Dear CIS435 Student:

Welcome to the Distance Learning Section of CIS435, Advanced Algorithm Design.  This letter will provide you with information about the class.  Be sure to read the entire letter.

As a student in a distance-learning course, you will not be attending traditional “face to face” classes.  Instead, all the lectures for the course are contained in a collection of VHS video tapes to be played on a VCR.  The tapes cover the same material that I usually teach in a face-to-face version of CIS 435.   

You will need to view the videotapes of the lectures (details on renting these taped lectures are available from the home page of the NJIT Office of Distance Learning http://www.njit.edu/DL/ or http://www.haveinc.com/mall/store1/ ). If you do not have access to a VCR, you have an option to view these tapes on campus at the Interactive Learning Center, located within the SIM building near the entrance to the NJIT Library. The Interactive Learning Center is open approximately twenty hours per week, with days and times announced at the beginning of each semester.

You will need to download all of the lecture notes from the DL 435 web page at http://web.njit.edu/~leung/ .  The course web page also contains all of the homework assignments and any handouts.  All of the course materials are in PDF format, and so you will need Adobe Acrobat or Acrobat Reader to read the files.  The course web page contains a link for downloading a free copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader.  

In this course, you will have textbooks, assignments and examinations comparable to what is normally given in the traditional face-to-face sections.  The schedule for the viewing the lectures, along with homework assignments and exams, is contained in the syllabus.  Do not fall behind!  

For this distance learning class, we will be using a computer-based group-communication system called WebBoard, which you can access at http://webboard.njit.edu and look for CIS435 under the current semester.  WebBoard is simple to use. If you are not familiar with WebBoard, you can learn about it by going to http://webboard.njit.edu/ and reading the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).  We will have things set up for CIS435 on WebBoard when classes begin.  You must visit the WebBoard several times a week. I will post important announcements there.  Also, I encourage you to post general questions about the course or material there; if you don’t understand some concept or find something confusing, it’s most likely that other students do too, so having questions posted in an open forum will benefit everyone in the class.  I will respond to all questions posted on the WebBoard. 

The key to performing well in a distance-learning class is self-discipline and motivation.  You need to set aside several hours each week to this course for viewing the lectures, reading the reading assignments, and doing the homework problems.

The specific date for midterm and final examinations will be announced later.  

Email all assignments and questions regarding homework grades to cis435dl@cis.njit.edu .  If you need to contact me for any personal reasons (e.g., inquiries about your performance in the class), you may reach me by e-mail at leung@cis.njit.edu .  You can also reach me by telephone at (973) 596-3387.  As I previously mentioned, general questions should be posted on the WebBoard. 

As part of NJIT's evaluation efforts, you might be asked to complete some questionnaires on the effectiveness of this new mode of course delivery. These will not take much of your time, and will help us to assess our endeavors.

Again, I welcome you to CIS 435.  After reading this letter, you should immediately complete homework assignment 0, which entails emailing me at cis435dl@cis.njit.edu to inform me that you have read this letter. Be sure to include your full name, e-mail address and student ID number.   Homework assignment 0 must be completed by February 5 for you to remain in the course.

We may not meet face to face this semester. However, if you happen to be around the CS department, I hope that you will stop by to say hello.

Sincerely,

Joseph Leung
Distinguished Professor