Reducing Lecture and Increasing Student Activity in Computer Science Courses

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Reducing Lecture and Increasing Student Activity
in Computer Science Courses

• Roy P. Pargas
• Clemson University
• ITiCSE 2006, Bologna, Italy
• June 26, 2006

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Overview

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

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Overview

• MessageGrid
• Web-based software tool to help promote
  interactivity in the classroom
• Clemson laptop mandate
• The problem
• Our solution MessageGrid with Clickers and Ink
• Lexes (Lecture Exercises)
• Current and Future Work
• Acknowledgements

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Very Few People Seem to Know
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Where in the World isClemson University?
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Where in the World isClemson University?
We are here!
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Clemson Laptop Mandate

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

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The Problem

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

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Our Proposed Solution

• MessageGrid
• MessageGrid Clickers
• MessageGrid Ink

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MessageGrid

• Web-based
• Rows and columns
• Instructor designs grid
• Students post original submissions or replies to
  submissions
• Anything displayed by a browser
• Text, image, audio, video, animation, PowerPoint,
  

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(No Transcript)
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Pre-Lecture Reading Assignment
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MessageGrid 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 Results
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MessageGrid Ink

• Students with Tablet PCs can submit Ink answers
  to questions

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MessageGrid Ink
ITiCSE
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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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Focus of this Paper Teaching Goals

• Reduced lecture
• Greater student participation

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Sample Lex Formats

• Lex 1. Team Discussions, Individual Responses
• Lex 2. Ask, Discuss, then Ask Again
• Lex 3. Animate, Abstract, and Predict
• Lex 4. Trace Code, Verify with Animation

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Lex 1. Individual Work or Team Discussion,
Individual Responses
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(No Transcript)
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Lex 2. Ask, then Ask Again
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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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Lex 3. Animate, Abstract, PredictLex 4. Trace
Code, Verify with Animation
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Adam GoodbarFinite State Automata
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Adam GoodbarFinite State Automata
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Jerry StasulisGraph Algorithms
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Jerry StasulisGraph Algorithms
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Jerry StasulisGraph Algorithms
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Shameless Self-Promotion

• Poster A Targeted Tablet PC Software Development
  Course  
• Demo of Tablet PC Student Projects
• Time Wednesday, June 28, 2006
• 340 PM - 410 PM 
• Room Patio of the Ranzani Building

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Clemson Laptop Mandate

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

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Current Work MessageGrid Ink
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Current Work MessageGrid Ink
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Student Evaluation
Agree Disagree N/A
Student Assessment Results (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g)
1. Clickers helps me learn the course material 8 23 12 1 1 0 0
2. Posting questions helps me recognize what is difficult in the reading 2 15 18 6 2 0 3
3. Peer-discussion in class helps me better understand the course material 15 20 10 1 0 0 0
4. Peer-discussion outside of class helps me better understand the course material 10 9 11 0 1 0 13
5. Working alone during class helps me learn better than working with seatmates 0 2 5 19 9 11 0
6. Clickers help me to focus on weaknesses in my understanding of the course material 14 19 11 1 1 0 0
7. MessageGrid is easy-to-use 10 14 16 4 2 0 0
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Current/Future Work

• Summer/Fall 2006
• Continued development of Ink capabilities
• Interconnectivity with handheld devices
• Fall 2006, Spring 2006
• Access by non-Clemson faculty and students
• Formal Assessment

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Acknowledgments

• 2003-2005 faculty fellowship 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.