CSC 236 Data Structures
Berea College
CSC 236: Data Structures Website, Berea College
Dr. Jan Pearce
Berea College Fall 2026 Offering
Day 2: Friday, August 21, 2026
Day 2: In class
- Debrief on homework and reading. Remember that I give participation points for doing the reading on-time in preparation for class, and the additional questions by noon. (If you do not currently have full credit, be sure to redo it by next time. If the future, I will not give participation credit for students are do not complete it by noon because I need to see where there were challenges. Late participation credit is not awarded.)
- Possible short quiz on reading R01.
- Debrief on installations, C++, the syllabus, and the AI policy in particular
- How did the sign-up for Github Student Developer Pack go? Note that it might take more time to get this, so don’t fret since we do not need Github Copilot and you are likely better off not using it for the first lab. You will need it for Lab L7, but there is plenty of time to get it before then - just be sure to work on it soon.
- Discuss the first lab, L0: ASCII-Art
- Work to complete, then download, and submit Teamwork T01: Visual Studio, Github, and ASCII Art. It is due by noon on Monday.
Day 2: Outside of class
- Be sure to complete and submit [Teamwork T01: Visual Studio, Github, and ASCII Art] by noon on Monday.
- Read Chapters 3, 4,and 5 in C++ for Python Programmers for a potential reading quiz on Monday. Be sure to go through the Moodle link to get full credit. Due at noon on Monday.
- Read L0: ASCII-Art. This is an individual Lab. The first milestone is due Friday, January 23 at noon. The final completion milestone of the lab is due Monday, January 26 at noon.
- Don’t procrastinate on A01: Interview with a CSC 236 TA, which is due Wednesday, September 2 at noon. You can do this at any time before then, but it is best to schedule it at your convenience rather than waiting until the last minute.
Day 1: Wednesday, August 19, 2026
Day 1: In class
- Welcome!
- List all of the data structures you used in Python
- What is data structures about? And what is it NOT about?
- Read the first part of The Impact of AI on Computer Science Education
- Discussion of course: content, texts, syllabus, flow, other ideas
- Sign up for our first text: C++ for Python Programmers. Be sure to use (or make) the login from your Berea email and Berea username and then sign-up for the book bc_cpp4py-f26. (Note that the account you used in CSC 226 should be fine as long as the email address is your Berea College one.)
- Data structures game
Day 1: Outside of class: (Note: all assignments in this course are due by noon on the due date unless otherwise specified.)
- Complete A00:Getting Started and submit to Moodle by noon on Friday. Note that there are 6 tasks, some of which will take some time:
- Help us get to know you better
- Connect Data Structures to your career
- Set-up your Required IDE (this will take some time!)
- Read the syllabus to understand the course structure
- Going through the link in Moodle, read both Chapters 1 and 2 of C++ for Python Programmers and the course syllabus and do all activities in preparation for a potential reading quiz. Note that if you do not go through the link to the book, not only will you not get participation points, butyou will not be able to do the activities and will not be adequately prepared for the reading quiz.
- Introduce yourself to the class and the TAs on Slack
- An additional assignment has been posted with a longer deadline. See A01: Interview with a CSC 236 TA, which is due Wednesday, September 2 at noon. You can currently do this at any time before then, but I may set up a schedule if too many people procrastinate. The TAs are eager to meet you. Part of becoming a professional is learning to manage your time both effectively and efficiently. Assignments with longer deadlines like this are best to do at your earliest convenience, and part of becoming a professional is to learn to manage your own calendar. Mark your calendar for your best evening to go that is well before the deadline, so you are not held up by any procrastinators who have not yet learned to manage their calendars, and who do everything at the very last minute.