ALICE via INTERACTIVE GAME PROGAMMING

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ALICE via INTERACTIVE GAME PROGAMMING

• Duke University Alice Symposium
• June 17, 2009
• Robert Seidman

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Free download
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IEEE Computer Society (May, 2009). North American
Enrollment Rises for First Time in Seven Years.
Computer. Pp. 18-19
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ALICE via INTERACTIVE GAME PROGAMMING

• The idea is to teach Alice in the context of
  object (character) interaction in a quest gaming
  environment.
• A quest is simply a type of game where there is a
  search or pursuit in order to find or obtain
  something.
• We teach introductory Alice OOP programming
  where the student is movie/director and game
  developer.

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Teach Alice before Java
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GOAL . . . in all introductory computer and
IT text-books for majors and non-majors
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100 University Adoptions Penn State  U of North
Carolina Columbia U U of Virginia U of Illinois
U of Minnesota U of Nebraska U of Georgia
Rutgers U U of Pittsburgh U of Texas U of
Washington UC San Diego O O O
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100 University Adoptions Penn State  U of North
Carolina Columbia U U of Virginia U of Illinois
U of Minnesota U of Nebraska U of Georgia
Rutgers U U of Pittsburgh U of Texas U of
Washington UC San Diego O O O
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100 University Adoptions Penn State  U of North
Carolina Columbia U U of Virginia U of Illinois
U of Minnesota U of Nebraska U of Georgia
Rutgers U U of Pittsburgh U of Texas U of
Washington UC San Diego O O O
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100 University Adoptions Penn State  U of North
Carolina Columbia U U of Virginia U of Illinois
U of Minnesota U of Nebraska U of Georgia
Rutgers U U of Pittsburgh U of Texas U of
Washington UC San Diego O O O
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(No Transcript)
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tinyurl.com/FluencyWithAlice
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Features of Workbooktinyurl.com/FluencyWithAlice

• Free downloads of PDF chapters, all 52 Flash
  videos 26 author files.
• Ensure success by showing almost all programming
  steps.
• Use over 150 screen shots in 110 page workbook.

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Features of Workbooktinyurl.com/FluencyWithAlice

• Includes over 50 Flash videos embedded in the
  text.
• Immerse the reader. Tell them at end of each
  chapter what they learned.
• Motivation Students roll is movie/play Director
  game Developer.

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Workbook approach Tell Show - Do
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Workbook approach Tell Show - Do

• We want students to be successful with
  programming from the start.
• We try to fool-proof the first 3 chapters.
• Introduce glitches for debug practice.
• We provide completed Alice files for each chapter
  section.

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Act 1 Alice Code
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Debugging problem solving
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Chapter 4 page example video
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Embedded Flash videos

• Simple as creating new method http//media.pearson
  cmg.com/aw/aw_snyder_fluency_3/alice/video1-11/
• Complex as showing how to create a recursive
  method
• http//media.pearsoncmg.com/aw/aw_snyder_fluency_3
  /alice/video4-3/

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Programming Concepts Coverage
Fluency with Alice Chapters Programming Concepts Covered
All Program development cycle.
All Top-down design.
All Object-oriented objects, methods, functions properties.
2, 3 4 Application of decomposition principle.
3 4 Convert story ideas into algorithms, and algorithms into Alice statements.
3 4 Logical structure of algorithms.
2, 3 4 Decisions and flow of control.
2, 3 4 Debugging.
2, 3 4 Run, test, modify, run, test ? stepwise refinement.
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Matching Textbook Workbook
Fluency with Alice Workbook Chapter Snyder Fluency with Information Technology, 3/e Programming Items

3 4 Names, values, and variables (local and global).
3 4 Data types, numbers, strings, Booleans.
3 Assignment.
3 Expressions operators arithmetic, relational, logical.
2, 3 4 Conditionals If/Else statements and flow of control, compound If statements.
All, but focused in 4 Event-based programming Events, triggers and event handlers in an interactive environment.
All GUI is each Alice world.
All Methods, functions, properties.
Operator overloading (e.g., ).
3 Random numbers.
All Sequential processing Alice doinOrder.
All Concurrent processing Alice doTogether.
2, 3, 4 Iteration using loops and While.
4 Recursion.
3 4 Interaction programming using Alice objects.
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Chs 1-3 The Story Board
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Fluency with Alice workbook

• The Alice Environment Alice Worlds
• Chapter 1. Set scene for Act 1 Robin, Peter, the
  farmhouse take their places.
• Quiet on the Set Action!
• Chapter 2. Act 2 Robin approaches Peter. Peter
  reacts and then Robin reacts.
• The rest of the Story
• Chapter 3. A dragon appears and threatens Robin.
  User decides how the story ends.
• Game-time with Alice
• Chapter 4. Kirima on a quest recursion

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The Story for Chapters 1-3

• Act 1 Peter and Robin are standing on the grassy
  lawn of a farmhouse unaware of one another. Robin
  approaches Peter. Peter reacts. Robin reacts to
  Peters reaction.

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Act 1 Code
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The Story for Chapters 1-3

• Act 2 Peter warns Robin of threatening dragon.
  User gets to choose Peters fate
• Peter lives (melts dragon goes off with Robin
  for a cup of tea) or Peter is toast (dragon fries
  Peter lunches with Robin).

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The Game-Quest (Chapter 4)

• The game is an immersive1st person (shooter)
  quest - entrance to Denali Park.
• User control interaction.
• Pick up items clues.
• Objects interact under user control.

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The Quest Pick up hint-objects find hidden
stuff

• Set scene
• Initial action just like Chapters 1 2.

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The Quest Pick up hint-objects find hidden
stuff

• Set scene
• Initial action just like Chapters 1 2.
• Mouse click on object moves Kirima to within 2
  meters (extends Chapters 2 3)

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The Quest Pick up hint-objects find hidden
stuff

• Set scene
• Initial action just like Chapters 1 2.
• Mouse click on object moves Kirima to within 2
  meters (extends Chapters 2 3)
• Events User control with keys and mouse of
  Kirima and camera (1st person perspective).

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The Quest Pick up hint-objects find hidden
stuff

• Set scene
• Initial action just like Chapters 1 2.
• Mouse click on object moves Kirima to within 2
  meters (extends Chapters 2 3)
• Events User control with keys and mouse of
  Kirima and camera (1st person perspective).
• Search for find fairly princess who then
  reveals secret Park entrance.
• Quest completed.

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Demo of full user first person shooter control
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While control for cursor search for moving to
target object
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Recursive search for moving to target object
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Setting up the event
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Find fairy princess move with her
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Fluency with Alice feedback

• Alice first ? Alice placed in computer
  information technology text books.

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Fluency with Alice feedback

• Alice first ? Alice placed in computer
  information technology textbooks.
• College HS students resonate to the
  step-by-step approach Flash videos.

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Fluency with Alice feedback

• Alice first ? Alice placed in computer
  information technology textbooks.
• College HS students resonate to the
  step-by-step approach Flash videos.
• College HS instructors find it very useful for
  introductory programming like motivating using
  interactive game creation.

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Fluency with Alice feedback

• Alice first ? Alice placed in computer
  information technology textbooks.
• College HS students resonate to the
  step-by-step approach Flash videos.
• College HS instructors find it very useful for
  introductory programming like motivating using
  interactive game creation.
• Workbook is free stands alone without the
  Fluency with IT book.

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Fluency with Alice feedback

• Alice first ? Alice placed in computer
  information technology textbooks.
• College HS students resonate to the
  step-by-step approach Flash videos.
• College HS instructors find it very useful for
  introductory programming like motivating using
  interactive game creation.
• Workbook is free stands alone without the
  Fluency with IT book.

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Join us in doing research on effectiveness of
teaching Alice

• Journal of Educational Computing Research
• Journal tinyurl.com/EdCompResearch
• Workbook tinyurl.com/FluencyWithAlice
• Email r.seidman_at_snhu.edu