CMPT 886: Big Data Systems

When and where:

• January 7, 2015 to April 13, 2015

Course staff:

• Course lead: Dr. Alexandra Fedorova
• Teaching assistant: Evgeny Vinnik (evgeny_vinnik@sfu.ca)

Office hours:

• TA: Thursday 12:30-13:00, ASB 9838 TA1
• Instructor: after class and by appointment

Syllabus:

Course Syllabus and Materials

Grading formula

• 30% micro-quizzes
• 40% final group project (paper + presentation)
• 10% oral paper summaries (sample summaries)
• 10% class participation
• 10% class attendance

Final Projects

• Requirements for Final Projects.
• Project Groups

Micro-quizzes

• Rules on micro-quizzes

Feedback document

Course Feedback

Course rules and logistics:

• There will be two assigned papers and/or videos per week.
• You must read/watch and understand the material prior to the week for which the material is assigned.
• On Monday of each week there is an online microquiz covering the material assigned for that week. Instructions for completing the quizzes will be emailed to you during the first week of class.
• You can complete the quiz anytime prior to the Monday discussion, but I am specifically dedicating the time during the first portion of Monday's class for you to complete the quiz. You should spend about 20 minutes on the quiz and about 30 minutes to go back to the material and work out the answers to the questions you got wrong.
• You are required to complete microquizzes on your own. You are allowed to discuss the results of the quiz with your classmates.
• You can complete the micro-quiz in the classroom using a mobile device or in any location on campus or at home.
• Bring a nameplate to every class.
• Bring lots of paper and a pen or pencil to class.
• No use of computers allowed in class unless otherwise specified. A computer is anything with a CPU and a screen.

How we will learn

This class will be using a "flipped classroom" approach. What this means is that you will acquire "static" content: watch lectures, read papers - at home. In class you will spend time on acquiring "dynamic" content: solving problems in groups, discussing with the instructor and the peers the material you studied prior to class. As a result, you spend less class time on passive learning and more time on active learning: doing and thinking.