This is my fifth year evaluation at the FSU Panama City campus. The form and substance of the process are quite different from the evaluations I have had in the past, which were more typical academic evaluations. The faculty has voted to begin a more traditional process next year, so this is the last in this format.
Aside from the usual teaching/advising/recruiting activities, this year I have been working toward the launch of two new programs: The Bachelor of Science in Computer Science with major in Software Engineering [BS/SE] and the Master of Science in Computer Science with major in Software Engineering [MS/SE].
In Summer 2007 the new BS/SE was rolled out, with these features: 2007:
There has been a small setback in these plans, due to the budget-induced placement of the two principal faculty members to part-time status: Temporarily the BS/SE requires more than two years to complete. However we believe this is a temporary shortcoming to be remedied as budgets return to pre-2008 levels.
The masters in software engineering has undergone some unanticipated challenges and changes during 2007.
First: The university now requires a formal approval for any program seeking to be available as an online program, even when the program exists and will remain as an on-campus program. We are in the final stages of that approval, having passed the departmental and science area approvals. The proposal is at the College of Arts and Sciences level at this writing.
And second: In Fall 2007, the Computer Science department increased the overall hours required for the degree by 3 to 35 credit hours. For the course-based option this adds one course to the requirement (and hence one course that we need to offer regularly). For the project and thesis options, the requirement is added to the project and thesis hour requirement, respectively.
If approved, the MS/SE will have the following features beginning Fall 2008:
R&D has been active this year as well. Select University Technologies, Inc. [SUTI], a company based in Orange County, CA, has started a technology company [Expert Technologies, Inc] based on intellectual property [IP] of my creation. SUTI has licensed two patents from FSU of which I am inventor. They have funded a programmer (one of our undergraduates who completed BS/CS in Fall 2006 and who entered our graduate program in Fall 2007) since January 2006. The company exists, has a chief software engineer, and is currently seeking additional investment funding.
During 2007 I completed the development of several new machine learning algorithms (collectively know as "knowledge discovery" processes) that build on the original patents (collectively called "training" processes). New patent applications are under preparation for the new knowledge discovery processes as well as an upgrade on the original training processes. SUTI is pursuing these patents under agreement with the FSU Office of Technology Transfer.
I am an inveterate investigator: the questions "Why?" and "How?" have intrigued me all my life. Before kindergarten, I disassembled my mother's sewing machine button-hole attachment to see how it worked. When Mom discovered me sitting with the parts on the floor, she asked me to put it back. I did, and it worked, much to her relief.
Therefore it is natural that one of the most attractive things for me about the field of Computer Science is its dynamic change of state: important new knowledge and technology enters the field at a rapid pace. Other things I love about the field are its mathematical foundation and theoretical underpinnings, its inherent orientation toward problem solving, and the insistence on usefulness as one of the criteria for evaluating new ideas.
I believe it is natural to enjoy introducing others to cherished ideas, especially when there is a shared enthusiasm. The students in Computer Science come to the field with such enthusiasm, making teaching extremely rewarding.
As I have learned over the years, it takes more than enthusiasm to teach or to learn, however. To teach effectively, one must prepare, one must devise ways to look at the subject through the students' eyes, and one must be patient (at least while students struggle with ideas -- patience with lack of effort is not quality I possess). Like that kid sitting with the button-holer, sometimes time to think and some coaching is critical to students' success.
My approach to teaching is to (1) unfold a tree of knowledge, starting with simple and basic concepts and climbing the many twists and branches to the complex structures at the leaves and fruit of the tree; (2) set challenges for students, and give them the time and coaching necessary to meet the challenges; and (3) be aware of different learning styles (visual, symbolic, top-down, bottom-up) and try to accommodate them.
SUSSAI Response Summary Spring Semester 2007 Course Type Responses E and VG Total Responses Percent E and VG MAD 3105 OL/MM 5 5 100 COP 4530 PC 6 6 100 COP 4530 OL 3 3 100 COT 5405 PC 5 5 100 Totals OL 8 8 100 Totals PC 11 11 100 PC = on-site at the Panama City campus; OL = on-line distance delivery
SUSSAI Response Summary Fall Semester 2007 Course Type Responses E and VG Total Responses Percent E and VG COP 3330 PC 6 6 100 COP 3330 OL 7 8 87.5 COP 4531 PC 6 6 100 COP 4531 OL 6 8 75 CIS 5930
Generic ProgrammingPC 6 6 100 Totals OL 13 16 81.25 Totals PC 18 18 100 PC = on-site at the Panama City campus; OL = on-line distance delivery Note. Response rate from on-line students remains very weak. I conjecture that the reason for this weak response rate is the voluntary nature of the evaluation: a student is invited to participate by clicking on a link and filling out a form on-line. Only students with something to say (whether positive or negative) end up going to the trouble. I believe it is reasonable to take a non-response from an on-line student as "it was OK - no complaints".
COP 4530 Panama City (Spring 2007)
Course Syllabus
Student EvaluationsCOP 4530 On Line (Spring 2007)
Course Syllabus
Student EvaluationsMAD 3105 Online and Mixed-Mode (Spring 2007)
Course Syllabus
Student EvaluationsCOT 5405 Advanced Algorithms (Spring 2007)
Course Syllabus
Student EvaluationsCOP 3330 Panama City (Fall 2007)
Course Syllabus
Student EvaluationsCOP 3330 On Line (Fall 2007)
Course Syllabus
Student EvaluationsCOP 4531 Panama City (Fall 2007)
Course Syllabus
Student EvaluationsCOP 4531 On Line (Fall 2007)
Course Syllabus
Student EvaluationsCIS 5930 Generic Programming (Fall 2007)
Course Syllabus
Student Evaluations
I advised all students who sought advice, via Email or in my office. This includes both local Panama City students, some graduate and some undergraduate, as well as a number of distance students.
Masters Thesis / Project Advisees:
Shayne Slusser (Thesis) Currently taking thesis hours Kenneth Ayers (Thesis) Currently exploring topics Robert Zukowski (Thesis) Currently developing topic
List of undergraduate advisees, Panama City campus (from rosters) (cummulative)
ALBIN DANIEL SCOTT 0067 AS 116630 3 M 1 AYERS KENNETH LLOYD 9124 AS 116699 3 M 1 BONO SAROJ 2348 SP 920002 6 F 3 BURLON CHRISTOPHER 7059 LS 236530 3 M 1 BUTLER LEWELL 1873 AS 116699 4 M 1 Camp, Jon Tyran 4141 AS COMPUTER SCIENCE CAMPBELL CHARLES B 8711 AS 116610 4 M 1 GARDINER REGINA 3389 SP 920002 7 F 1 HAINES KENT L 6647 AS 116610 4 M 1 HARRIS WINSTON A 8431 SP 920002 6 M 1 Hickman, David (dlh6312) HICKS DERIC 7085 AS 116699 3 M 1 MAYNE RAYMOND M 4166 AS 116610 3 M 1 MCCULLOUGH IV CECIL F 4372 SP 920002 6 M 1 MORRELL SHANNON 8791 AS 116610 3 F 1 NEWELL DONALD 8363 AS 116630 4 M 1 OLSON ISAAC D 1883 SP 920002 6 M 1 Palmer, Paul (pdp05) Pinkerton, William (wrp05) PORTER MATTHEW 9391 AS 116610 3 M 1 RICHBURG FLORENCE LAN 9852 SP 920002 6 F 2 SHEFFIELD SOMER JOY 4402 AS 116610 3 F 5 SIMMONS JOSHUA G 8541 TR 920001 9 M 1 SWAFFORD SAMUEL L 3355 AS 116630 3 M 1 WALLEY IAN N 7367 AS 116630 3 M 1
List of undergraduate advisees, On Line (from blackboard advising site)
Akin, Kyle kda03 kda03@fsu.edu Participant Ayers, Kenneth kla03d kla03d@fsu.edu Participant Banner, Jeremy jbb05j jbb05j@fsu.edu Participant Barhorst, Nathan ngb02 ngb02@fsu.edu Participant Benbrahim, Abed ab06f ab06f@fsu.edu Participant Bryant, David dlb03c dlb03c@fsu.edu Participant Burkholder, Joshua jjb04e jjb04e@fsu.edu Participant Burns, Nancy nburns nburns@fsu.edu Participant Cole, Ian irc8578 irc8578@fsu.edu Participant Crosby, Andrew awc03c awc03c@fsu.edu Participant Davis, Phillip pls9480 pls9480@fsu.edu Participant Diaz, Orlando od05 od05@fsu.edu Participant Downs, Dustin dld04g dld04g@fsu.edu Participant Gonzalez, Edwin feg4609 feg4609@fsu.edu Participant Good, Allison aag03e aag03e@fsu.edu Participant Haines, Kent klh04d klh04d@fsu.edu Participant Hall, Christin cmh06d cmh06d@fsu.edu Participant Harlacher, Brittney bmb4306 bmb4306@fsu.edu Participant Harlacher, Paul pch3647 pch3647@fsu.edu Participant Hayashida, Curt cih1355 cih1355@fsu.edu Participant Heeke, Dennis ddh04c ddh04c@fsu.edu Participant Helvey, Keenan kdh9314 kdh9314@fsu.edu Participant Hickman, David dlh6312 dlh6312@fsu.edu Participant Hill Jr, Wayne wdh8323 wdh8323@fsu.edu Participant Holzman, Melanie mmh8061 mmh8061@fsu.edu Participant Ingram, Curtis cmi03 cmi03@fsu.edu Participant Jordan, David drj03 drj03@fsu.edu Participant Jordan, David dcj2991 dcj2991@fsu.edu Participant Juracek, Marek mj04 mj04@fsu.edu Participant Larsen, John jlarsen jlarsen@fsu.edu Participant Leyden, Michael mpl8046 mpl8046@fsu.edu Participant Lightcap, Robert rll2434 rll2434@fsu.edu Participant Maietta, Ciro cdm06d cdm06d@fsu.edu Participant Mastro, Jason jam02h jam02h@fsu.edu Participant Maucher, Jon jam1009 jam1009@fsu.edu Participant Mcclancy, William wrm02c wrm02c@fsu.edu Participant Meserve, George gsm2699 gsm2699@fsu.edu Participant Milam, Tracy tsm0597 tsm0597@fsu.edu Participant Miles Jr, Jere jdm03e jdm03e@fsu.edu Participant Miller, Patrick psm03c psm03c@fsu.edu Participant Morrell, Shannon slm06j slm06j@fsu.edu Participant Murillo, Janis jlm02n jlm02n@fsu.edu Participant Olson, Isaac ido03 ido03@fsu.edu Participant Peeler, Joann jdp02d jdp02d@fsu.edu Participant Polich, Paul pmp02 pmp02@fsu.edu Participant Porter, Matthew mbp02 mbp02@fsu.edu Participant Powell, Cherie cap06c cap06c@fsu.edu Participant Quandt, Frederick fnq03 fnq03@fsu.edu Participant Reaves, Angela amr6551 amr6551@fsu.edu Participant Reed, Jennifer jbr0488 jbr0488@fsu.edu Participant Sapp, Kevin kls04m kls04m@fsu.edu Participant Shumaker, Aaron als03 als03@fsu.edu Participant Simmons, Josh jgs03c jgs03c@fsu.edu Participant Simms Jr, John jss03g jss03g@fsu.edu Participant Singh, Rameet rs02c rs02c@fsu.edu Participant Smith, Christopher ccs03d ccs03d@fsu.edu Participant Springer, Scott sbs2869 sbs2869@fsu.edu Participant Swafford, Samuel sls04c sls04c@fsu.edu Participant Trautwein, John jkt4783 jkt4783@fsu.edu Participant Upright, Karen kbu5828 kbu5828@fsu.edu Participant Valacheryil, Bigi bsv4373 bsv4373@fsu.edu Participant Villmow, Micah mjv0573 mjv0573@fsu.edu Participant Vincent, Jason jhv1504 jhv1504@fsu.edu Participant Walley, Ian inw03 inw03@fsu.edu Participant Weltz, Jeffrey jaw02n jaw02n@fsu.edu Participant Wheeler, Benjamin btw02c btw02c@fsu.edu Participant Williams, Sean skw4179 skw4179@fsu.edu Participant Williamson, Richard rjw03f rjw03f@fsu.edu Participant Wissmueller, Mark mgw03c mgw03c@fsu.edu Participant Zukowski, Robert rhz2673 rhz2673@fsu.edu Participant
Directed Honors in the Major Thesis of Aaron Schumaker, graduated Summer 2006
Final approval for two courses: COP 4380 Reactive Systems Programming (3) and COP 5385 Hierarchical State Machines and Reactive Systems.
Submitted for approval: CIS 5930 Generic Programming (passed at the department level).
Visit to calculus classes at GCCC
Preparation of materials advertizing new online programs (in progress)
The following works were in progress during the evaluation period:
Chaired a session of papers at the SIGCSE conference in March 2006, held in Houston, TX.
Chaired a session of papers at the IJCNN2007 conference in August 2007, held in Orlando, FL.
Authored white paper detailing new machine learning discoveries, titled "Processes for Automated and Machine-Assisted Knowledge Discovery". (Not for public distribution pending submission of patent applications.) Note that four "Disclosures" have been filed with the fSU Office of Technology Transfer.