Computer Science Studies and Distance Education Unique Aspects Wingate Seminar London May 2005

Computer Science Studies and Distance Education  Table of Content  Background - ORT Shapira Computer Science Studies  Continuity - From Early Stages to Professional Occupation  Computer Science - Early Adoption of Distance Education  Combining Frontal & Distance Education  Developing Distance Education Environments  Our Conclusions - So Far

Background - ORT Shapira Course of Studies  Overall Course Of Study  Electronics  Computer Science  Automated Industrial Systems  Media, Commercials & Public Relations  Art Design Computer Science

Background - ORT Shapira Computer Science Studies  Computer Science Subject Matters Taught At Our Course Of Study  Principals & Methods Binary structuring, Object Oriented  Programming WEB Tools, C, Java, Visual Basic  Software Design Information Systems  System Analysis Requirements Analysis, Systems Design  Computerized Graphics Software Development Computer Science

Continuity - From Early Stages to Professional Occupation Our Major Aim is to maintain Continues professional studies from the age of 15 till 20 that will produce graduates who are ready for a successful military service and a smooth entry to College & University. Our Aim

Basic Programming Skills Understanding Symbolic Language Understanding What Data is Thinking in Structures & Procedures Basic Programming Continuity - From Early Stages to Professional Occupation 15 ORT

Computing Skills Acquiring Advanced Programming Skills Computing Problems, Solution Approaches & Algorithms Individual & Group Programming Assignments Programming Projects Continuity - From Early Stages to Professional Occupation ORT

Software Design Skills Understanding Systems Advanced Data Structuring & Management Customer Requirements & Systems Design Implementation of Customer-like Projects Continuity - From Early Stages to Professional Occupation ORT

Integrated Implementations Personally Guided Comprehensive Projects High priority for real customer's projects Cooperation with software industry Final exams & propjets’ submission Continuity - From Early Stages to Professional Occupation ORT

Professional Military Service Regular Military Service Continuity - From Early Stages to Professional Occupation ORT A Turning Point 21 / 23 College/UniversityEmployment Continuity Achieved Military Service – Advanced Computing Technologies Top-Level Technological Training Software Development at Army Computing Centers Highest Technological Standards Opportunity for free Early Academic Studies Very High Demand for Military Graduates Post-High School Studies Advanced Computer Science Studies Personally Guided Advanced Projects Industry Standards Requirements Cooperation with software industry Exams for Practical Engineering Diploma

Computer Science Early Adoption of Distance Education Combining Frontal & Distance Education In 1997 when Internet Services just emerged and were quite rare and expensive, ORT Israel were giving Free Internet access & surfing to all its students at all ages through its WEB Servers. opportunity The first ones to embrace that opportunity and to utilize it as part of their course of studies were the Computer Science Students and Teachers.

Teacher Student Computer Science Combining Frontal & Distance Education Till 1997 Computer Science teaching used to occur mainly in classroom in a classical frontal teaching situation. HomeworkAssignments Projects

Teacher Student Computer Science Combining Frontal & Distance Education When Distance Education elements have entered, the whole learning process has changed.

Computer Science Combining Frontal & Distance Education A whole new learning dimension has entered and turned Computer Science studies into a much broader, cooperative and live experience. Teacher Student WWW

Computer Science Combining Frontal & Distance Education The Synergy  Distance education has had a dramatic synergic impact on the quality of learning and on the level of progress.  There is a constant mutual feedback and enrichment between what is being taught at school and what is being processed at home. T eacher ClassroomExample: Write a program that will find a given labyrinth path in max 5 steps using a recursion procedure. Assignment

Computer Science Combining Frontal & Distance Education T eacher After School Assignment Write a program that will find a given labyrinth path in max 5 steps using a recursion procedure. School Intranet WWW Internet Live Forum Forum Manager Full Access Relevant Materials Relevant Materials Recursion Examples Recursion Examples

Computer Science Developing Distance Education Environment As part of our efforts to create relevant and close to real life learning process, we take part in the Young Enterprisers program. This program is establishing a business environment,combining: school studies, community and industry. The aim is to experience a full scale business process from enterprising, capital raising, product orientation, conceptual design, prototype, marketing, and sometimes even manufacturing & sales. The Young Enterprisers Project The following Young Enterprisers Project exemplifies how a Computer Science course of study can not only Utilize Distance Education but it is capable of Developing!!! such an environment.

Computer Science Developing Distance Education Environment The Young Enterprisers Project  A company has been established  CEO, CFO, VP Operations have been elected by the students  Each student had a role in the company  The Product was a new Pencil Case called Sidesk that is easily adaptable to a classroom desk A great deal of the project has been done during After School hours and required a useful Distance Education environment that will enable students to communicate and progress.

The students have developed a WEB based working environment for the project using their computing skills.  Teams Forums according to missions  Management Board Forum  Marketing team Forum  Product design Forum  Financial Forum  The WEB environment contained the entire project information:  Database, s  Files  Images  Calendars Computer Science Developing Distance Education Environment The Young Enterprisers Project

Our Conclusions - So Far  Learning Materials: Accessible anywhere/anytime  Variety of materials has dramatically increased – easily updated  Accurate access to what is exactly needed at the right time  Incredible teacher’s time saving – no more long hours of printing & copying What has changed ?  Information Exchange: Students & Students, Teachers & Students  Working on homework assignments, projects became an interactive process  Students started exchanging new ideas, introducing variety of solutions  Teachers’ availability has increased  Cooperation & Involvement: New opportunities to improve and succeed  Free and equal access of all students to other individuals and groups (forums)  Cooperation cross over geographical distances  Meaningful help became available outside class

Computer Science Studies and Distance Education Thank You