MEK3100 Advanced Python Programming for Engineers Course description

This course is a continuation of MEK1300 Introduction to Python programming and goes deeper into more advanced topics in Python such as Object-Oriented Programming (Abstraction, Encapsulation, Inheritance, and Polymorphism), Functional Programming (Lambda expressions, Map, Filter, Zip), List Comprehension, Generators, Decorators, and Metaprogramming.

Through weekly online asynchronous learning sessions (with occasional synchronous student meetings), students will learn about intercultural dialogues among people who use sign languages, the history and existence of international deaf non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the phenomenon of International Sign and how it relates to translanguaging. The students will also learn about the existence of deaf spaces and ongoing rituals of transnational social events among deaf people, the mobility of people and ideas in deaf transnational spaces, and issues of power and privilege in international encounters and transnational rights discourses.

After completing the course, students are expected to have achieved the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills, and general competence.

Knowledge

The students:

• will have a good overview of the Python programming language and can use it to solve real-life problems of moderate size.
• can understand the principles of object-oriented programming features (e.g., class, object, methods, inheritance, polymorphism, encapsulation, etc.) and can use these to write object-oriented codes.
• can understand the difference between functional and object-oriented features of Python and know when it is appropriate to use each.
• can develop robust and reliable programs with good object-oriented design, find alternative solutions for a given problem, and evaluate the pros and cons of the different solutions.

Skills

The students:

• can write clear and efficient programs in Python.
• can identify and correct errors in their own programs.
• can understand and familiarize themselves with other people's programs in order to troubleshoot, and modify them.

General competence

The students:

• can create effective programs in Python and solve relevant issues.
• can do a code review, document errors, and suggest improvements.
• can critically assess different programming approaches for a given problem.

The course is organized as a Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) module where students from OsloMet - Oslo Metropolitan University and Gallaudet University (in the USA) participate. The course topics will be taught as weekly activities that includes use of digital learning tools as well as online interaction and cooperation in both international sign and written English between students from both universities.

The language of instruction and interaction among students is International Sign. Variants of international sign is also used in the video resources. All reading materials and written course resources are in English. No interpreting between any (spoken or signed) languages will be provided, since a part of the learning outcome is to obtain skills to communicate in international sign.

The student must have the following coursework requirements accepted before examination.

• A minimum of 80 % participation is required.
• The students must be prepared for participation in the weekly asynchronous and synchronous teaching activities by completing the tasks given every week. The tasks include online discussions in International Sign and English with students from the other university, viewing and analyzing various video resources, use of digital learning tools, explorations and expansions of personal communication repertoires and development of visual information related to the course content.

Attendance is mandatory because of the course’s collaborative and interactive feature, where the students are mutually dependent on each other’s presence and participation in order to complete the course’s work tasks. Participation is also necessary in order to develop and demonstrate the skills that are described under the learning outcome section.

Students who are prevented from meeting the coursework requirements within the fixed deadlines due to illness or other valid and documented reasons, may be given a new deadline. A new deadline is in each case given by the course teacher.

Coursework requirements are evaluated accepted/not accepted. Students who submit their coursework requirements within the set deadline, but get evaluated as not accepted, are entitled to a maximum of two new attempts to fulfil the requirements. A new deadline for meeting the coursework requirements is in each individual case given by the teacher.

The final assessment will be an individual, recorded and edited 6-8 minute signed presentation of a topic given by the course instructors. The topic given will require that the students take an in-depth cross-cutting analysis of the themes of this course. The student may choose which signed language they wish to use in this assignment.

New/postponed exam

A new/postponed exam will be in the same format as the ordinary exam. The presentation may be adjusted to the first new exam. To the second new exam a new presentation must be made.

Rights and obligations in connection with exams

The students’ rights and obligations are set out in the Regulations Relating to Studies and Examinations at OsloMet. It is the students’ responsibility to register for any new/postponed exams.

All kinds of examination support material is permitted.

A grade scale with A being the highest grade and E the poorest pass grade is used. The grade F means that the student has failed the exam.

The presentation will be evaluated by one internal examiner from each of the universities where the students are enrolled. An external programme supervisor is affiliated with the course in accordance with the Guidelines for Appointment and Use of Examiners at OsloMet.

Target Group

Students who are skilled in at least one sign language, and want to develop their sign language abilities, visual communication repertoire and translanguaging skills to communicate across different sign languages. The course is also suitable for students who want to learn about international connections among deaf people in order to engage with these networks for both professional and personal reasons.

Admission

The admission requirement is Higher Education Entrance Qualification. Reference is made to the Regulations relating to Admission to Studies at OsloMet.

Although there are no formal requirements regarding current/personal level of sign language competence and mastery of English, a certain mastery of at least one signed language as well as written English is necessary to participate in course activities and complete the coursework requirements.

The course has 2 ECTS overlaps with the course ELI1500 Digital Systems.