new software in the lab during the spring, then we’ll be ready for CS in the summer.

    New software:

    New Books:

    Bonus: Blender “Donut” Tutorial Videos

    • A series of thirteen short tutorials for complete Blender beginners, culminating in an animated pile of donuts. Learning animation is oriented towards video tutorials these days, so if the students could access this donut tutorial (which apparently is the #1 beginning Blender tutorial), it could help their learning!

    Less Ideal Scenario

    We’re not able to install new software. In this case, we would go with the previous books:

    If we can’t install new software but we ARE able to copy software between computers at PEP, this would help. The worst case scenario is that some of the computers have Python and Python games, while some don’t. In this case, students would have to work in groups and share computers all semester.

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  • Computer Science Students worked with the following in previous semesters of PEP Comp Sci: 3D Animation Recommended free software: Blender, which does not require web connectivity to use. Blender is very popular with young animators today. Some (all?) PEP lab computers already have Microsoft 3D Viewer, but this software can…

    Computer Science

    Students worked with the following in previous semesters of PEP Comp Sci:

    • Python + IDLE
      • IDLE is Python’s Integrated Development and Learning Environment.
      • IMPORTANT: Python 2 and Python 3 are VERY different. The same version of Python should be installed in the entire lab. (We installed Python 2 in the PEP lab back in 2019, but Python 2 is increasingly deprecated.)
    • Free Textbook: Think Python
    • Free Python Games (download Zip file here)
      • Students can learn Python by modifying the code for these free, simple games.

    3D Animation

    Recommended free software: Blender, which does not require web connectivity to use. Blender is very popular with young animators today.

    Some (all?) PEP lab computers already have Microsoft 3D Viewer, but this software can only be used to view 3D models. It can’t be used to make models or animation.

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  • Announcements More extra credit opportunities around NYU Agenda Research Paper Notes Intersectionality Assignment Due December 5: Writing Center summary due at the bottom of your Google Doc. In two or three paragraphs, please include Due December 7: Peer Review 2

    Announcements

    • Now in D&T menu: schedule for rest of semester
    • Reminder: Peer Review 1 is due today. Four people still need to send their reviewed document.
    • On Shooting at Club Q in Colorado Springs and Processing Space
      • Wed. Nov 23 at 12:00 p.m. ET
      • For the NYU community—OGI is hosting a processing space with the Center for Global Spiritual Life and Division of Student Affairs to be in community with one another and share reflections on how this attack is impacting us. (Virtual) Read Full Statement

    More extra credit opportunities around NYU

    • Book talk: Disabilities of the Color Line
      • Thurs. Dec 1 at 4:00 p.m. ET
      • The Center for Disability Studies is hosting a reading of the book Disabilities of the Color Line: Redressing Antiblackness from Slavery to the Present (NYU Press, 2022)(Virtual) More Info & RSVP
    • NYU Stolen and Found Poetry Contest
      • Deadline: Sat. Dec 10 at 11:59 p.m. ET
      • All undergrad students are invited to vocalize and reflect on the contemporary effects of colonialism today. Up to $600 in awards. More Info & Apply

    Agenda

    Research Paper Notes

    • Discussion section: unless you have a clear reason to do so, don’t introduce any new sources in this section or subsequent sections.
    • Peer Review 1 Confirmations
    • Peer Review 2 Partners
    • Reminder: The class book list has resources you can use. See the syllabus.

    Intersectionality

    Assignment

    Due December 5: Writing Center summary due at the bottom of your Google Doc. In two or three paragraphs, please include

    • The name of the WC staff you met, and the date of your meeting.
    • The main suggestions from the WC staff.
    • Any additional notes or thoughts that you took away from your session.

    Due December 7: Peer Review 2

    • At least 20 written comments are required.
      • When you’re reviewing your peer’s paper, please edit in or leave comments.
      • After you write the 20 comments, you can earn extra credit by making bold/italic/underline edits (in SUGGESTION MODE) using the code I used (cultural/hyperbole/research issues). 
      • Please focus on Research Competencies in your review, using
      • However, if any cultural competency issues stand out to you, please do highlight these in your comments.
      • When you download and send your Peer Review 2, please add your name to the end of the document name. For example: “D&T Doc – Parker,Peter – reviewed by Miles Morales”
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  • Announcements FINAL IN-PERSON SESSIONS: Nov 30 and Dec 14 Agenda Assignment Reminder to use your Zoom profile pic on Monday (we have another guest speaker). Thanks! Due next Monday, November 21: Peer Review 1. 

    Announcements

    FINAL IN-PERSON SESSIONS: Nov 30 and Dec 14

    Agenda

    Assignment

    Reminder to use your Zoom profile pic on Monday (we have another guest speaker). Thanks!

    Due next Monday, November 21: Peer Review 1. 

    • At least 20 written comments are required.
      • When you’re reviewing your peer’s paper, please edit in or leave comments.
      • After you write the 20 comments, you can earn extra credit by making bold/italic/underline edits (in SUGGESTION MODE) using the code I used (cultural/hyperbole/research issues). 
    • Please focus on Cultural Competencies in your review. Use the Cultural Competency Guide section of the Project Resources post to guide your review. Specifically, use:
    • IMPORTANT: When you’ve finished your review, download your partner’s Google Doc as a Word file, then send me the Word file. You must do this to earn credit for Peer Review 1.
    • PLEASE don’t resolve any of your peer reviewer’s comments, or accept/reject any of their suggestions, until they’ve sent me the Word file of their comments.
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