EXEMPLARCOMPUTER SCIENCEMOODLE COURSESSCAFFOLDING PEDAGOGY

Gerry Donaldson, University of Calgary

Information Scope Sequence Assessment

Labs Quizzes

Practice Resources Gestalt

Resources Textbook Slideshows Model Solutions

Model Source Code Video Explanations

Dev’t Environment Labs Quizzes

Textbook = Real Pathway

Teachers need infrastructure to integrate scope, sequence and resources.Teachers do not have the time to author full time and teach full time.

Authors: Paul & Harvey Deitel

Harvey DeitelThe Father

Paul Deitel

The Son

Bring Your Tools To The Work Site!

Textbook

Computer

Development Environment

Browser

Internet

Teacher

Interface – Single Level Menus Only

Unseen items hide information. Put AMAP within the field of vision!

Grade 10 Courses Motivate!

Grade Ten Courses Inspire Future Affection!

Grade 10 is Usually The Student’s First Exposure.

Alice 3D Graphics – Visual Conceptualization Students cover concepts faster than in C++ or Java! Problems are defined as Objects from Day 1.

Lego Mindstorms Robotics – Kinesthetic Thought Physical movement uses a different part of the brain. Concepts may be retained longer & more intimately.

Sampler Pathway Is Experimental !

Half A Course Per Grade Suffices!

Grade 10 Is Common To All Pathways

Grades 10 Content Has Many Options Do Java With Academic Pathways! MIPS Assembly Language (Million Instructions Per

Second) Alice For 9 Credits – Arrays & Lists + Major Project (((Racket))) – formerly Dr. Scheme Algorithms – Contest Preparation & Competition Android & iPhone Programming American Computer Science League (Broad Curriculum) Robotics Beyond Mindstorms

Academic Pathways Based On Practice!

Academic Pathways Start In Grade Eleven!(AP and IB Computer Science are 2 Year Programs.)

University Pathway ( 4 x 3 Credits – Grade 11 )

Advanced Placement ( Starts Grade 11 ) AP Computer Science A ( 3 x 3 Credits) AP Computer Science AB ( 4 x 3 Credits)

International Baccalaureate ( Starts Grade 11 ) IB Standard Level ( 3 x 3 Credits ) IB Advanced Level ( 6 x 3 Credits )

Java Is Established Teaching Language!

Established Curricula Examines Java Advanced Placement (North America) International Baccalaureate (World)

Most Instructional Resources Hundreds of Textbooks Mature Development Environments

Most Pervasive Instructional Culture

Deitel Texts Have Greater Scope!

Record of Continuous Adjustment Java Text Is 8th Edition (Pascal, C++, BASIC,

JavaScript) Extensive Variety of Instructional Media

Text – Colours, Highlights, Icons, Diagrams, Tables. Long PowerPoint Slideshows (Maybe too long.) Full Program Source Code, Colour Coded Examples. Video Explanation of All Example Code. Extensive Types of Problem Sets & Labs. Extensive Question Banks for Quizzes.

Unusually Rich Variation of Instructional Modalities Traditional textual and Sample Programming Code Integrates UML (Unified Modelling Language)

Throughout Significant GUI (Graphical User Interface) Coverage

KISS Principle: Keep It Simple Student!

Different column for different resource type. Course & Pathway Theory: Read & Slideshow Videos of Presentations Eclipse (IDE) Instruction Assignments Lab pdfs & Source Code Example Source Code Text

& Video Explanations

Avoid Menus == Iconic Signals

Blackboard = Instructions explaining what & how to do ….

PowerPoint Slide Show = Traditional Presentation

Adobe pdf file = Tradition “Handout” In A Printable Format.

Screencast Video = Explanation of Associated Source Code.

Supplementary Resources:Bradley Kjell’s Web Tutorials

Supplementary Resources:Ruth Hartsook’s Flash Tutorials

Supplementary Resources:Mark Dexter’s Screencast Tutorials

Supplementary Resources:Cisco’s Binary Game

Scope Is Learned From Experience!

Scope Covered As A Function of Pace Maintained. Speed First, Accuracy Second! (Keyboarding Rule.) Learning Adapts To World. World Doesn’t Wait! Learning Is A Social Experience = Do It Together! Pace should be consistent. Volatility is really bad. “Good Luck” is preparation meeting opportunity. Routine frees energies for more creative activities. Start with end in mind. == Know where you’re going. Test often – Testing Is Strongest Motivator of Study. Feedback must be immediate to be useful.

Pace = Chapter Every 2 Weeks!

1st Half Course Can Touch On Arrays But Not Enough Time To Get Comfortable With Arrays.

2nd Half Course Does Arrays & OOP & Exceptions. GUI Interface Reinforces OOP Significantly.

3rd Half Course Emphasizes Algorithms w/ Arrays. Searching, Sorting, Recursion, String Handling.

4th Half Course Creates Objects Using Structures Algorithms With Linked Lists & Binary Search Trees.

Typical Sequences of Instruction.

1. Slideshow Draws Focus To Instruction.2. Textbook Open During Presentation: Source Code.3. Execute All Source Code In IDE As You Go!4. Break from presentation for “mini lesson” as needed.5. Assign labs – emphasize problem solving for homework.

>> Grade for logic & method Function follows form. >> Correct result is worth 0% May be wrong solution. >> Marking rubric should reward techniques, not results. >> Mark with students Timely & thorough Feedback!

6. Quiz every chapter == correct & review in same class!7. Pass only! Failure is not an option. Students only

succeed.8. Use Graphics tablet. Jot notes & diagrams on slides!

Integrate Resources In Presentation.Graphics tablets work well with presentation projections.

Powerpoint Slide show – Jot notes & diagrams on slide. Flip easily between apps (IDE, slideshow, Paint, Screencast,

Course Links) No downtime runing to smartboard or overhead projector.

Tools Introduce & Practice Concepts Use the most powerful IDE you can find.

Three Worthy Candidate Development Environments.

1. Eclipse – Open Source From Eclipse.org.2. Netbeans – Open Source from Sun MicroSystems.3. IntelliJ IDEA – Classroom License For Educators.

This course uses Eclipse because of excellent known and available instructional resources.

Reading & Background Need Work.

Three problems exist with virtually all current worthy academic Computer Science textbooks:

1. The reading language uses the jargon of Computer Science. (Duh!)

2. Thought processes are … well … “academic-logic.”3. Problem-solutions assume a high school

background in mathematics and other substantive areas.

Solution: Teach jargon & high school level math, physics, accounting, politics, et cetera!

Courses Enriched Through Forums. Teachers will be invited to use the

posted courses. Courses can be distributed by flash

drives and through zipped, downloaded packages.

Courses can be duplicated on ComSciHigh. Each teacher may be given their own subdomain.

Forums will be used to comment on what works and doesn’t work.

Forums will be used to share further resources and recommend alternative learning strategies.

Elaboration Delivered by Blogs. In depth treatments of pedagogical and

other topics will be delivered through blogging.

Example: Gerry’s ComSci Blog:

http://www.comscihigh.com/wp/

Web Site To Support Courses A web site will further support teaching

and learning of K-12 Computer Science.

Web Site Began In Early June 2010:http://www.comscihigh.com/

ComSciHigh – Supporting Com Sci

Quick Links

Events Calendar

Featured Links

Near Future Plans

Normalize means of Distribution Add Deitel quizzes to courses. Generate sample rubrics on grading

assignments. Generate Exemplar Teaching Lesson. Generate Exemplar Contest Templates.

Possible Future Plans Grade 12 Exemplar Courses. Advanced Placement Rendition of CTS Curriculum. International Baccalaureate Rendition of CTS Curr. Install operational software for “auto-judging”

computing problems as used by computing contests.

Establishing a “standards committee” composed of teachers and content experts from industry and academia.

Establish an enduring professional development organization for K-12 Computer Science teachers.

Sponsored and Owned By:Central Alberta Regional Consortium

Ensures that all Alberta teachers have access to and may contribute to the web site and resources.