Seeing Clearly Through Ink in Computer Science Courses

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Seeing Clearly Through Ink in Computer Science
Courses

• Roy P. Pargas
• Clemson University
• PLT 2007, Catania, Italy
• 24 May 2007

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Where in the World isClemson University?
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Where is Clemson University?
PLT 2007, Catania, Italy
Clemson University Clemson, South Carolina
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Overview

• MessageGrid
• Web-based software tool to help promote
  interactivity in the classroom

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Overview

• MessageGrid
• Clemson laptop mandate
• Proposed Solution
• Features
• Grid, Clickers, Ink, Mobile,
• Evaluating Online Discussions
• Current and Future Work
• Acknowledgements

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2002 Clemson Laptop Mandate

• Every student is required to have a laptop
  computer with wireless access to the Internet

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The Challenge

• How can instructors use the laptop computers to
  advantage in and out of the classroom?

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Our Solution MessageGrid

• Web-based
• Basic grid rows and columns
• Instructor designs grid
• Students post original submissions or replies to
  submissions
• Anything displayed by a browser
• Text, image, audio, video, animation, Ink, maps
• Why use such a tool?
• Student responses to in-class exercises,
  presentations, online discussions, student
  questions, feedback from students,

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Gaining Popularity

• Current Users
• English, Psychology, Nursing, Languages,
  Chemistry, Freshman Engineering, Mathematics,
  Performing Arts, Computer Science, Mechanical
  Engineering
• Uses
• Recitation, reading assignment, collaborative
  writing, in-class exercises, PowerPoint
  presentation review, team project collaboration,
  faculty meetings

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Evolution
Every semester since January 2004, more
instructors use MessageGrid
At semesters end, instructors discuss possible
improvements
Suggestions with most instructor support are
implemented
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Current MessageGrid Features
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Current MessageGrid Features
Message Grid
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Current MessageGrid Features
Basic Grid Feedback/submissions from students
Message Grid
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Current MessageGrid Features
Basic Grid Feedback/submissions from students
Message Grid
Clickers Assessment/Polling
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Current MessageGrid Features
Basic Grid Feedback/submissions from students
Message Grid
Clickers Assessment/Polling
Ink Submitting diagrams and equations, rather
than text
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Current MessageGrid Features
Basic Grid Feedback/submissions from students
Message Grid
Clickers Assessment/Polling
Mobile Images, video, audio, GPS, and text in
a portable, handheld grid
Ink Submitting diagrams and equations, rather
than text
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Current MessageGrid Features
Basic Grid Feedback/submissions from students
Message Grid
Discussion Rubric to facilitate evaluation of
online discussions
Clickers Assessment/Polling
Mobile Images, video, audio, GPS, and text in
a portable, handheld grid
Ink Submitting diagrams and equations, rather
than text
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Current MessageGrid Features
Basic Grid Feedback/submissions from
students (FIE 2005, ITiCSE 2006)
New!
Message Grid
Discussion Rubric to facilitate evaluation of
online discussions
Clickers Assessment/Polling (SIGCSE 2006)
New!
Mobile Images, video, audio, GPS, and text in
a portable, handheld grid
Ink Submitting diagrams and equations, rather
than text (PLT 2007)
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Current MessageGrid Features
FOCUS
Message Grid
Ink Submitting diagrams and equations, rather
than text (PLT 2007)
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MessageGrid Ink

• Students with Tablet PCs or WACOM Graphire
  Tablets can submit Ink answers to questions

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MessageGrid Ink
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MessageGrid Ink
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MessageGrid Ink
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Classroom Experiment

• CPSC 212 Data Structures and Algorithms
• Fall 2006
• 26 students
• Sophomore/Junior level
• Computer Science, Math, Science Majors

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Classroom Experiment

• CPSC 212 Data Structures and Algorithms
• Fall 2006
• 26 students
• Sophomore/Junior level
• Computer Science, Math, Science Majors
• WACOM Graphire Tablets

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Using WACOM Graphire Tablets
Today, not many Clemson students have Tablet PCs
WACOM Graphire tablets provided at start of each
class
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Classroom Experiment

• Much research on active vs. passive learning
• Reduced lecture and active learning
• Theory learning is best achieved when students
  actively participate in learning process

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Classroom Experiment

• Much research on active vs. passive learning
• Reduced lecture and active learning
• Theory learning is best achieved when students
  actively participate in learning process
• Suggested to promote active learning
• Collaborative activities after brief lecture
• Anonymous quizzes at end of activity period
• Team-answered test questions

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Classroom Experiment

• Modified course lecture/lab structure
• Four types of in-class exercises
• Mathematics Review
• Data Structure Behavior
• Code Development
• Analysis of Algorithms

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Mathematics Review

• First week of semester, variety of exercises
• Some answers were keyed, others Inked

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Mathematics Review

• First week of semester, variety of exercises
• Some answers were keyed, others Inked

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Data Structure Behavior

• Example Enter the following values into a binary
  search tree 6, 9, 13, 8, 5, 7,
• Some answers keyed, others Inked

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Data Structure Behavior

• Example Enter the following values into a binary
  search tree 6, 9, 13, 8, 5, 7,
• Some answers keyed, others Inked

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Code Development

• Key a recursive method that counts the leaves of
  a binary tree
• Ink a recursive algorithm that counts the number
  of nodes with exactly one child

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Code Development

• Key a recursive method that counts the leaves of
  a binary tree
• Ink a recursive algorithm that counts the number
  of nodes with exactly one child

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Analysis of Algorithms

• Analyze the Tower of Hanoi problem
• Had not yet covered Proof by Induction
• Students allowed to key or Ink answers (about 1/3
  used Ink)

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Analysis of Algorithms

• Analyze the Tower of Hanoi problem
• Had not yet covered Proof by Induction
• Students allowed to key or Ink answers (about 1/3
  used Ink)

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Assessment Preferences (Inking vs. Keying)
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Assessment Preferences (Class Format)
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Preferred Percentage for Lecture
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Ease of Use
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Using MessageGrid Ink in Algebra and Calculus
Courses

• Tablet PC-Enabled Active Learning in Mathematics
  A First Study
• Presentation by Marilyn Reba and Barbara Weaver
  at 430 pm today

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Using MessageGrid Ink in Algebra and Calculus
Courses
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Using MessageGrid Ink in Algebra and Calculus
Courses
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Using MessageGrid Ink in Algebra and Calculus
Courses
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Using MessageGrid Ink in Algebra and Calculus
Courses
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Current / Future Work
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Current / Future Work
Basic Grid Feedback/submissions from
students (FIE 2005, ITiCSE 2006)
New!
Message Grid
Discussion Rubric to facilitate evaluation of
online discussions
Clickers Assessment/Polling (SIGCSE 2006)
New!
Mobile Images, video, audio, GPS, and text in
a portable, handheld grid
Ink Submitting diagrams and equations, rather
than text (PLT 2007)
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Current / Future Work

• Refine MessageGrid Mobile
• Refine MessageGrid Discussion
• Support Mathematics (Algebra and Calculus) use of
  MessageGrid Ink
• Provide access to MessageGrid to limited number
  of non-Clemson faculty
• If interested, please contact Roy Pargas,
  pargas_at_clemson.edu

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Acknowledgments

• 2003-2007 (continuing) faculty fellowship grant
  from Clemson University ETS-OTEI Laptop Faculty
  Development Program
• 2003 Microsoft Content and Curriculum
  Development Grant (Tom Healy, Mgr.)
• 2005 Microsoft Research Tablet PC and Computing
  Curriculum Grant (Jane Prey, Mgr.)

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Thank you for your kind attention.
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Where is Clemson University?
PLT 2007, Catania, Italy
Clemson University Clemson, South Carolina
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Extra Slides
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How Can MessageGrid be Used?
Feedback from students
Message Grid
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How Can MessageGrid be Used?
As an assessment/polling tool (Software Clickers)
Analyze algorithms below and select among (1) A
is O(n log n) and B is O(n), (2) A is O(log n)
and B is O(n2), (3) A is O(n log n) and B is
O(n2), (4) A is O(n) and B is O(log n), (5) A is
O(log log n) and B is O(n2), (6) None of the
above.
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How Can MessageGrid be Used?
Results
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Individual Work or Team Discussion, Individual
Responses
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Recursion Exercises
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Pre-Lecture Reading Assignment
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Clickers Ask, then Ask Again
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Software Clickers

• Eric Mazur
• Harvard University
• Physics for non-majors
• Hardware clickers
• How to Become a Millionaire
• Lifeline question to audience

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Algorithm Analysis Question
Analyze algorithms below and select among (1) A
is O(n log n) and B is O(n), (2) A is O(log n)
and B is O(n2), (3) A is O(n log n) and B is
O(n2), (4) A is O(n) and B is O(log n), (5) A is
O(log log n) and B is O(n2), (6) None of the
above.
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Algorithm Analysis Results
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Algorithm Analysis Question Revisited after
Peer-discussion
Correct answer 3
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Towers of Hanoi (Question)

• Brief applet demonstration of the solution to the
  problem for sizes n3 and n4
• Question How many moves does it take to solve
  the general n-disk problem?
• Options
• (1) 2n-1, (2) 2n-1-1, (3) 2n-11, (4) 2n1,
• (5) 2n1-1, (6) 2n11, (7) 2n, (8) 2n-1,
• (9) 2n1, (10) None of the above.

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Towers of Hanoi (Didnt show these results until
after 2nd question asked)
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Towers of Hanoi (Revisited)
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Mystery Recursion Question

• What does the following recursive algorithm do?
• public static int Mystery(TreeNode t)
• if (t null)
• return 0
• if ((t.left ! null) (t.right ! null))
• return Mystery(t.left) Mystery(t.right)
• else
• return 1
• // Mystery

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Mystery Recursion Options

• Options
• Counts total number of nodes in the tree,
• Counts number of interior nodes,
• Counts number of nodes with one child,
• Adds the values of all nodes,
• Adds the values of all interior nodes,
• Adds the values of all leaves,
• None of the above.

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Mystery Recursion Algorithm
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Mystery Recursion (Revisited)

• Sensed palpable unease among students
• When asked Who would like to change their
  answer? And from what to what?
• Six raised their hands
• Of whom
• Four from 1 to 7
• Two from 2 to 7

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Mystery Algorithm Revisited
- 4 24
- 2 1
6 17
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Distance Teaching / Learning
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Conducting Class Remotely
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Conducting Class Remotely
Hotel Les Aiglons Chamonix, France
15 March 2007 700 pm
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Conducting Class Remotely
McAdams 119 Clemson University South Carolina, USA
Hotel Les Aiglons Chamonix, France
15 March 2007 200 pm
15 March 2007 700 pm
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Conducting Class Remotely
McAdams 119 Clemson University
Hotel Les Aiglons Chamonix, France
Desktop Sharing (Breeze Live)
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Conducting Class Remotely
McAdams 119 Clemson University
Hotel Les Aiglons Chamonix, France
Desktop Sharing (Breeze Live)
VoIP (Skype)
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Conducting Class Remotely
McAdams 119 Clemson University
Hotel Les Aiglons Chamonix, France
Desktop Sharing (Breeze Live)
VoIP (Skype)
Interactivity (MessageGrid)
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Chamonix, FR, My Hotel RoomMarch 15, 2007 730
pm
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Chamonix, FR, My Hotel RoomMarch 15, 2007 730
pm
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Chamonix, FR, My Hotel RoomMarch 15, 2007 730
pm
Students Absent
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Clemson Laptop Mandate

• Every student is required to have a laptop
  computer with wireless access to the Internet
• Update
• Fall 2006, Tablet
• PC among
• university recom-
• mended units

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MessageGrid Ink

• Students with Tablet PCs can submit Ink answers
  to questions

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MessageGrid Ink
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MessageGrid Ink
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MessageGrid Ink
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Online Discussions
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Online Discussion Board

• Alternative views of grid content
• Tree-structured content, reflecting discussion
  threads

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Online Discussion Board
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Tree-Structured View Discussion Board
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Student Evaluation
Agree Disagree N/A
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Current Projects
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Current ProjectMessageGrid Mobile

• Involves
• Smartphones
• PDAs
• GPS receivers
• Wireless and bluetooth communication

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Available Devices Smartphones
Audiovox XV6700
Palm Treo 700w
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Available DevicesPDA, GPS Receiver
Pharos Bluetooth GPS Receiver
Dell Axim X50 with GPS receiver
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MessageGrid Mobile

• Instructor gives field assignment to students

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MessageGrid Mobile
MessageGrid Server
1. Students download grid onto handheld
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MessageGrid Mobile
MessageGrid Server
2. Students collect info, image, audio, video,
GPS location
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MessageGrid Mobile
MessageGrid Server
3. Students upload grid
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MessageGrid Mobile
MessageGrid Server
1. Download grid
3. Upload grid
2. Collect info, photo, audio, video, GPS location
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MessageGrid Mobile

• Instructor conducts class discussion of results
  collected by students

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Use of MessageGrid Outside of Classroom
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Current Project WHO Policy Development Tool
Over 35 countries around the world, some in Asia,
some in Eastern Europe, some in the Americas, but
most in sub-Saharan Africa, contribute health
information through a web-based survey to a
database housed in Clemson.
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Current Project WHO Policy Development Tool
The information is processed in Clemson under
control of researchers based at WHO, Geneva
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Current Project WHO Policy Development Tool
Results are made available by WHO through
MessageGrid to participating countries.
Discussion among countries conducted through
MessageGrid.
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Current / Future Work

• Refine MessageGrid Mobile
• Refine WHO Policy Development Tool
• Provide access to MessageGrid to limited number
  of non-Clemson faculty
• If interested, please contact Roy Pargas,
  pargas_at_clemson.edu

108
Acknowledgments

• 2003-2007 faculty fellowship grant from Clemson
  University ETS-OTEI Laptop Faculty Development
  Program
• 2003 Microsoft Content and Curriculum
  Development Grant (Tom Healy, Mgr.)
• 2005 Microsoft Research Tablet PC and Computing
  Curriculum Grant (Jane Prey, Mgr.)

109
Thank you for your kind attention.
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Where is Clemson University?
WBE 2007, Chamonix, France
Clemson University Clemson, South Carolina
Roy Pargas Clemson University pargas_at_clemson.edu
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Origin

• Laptop Faculty Development Program
• Small groups (6-8 faculty members) meet weekly
• Share ideas on how they are changing the way they
  teach using laptops, Tablet PCs, handheld
  devices, iPods
• Interdisciplinary
• English, Psychology, Math, Experimental
  Statistics, Chemistry, Computer Science, Nursing,
  Spanish, Mechanical Engineering, Sociology,
  Performing Arts, Administration

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Original Idea MusicGrid

• Andrew Levin, Professor, Department of Performing
  Arts
• December 2003
• 12 music categories (rows)
• 2-4 movements (columns)
• Each student given specific listening assignment

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MusicGrid
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MusicGrid
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MusicGrid
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MusicGrid
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MusicGrid
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Spring 2004MusicGrid Was Born

• Word got out
• Other faculty (Chemistry, Nursing, Languages,
  English, Administration) wanted to use MusicGrid
• MusicGrid became MessageGrid