Tutorials

The mode

• Tutorials will be conducted using Zoom. Due to the large class size and small tutor:students ratio, we are not able to go back to F2F tutorials at the current SoC venue capacity. We'll revisit this decision when the COM4 building is up.
• MS Teams will be used for file sharing.
• A tutorial group is handled by two tutors. Each tutor will work with two teams.
• The tutor will facilitate tutorial activities, observe your progress, and give feedback.

Slides and tutorial recordings:

• The Zoom recording of a tutorial will be made available to you after the tutorial.
• Slides used in tutorials will not be distributed to students. You are expected to take notes (or screenshots) during the tutorial as necessary. Reasons:
  1. Tutorial slides are meant to help the tutor deliver the tutorial, and not meant to be used as reference materials for you to study later). When some content is suitable as a reference material, we'll provide you a copy of it.
  2. To encourage some level of active engagement with the materials (e.g., taking notes) which is known to increase retention.
  3. To discourage 'no need to bother now; can look at the slides near the exam' attitude -- because most of the materials covered in tutorials are applicable to the project immediately.

The role of our tutors is different from tutors in other modules.

• Not a source of admin information: Given the humongous amount of admin info contained in this module and the fact that it is constantly evolving, tutors may not be aware of the recent subtle changes to the admin information. To safeguard you from receiving incorrect admin info, tutors are prohibited from answering admin queries. If you have an admin query, please post in the forum (or email the prof at cs2103@comp.nus.edu.sg but only if the question is not appropriate for the forum).

• No inputs for yet-to-be-graded components: Tutors are prohibited from giving inputs for components not graded yet. Reason: work submitted for grading should be your own.

• No direct tech help: Tutors are prohibited from giving direct technical help, other than to give you some general direction to finding a solution. Rationale: We want you to learn the vital survival skill of troubleshooting technical problems.

• No ‘mini-lectures’: Tutors are prohibited from 'teaching' concepts that are covered in lectures or other learning resources given to you (reason: self-learning is a vital part of the module). For example, the tutor will not do a mini-lecture at the start of the tutorial. Of course tutors can help you clarify doubts under the right circumstances.

Timing/venue:

• Please refer to the Schedule page for further details on each tutorial.
• You are expected to be present on time. Punctuality is considered for participation marks.

• In the past, many students have requested to increase the tutorial duration because a mere hour is barely enough to get through all the tutorial tasks. Increasing the tutorial time is not possible due to lack of venues and tutors. Instead, let's try to make the best of the one hour available by coming well prepared and starting on time. Note that the better prepared you are, the higher the chance of completing all activities allocated to a tutorial within time.

Grading:

• Your conduct in tutorials will be evaluated by team members and the tutor which can affect your participation marks.