CS886 - Spring 2024 - In-class Group Exercise


The class will be divided into small groups (roughly groups of 5).
Instructor will decide the grouping.

Each group will be asked to:
a) brainstorm on a specific challenge in social networks, explanation and trust
that is only revealed at the beginning of the class
b) provide an informal presentation of the design (all team members speaking)
c) complete a "pencil and paper" exercise, demonstrating deep appreciation
of the solution developed by the group, answering questions provided;
includes an entirely new challenge for the group solution to address

Part b) will be graded. Content and delivery will both be assessed.
Each team member will receive the same grade for Part b).
I will provide a feedback sheet to each group member.
Part c) will be evaluated. Analysis and creativity will both be assessed.
Each student receives their own assessment for Part c).

The grade out of 10 will be a combination of the grade for b) and for c).

NOTE: This exercise is intended to provide students with an opportunity
to reflect on what they have learned and retained from the course,
as well as to gain experience in (and to appreciate) open-ended thinking.
My intention is to grade leniently.

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Come to the class no later than 10 minutes before our usual start time.
At start of class, you will be sent to a breakout room and will learn who
your groupmates are. You will be sent the instructions for the groupwork
by email. The timing will be: 30 minutes for each group to brainstorm
on their solution to the open-ended problem; 10 minutes for the group
to plan its oral presentation of the problem (no slides, just a 10
minute slot where each groupmate is saying at least something (suggest
2 minutes per person but up to you)). There will be 10 minutes for
a break as well. We will be sure to wrap up in time, having students begin
on their individual exercise with enough time to complete this during classtime.
Each group will be asked some questions by Instructor after presentation.
At the end of class, there will be a general discussion on what we learned
as well as feedback on the exericse itself within the online delivery.

Note that Instructor will determine who is working with whom, for their group.
One person will be designated as "in charge" for each group, but the group
is welcome to change who that person is, when meeting. Instructor and PhD aide
will circulate from group to group during the first 30 minutes, to see
how you are doing and answer any questions. There will be some fairness
when Instructor determines groups (briefly announced as the class begins).

Groups will receive feedback around July 19 (the presentation and the solution
both determine the first 5 marks and all groupmates receive the same grade).
Students will receive comments on their individual sheet by then as well.
This is worth another 5 marks.

** New as of June 28: There will be 3 groups of 5 and 1 group of 6.
The group of 6 will have 12 minutes for its presentation (2 mins per person).

The schedule of the day will be as follows. Do arrive well before 9am
for this special class.

9am groups are shown the requirements for the brainstorming exercise;
 instructor will say a few brief words about expectations
903am groups begin brainstorming
933am groups are told to move on to planning their presentation
943am groups are told there will be a brief break now

950am gpA presents (10 minute talk and 2 mins questions)
1002am gpB presents (10 minute talk and 2 mins questions)
1014am gpC presents (12 minute talk and 2 mins questions (gp of 6))
1028am gpD presents (10 minute talk and 2 mins questions)
1040am individual exercise is distributed and explained (25 minutes to complete)
1107am exercises are all handed in and discussion of groupwork exercise begins
1130am final announcements

Note that you will be put into group1, group2, group3 and group4 when
the class starts but right then I will also let you know whether your
group is called A, B, C or D, for the above schedule so you know your slot.