Evaluation Comments
Course:Object-Oriented Software Development
            (SE-450-801)

Quarter:Winter 05/06
Time: Tu 17:45 - 21:00
Location: Loop Campus
James Riely PhD

Associate Professor
[email protected]
Instructor homepage

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What are the major strengths and weaknesses of the instructor?


1.   He is probably the best instructor I have ever met. Lectures have never been boring. One could actually see his passion for teaching.
2.   The instructor really doesn't pay a great amount of detail to the material that is assigned in the homeworks in lecture. His sense of humor seems to charm his audience.
3.   I think the instructor was very interested in a pretty dry topic which at least kept us awake.
4.   Really knows the material that he is teaching and has a genuine interest in the subject that he passes on to his students. One of the best instructors I have had at DePaul.
5.   Possibly one of the best instructors I've ever had. Plus, even though you never said it, I can tell you're pro-open source. I respect you for that, very much.

What aspects of this course were most beneficial to you?


1.   Course has been very practical. Let me realize that there is so much about programming that I was not aware of.
2.   Learning design patterns has improved my abilities as a programmer significantly.
3.   Learning the different patterns was interesting. Definitely a lot has changed in the past 10 years.
6.   Everything, from the very first day, very first homework, simply everything. I would take it again.

What do you suggest to improve this course?


1.   It was perfect.
2.   A SOLID COURSE BOOK! I learn best from studying independantly. Lacking of a GOOD book for this course that covers the material in a clear manner would have greatly improved my understanding of the material. Also, there needs to be more emphasis on the UML. We drew a few diagrams up in class, then abandoned the ideas in the homework. The programming aspect of the homeworks was fine, but also make students draw out the UML diagrams for the programs they write, in every homework. This will provide a clear image to them as to what their programs are really doing, what design patterns are integrated in the program, and how to use the UML to illustrate the important concepts of a program.
3.   I'm still not sure why the instructor can't have use the online postings rather than the email. I can't read the email ones. I would think he could check the postings each day.Also, am not sure why there were no solutions to the practice midterm. It would have been nice also.
5.   The homework assignments were a bit long...
6.   Create following course with even more advanced programming that would be as a second part built on this course.

Comment on the grading procedures and exams


1.   Exams were challenging which made them interesting. Grading was fair and prompt.
2.   This was fine, but such heavy emphasis on the UML in exams is unfair when the homeworks never called for us to use the UML.
3.   Seemed fair.

Other comments?


2.   James is a very intellegent man. His knowledge is very broad, and I enjoyed how he kept a more "computer science" feel to the course and never got lost in design. I feel that there could have been some improvements made, such as a good book(s) for the course, and more emphasis on the UML. There seems to be some confusion as to what the good balance between programming and design is. I like the idea of extreme programming. I like the concept of using JUnit. I just feel that if this is going to be an SE course (which should be more about designing programs rather than implementing them), there should be at least 30% of the coursework (including homeworks) emphasizing the UML.
6.   The Best programming class I ever taken!!!!This class is worth for ANY grade!!!