comp 101: designing a first-year experience for computing majors discussion penny rheingans

COMP 101:Designing a First-Year Experience for Computing Majors

Discussion

Penny RheingansCarolyn SeamanMarie desJardinsSusan Martin

May 9, 2014

Preparation and Maturity of Freshmen

Inability to think computationally, problem solve

Wide varianceTechnical and math preparationStudy skillsEmotional maturityConfidence

Maturity – emotional

What can we do to level the playing field?

Are there some things that freshmen are just too immature to learn?

Curricular IssuesHow to keep students on track

Advising, changing majors, enrollment

Role of peers

“Freshman issues”Deal with in a course for only freshman computing

students?ORDeal with in the first computing course with a mix

of students?

CommunityIsolation – how big an issue is this?

Solutions:Physical spaceClubsPeer mentoringDorm space

What else?

Women and Underrepresented

MinoritiesWe didn’t talk much about this

Conferences like Grace Hopper and Richard Tapia?

Are the “freshman problems” different for women? For minorities?

Do any of our solutions implicitly exclude these groups?