NSF CCLI Showcase
SIGCSE 2006
NSF CCLI Showcase
SIGCSE 2006
Thursday, 10:30 a.m.—12:00 p.m.
Program Visualization using Virtual Worlds
Stephen Cooper, St. Joseph’s University
Wanda Dann, Ithaca College
Barbara Moskal, Colorado School of Mines
Randy Pausch, Carnegie Mellon University
Online Programming Tutors for Computer Science I
Amruth Kumar, Ramapo College of New Jersey
Extending the Next Generation Robot Laboratory to Increase Diversity in
Undergraduate CS Programs
Maria Gini, University of Minnesota
Karen Sutherland, Augsburg College
Janice Pearce, Berea College
Program Visualization using
Virtual Worlds
Novices author 3D
movies and create
interactive computer
games as they learn
object-oriented
programming concepts
CCLI
NSF-0339734
-- Increasing retention
-- Attracting more majors
Running professional
development workshops
for teachers
Stephen Cooper, Saint Joseph’s University
Wanda Dann, Ithaca College
Barbara Moskal, Colorado School of Mines
Randy Pausch, Carnegie Mellon University
Problets: Online Programming
Tutors for Computer Science I
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Helps students learn by solving problems
Explains the execution of program code
Adapts to the learning needs of students
Available for C/C++/Java/C#
 For expressions, selection, loops, functions
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Provides class summary to instructors
Runs on recent Java-aware browsers
Free for educational use
Contact: amruth@ramapo.edu
Extending the Next Generation Robot
Laboratory to Increase Diversity in
Undergraduate CS Programs
Maria Gini, University of Minnesota
Jan Pearce, Berea College
Karen Sutherland, Augsburg College
Process:
Objectives:
•
•
•
To increase confidence through hands-on
programming experiences.
To solve real-world and open-ended
problems.
To foster cooperation by working in
groups.
We are developing programming
modules designed to encourage
undergraduates majoring in fields such
as health professions, business, art,
and education to take more computer
science courses. The approach is
centered around using the AIBO Sony
robot dogs at the very beginning of the
computer science curriculum.
NSF CCLI Showcase
SIGCSE 2006
Friday 10:30 a.m.—12:00 p.m.
The UC-WISE project: Online Curricula for Monitored, Closed-lab First-year CS
Courses
Mike Clancy, Marcia Linn & Nate Titterton, University of California at Berkeley
Integrating Algorithm Visualization into Computer Science Education
Scott Grissom, Grand Valley State University
Myles McNally, Alma College
Thomas Naps, University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh
CS 0.5: A New Approach to Introductory Computer Science for Majors
Robert H. Sloan & Patrick Troy, University of Illinois at Chicago
Intelligent Tutoring System for CS-I and II Laboratory
Jungsoon Yoo, Sung Yoo, Chrisila Pettey, Judy Hankins, Cen Li & Suk Seo,
Middle Tennessee State University
The UC-WISE project: Online curricula
for monitored, closed-lab first-year CS courses
(Michael Clancy, Marcia Linn, Nate Titterton, all at U.C. Berkeley)
CCLI project goal: Provide technology and curricula for lab-based CS 1 and CS 2.
Longer-term goal: Allow instructors to build and customize courses, prototype new
course elements, and collect review comments from experienced course developers.
Curriculum Components
Research Areas
•
a wide variety of programming activities,
including interactive and constrained
programming activities with real-time
code analysis and execution;
online and face-to-face collaborations;
embedded assessments, surveys, and
self-tests.
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Lab instructors monitor student
understanding and provide targeted
tutoring where and when it will be most
appropriate.
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evaluation of activities not in traditionalformat courses, and of various kinds of
immediate feedback for students;
analysis of student misconceptions
revealed by the rich variety of activities in
UC-WISE courses;
comparison of online vs. face-to-face
collaborative activities;
exploration of differential benefits for
underrepresented populations;
design of instructor support systems
during phases of course creation,
delivery, refinement, and research.
Integrating Algorithm Visualization into
Computer Science Courses
•
JHAVÉ: Java Hosted Algorithm Visualization Environment
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Goal: Development of a comprehensive suite of visualization-based
materials and best practices for teaching algorithms and data structures
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Principal Investigators:
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Scott Grissom (Grand Valley State University)
Myles McNally (Alma College)
Thomas Naps (University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh)
Website: http://www.jhave.org
CS 0.5 - A New Approach to
Introductory Computer Science
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Problem: High Attrition Rates
• Cause: Failure to Engage Students
• Cause: One Size fits All Approach
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Solution: Separate and Engage
• Allow Experience Student to test out
• Uses Media to Engage Students
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Results: Higher Success Rate
Adaptive Tutor for Online
Learning
Middle Tennessee State University
J. Yoo, C. Pettey, S. Yoo J. Hankins, C. Li, S. Seo
Web-based lab environment to provide
personalized assistance.
 Tutor employs a two-step semisupervised learning system for strategy
adaptation
 Student progress monitoring system
 Question generation module
 Automatic grading
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NSF CCLI Showcase
SIGCSE 2006
Friday 2:00 p.m.—3:30 p.m.
jGRASP: A Framework for Integrating Visualizations of Software (page 11)
James Cross, Dean Hendrix & David Umphress, Auburn University
Project MLExAI: Machine Learning Experiences in AI (page 12)
Ingrid Russell, University of Hartford
Zdravko Markov, Central Connecticut State University
Todd Neller, Gettysburg College
A Radical Approach to Teaching Object-oriented Programming(page 13)
Kathryn E. Sanders & Ann Moskol, Rhode Island College
Increasing Interaction and Visualization in the Computability Course (page 14)
Rakesh M. Verma, Pavan Podila & Saquib Hakim, University of Houston
jGRASP
A Framework for Integrating Visualizations of Software
James Cross, Dean Hendrix, David Umphress
Auburn University
Control Structure Diagram
Data Structure Diagram
UML Class Diagram
Project MLExAI: Machine Learning Experiences in AI
Ingrid Russell, University of Hartford
Zdravko Markov, Central Connecticut State University
Todd Neller, Gettysburg College
Project Goal
Objectives
The project goal is to develop a
framework for teaching core AI
topics with a unifying theme of
machine learning. A suite of
hands-on term-long projects are
developed, each involving the
design and implementation of a
learning system that enhances a
commonly-deployed application.
•Enhance student learning experience by
implementing a unifying theme of machine learning
to tie together core AI topics.
•Increase student interest and motivation to learn AI
by providing a framework for the presentation of the
major AI topics that emphasizes the strong
connection between AI and computer science.
•Highlight the bridge that machine learning provides
between AI technology and modern software
engineering.
•Introduce students to an increasingly important
research area, thus motivating them to pursue
further study in this area.
A radical approach to teaching objectoriented programming
Kate Sanders & Ann Moskol
Rhode Island College
I am a
composite
object …
• Objects, inheritance, and polymorphism early
• Graphical examples
• Stress on design
SIGCSE NSF Showcase
March, 2006
A Visual and Interactive Automata Theory Course Emphasizing Breadth of Automata
By Rakesh Verma, Pavan Podila and Saquib Hakim
Computer Science Department
University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204-3010
http://www.cs.uh.edu/~rmverma
Objectives
We have:
 Enhance learning of automata and
 Enhanced JFLAP to generate random
learning experience
 Expose students to current applications
of automata
 Provide glimpses of the variety of finite
automata including tree and DAG automata
strings for debugging of automata designs
We have developed:
 Lecture notes with HTML and PowerPoint
slide presentations that include JFLAP
animations
 New course materials that include
Background
applications of finite automata
Problems in learning Automata Theory
 New lab assignments and problem sets
 Too abstract
 A Web repository with teaching materials
 Too difficult
 Graphical interface, RuleMaker, for
 Student Perception: Of little use
visualizing tree automata
Conclusions & Future Work
 Student Perception: Dated material
 It can be done!
Methods
Results
 Enhance and integrate visualization tools,
 Inspired students to work on LRR and
e.g., JFLAP from Duke and LRR from
University of Houston
 Add current applications
 Add useful examples of automata
automata projects
 Positive end of course evaluations,
tool/website appreciation
 Students helped with slides and web page
 Add more recent applications, e.g., Buchi
automata and model checking
 Write a new text book ?!
 Acknowledgements: Thanks to M.F.
Anwar. Work supported in part by NSF grant
DUE 0311407
NSF CCLI Showcase
SIGCSE 2006
Saturday 10:30 a.m.—12:00 p.m.
Due to logistical reasons, the Saturday
showcase session has been cancelled