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Computational Bytes (CBytes)

Spring 2025

CBytes are bite-sized programming challenges designed to deepen your understanding of computational biology concepts through hands-on practice. Whether you're just starting with Python or you're a seasoned coder, CBytes offer engaging, tiered exercises tailored to your skill level.

Why Participate?

Participating in CBytes is more than just solving programming challenges—it's an opportunity to enhance your learning by applying concepts from class to practical, real-world problems. These challenges are designed to reinforce your understanding and provide hands-on experience that goes beyond traditional coursework.

CBytes also foster a collaborative and competitive environment. As you tackle each challenge, you'll have the chance to share insights, learn from your peers, and see how your skills measure up on the class leaderboard. It's a fun and engaging way to build a sense of community while sharpening your computational biology expertise.

Perhaps most exciting, your efforts don't just benefit you—they create real rewards for the entire class. The ATP you earn can unlock perks that everyone enjoys, such as extended deadlines or the ability to drop a low score. By participating, you're contributing to a shared success that helps everyone achieve their best.

How It Works

CBytes are released weekly, offering you the chance to practice and strengthen your computational biology skills. Here's how they're structured and what you can expect.

1. Weekly Challenges Each Friday (starting on Jan 17) at 11:59 pm, a new CByte will be made available. These challenges are directly tied to material covered in class but may also introduce advanced programming concepts to stretch your skills. You'll have two weeks to complete the challenge and earn ATP. After this period, you can still submit solutions for practice, but ATP rewards will no longer be available.

2. Three-Tiered Difficulty Levels Each CByte is divided into three progressive parts, starting with beginner-friendly problems and gradually increasing in complexity. The challenges are designed to build on one another, encouraging you to develop a deeper understanding of the material as you advance. While the problems relate to lecture content, they also encourage you to explore programming techniques that go beyond what's covered in class.

3. Immediate Feedback Through Gradescope Once you're ready to submit your work, Gradescope's autograder will evaluate your solutions and provide instant feedback. Most test cases will be visible to help you debug your code and learn from mistakes, but a few hidden tests will challenge your ability to fully solve the problem. Your ATP rewards will be calculated automatically, giving you a clear sense of your progress.

4. Collaborative Learning with Boundaries Collaboration is a key part of learning, and we encourage you to discuss ideas, strategies, and approaches with your peers to help tackle the challenges. However, maintaining academic integrity is crucial. While working together to understand the problems is allowed, directly sharing solutions or copying code to gain ATP is strictly prohibited.

5. Teaching Team Support During the ATP eligibility period, the teaching team will be available to provide limited guidance to help you tackle the challenges. After the ATP window closes, we will release detailed walkthroughs for each CByte, offering insights into the solutions and alternative approaches. These walkthroughs are a valuable resource for improving your programming skills and deepening your understanding.

6. Generative AI Prohibition While CBytes are designed to encourage learning and creativity, the use of generative AI tools such as ChatGPT, GitHub Copilot, or similar technologies to directly solve problems is strictly prohibited. These tools undermine the purpose of the challenges, which is to develop your own understanding and problem-solving skills.

7. Consequences Participation in CBytes is a privilege designed to enhance your learning and reward your efforts. To maintain a fair and engaging experience for everyone, adherence to the program's rules is mandatory. If any rules are violated, the following consequences will apply:

  • Any ATP earned through the program will be revoked and converted to Alex Disapproval Points (ADP), rendering them void. This applies to all ATP accumulated up to the point of the violation.
  • Students found breaking the rules will lose the ability to participate in future CByte challenges. This includes forfeiting the opportunity to earn ATP or gain access to related rewards.

Advanced Training Points (ATP)

As you complete CBytes, you'll earn Advanced Training Points (ATP), a currency exclusive to our course. ATPs not only reward your effort but also unlock class-wide benefits.

  1. Checkpoint Submission Feedback (2,000 ATP) Allow students to submit part of their homework early (e.g., one or two questions) and receive feedback from the instructor or TA before the full deadline.
  2. Homework Extension (5,000 ATP) Extend the due date of all future homework assignments by one day. Assignments typically due on Fridays will now be due on Saturdays, giving students additional time to complete their work. Homework will still be released on the same schedule, maintaining consistency while providing extra flexibility for busy weeks.
  3. Extended Instructor Office Hours (8,000 ATP) Unlock an additional weekly office hour tailored to fit the class's schedule. The instructor will send out a poll to identify the most convenient time for students.
  4. Quiz Hint (11,000 ATP) Empower the class to collectively decide which section/topic of the following quiz they'd like a hint for by participating in a poll.
  5. Final Exam Cheat Sheet (14,000 ATP) Unlock the ability for students to bring a handwritten cheat sheet (e.g., one 8.5" x 11" page) to the final exam.
  6. Interactive Workshop on Advanced Topics (17,000 ATP) Unlock an engaging, hands-on workshop focusing on advanced computational techniques or cutting-edge developments in computational biology. Students will vote on the topic, ensuring it aligns with their interests and learning goals.
  7. Drop the Lowest Quiz Score (20,000 ATP) Alleviate stress by allowing the class to drop their single lowest quiz score.
  8. Class Social Event (30,000 ATP) Enjoy a class-wide social event where the instructor will provide breakfast-like snacks and coffee sourced from a local Oakland café of the students' choosing.

Who Developed CBytes?

CBytes are brought to you by César Guerra-Solano, under the guidance of Dr. Alex Maldonado, through the Chancellor's Undergraduate Teaching Fellowship. This initiative bridges the gap between computational biology concepts and real-world applications, creating a sustainable resource for current and future students.