Improving CS Education Improving CS Education with ICEwith ICE

Barbara EricsonBarbara Ericson

Georgia TechGeorgia Tech

What is ICE?What is ICE?

Institute for Computing EducationInstitute for Computing Education Partnership between Partnership between

• Georgia Tech’s College of ComputingGeorgia Tech’s College of Computing• Georgia Department of EducationGeorgia Department of Education

Announced June 2004 by Kathy Cox Announced June 2004 by Kathy Cox and Richard DeMilloand Richard DeMillo

ICE GoalsICE Goals

Train more CS-AP teachersTrain more CS-AP teachers• Start by training teachers for the Prog Start by training teachers for the Prog

and Sys Management course and Sys Management course even teachers with no experienceeven teachers with no experience

• When ready train for CS-AP courseWhen ready train for CS-AP course Increase the number and diversity of Increase the number and diversity of

CS students CS students • Interesting curriculumInteresting curriculum• Help with recruitingHelp with recruiting

Why?Why?

The U.S. Department of Labor predicts that The U.S. Department of Labor predicts that despite the recent decline in the IT despite the recent decline in the IT industry, computer software engineers and industry, computer software engineers and computer systems designers will be computer systems designers will be among the fastest growing occupations in among the fastest growing occupations in 2002-2012 2002-2012

The percentage of women has been The percentage of women has been decliningdeclining• High of about 30% to about 12% nowHigh of about 30% to about 12% now

How?How?

Modify curriculum developed for non-Modify curriculum developed for non-majors (CS1315)majors (CS1315)• Media computation in PythonMedia computation in Python

High success rateHigh success rate• Usual is about 70%Usual is about 70%• This course has about 90%This course has about 90%

Women succeed at the same rate as Women succeed at the same rate as menmen• Unusual in CS coursesUnusual in CS courses

Course ContentCourse Content Based on the book:Based on the book:

• Introduction to Computing and Programming in Java: A Introduction to Computing and Programming in Java: A Multimedia ApproachMultimedia Approach

Due out Dec 2005 Due out Dec 2005 Introduction to OO programmingIntroduction to OO programming

With a LOGO-like turtleWith a LOGO-like turtle Manipulating PicturesManipulating Pictures

Negate, mirror, make a collageNegate, mirror, make a collage Manipulating SoundsManipulating Sounds

Reverse, clip, create a sentenceReverse, clip, create a sentence Working with TextWorking with Text

Random sentence generator, read HTML, and write HTMLRandom sentence generator, read HTML, and write HTML Creating MoviesCreating Movies

Working with movie framesWorking with movie frames

ICE OfferingsICE Offerings

Summer workshops for teachersSummer workshops for teachers• 1 to 2 week long workshops1 to 2 week long workshops

Shorter 2-day workshops for teachersShorter 2-day workshops for teachers• During the yearDuring the year

Summer camps for high school Summer camps for high school studentsstudents

Summer camps and Sat workshops Summer camps and Sat workshops with the girl scoutswith the girl scouts

Summer 2004Summer 2004

1 week AP workshop1 week AP workshop• 17 teachers attended17 teachers attended

2 week Programming and Systems 2 week Programming and Systems Management WorkshopManagement Workshop• 30 teachers attended30 teachers attended

Two 1 week summer camps for high Two 1 week summer camps for high school studentsschool students• 30 students each30 students each

AP WorkshopAP Workshop

Prog and Sys WorkshopProg and Sys Workshop

Prog and Sys Workshop ContentProg and Sys Workshop Content

Media ComputationMedia Computation• Manipulate Pictures and SoundsManipulate Pictures and Sounds• 2d Drawing2d Drawing• AnimationAnimation

Demos of current researchDemos of current research• Robot dogs, aging in placeRobot dogs, aging in place

Talk on diversityTalk on diversity Student panel discussionStudent panel discussion

Workshop CS ContentWorkshop CS Content Introduction to object-oriented conceptsIntroduction to object-oriented concepts Keywords and operatorsKeywords and operators Primitive and object variablesPrimitive and object variables Class and object methodsClass and object methods ArraysArrays Iteration (for and while loops)Iteration (for and while loops) Conditionals (if, if-else, if-else-if, and, or)Conditionals (if, if-else, if-else-if, and, or) Graphical User InterfacesGraphical User Interfaces Input/Output and ExceptionsInput/Output and Exceptions DebuggingDebugging

Goals for ContentGoals for Content

MotivatingMotivating• For students and teachersFor students and teachers

CreativeCreative• Open-ended assignmentsOpen-ended assignments• Use student’s mediaUse student’s media

Authentic tasksAuthentic tasks• Start with what students use computers Start with what students use computers

for (pictures, sounds, text, web, games)for (pictures, sounds, text, web, games)

MotivatingMotivating

People don’t just learn to programPeople don’t just learn to program• They learn to program “something”They learn to program “something”

If they find that “something” compelling If they find that “something” compelling they learn morethey learn more

Students at Georgia Tech have found Students at Georgia Tech have found media computation motivatingmedia computation motivating• They sometimes turn in the homework They sometimes turn in the homework

and keep working on it stilland keep working on it still

CreativeCreative

Most CS Juniors are surprised how Most CS Juniors are surprised how creative the more advanced classes creative the more advanced classes areare• Because the early classes are notBecause the early classes are not

Working with media allows you to be Working with media allows you to be more creativemore creative• Use student’s mediaUse student’s media• Design the resultDesign the result• Share it with others Share it with others

Negate an ImageNegate an Image

MirroringMirroring

RotationRotation

Remove ‘Red Eye’Remove ‘Red Eye’

Sepia-TintSepia-Tint

ChromakeyChromakey

Teacher CollagesTeacher Collages

Prog and Sys ResultsProg and Sys Results

Survey resultsSurvey results• 70.37% of teachers felt more capable70.37% of teachers felt more capable• 96.30% got ideas on what to teach96.30% got ideas on what to teach• 88.89% got ideas on how to teach88.89% got ideas on how to teach• 44.44% felt ready to teach in fall44.44% felt ready to teach in fall

Teachers with no experience wanted Teachers with no experience wanted a slower pacea slower pace

Some of the teachers are using the Some of the teachers are using the contentcontent

QuotesQuotes

I didn’t want to take this workshop. I I didn’t want to take this workshop. I thought it would be boring and too math-thought it would be boring and too math-based, but I am having fun.based, but I am having fun.

My kids won’t believe that I am My kids won’t believe that I am programming for fun.programming for fun.

This was the best (non-college credit) This was the best (non-college credit) workshop I have ever taken.workshop I have ever taken.

The demos were awesome. I wish I had The demos were awesome. I wish I had thought ahead & had a video camera to thought ahead & had a video camera to record demos. record demos.

Student Summer CampsStudent Summer Camps

Two one-week summer camps for high Two one-week summer camps for high school studentsschool students• Not residentialNot residential• 30 students in each camp30 students in each camp

ContentContent• Building a computer from partsBuilding a computer from parts• Computer engineering labComputer engineering lab• Media manipulation in pythonMedia manipulation in python• Demonstrations of researchDemonstrations of research• Afternoon recreationAfternoon recreation

Student Summer CampsStudent Summer Camps

Student Summer CampStudent Summer Camp

Student Summer CampStudent Summer Camp

Winter 2005 2-day WorkshopsWinter 2005 2-day Workshops

Preparing for the AP Case StudyPreparing for the AP Case Study• Jan 24Jan 24thth - 25 - 25thth

Using Turtles, Robots, and Sound to Using Turtles, Robots, and Sound to Teach Java Teach Java • Feb 28Feb 28thth – March 1 – March 1stst

Preparing for the AP ExamPreparing for the AP Exam• March 28March 28thth - 29 - 29thth

Summer 2005 WorkshopsSummer 2005 Workshops

1 week intermediate Prog. and Sys. 1 week intermediate Prog. and Sys. June 28-July 1st 2005June 28-July 1st 2005• Some programming experienceSome programming experience

2 week Prog. and Sys. for beginners 2 week Prog. and Sys. for beginners • No experience necessary!No experience necessary!• July 5-8th and 12-15th 2005July 5-8th and 12-15th 2005

1 week College Board Endorsed AP 1 week College Board Endorsed AP July 18-22July 18-22

Future WorkshopsFuture Workshops

Fall Prog and Sys workshopFall Prog and Sys workshop• To see how it is going To see how it is going

Spring AP workshopsSpring AP workshops• To prepare for case study and examTo prepare for case study and exam

AP BowlAP Bowl• Competition at Georgia Tech before the Competition at Georgia Tech before the

examexam• Database of practice questionsDatabase of practice questions

ICE ResourcesICE Resources

Collaborative WebsiteCollaborative Website• http://coweb.cc.gatech.edu/ice-gthttp://coweb.cc.gatech.edu/ice-gt

Mailing listsMailing lists• gacs-teachers-psm@cc.gatech.edugacs-teachers-psm@cc.gatech.edu • gacs-teachers-ap@cc.gatech.edugacs-teachers-ap@cc.gatech.edu

Classroom visits and questionsClassroom visits and questions• Barbara Ericson Barbara Ericson ericson@cc.gatech.eduericson@cc.gatech.edu

Summer camps for studentsSummer camps for students• http://www.cc.gatech.edu/campice/http://www.cc.gatech.edu/campice/