Assessments
We know you are working hard on completing your assignments and this work forms the primary mechanism for learning. If after completing as assignment, you have a solid and confident understanding of how and why your code, you are on track for mastery. In addition to the advancement you can gauge for yourself, it can be valuable to have additional opportunities to assess your learning and receive feedback on your progression.
A traditional CS106B course has two exams: a midterm and a final. The exams are timed, in-class, limited-outside-resources and student answers are either written on paper or typed into Bluebook. These exams often have a large weight in the course grade and the experience can be a source of much stress and anxiety for students.
To adapt to these strange and trying circumstances we find ourselves in, we want you to have the opportunity for assessment but with much lower stakes and less stress than a traditional exam. We have a bold experiment to try a different format for the assessments: a live problem-solving session for mid-quarter and a low-stakes exam with self-reflection for end-quarter.
Both of our assessments feature interactive discussion with your section leader. This discussion allow two-way communication where you can demonstrate what you've learned and respond to questions from your section leader, as well as ask questions of your own and receive guidance about where your skills are strong and where you have opportunity for growth.
We hope this will enable our assessments to be a productive learning opportunity for you but without the anxiety and pressure of a high-stakes exam. If you have any concerns about the assessment structure, please feel free to reach out to the course staff.
Mid-Quarter Assessment
The mid-quarter assessment will be a live problem-solving session focused on two tasks (ADTs and recursion). You will have 30 minutes of prep time to draft answers and then 30 minutes of discussion with your section leader.
More details on the mid-quarter assessment.
End-Quarter Assessment
To cap off your CS106B experience and bring closure to your quarter, we offer an optional diagnostic (basically what would have been the final exam in an ordinary quarter); this allows you to test your knowledge in a traditional format and self-assess your performance. We also want to encourage you to schedule an end-quarter check-in meeting with your section leader to review your progress throughout the course and talk about moving forward with your new skills onto the next challenges that lie ahead for you.
Both are recommended, but entirely optional. You are good to go on earning course credit given complete and satisfactory work on all assignments, section participation, and midquarter assessment.