Getting Started

Prepare for Success in CS 307

This document will tell you everything you need to know about getting started with CS 307.

Joining late? First and foremost: Don’t panic! You likely have not missed any graded assignments! If you have missed an assignment, please send an email that follows the course email policy.

Bookmark The Website

You’re already here, but you’ll be back. It is probably a good idea to bookmark this website. We will use many different websites and services in this course, but this website is the only place that you need to remember to check. This website will direct you everywhere else you may need to go.

We plan to post information about assignment deadlines and the office hours schedule on the landing page. That way, you will have easy access to all time-sensitive information in one place.

Within the content section of the website, you’ll see information about each weekly module of the course. On that page, you’ll see the learning objectives, topics and activities for each module.

Check Your Email

We will use email to make announcements in CS 307. Hopefully, you’ve already seen an email or two. Even if you have, it would be a good idea to add dalpiaz2@illinois.edu to your email’s safe senders list. While it is more reliable than other announcement tools, University email has too often been marked as spam.

We recommend that you check your University email at least once a day. We will generally try to not overwhelm you with email announcements. During the first couple weeks, we will email a bit more frequently, as it is likely that our roster will be shuffling during that time.

Read The Syllabus

Read the syllabus! We know that it is long and boring, but being familiar with this information will help you succeed in the course.

To make the syllabus less overwhelming, we created additional policy pages for various aspects of the course.

Add CS 307 On PrairieLearn

Head to PrairieLearn and use the “Enroll Course” button towards the top left of the page and join CS 307.

Homework 01 and Lab 01 will be released at 9:30 AM on Friday, January 24. If you access PrairieLearn before that time, no content will be available yet!

Check Canvas Access

Verify that you have access to CS 307 on Canvas. If you do not have access, and have recently registered, please be patient. Rostering with Canvas can be slow, but you do not truly need access for anything in the first week! Please do not email asking for access unless it has been 48 hours since you have registered. We promise, we are not hiding anything!

Lab 01 will be released at 9:30 AM on Friday, January 24. If you access Canvas before that time, no content will be available yet!

Register For Ed Discussion Access

We will use Ed Discussion as the discussion forum for the course. You will receive a link to join via email. Check your email! The link to join can also be found on Canvas. Please register your account with your University email.1

As noted in the Communication Policy, we have a preference for using the discussion forum rather than email for answering questions. The Communication Policy sets expectations for how to interact with the forum.

Check ClassTranscribe Access

Verify that you have access to ClassTranscribe, which is where we will post any video content.

ClassTranscribe access control is somewhat manual, so if you register late, please let Dave know if you do not have access!

Check PrairieTest Access

Exams will be taken at the CBTF, but scheduling will be done through PrairieTest.

We will try to keep the roster on PrairieTest updated, but it is a manual process, so please let us know if you do not have access. You’ll need access before February 13.

Note The Exam Dates

Take some time now to note the dates of the three exams for the course.

Why are there start and end dates for each exam? Because they will be administered through the CBTF and pending availability, you will be able to schedule your exams any time that you’d like during those days.

The reservation date is the first day that you can schedule your exam. Reservations will be done through PrairieTest.

Exam 01

  • Reservation: Thursday, 2025-02-13
  • Start: Monday, 2025-02-24
  • End: Wednesday, 2025-02-26

Exam 02

  • Reservation: Thursday, 2025-03-13
  • Start: Monday, 2025-03-31
  • End: Wednesday, 2025-04-02

Exam 03

  • Reservation: Thursday, 2025-04-17
  • Start: Monday, 2025-04-28
  • End: Wednesday, 2025-04-30

Attend Discussion

Attend the first discussion on Friday, January 24. During this discussion, you will complete (large portions of) Homework 01 and Lab 01, which will help get you get setup to complete assignments in the course.

Bring your laptop! If you do not have access to a laptop, please contact the course instructor to discuss potential solutions.

Setup Your Machine

The Computing Policy includes a setup guide specific to preparing your machine for CS 307. We require following the instructions in this guide, even if you have previously installed Python and related tools.

We will work on Homework 01 and Lab 01 together during the first discussion. If you can successfully follow along on your laptop, you’ll be all set! If you encounter issues, we will reserve time at the end of discussion for “laptop support” to assist you getting your machine ready for the semester.

Please do not hesitate to seek help from the course staff if you are unable to complete the setup guide. While many workarounds may exist, we feel that following our recommended setup will give you the best chances for success in the course.

Complete Homework 01

Complete Homework 01 during the first discussion! This will be an opportunity to learn about the homework process on PrairieLearn in addition to testing your laptop setup.

Homework 01 will be released at 9:30 AM on Friday, January 24.

Complete Lab 01

Complete Lab 01 during the first discussion! This will be an opportunity to learn about the lab process, which utilizes both Canvas and PrairieLearn.

Lab 01 will be released at 9:30 AM on Friday, January 24.

Know Where Your Towel Is

Do you have a towel? Do you know where it is? Are you confused why you’re being asked about a towel? Like other things you’ll encounter during the course, such as the number 42, this is a phrase from The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.2 Long story short3, it is a metaphor for being prepared!

Footnotes

  1. Accounts registered with an email other than an @illinois.edu account will be removed.↩︎

  2. Dave is getting old. He’s a Millennial, whatever that means. Some of his references will be dated. Hitchhikers however is timeless.↩︎

  3. 42 is harder to explain.↩︎