Acceptable Online Resources for CSC 121

Overview

• This course primarily about developing skills not about finding the right answer. Knowledge will be gained by doing things not by looking up the answers.
  
• In addition, there are many different ways to accomplish a task. But since the goal is to learn how to program, not how to accomplish a given task, many of the online resources will not be helpful. Most are designed to teach how to accomplish a task not designed to teach a given skill.
• There are reasons why I am asking you do do things a certain way, and I have structured the class around those things. Most online resources can be showing different methods to solve the task, not the methods I am wanting you to learn. * There are good resources online to help but it is very easy to access the wrong ones and short change your learning.

Implications

1. By default, the rule will be that the only online resources you may use for this class are:
   1. Recorded class lectures
   2. Bethel's Center for Computing wiki that contains the syllabus and anything on it.
   3. Any textbooks or other resources linked from the syllabus.
2. There will be times when you might need additional help. Each assignment will link to additional hints. There is NO penalty for using these hints. You must just document the hints you use. It is recommended that you try (maybe for 10 minutes) on your own before looking for a hint. This is not a requirement.
3. It is very important that you ask for help often. This typically does not take much time but can save you a lot of time.

Additional insights