crit_think_intro lecture slides class notes
- 1. CS 347: Operating Systems CS 347: Operating Systems In this course, we reason about In this course, we reason about effective performance effective performance of a computer of a computer system system The emphasis of this course is on The emphasis of this course is on – Concepts Concepts – Techniques Techniques – Technology Technology
- 2. Aim of the course Aim of the course Develop Develop critical thinking critical thinking abilities in abilities in the area of operating systems the area of operating systems – So that one can make an intelligent So that one can make an intelligent choice of operating systems and choice of operating systems and program structures to use for obtaining program structures to use for obtaining effective performance in a specific effective performance in a specific computing environment computing environment More about critical thinking later More about critical thinking later
- 3. This is a fun course! This is a fun course! Deals with Deals with - Interesting OS features - Interesting OS features - Contemporary computer architectures - Contemporary computer architectures And their mutual interaction And their mutual interaction This is a course in which students often know This is a course in which students often know more than the instructor! more than the instructor!
- 4. About OS books About OS books Silberschatz, Galvin and Gagne, 7/e Silberschatz, Galvin and Gagne, 7/e - Comprehensive - Comprehensive - Difficult to find some specifics - Difficult to find some specifics Stallings, 4/e Stallings, 4/e - Good engineering book - Good engineering book - Narrow in perspective - Narrow in perspective Dhamdhere, 3/e Dhamdhere, 3/e - Focuses on concepts - Focuses on concepts - Comprehensive - Comprehensive - Includes case studies of Linux, Windows - Includes case studies of Linux, Windows
- 5. Book we will use Book we will use Dhamdhere Dhamdhere Operating Systems Operating Systems ─ ─A Concept-Based Approach, A Concept-Based Approach, McGraw Hill India, 3/e McGraw Hill India, 3/e
- 6. Evaluation scheme Evaluation scheme Quizzes (about 6 or so) Quizzes (about 6 or so) - frequent and surprise quizzes - frequent and surprise quizzes Take home assignments Take home assignments – 1 large assignment or a few short ones 1 large assignment or a few short ones Mid-semester and final exams Mid-semester and final exams Indicative weightages: Indicative weightages: Q: 10%, Asgn: 10%, M: 30%, E: 50% Q: 10%, Asgn: 10%, M: 30%, E: 50%
- 7. Honesty policy Honesty policy Highest standards of academic Highest standards of academic honesty are expected and will be honesty are expected and will be enforced enforced For take home assignments For take home assignments - No discussion with others - No discussion with others - No copying - No copying Strict action will be taken against Strict action will be taken against violators of this policy violators of this policy
- 8. Classroom rules Classroom rules Mobile phones should not be used Mobile phones should not be used – Any phone that rings or is used will be Any phone that rings or is used will be confiscated confiscated Punctuality is expected Punctuality is expected – Latecomers should not disturb the class Latecomers should not disturb the class – Doors may be closed after start of class Doors may be closed after start of class – XX grades for inadequate attendance XX grades for inadequate attendance Interaction with instructor a must Interaction with instructor a must – Ask questions; else I will ask them ! Ask questions; else I will ask them !
- 9. About Critical thinking About Critical thinking – Most education systems are fact based Most education systems are fact based They teach you facts and test their recall They teach you facts and test their recall They teach you ‘what’ you should think in They teach you ‘what’ you should think in what situation what situation – They may not teach `how’ to think They may not teach `how’ to think – Students have to figure out the `how’ Students have to figure out the `how’ It is an essential skill for scientists and It is an essential skill for scientists and technologists technologists It is the subject matter of It is the subject matter of critical thinking critical thinking
- 10. Critical thinking Critical thinking From wikipedia From wikipedia – Critical thinking is purposeful and Critical thinking is purposeful and reflective judgment about what to reflective judgment about what to believe or what to do in response to believe or what to do in response to Observations Observations Experience Experience Verbal or written expressions Verbal or written expressions Arguments Arguments – It is not about passing of It is not about passing of negative negative comments! comments!
- 11. Critical thinking Critical thinking Example illustrating its need Example illustrating its need – How to master the vast amount of How to master the vast amount of information available on the web? information available on the web? One must analyze the information available One must analyze the information available from multiple sources from multiple sources Validate information from each source, Validate information from each source, rejecting unreliable/illogical information rejecting unreliable/illogical information Correlate information from various sources Correlate information from various sources to make a cohesive whole to make a cohesive whole – Take care of differences in terminology Take care of differences in terminology
- 12. Critical thinking Critical thinking Wikipedia (contd): A critical thinker Wikipedia (contd): A critical thinker Raises vital questions and problems, Raises vital questions and problems, formulating them clearly and precisely formulating them clearly and precisely Gathers and assesses relevant information Gathers and assesses relevant information Comes to well-reasoned conclusions and Comes to well-reasoned conclusions and solutions solutions Thinks open-mindedly (about alternatives) Thinks open-mindedly (about alternatives) Communicates effectively with others in Communicates effectively with others in figuring out solutions to complex problems; figuring out solutions to complex problems; without being unduly influenced by others without being unduly influenced by others
- 13. Critical thinking Critical thinking Critical thinking is a tool of inquiry Critical thinking is a tool of inquiry – Wade (‘55) identified 8 characteristics Wade (‘55) identified 8 characteristics Asking questions Asking questions Defining a problem Defining a problem Examining evidence Examining evidence Analyzing assumptions and biases Analyzing assumptions and biases Avoiding emotional reasoning Avoiding emotional reasoning Avoiding oversimplification Avoiding oversimplification Considering alternative interpretations Considering alternative interpretations Tolerating ambiguity Tolerating ambiguity
- 14. Critical thinking Critical thinking Critical thinking is about being both Critical thinking is about being both willing and able to evaluate one’s willing and able to evaluate one’s thinking (wikipedia) thinking (wikipedia) – It helps in all aspects of life It helps in all aspects of life – Core thinking skills are portable Core thinking skills are portable They can be carried over from one field, They can be carried over from one field, area, or course to another area, or course to another – You must integrate critical thinking into You must integrate critical thinking into your attitude! your attitude! Thinking abilities should improve with time! Thinking abilities should improve with time!
- 15. Learning and Critical thinking Learning and Critical thinking Learning takes place in 2 phases Learning takes place in 2 phases (Wikipedia) (Wikipedia) – Learning basic ideas, principles and Learning basic ideas, principles and theories theories The process of internalization The process of internalization – Use the basic ideas, principles and Use the basic ideas, principles and theories theories The process of application The process of application
- 16. Thinking skills─what we will do Thinking skills─what we will do – Explicit teaching of thinking skills Explicit teaching of thinking skills Is beyond the scope of this course Is beyond the scope of this course Is beyond the abilities of this instructor Is beyond the abilities of this instructor – However, we will facilitate their learning However, we will facilitate their learning in this course through in this course through Classroom discussions Classroom discussions Creating situations for group thinking Creating situations for group thinking Study literature-and-report assignments Study literature-and-report assignments Quizzes and Exams! Quizzes and Exams!
- 17. Thinking skills and the Exams Thinking skills and the Exams Exams will include questions aimed Exams will include questions aimed at exercising/using thinking skills at exercising/using thinking skills – Performance in these Qs will decide Performance in these Qs will decide what range of grades you might earn what range of grades you might earn E.g., if a student performs poorly in thinking E.g., if a student performs poorly in thinking oriented Qs, top grades such as AA, AB, BB oriented Qs, top grades such as AA, AB, BB would be denied irrespective of the total would be denied irrespective of the total marks obtained in the course marks obtained in the course
- 18. Group thinking in the course Group thinking in the course – Groups of approx 10 students each will Groups of approx 10 students each will be formed be formed – In every lecture, one of the groups will In every lecture, one of the groups will pose ONE question on the previous pose ONE question on the previous lecture’s contents that requires critical lecture’s contents that requires critical thinking thinking Good questions will earn acclaim Good questions will earn acclaim – Other situations will also be created Other situations will also be created We will start on it today! We will start on it today!
- 19. Concepts Concepts Critical thinking and concepts Critical thinking and concepts – The relationship is two-fold The relationship is two-fold Critical thinking helps in concept formation Critical thinking helps in concept formation from available information from available information Concepts and principles are tools of critical Concepts and principles are tools of critical thinking thinking – Concepts enable a person to analyse, assess and Concepts enable a person to analyse, assess and improve thinking improve thinking – Core concepts and principles of analysis exist Core concepts and principles of analysis exist – Domain specific Domain specific concepts and principles can also concepts and principles can also be used in thinking be used in thinking
- 20. The Concept-Based Approach The Concept-Based Approach In class In class – We will develop concepts and enunciate We will develop concepts and enunciate principles principles – We will also use concepts and principles We will also use concepts and principles in our discussions in our discussions In assignments In assignments – You practice use of concepts, principles You practice use of concepts, principles In quizzes and exams In quizzes and exams – You demonstrate that you can use them You demonstrate that you can use them
- 21. The Concept-Based Approach The Concept-Based Approach Key thinking skills that facilitate Key thinking skills that facilitate learning about complex systems learning about complex systems – Focusing skills Focusing skills Attending to selected pieces of information Attending to selected pieces of information and ignoring others and ignoring others – Organizing skills Organizing skills Arranging information so that it can be used Arranging information so that it can be used more effectively more effectively
- 22. The Concept-Based Approach The Concept-Based Approach Concepts assist in critical thinking Concepts assist in critical thinking – Abstraction Abstraction aids in focusing aids in focusing – Abstract views Abstract views aid in organizing aid in organizing