[Class Report] Introduction to Systems Development — Week 32 (Final Week): Showcase & Individual Feedback
In Week 32 we wrapped up the semester. Today focused on final portfolio submission checks, short demos, and one-on-one feedback, giving each student time to solidify their learning.
■ Instructor’s Opening: “A Day to Confirm Small Steps Forward”
Mr./Ms. Tanaka: “Today is both a time to show what you’ve built and to clarify what to grow next. It doesn’t have to be perfect. What matters is being able to put your growth into words.”
The instructor briefly explained the evaluation criteria: feature implementation, code readability, test & improvement history, documentation quality, and team contribution.
■ Exercise 1: Final Portfolio Check (Submission Verification)
We collected submitted portfolios and checked one by one whether required items were complete: project overview, key implementation points, test results, improvement history, and learning reflections. Students with missing pieces received quick guidance and hints on the spot, then made fixes and resubmitted during class.
Common improvement points spotted during checks
- Run instructions were not concise → add command examples and required file names
- Missing test numbers → attach log excerpts or screenshots
- Vague improvement history → list “when / what / why” in bullet points
■ Exercise 2: Short Demos (90 seconds per person)
Each student gave a brief demo based on the portfolio. The time cap trained the skill of conveying the point succinctly. After each demo, the instructor and classmates gave one “what went well” and one “suggested improvement.”
Frequently praised points
- Thoughtful usability touches (input guidance, error messages)
- Teams that showed numerical improvements from tests were convincing
- Good module separation and well-structured documentation
Frequently suggested improvements
- Add a one-line Problem statement at the start of the talk for clarity
- Show a run example (sample input → expected output) at the beginning of the demo
■ Exercise 3: Individual Feedback & Goal Setting
We held brief one-on-one meetings (5–7 minutes). The instructor focused on the following and set personal goals for next semester together with each student:
- Technical: strengths this term (e.g., debugging, test design) and growth areas (e.g., deeper design)
- Communication/Presentation: how to present the portfolio; richer code comments and README
- Pathway / Learning plan: topics to study over the next year or two (DB design, UML, team development, etc.)
Student comments included: “Fixing bugs without giving up gave me confidence,” and “Next term I want to study design and build something bigger as a team.”
■ Overall Evaluation (Class Trends)
As a class retrospective, Mr./Ms. Tanaka shared overall strengths and future challenges.
Strengths
- The team learned to keep iterating small improvements
- A quantitative improvement cycle using tests and logs is taking root
Challenges
- Requirements were shallow at the design stage in some cases, leading to drift in implementation
- Need to better institutionalize documentation so it’s usable in operations
■ Instructor’s Closing Message (End of Term)
“You’ve spent this semester building, verifying, improving, and communicating—that’s the essence of software development. Next term, let’s go deeper on how we build (design) and tackle something bigger. You’re ready.”
■ Finally: Next Term Guidance & Prep
- Announced the final deadline for submissions (for those who still owe portfolios).
- Recommended reading / prep: Intro to UML, database fundamentals, and an entry-level book on design patterns (with example titles and target chapters).
- Preference survey: Collected themes students want for next term’s projects (e.g., library system expansion, stronger API integrations, generative-AI applications).
Week 32 was a final checkpoint to organize learning and connect it to what comes next. Students leave with a sense of progress and rising expectations for next term’s Systems Design. Great work, everyone!