Evaluation Comments
Course:Object-Oriented Software Development
            (SE-450-201)

Quarter:Winter 01/02
Time: Tu 17:45 - 21:00
Location: Loop Campus
James Riely PhD

Associate Professor
jriely@cs.depaul.edu
Instructor homepage

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What are the major strengths and weaknesses of the instructor?


1.   He knows the material well. His interest in the subject matter is evident in his presentation.
2.   Since this course is the core course for some students, the instructor should give a clear idea about core exam.
3.   - very enthusiastic during lectures - class notes could be a bit better
4.   Very knowledgable on the object and ability to get idea acrossed using different ways.
5.   Dr. Reily's strengths are that he has an excellent command of the material and is able to keep his lectures lively and easy to follow.
6.   strengths: knowledge of java and current technologyweaknesses: organization skills, direction in the course, lack of class notes or very little of it, on time posting of class notes as promised in classroom discussion.
7.   he is knowledgeable in the java.
8.   major strengths-- makes the course very interesting and keeps the class' attention
9.   It seems that the instructor does not prepare for the lectures well enough.
10.   Strengths: Personable, excited about teaching course.
11.   Dr. Reily is I believe a very capable instructor with an excellent grasp ofthe material. Personally I had difficulty due to the fact that the book iswritten in C++ so the examples needed to be translated into Java. He mayhave difficulty understanding that he has students who are not as fluentas himself have difficuly grasping the syntax necessary to implement themethods, not the concept but the actual implementation.
13.   strengths:good examples on Web site and in class. fun, likable. very good lecturer.weaknesses:probably doesn't realize that he does this, but a lot of times his initial reaction to students' questions are a little patronizing sounding ("Of course not", etc.).
14.   Very disorganized Class notes.
15.   answers questions well and quickly via email.Answers too many remedial java questions.accessable. knowledgable and can communicate well
16.   He was a good instructor, with good knowledge but sometimes skipped from topic to topic

What aspects of this course were most beneficial to you?


1.   Furthering my experience using Java, and using it to create applications that actually use Java's object oriented capabilities. The use of design patterns in this course repeatedly makes me want to redesign our (enormous) system at work.
3.   - the online forum, where we could ask questions to other classmates
4.   every aspect is beneficial
5.   I think for me, the course objectives are being realized; I have greatly improved my java skills, apply design patterns... etc
6.   the 3 - 4 java patterns that were taught in class before the midterm, current technology
7.   java part
8.   Java programming techniques and design patterns
10.   Learning how to Design and think abstractly of problems. Learning how to use Design Patterns.
11.   His explanation of why different design patterns are used in different situations and the benefits of OO design/systems.
12.   make me know deep about OO
13.   too many to list. Earlier Java classes at DePaul were mostly "Java" and not as much OO. This course is a great course to make students better Java/object oriented programmers.
14.   Very disorganized Class notes.
15.   the actual learning about the patterns and the oo design
16.   everything

What do you suggest to improve this course?


1.   I am not satisfied with the manner in which we bounce from one topic to another, using code examples that are scattered about. If we had knowledge of the code we would be referencing prior to class, and what aspects of it we would be studying, we could print this out and take additional notes to reference the discussion in the code. Otherwise it's difficult to retain that sort of information.On the midterm we were asked to form certain patterns from ones that were given. Although this material was "fair game" I wish that, if it were significant enough to be worth a large amount of our exam (which is 40% of the course), then we should spend more time on reasoning behind and examples to display this technique in various situations. I feel that minimal examples are seen and we're supposed to apply that to broad cases. This is a very challenging manner to study and confidently grasp the material. While it is a graduate class, there is not a great reference for gaining this experience on our own. One part on the exam in particular was a special case that we didn't even discuss which was merely mentioned in the book and we needed to expand that on the exam.
2.   The syllabus of this course should be well defined so that it does not cause any inconvenience to the students who have to take a core exam.
3.   - better textbook - better notes
4.   the course can be a liitle bit more organized and maybe there is a better text book explain things in java for this class
5.   My only suggestion for the course would be to have UML diagramed handouts/slides on the web. Very important concepts are presented in lecture with the diagrams, that are very hard to replicate in notes, or from the DL presentation. Things are easily added and deleted on a white board that can leave notes quite a mess.
6.   Used a java pattern text book, more focus on patterns vs. java syntax, more patterns example, less data structure examples, less gui examples, and of course more organize and direction.
7.   well organized coure content.
9.   Change a book.
10.   More homework on Design Patterns.
11.   Use a book on OO with java design patterns or just teach it in C++ since wehave to know C++ anyway to do the csc-343 work or any O/S unix stuff which is all c anyway.
12.   talk more about patterns and less detail of java
13.   The book is good but the C++ examples are difficult to relate directly to the Java we have to code. If the code in the book was Java then the material would be clearer.
14.   Very disorganized Class notes.
15.   make sure the graduate students know java or make it clear that java issues will not be tolerated.
16.   better book

Comment on the grading procedures and exams


1.   The exam covered material that was beyond that which we covered in class. Not to say it was beyond the scope of a course such as this one, but the material used on such a heavily weighted exam should be based on the validity according to lecture discussions.The grading was very slow, but fair for the homework. The exam was somewhat fair in grading, although no consideration of leniancy was given to areas that were not thoroughly covered in class.It will be intersting to see what it takes to get an A on the project - another 40% of the grade.
3.   - fair
4.   The grading is good.
5.   Although I wish I was doing better, I have to say the grading is as fair as can be expected.
6.   The exam cover too much on data structures and java syntax. I felt that the exam was very similar to my data structures exam. The exam hardly have any patterns question; I guess because we only learned about 3 patterns before the exam. It mainly have java syntax and data structures questions.
7.   ok.
10.   Fair
11.   Not make the midterm worth 40% of the grade which if one does badly(me)makes the rest of the term basically unbearable.
13.   fair
14.   Very disorganized Class notes.
15.   Exam was not good. Confusing and did not seem related to homework.Grading Liberal.
16.   good

Other comments?


1.   This is one of the more interesting, and useful classes I've taken at DePaul. I'd like to see more structure to the course, though. If we could see more examples and get more practice at vertically and horizontally refactoring code prior to the exam, it would've helped. Maybe in addition to the coding assignments, a number of lesser grade-weighted exercises each week that are in the format of the midterm questions would give valuable practice. It would help just to experience refactoring, using terminology, and modeling in various, though simpler, contexts other than just the one assignment per week. I would've done much better on the exam and I'd be much more confident in the material going into the project.
2.   1) It seems that NEW SE 450 is a combination of OLD SE 450 and OLD SE 455. So CTI should update the content of core-exam-syllabus. 2) Sample questions for core exam should be available online.
4.   No
5.   Perhaps I have made things difficult for myself by dragging this degree out for so long, but it seems to me there are continuity problems with the courses. I do not believe that CSC224 is adequate preparation for the java skills required in this course. I did my 415, 416, 417 in C++ which has not helped things, but I do not think it would have made much difference if they had been taught in JAVA. I understand that it is difficult to accomadate the different backgrounds of the students. At the same time, for someone with a nontechnical background it is very difficult to keep up. This does not apply to just this course.Perhaps a way to measure how much is actually taught, is to ascertain how much everyone knows going in.
6.   I expect this class to cover more java patterns rather than a review of java syntax or data structures class. The class was not very well organized.
7.   none
10.   An essential course for me in terms of software development career.
11.   I,ll be nice. I own1/2 of the problem. I think that perhaps as a generalreccomendation that there either be another Java prereq course with moreadvanced OO stuff or se-450 should have a placement test. I have had 2java classes but this is beyond me.:(On the other hand the truth is good, maybe I'll take some time off of grad school and learn how to code better. :)
13.   good job and great class!
14.   Very disorganized Class notes.
15.   Excellent instruction in a tough, experimental situation. Given the size of class enrollment, the syllabus should be more structured. It may help to have a written goal of what patterns should be accomplished during eachclass, and code _in_java_ that is an elementary example of each pattern.Maybe the first week should be nothing but UML. And I am not sure that having a project during the second half is a good idea, it compresses thetime that the instructor has to teach a well-rounded set of patterns.
16.   none