Course: Coding Fundamentals
Institution: Mendoza College of Business, University of Notre Dame
Faculty: Xiaojing Duan

Excerpt from Syllabus

Course Values
In this course, we emphasize three core virtues that are essential not only for learning to code but also for developing as a thoughtful and responsible problem solver: curiosity, patience, and integrity.

• Curiosity: Great programmers are lifelong learners who seek to understand how code works and explore multiple ways to solve a problem. Throughout the course, we will examine different solution strategies including AI-generated solutions, and discuss their respective strengths, limitations, and trade-offs. Our goal is not simply to find an answer, but to understand why a solution works.
• Patience: Learning to code is an iterative process that requires persistence. Debugging and refining programs can be challenging, but each error provides an opportunity to deepen your understanding. Rather than viewing mistakes as setbacks, we will treat them as valuable learning experiences that help us become more effective problem solvers.
• Integrity: Meaningful learning requires honest effort and personal responsibility. You are expected to submit work that reflects your own understanding while acknowledging any assistance you receive. If you consult classmates, online resources, or AI tools while completing homework, please clearly disclose how they contributed to your work. Transparency allows us to support your learning while upholding the academic integrity of the course.