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Course Assessments

Useful Resources​

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This page serves as a general overview providing an outline of the assessment types, criteria and an overview of policies for marking them. This page is not a reference for how to submit your coursework, it neither discusses marking Rubrics. For more detailed information on specific assessments, including weightings, rubrics, and submission due dates refer to the Blackboard Portal. For assessment details including instructions, and submission requirements refer to CSP451 GitHub and Assignment Instructions in Useful Resources section.

Assessment Criteria​

Learning journey is structured around below Assessment Criteria, each designed to progressively build your skills and knowledge in the subject matter. Together, these assessments form a cohesive and structured learning experience, empowering you to achieve your learning objectives and emerge with tangible skills and accomplishments in the subject area.

  • Integrity Badge: Integrity Badge familiarizes you with Seneca's Integrity Policy with an immerse and interactive tutorial. Ideally you must complete this before you access the course material. You will need to complete the training and submit your integrity badge. Refer to the Blackboard Portal for specific instructions.
  • Checkpoints: The Checkpoints serve as pivotal deliverables where you'll delve into specific topics, mastering essential concepts and techniques targeted in that Checkpoint. All Checkpoints are hands-on exercises, that requires you to complete the practical sections and answer questions that assess your learning. Check Checkpoints section for more information about this assessment criteria.
  • Milestones: Additionally, the Milestones represent significant achievements throughout the course, marking key junctures where you'll showcase your proficiency and apply your newfound expertise to real-world scenarios or projects. Check Milestones section for more information about this assessment criteria.
  • Demo Presentation: Another aspect of real-world projects in computer domain is the ability to demonstrate your skills or share know-how through Demo Presentations. Conventional theoretical or conceptual only presentations are gradually losing their appeal. Moreover, preparing for a hands-on demo enhances your learning, fosters deeper understanding and retention, and stimulates curiosity and critical thinking. You will be challenged to excel in the concept to the point that you can showcase it practically and answer questions about it. Check Demo Presentation section for more information about this assessment criteria.
  • Final Evaluation: Finally, your learning is assessed through the Final Evaluation, where you'll synthesize and demonstrate your skills by tackling a complex challenge or developing a comprehensive solution that integrates the knowledge and techniques acquired throughout the course. Check Final Evaluation section for more information about this assessment criteria.
  • Budget Management: Adherence to Cloud Resource Management is an important aspect of your learning in this course. You need to demonstrate that you are able to skillfully manage your cloud resources and work within your subscription constraints. Budget Management is the overarching concept but the scope of this assessment goes beyond and above budget management. Check Budget Management section for more information about this assessment criteria.
  • Bonus Marks: Active participation in this course will not go unnoticed or unrewarded. Bonus Marks are to encourage you to take a proactive approach to this course. If you participate in class discussions, help with demo sessions and are willing to engage in class work to learn and help other students learn then you can earn Bonus Marks. Check Bonus Marks section for more information about this assessment criteria.

Checkpoints​

  • Through the course you will compete 12 Checkpoint assignments. Each Checkpoint has a GitHub Submission component in form of a README.md file and a Blackboard Portal submission.Submission Instructions and Requirements are posted in Course GitHub Organization, links to which can be found in GitHub Links. Due dates and mark breakdown can be found in the Blackboard Portal.
  • Checkpoints are practical and as underlying infrastructures change, upgrade and are patched, the instructions must be updated, so Submission requirements often change. Check submission instructions frequently and be mindful of announcements. While major changes are usually announced through Blackboard Portal announcements, minor ones might go unnoticed. It is your responsibility to follow latest submission instructions for your work
  • Each Checkpoint is independent of the another but you probably need the knowledge and setup from previous Checkpoint to proceed to next, so if you fall behind, it is difficult to catch up.
  • You will have one week from the time Checkpoint instruction is posted until you submit it, for late submission policy, refer to Late Submission Policies section.
  • You have permission for one submission only, be mindful of what you submit. If you have made a mistake in your submission, you can request a second submission but it must be requested before the due dates. Resubmission request after due dates cannot be accommodated.
  • Checkpoints are individual assignments and you will need to work on them individually and complete them on your own. Feel free to discuss with other students and use GitHub Discussions to resolve issues or seek help, but the work should be your authentic work and similarities beyond coincidence will be considered cheating and Seneca's Integrity Policy will be enforced.

Milestones​

  • Through the course you will compete 3 Milestone assignments. Each Milestone is a recorded video of your working environment with demo of the required services.
  • Milestones heavily rely on your Checkpoint assignment work. If you fall behind on Checkpoints, you will not be able to complete and submit Milestones on time, or you will struggle unnecessarily. Complete relevant Checkpoints before starting work on Milestones.
  • You will have two weeks from the time Milestone instruction is posted until you submit it, for late submission policy, refer to Late Submission Policies section.
  • You have permission for one submission only, be mindful of what you submit. If you have made a mistake in your submission, you can request a second submission but it must be requested before the due dates. Resubmission request after due dates cannot be accommodated.
  • Milestones are individual assignments and you will need to work on them individually and complete them on your own. Feel free to discuss with other students and use GitHub Discussions to resolve issues or seek help, but the work should be your authentic work and similarities beyond coincidence will be considered cheating and Seneca's Integrity Policy will be enforced.

Demo Presentation​

  • Through the course you will compete 1 Demo Presentation assignment. The demo presentation has two deliverables, an in-class activity where you present a novel topic in form of a demo/hands-on work to class and a blackboard submission of your background research work and concept analysis in slides format.
  • Submission Instructions and Requirements are posted in Course GitHub Organization, links to which can be found in GitHub Links. Due dates and mark breakdown can be found in the Blackboard Portal.
  • You can choose the topic/concept that interests you, but it must be related to course outline. Discuss your idea with the professor and get approval for your chosen topic. Alternatively you can choose from a list of proposed topics.
  • Demo Presentations must be unique in scope and deliverable. It is possible that two students pick a similar topic/concept but you must actively work to make a unique demo with tailored learning objectives that differs from the other student.
  • Demo presentations will occur between weeks three and week ten of the semester. You're required to select your presentation topic and date within the first two weeks of class. If you haven't chosen by then, the course professor will assign you both. Completing your demo presentation within the first four weeks earns you bonus marks, helping distribute presentations evenly and avoid jam-packed presentation days towards the semester's end.
  • You have permission for one Demo Presentation only, be mindful of what you commit.For late submission policy, refer to Late Submission Policies section.
  • Demo Presentation is an individual assignments and you will need to work on it individually and complete it on your own. Feel free to discuss with other students and use GitHub Discussions to resolve issues or seek help, but the work should be your authentic work and similarities beyond coincidence will be considered cheating and Seneca's Integrity Policy will be enforced.

Final Evaluation​

  • You will complete 1 Final Evaluation at the end of semester. Final Evaluation is Project based and depending on the complexity of the project you could have a 1-2 weeks or 1-2 days to complete it. Submission Instructions and Requirements will be posted in Course GitHub Organization, links to which can be found in GitHub Links. Due dates and mark breakdown can be found in the Blackboard Portal.
  • Final Evaluation assesses your learning in the course. It follows that its content will depend on course progress and achievements. Details about the scope and content of Final Evaluation will be released closer to the end of the semester. You will not need to prepare for Final Evaluation Project, if you have completed all your coursework diligently and duly, you will comfortably complete Final Evaluation Project in allocated time.
  • Final Evaluation is an individual assignments and you will need to work on it individually and complete it on your own. Unlike other assessment, you cannot discuss about this assessment with other students, neither can you use GitHub Discussion to resolve issues or seek help. You need to demonstrate that you have learned troubleshooting and problem solving skills enough to tackle the Final Evaluation on your own.
  • Your work should be your authentic work and similarities beyond coincidence will be considered cheating and Seneca's Integrity Policy will be enforced.

Budget Management​

  • At the end of semester, the ITAS cloud team will assess your adherence to Cloud Resource Management and communicate their findings with the professor. They will identify the students who did not comply with the requirement who will automatically miss ALL the mark for Budget Management Assignment.
  • Budget Management is marked binary, that means you either get all the marks or lose all the marks. Follow below to receive a full mark:
    • Do not use the environment assigned to you in this course for any other course or any other purposes
    • Safeguard your 2FA device, loss of your device will result in losing your 10%
    • Complete all Cloud related course work within the $100 credit given to you, you will need to constantly monitor your cost analysis and follow policy settings
    • Do not delete or modify the default setting

Bonus Marks​

  • Class activities that entitle you to a bonus mark are regularly announced during class or through announcements. While each and every proactive engagement in class activities might not result in a bonus mark, but there is not risk in always being prepared to reply a challenging question, participate in brainstorming, or readily share screen for demo or troubleshooting hands-on demo.
  • If you participate in improving course material in GitHub, especially if you find bugs in the code or the markdown content, you are entitled to a reasonable bonus mark depending on the severity of the fix and the impact of your work. all the improvements or suggestions must be communicated through the GitHub Discussion Channels, with proper labels.
  • Bonus Mark Submissions are pretty flexible and unbounded. If you have done some work that warrants a Bonus Mark, create a submission under Bonus Mark Assignment with Date and Details of the activity that was completed. In each one of your submissions provide at least one paragraph with summary of the work done, a link to your work, or screenshots, whichever are most relevant. You do not need to submit any PDFs or Documents.
  • Make a separate submission for each time you have done some work that entitles you to Bonus Marks. Even though you have until the end of the semester for Bonus Mark submissions, you are advised to submit your work when your mind is fresh about the details of your work.
  • Raw Bonus Marks will not be posted in the Blackboard Portal, however, they will consider it in the final marks.

Assessment Policies​

assessment-policies

Special Course Promotion Policies​

In order to successfully pass this course, you need to comply with below:

  1. Achieve a weighted average of 50% or better on the overall course
  2. Achieve a weighted average of 50% or better for each Assessment
  3. Achieve a weighted average of 50% or better for the final evaluation
  4. Must satisfactorily complete ALL assigned coursework and assessments

Late Submission Policies​

In order to successfully pass this course, you need to comply with below:

  • Any coursework not completed will be given a grade 0 and the Special Course Promotion Policy will be in effect.
  • Coursework submitted after the semester's end will not be graded, and a grade of 0 is awarded.
  • Late submissions receive a penalty of 30% per day for a maximum of 3 days. After the 3rd day, a grade of 0 is awarded.
    • Example: if an assignment is due March 20 but it was submitted on March 21. Assuming you had earned an original mark of 10/15. Since the assignment was submitted 1 day late, your ultimate mark would be 8.5/15 (10% penalty).
    • Example: if an assignment is due March 20 but it was submitted on March 24. Assuming you had earned an original mark of 10/15. Since the assignment was submitted over 3 days late, your ultimate mark would be 0 (more than 3 days late).
    • Checkpoints/Milestones that are submitted after due dates, will receive a penalty of 30% per every day of late submission for a maximum of 3 days. No marks will be given to Milestones or Checkpoints submitted 3 days or later than the due date.
  • If you have missed the Checkpoint/Milestone due date by more than three days, you must still submit your work completely. Course promotion policies require you to submit all your coursework to avoid failing the course.
  • Demo Presentations must be delivered on the date you have committed. If you fail to deliver your presentation on the scheduled date, you receive 0 marks. In case of emergency, or issues that you believe qualify for special accommodations, discuss the matter with the professor. Be reminded, doctor notes, or accident photos are not accepted to postpone or reschedule your Demo Presentation.
  • Final Evaluation submitted after due date receives no marks; Special Course Promotion Policy will be in effect, meaning you will fail the course if you submit the Final Evaluation later than due date.
  • In the event you require additional time to work on the assessment, you must contact the professor at least 24 hours before the due date to discuss submission options otherwise the late submission policy will apply. This exception is not applicable to Demo Presentation and Final Evaluation.

Useful Assessment Policies​

  • Preparation: Students must come prepared for each Checkpoint by completing any assigned readings and setup tasks beforehand. This includes reviewing relevant materials and familiarizing yourselves with the topics to be covered.
  • Completion: Most assessments have multiple parts and questions, you are expected to complete all parts in your submission. Not knowing is not an acceptable excuse for not answering. You must research and find answers to all parts and submit your complete work duly by announced due dates.
  • Attendance: There are usually hands-on demo or tutorial sessions for each assessment. It is not mandatory to attend these session. Online sessions will usually be recorded and posted in the Blackboard Portal, however, attending these sessions, and completing the work along with the professor and other students is highly advised.
  • Engagement: Active engagement is encouraged during online demo sessions. You should ask questions, seek clarification on confusing topics, and contribute constructively to discussions and collaboration spaces.
  • Accommodations: If you have conditions that special accommodations, you should register with Counseling and Accessibility Services and they will contact course the professor about the type and duration of accommodations to be provided to you. Do not contact the course the professor directly about your problem.
  • Communication: Bring your technical questions to tutorials, online classes, or demo sessions, Alternatively post your technical question in GitHub Discussion channels, you can find the link in GitHub Links. Communications about technical issues must strictly go through class or GitHub Discussion Channels. Technical questions sent via email or chat will receive no response.
  • Marking & Feedback: Feedback on assessments is a crucial aspect of the learning process, providing valuable insights and guidance to you on your performance, giving you areas for improvement. Do not take feedbacks personal or subjective, instead focus on how to utilize them to improve your future work. The idea is to learn from your mistakes, and make progress towards achieving your academic goals.
  • Progress Tracking: If you fall behind in timely submissions of your assessments or your work does not meet expectation you will receive progress tracking emails that are intended to remind you and encourage you to engage more actively. If you are falling behind approach your professor for guidance and support before it is too late to catch up and complete the course successfully.
  • Remarking: Remarking request can only be made during office hours in person. Check class schedule in the Blackboard Portal and only use the office hours to talk to your professor about the remark requests. Remark requests sent via email or chat will receive no response.
  • Academic Integrity: You are expected to uphold principles of academic integrity during Checkpoint sessions. This includes refraining from cheating, plagiarism, or any form of academic dishonesty. You can find more details about Seneca's Integrity Policy statement and its' enforcements in Seneca's Integrity Policy.