Closing the loop 2007

Student learning outcome assessed:

Apply constructs of programming language to write increasingly sophisticated programs.

Desired Outcome:

In addition to programming assignments given in various classes, the senior project is designed to produce a real-life software system. This includes product specification, design, implementation, and testing. The product thus created must function correctly.

The development team will construct a computer program that will play similar to the classic Rubik’s Cube handheld game developed in 1974. Rubik’s Mania displays in a 3-dimensional, interactive environment allowing the user to easily control all aspects of the game. It contains a solver which serves two purposes: providing a single hint to the user or provide entire solution in a step-by-step format. It also keeps track of user statistics and allows the user to save game progress.

Data Collection:

The senior project of five students will be evaluated based on whether the product functions as specified, tested thoroughly, and how well proper documents are written of the code and configuration, and the extent of the application’s functionality.

Interpretation of the Data:

Students produced a simulation of Rubik’s cube. The specification was done in the Fall semester, and met the requirements. The design and implementation were done in the second semester. It worked as specified in the Requirements Specification the students produced in the previous class. The program was demonstrated to the public, and was well received. The program itself, the executables as well as the source code, and Installer, a program that installs the executable program were completed and included context-oriented help files. Two of them carried much of the weight and they got A's. The others contributed but not as much as the afore-mentioned two and got C's. The grades were given by the instructor’s own observation, student self-evaluation, and peer-evaluation.

Changes to implement:

It met the requirements as far as the core project was concerned, the part of playing the game of Rubik's cube. The part they intended but did not do is the introduction of Artificial Intelligence. From the get-go, there was a doubt that they would be able to do it since it would require a lot more knowledge and research in AI and game theory. In retrospect, this requirement should've been dropped from the beginning.