22C:144 Introduction to Database Systems

Fall 2003 - University of Iowa

Overview

This was my first time teaching 22C:144 Introduction to Database Systems. I think this class has the potential to be a really exciting class where students learn the core database fundamentals and get to apply them on an interesting project. The class had a mixture of graduate and undergraduate students, and was nearly as interactive as a class like 22C:030 which made it a lot of fun to teach. The class consisted of two exams, some programming assignments, and a major group project. Most students really enjoyed the project, which was building an online drug store. However, the project could have been introduced earlier (along with design aspects like ER modeling), so that students could have got started earlier. Most students felt that some design topics should be covered right after an introduction to the relational model to allow for students to begin planning their project. There were also comments that the project should be worth more marks. Overall, the project was well received and with some modifications will be a core component of teaching this class in the future.

When teaching large classes I try to encourage every student to not only pass, but do their absolute best. I also strive for a very interactive class where the students are actively involved in the discussion and solving problems. Most students really enjoyed the class and indicated they would recommend to class to other students. Some undergraduates were excited enough by the material to register for 22C:244 the following semester. Dr. Bruell sat in the class and said it was an excellent course. The pass rate was 97% (only one student withdrew) which is common for advanced courses. I look forward to teaching this course in the future, and will continue to strive to make it better.

The class itself was taught in the 105 MacLean Hall from 1:05-2:20 pm Tuesdays and Thursdays. The room was adequate, and I like the timeslot.

On-line Resources

Student Performance

Of the 35 registered students who started the course, 34 passed the course (1 withdrew) for a very high 97.1% pass rate. The average GPA was 2.94 or just below a B. Charts showing the mark breakdown are below. Although the average GPA was relatively high, the threshold for A+ was set very high (only 2 students), and only 5 students got an "A". The average GPA reflects the fact that all students put in the effort to do a good project and exams. I was happy with the mark breakdown which adequately reflected student effort.

Mark Breakdown Percentage Mark Breakdown

Comments

What Students Liked Most About the Course

Overall the comments were extremely positive about the course and how it was taught. Minor improvements should be made to the project and when the material on ER design is taught.

What Students Liked Least About the Course

A continuing trend is that exams in my courses tend to be too long, and 22C:144 was no exception. One area of future improvement is to reduce the length of the exams without sacrificing their quality. The other area for improvement is project organization and getting students started on it earlier. Since I emphasized the textbook more in this class, more students appreciated it than in my other courses, although the limited use of the textbook is always an issue.


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