Improving CS Education with ICE Barbara Ericson Georgia Tech

What is ICE? Institute for Computing Education Institute for Computing Education Partnership between Partnership between Georgia Tech’s College of ComputingGeorgia Tech’s College of Computing Georgia Department of EducationGeorgia Department of Education Announced June 2004 by Kathy Cox and Richard DeMillo Announced June 2004 by Kathy Cox and Richard DeMillo

ICE Goals Train more CS-AP teachers Train more CS-AP teachers Start by training teachers for the Prog and Sys Management courseStart by training teachers for the Prog and Sys Management course even teachers with no experience even teachers with no experience When ready train for CS-AP courseWhen ready train for CS-AP course Increase the number and diversity of CS students Increase the number and diversity of CS students Interesting curriculumInteresting curriculum Help with recruitingHelp with recruiting

Why? The U.S. Department of Labor predicts that despite the recent decline in the IT industry, computer software engineers and computer systems designers will be among the fastest growing occupations in The U.S. Department of Labor predicts that despite the recent decline in the IT industry, computer software engineers and computer systems designers will be among the fastest growing occupations in The percentage of women has been declining The percentage of women has been declining High of about 30% to about 12% nowHigh of about 30% to about 12% now

How? Modify curriculum developed for non- majors (CS1315) Modify curriculum developed for non- majors (CS1315) Media computation in PythonMedia computation in Python High success rate High success rate Usual is about 70%Usual is about 70% This course has about 90%This course has about 90% Women succeed at the same rate as men Women succeed at the same rate as men Unusual in CS coursesUnusual in CS courses

Course Content Based on the book: Based on the book: Introduction to Computing and Programming in Java: A Multimedia ApproachIntroduction to Computing and Programming in Java: A Multimedia Approach Due out Dec 2005 Due out Dec 2005 Introduction to OO programming Introduction to OO programming With a LOGO-like turtle With a LOGO-like turtle Manipulating Pictures Manipulating Pictures Negate, mirror, make a collage Negate, mirror, make a collage Manipulating Sounds Manipulating Sounds Reverse, clip, create a sentence Reverse, clip, create a sentence Working with Text Working with Text Random sentence generator, read HTML, and write HTML Random sentence generator, read HTML, and write HTML Creating Movies Creating Movies Working with movie frames Working with movie frames

ICE Offerings Summer workshops for teachers Summer workshops for teachers 1 to 2 week long workshops1 to 2 week long workshops Shorter 2-day workshops for teachers Shorter 2-day workshops for teachers During the yearDuring the year Summer camps for high school students Summer camps for high school students Summer camps and Sat workshops with the girl scouts Summer camps and Sat workshops with the girl scouts

Summer week AP workshop 1 week AP workshop 17 teachers attended17 teachers attended 2 week Programming and Systems Management Workshop 2 week Programming and Systems Management Workshop 30 teachers attended30 teachers attended Two 1 week summer camps for high school students Two 1 week summer camps for high school students 30 students each30 students each

AP Workshop

Prog and Sys Workshop

Prog and Sys Workshop Content Media Computation Media Computation Manipulate Pictures and SoundsManipulate Pictures and Sounds 2d Drawing2d Drawing AnimationAnimation Demos of current research Demos of current research Robot dogs, aging in placeRobot dogs, aging in place Talk on diversity Talk on diversity Student panel discussion Student panel discussion

Workshop CS Content Introduction to object-oriented concepts Introduction to object-oriented concepts Keywords and operators Keywords and operators Primitive and object variables Primitive and object variables Class and object methods Class and object methods Arrays Arrays Iteration (for and while loops) Iteration (for and while loops) Conditionals (if, if-else, if-else-if, and, or) Conditionals (if, if-else, if-else-if, and, or) Graphical User Interfaces Graphical User Interfaces Input/Output and Exceptions Input/Output and Exceptions Debugging Debugging

Goals for Content Motivating Motivating For students and teachersFor students and teachers Creative Creative Open-ended assignmentsOpen-ended assignments Use student’s mediaUse student’s media Authentic tasks Authentic tasks Start with what students use computers for (pictures, sounds, text, web, games)Start with what students use computers for (pictures, sounds, text, web, games)

Motivating People don’t just learn to program People don’t just learn to program They learn to program “something”They learn to program “something” If they find that “something” compelling they learn more If they find that “something” compelling they learn more Students at Georgia Tech have found media computation motivating Students at Georgia Tech have found media computation motivating They sometimes turn in the homework and keep working on it stillThey sometimes turn in the homework and keep working on it still

Creative Most CS Juniors are surprised how creative the more advanced classes are Most CS Juniors are surprised how creative the more advanced classes are Because the early classes are notBecause the early classes are not Working with media allows you to be more creative Working with media allows you to be more creative Use student’s mediaUse student’s media Design the resultDesign the result Share it with othersShare it with others

Negate an Image

Mirroring

Rotation

Remove ‘Red Eye’

Sepia-Tint

Chromakey

Teacher Collages

Prog and Sys Results Survey results Survey results 70.37% of teachers felt more capable70.37% of teachers felt more capable 96.30% got ideas on what to teach96.30% got ideas on what to teach 88.89% got ideas on how to teach88.89% got ideas on how to teach 44.44% felt ready to teach in fall44.44% felt ready to teach in fall Teachers with no experience wanted a slower pace Teachers with no experience wanted a slower pace Some of the teachers are using the content Some of the teachers are using the content

Quotes I didn’t want to take this workshop. I thought it would be boring and too math- based, but I am having fun. I didn’t want to take this workshop. I thought it would be boring and too math- based, but I am having fun. My kids won’t believe that I am programming for fun. My kids won’t believe that I am programming for fun. This was the best (non-college credit) workshop I have ever taken. This was the best (non-college credit) workshop I have ever taken. The demos were awesome. I wish I had thought ahead & had a video camera to record demos. The demos were awesome. I wish I had thought ahead & had a video camera to record demos.

Student Summer Camps Two one-week summer camps for high school students Two one-week summer camps for high school students Not residentialNot residential 30 students in each camp30 students in each camp Content Content Building a computer from partsBuilding a computer from parts Computer engineering labComputer engineering lab Media manipulation in pythonMedia manipulation in python Demonstrations of researchDemonstrations of research Afternoon recreationAfternoon recreation

Student Summer Camps

Student Summer Camp

Winter day Workshops Preparing for the AP Case Study Preparing for the AP Case Study Jan 24 th - 25 thJan 24 th - 25 th Using Turtles, Robots, and Sound to Teach Java Using Turtles, Robots, and Sound to Teach Java Feb 28 th – March 1 stFeb 28 th – March 1 st Preparing for the AP Exam Preparing for the AP Exam March 28 th - 29 thMarch 28 th - 29 th

Summer 2005 Workshops 1 week intermediate Prog. and Sys. June 28-July 1st week intermediate Prog. and Sys. June 28-July 1st 2005 Some programming experienceSome programming experience 2 week Prog. and Sys. for beginners 2 week Prog. and Sys. for beginners No experience necessary!No experience necessary! July 5-8th and 12-15th 2005July 5-8th and 12-15th week College Board Endorsed AP July week College Board Endorsed AP July 18-22

Future Workshops Fall Prog and Sys workshop Fall Prog and Sys workshop To see how it is goingTo see how it is going Spring AP workshops Spring AP workshops To prepare for case study and examTo prepare for case study and exam AP Bowl AP Bowl Competition at Georgia Tech before the examCompetition at Georgia Tech before the exam Database of practice questionsDatabase of practice questions

ICE Resources Collaborative Website Collaborative Website Mailing lists Mailing lists Classroom visits and questions Classroom visits and questions Barbara Ericson Ericson Summer camps for students Summer camps for students