After the First Class

There are several things you’ll need to do at the start of the course to get set up with all the technology, accounts, and services we’ll be using. I’ve split these tasks up into several chunks so it’s a bit more manageable.

4. Read the Unsyllabus

The unsyllabus is now live on Canvas under the “Course Content” sidebar item. You can also view it outside of Canvas here.

I want to know what you think of the Unsyllabus! Yes, I want your thoughts, feedback, and opinions on how you want the course to go this term. If one of you has a good idea for a change, adjustment or addition - I’d love to adopt it if it fits with the course. I strongly believe that you are now in charge of your own education, and I am just a guide to help point you in the right direction.

The Unsyllabus also has lots of details about how this class will be run, my teaching philosophy, dates, deadlines, and other course policies. I encourage you to read it - you’ll also find out why I call it the UNsyllabus!

5. Figure out where your Lab will be held

On the Student Service Center, you can find the time, building, and room number of your lab.

Once you know the building and room number, you can use the UBCO online interactive maps to find the building. It’ll be worth it for you to spend some time figuring out where you need to be so you’re not stressed out the first week!

6. On the left sidebar in Canvas, click on Gradescope

You should then be guided through a series of steps to create an account, set a password, and link it to our course. If you do not see this button on Canvas, it will appear in a few days so check back.

This is very important for you to do as it’ll be our primary mechanism for delivering you feedback in this course.

7. Create a GitHub.com account

You should then be guided through a series of steps to create an account, set a password, and link it to our course. If you do not see this button on Canvas, it will appear in a few days so check back.

This is very important for you to do as it’ll be our primary mechanism for delivering you feedback in this course.

8. Start setting up your computer (Lab 1)

There is an assigned labs the first week to install all the software necessary for the course so that you are ready with everything working next week. The teaching team is available via Ed Discussion (sign up using your cwl@student.ubc.ca email here) to support you through the process of installing the software on your personal machine.

This lab is based on the material developed by my colleagues in the MDS program, which uses many of the same tools we will be using throughout the course.

Frequently asked questions

See the Frequently asked questions for answers to common questions.