1. Learning to Program With Alice
Wanda Dann
Stephen Cooper
Randy Pausch

2. Alice is a solution to the current big problem in Computer Science Education: Attracting and Retaining Students

3. This isn’t just about selling books
This isn’t just about selling books. It’s about keeping America economically competitive. And about eighteen year-olds not dropping a computer science major due to frustration and self-doubt.

4. You are going to revolutionize the way students learn to program computers.

5. Alice is: Software + a Book

6. The Alice Software A 3D interactive animation environment
A tool for teaching fundamental programming concepts
object oriented
System developed at Carnegie Mellon

7. Overview We’ll demo Alice for you
And leave you with a copy on your tablet computer you can play with.
If time permits, you will all write your own computer program today!

8. A Demo of Alice…

9. The Alice Approach Uses 3D graphics to engage students
Has a “smart” drag-and-drop editor that prevents syntax errors
Appeals to wide audience
Storytelling
(young women, minority students)
Interactive computer games
(young men)
Not threatening; Alice builds students’ confidence

10. Key Alice Features
Makes objects something students can see and relate to
Has a java syntax mode to ease the transition to C++/Java/VB.net

11. Textbook Features Emphasizes design using storyboards
Supports varying instructional approaches
“objects-early”
“objects-first"
Allows an (optional) early introduction to events
Color screen captures illustrate step-by-step construction of programs

12. Schools using Alice 2004-2005 Bucknell University
California Lutheran University
California State University at Humboldt
Camden County College
Carnegie Mellon University
Clemson University
Colorado School of Mines
Community College of Philadelphia
Cornell University
Duke University
Georgetown College
Haverford College
Ithaca College
Manor College
Mississippi Valley State University
Plymouth State University
Saint Edward’s University
Saint Joseph's University
Saint Lawrence College
San Diego State University
Sierra Nevada College
Southwestern University
Tompkins Cortland Community College
University of Colorado
University of Illinois
University of Mississippi
Virginia Tech
And several high schools

13. How Alice is being used In pre-CS1
course for majors and students considering a CS major
As conceptual introduction in CS1, followed by a transition to Java/C++/VB
Introduction to programming course
non-majors (in business schools, for example)
attract students to become CS majors
Computer literacy
problem-solving component
Pre-AP in high schools

14. Results of NSF-supported study
As used towards retention of CS majors
GPA in CS1 improved
Grades went from C to B
at-risk students (students with little to no prior programming experience and/or weak mathematics background)
Increased retention into CS2 from 47% to 88%
Improved attitudes towards computing

15. URLs The software: www.alice.org Includes forums for discussion/help
Supplementary instructional materials and solutions to exercises in the text:
lectures
labs
assignments
sample chapter of the text
sample virtual worlds (programs)

16. Commonly Asked Questions
How much does the Alice software cost?
It is free! (and open source)
Does Alice run on the Macintosh?
Yes! Download Mac version from
Where can I go for instructor support materials?
Is Alice hard to install?
Just copy files to the hard drive; no “install”

17. Commonly Asked Questions, Cont.
Isn’t Alice just a toy? (it looks so “Fisher-Price”!)
No -- Alice contains all the features of “real” languages
Students can write 3,000 line programs in Alice
How do students go from Alice to Java?
They have learned the concepts in Alice, then learn syntax in Java
They have built confidence and are more persistent
Is there any “hard evidence” that Alice works?
Yes! An NSF study on “at risk” CS1 students who used Alice…
Increased grades from C to B
Retention (into CS2) went from 47% to 88%

18. Questions? Wanda Dann (wpdann@ithaca.edu)
Stephen Cooper
Randy Pausch