Jumping Ahead

Jumping Ahead

[John M. Greer]

Ok, I'd like your opinion on this before the assignment is due . . .

I'm a Computer Engineering Major in my first Ada course, and we have a 
lab assignment due Thursday that is not complicated, just uses a few 
procedures, etc.  The problem is, I've programmed since HS (using c++, 
only an amateur), but my only advantage is an addiction to "proper 
style."  My dilemma is this:  we have not yet learned to implement 
RECORDs.  To do this program justice, I could:
(1):  Put everything in the program declarations and throw global 
variables across namespace.
(2):  Declare a record, encapsulate with packages, etc.

We didn't learn this in class yet, but I learned it on my own and used 
it.  Now I'm proud of my program, but I'm worried.  Do you think my lab 
instructor will be annoyed that I skipped a few chapters ahead?  (I'm not 
doing this for brownie points, just something I wanted to do.)

Just wondering, my $.02 . . .
	(and interested to see the results of this discussion.  Feel free
to post replies to the newsgroup; I'll see them :-)

John Greer

Re: Jumping Ahead

[Robert I. Eachus]

In article <5edu5k$lb0@ultranews.duc.auburn.edu> greerjo@mail.auburn.edu (John M. Greer) writes:

  > I'm a Computer Engineering Major in my first Ada course, and we have a 
  > lab assignment due Thursday that is not complicated, just uses a few 
  > procedures, etc.  The problem is, I've programmed since HS (using c++, 
  > only an amateur), but my only advantage is an addiction to "proper 
  > style."  My dilemma is this:  we have not yet learned to implement 
  > RECORDs.  To do this program justice, I could:
  > (1):  Put everything in the program declarations and throw global 
  > variables across namespace.
  > (2):  Declare a record, encapsulate with packages, etc.

  (3) Pass all the elements that would be record components as
separate parameters?

  > We didn't learn this in class yet, but I learned it on my own and
  > used it.  Now I'm proud of my program, but I'm worried.  Do you
  > think my lab instructor will be annoyed that I skipped a few
  > chapters ahead?  (I'm not doing this for brownie points, just
  > something I wanted to do.)

  Then do it.

    But sometimes you can't win.  Years ago there was a question on a
calculus test: A twenty foot rope with a (frictionless) pulley A on
one end is passed over two (frictionless) pulleys B and C five feet
apart and twelve feet above the floor, then through the pulley on the
end of the rope.  The free end is attached to a ten pound weight.
When the system is at equilibrium, what is the angle ABC?  Show your
work.

     Well the answer is obvious--at equilibrium the sum of the forces
on pulley A must be zero, and that can only happen if the three rope
segements meet at 120 degrees, so ABC is 60 degrees.

     But I still have no clue as to how to solve this problem using
calculus...
   
--

					Robert I. Eachus

with Standard_Disclaimer;
use  Standard_Disclaimer;
function Message (Text: in Clever_Ideas) return Better_Ideas is...

Re: Jumping Ahead

[Larry Kilgallen]

In article <5edu5k$lb0@ultranews.duc.auburn.edu>, greerjo@mail.auburn.edu (John M. Greer) writes:

> We didn't learn this in class yet, but I learned it on my own and used 
> it.  Now I'm proud of my program, but I'm worried.  Do you think my lab 
> instructor will be annoyed that I skipped a few chapters ahead?  (I'm not 
> doing this for brownie points, just something I wanted to do.)

As a citizen (but not an educator) let me say that your instructor
_should_not_ be annoyed, because if you are bored in class the chance
is increased that you will leave school and join a street gang :-) :-).

All of my relatives who are teachers tell me it is not possible
to guarantee that everyone starting a class is at the same level
of experience.

The only case I would see for justified annoyance is if there is
doubt on the part of the instructor that you _could_have_ solved
the problem using the earlier material.   If that was the problem,
then you are skipping ahead too far.  Sometimes tutorial material
first shows how hard it is to solve a problem using method A and
then shows how much easier it is using method B.  Make sure at
least in your own mind that you know how to do it with method A.
Someday you will find a compiler with a bug handling method B :-).

Larry Kilgallen

Re: Jumping Ahead

[Robert Dewar]

John asks

<<> We didn't learn this in class yet, but I learned it on my own and used
> it.  Now I'm proud of my program, but I'm worried.  Do you think my lab
> instructor will be annoyed that I skipped a few chapters ahead?  (I'm not
> doing this for brownie points, just something I wanted to do.)>>

The ultimate strange use of newsgroups :-)

here we have a question about what a given instructor will think about
something.

In the old days, it might occur that the best way to find this out
would be to ask the instructor.

But with the magnificent internet at hand,. why not try asking the
question to thousands of people OTHER than the instructor, maybe they
can collectively guess the instructors mind.

Now I can just imagine a reason for not asking the instructor being
that for some reason you want to keep it secret from the instructor
that the question is being asked, but I am afraid public posting
is NOT the best way to keep a secret! (I always do dejanews checks on
what all my students are posting :-)

Seriously, just ask the instructor, it is hard to imagine someone being
annoyed by this, although sometimes I have had trouble with students
jumping ahead and drowning in stuff they do not really understand!

Re: Jumping Ahead

[Michael F Brenner]

    > I have a dilemma.

There is no dilemma, unless there is dependence upon transitory,
illusionary forces like grades and like the opinions of others. Once 
evolved beyond these dependencies, a life of pure truth becomes 
possible with no fear, ignorance, or cravings for power. The life of
pure truth permits learning how the vibrations we send out are reflected
back to us. We are then happy, and particularly happy when we jump ahead.

Re: Jumping Ahead

[Dennis W. Butler]

Speaking as a faculty member...I wonder why you don't address this
question to your teacher? After all, what do the opinions of the
newsgroup readers matter in this situation? I'm sure (I hope) that your
teacher will be glad to commend your self-directed learning or explain
why you shouldn't do what you did, whichever is appropriate.

BTW, you should thank your lucky stars your school is giving you
experience in an appropriate programming language.

Dennis Butler
Computer Science Department
Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo

John M. Greer wrote:
> 
> Ok, I'd like your opinion on this before the assignment is due . . .
> We didn't learn this in class yet, but I learned it on my own and used
> it.  Now I'm proud of my program, but I'm worried.  Do you think my lab
> instructor will be annoyed that I skipped a few chapters ahead?  (I'm not
> doing this for brownie points, just something I wanted to do.)
> 
> Just wondering, my $.02 . . .
>         (and interested to see the results of this discussion.  Feel free
> to post replies to the newsgroup; I'll see them :-)
> 
> John Greer