Students enjoyed learning programming basics and MATLAB through hands-on projects. However, many students said that the professor did not teach MATLAB wel and he was disorganized. They said he did not prepare them well for the very difficult exams. Students suggested the course would be improved by more organization and by the provision of lecture notes or practice problems for students who miss class. They also suggested focusing more on the practical aspects of MATLAB programming and less on theory. Students should know that this course does not have as much programming as other introductory programming courses. Previous programming experience wil make the class easier. 138

Students felt that the best aspects of this course included the interesting mathematical problems covered in this course. Some students found the course lacked clear instructions on assignments, so students suggested giving assignments based on more tangible examples. Another student wished the course gave students harder projects. Prospective students should have prior computing experience and a good grasp of math. The course took a lot of work, so utilizing office hours was helpful for succeeding in the course.

Students thought the best aspect of this course were the hands on activities that gave a useful introduction to using MATLAB. Students thought the biggest drawback of the class was the length of the homework assignments. Some also believed that quizzes were not wel designed or organized. Students thought it was valuable for potential participants to know that experience with programming could be valuable for this course but was not absolutely necessary. 155