Covid-19 Related Class Modifications

Several aspects of this class are different due to the Covid-19 situation. The first and most obvious change is that this is an online-only class. Students are expected to participate synchronously in the Zoom sessions for the class, analogously to in-class attendance. While class videos will be made, watching the videos later is not a substitute for attending the class. Attendance rules will still be enforced. If you're in a non-US timezone, that unfortunately means you may have to attend at an inconvenient time.

Group presentations will be harder to do live without technical glitches. So, the end-of-project presentations should be pre-recorded within the time constraints that we'll discuss in class. Be prepared to roll your video during the presentation classes, and to answer questions live afterwards.

There is no change to the discussion-oriented nature of the class. Everybody is expected to participate by contributing to the class discussion, and participation is part of your grade. The discussion will happen via Zoom, and I'll announce some Zoom-related discussion conventions at the start of class. For example, everybody should be muted unless talking, but your video should always be on. You'll raise your hand in different ways, depending on the kind of contribution you want to make. For example, we'll have one way of raising your hand to contribute an idea that expands on what we're currently talking about, and another to suggest a new idea that shifts the discussion. The chat window should be used only for technical issues outside the discussion, e.g., saying that you can't hear somebody, or communicating game configuration details to the TA for him to run.

You are not required to use a virtual background, but if you do please choose a background that is related to the class project. Even better, group members can use the same background, so that everybody knows the group make-up during discussions. Please rename yourselves in Zoom with the name by which you would like me to call on you. Everybody should use the gallery view feature of Zoom, so that you can see everybody, and everybody knows they can be seen.

In an in-person class, I insist that people not use their phones or laptops during discussions, so that they can be fully engaged. The same goes for the on-line version of the class, with the obvious exception that you'll need a device to run Zoom. If I observe you distracted by your cellphone, I'll ask you to put it away.

Some of the norms (e.g., face-to-face meetings) may no longer be appropriate. Please choose alternative norms that work for your group.

Office hours will be held via Zoom. I'll use the waiting room feature so that I can have private or shared discussions as appropriate.

Hardcopies of reports are not required. To relieve the burden on the TAs, we will probably not take notes during class, and instead rely on the class videos as the record of the discussions.