nsf ccli showcase sigcse 2008. nsf ccli showcase sigcse 2008 thursday, 10:00 a.m. — 11:30 a.m....
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NSF CCLI Showcase
SIGCSE 2008
NSF CCLI ShowcaseSIGCSE 2008
Thursday, 10:00 a.m. — 11:30 a.m.
• Project MLExAI: An Innovative Model for Teaching Core AI Concepts– Ingrid Russell, University of Hartford– Zdravko Markov, Central Connecticut State University
• Cognitive Robotics with Tekkotsu: A Curriculum for Machines That See and Manipulate Their World
– David S. Touretzky, Carnegie Mellon University– Ethan J. Tira-Thompson, Carnegie Mellon University– Marsha C. Lovett, Carnegie Mellon University
• Supporting Service-Learning Projects in Software Engineering Project Classes
– Chang Liu, Ohio University
Project MLExAI: An Innovative Model for Teaching Core AI Concepts
Ingrid Russell, University of Hartford
Zdravko Markov, Central Connecticut State University
Objectives•Enhance student learning experience by implementing a unifying theme of machine learning to tie together core AI topics.
•Increase student interest and motivation to learn AI by providing a framework for the presentation of the major AI topics that emphasizes the strong connection between AI and computer science.
•Highlight the bridge that machine learning provides between AI technology and modern software engineering.
•Introduce students to an increasingly important research area, thus motivating them to pursue further study in this area.
Project GoalThe goal is to develop a framework for teaching core AI topics with a unifying theme of machine learning. A suite of 26 term-long projects are developed, each involving the design and implementation of a machine learning system that enhances a commonly-deployed application.
The applications span a large area including network security, recommender systems, game playing, intelligent agents, computational chemistry, robotics, conversational systems, cryptography, web document classification, vision, data integration in databases, bioinformatics, pattern recognition, and data mining.
Cognitive Robotics with Tekkotsu:
A Curriculum for Machines That See and Manipulate Their World
NSF DUE-0717705
Educational robots are becoming more interesting:• Substantial computing power on board (Pentium, Linux, C++)
• Webcam for color vision; Wireless ethernet; Arms with grippers
So CS robotics courses should be more ambitious:• Provide appropriate high level tools: easy-to-use computer vision software,kinematics solvers, map builders, particle filters, etc.
• Teach students to use these to develop interesting robot behaviors.
Carnegie Mellon’s Cognitive Robotics course:• Software and lecture notes available at Tekkotsu.org.
• Several supported hardware platforms, with more to come.
David S. Touretzky, Ethan J. Tira-Thompson, Marsha C. Lovett: Carnegie Mellon
1
Supporting Service-Learning Projects in Software Engineering Project Classes
• Problem: It is a challenge to manage real-world projects, often based on substantial code base, in single-term courses.
• Solution: We developed and integrated a number of learning aids and teaching techniques, including
– Simulated team project process exercise in 3-D online virtual worlds
– Simulated team software specification exercise in 3-D online virtual worlds
– Adoption of Wiki as a tool to facilitate team communication
– Shared code segments from previous assignments among students
• Preliminary Results:
– We have applied our approach in a Software Engineering project class at Ohio University several times.
– The learning aids were effective in motivating students and enhancing their learning. They facilitated successful adoption of service-learning projects in our single-quarter project classes.
Chang Liu, School of EECS, Ohio University
NSF CCLI ShowcaseSIGCSE 2008
Friday 10:00 a.m. — 11:30 a.m.
• Integrating Privacy Ethics into the Undergraduate Database Curriculum– Florence Appel, Saint Xavier University
• Personalized Exploratorium for Database Courses– Peter Brusilovsky, University of Pittsburgh
– Vladimir Zadorozhny, University of Pittsburgh
– Danielle H. Lee, University of Pittsburgh
– Sergey Sosnovsky, University of Pittsburgh
– Michael V. Yudelson, University of Pittsburgh
– Xin Zhou, University of Pittsburgh
• The Affinity Research Group Model: Creating and Maintaining Effective Research Teams
– Ann Q. Gates, University of Texas at El Paso
– Steve Roach, University of Texas at El Paso
• Problets: Practice Exercises for Computer Science I– Amruth Kumar, Ramapo College of New Jersey
• This is an EMD project to support the introduction of privacycontent into the introductory database course
• The centerpiece is a set of privacy modules that can be introduced systematically throughout the design thread of the course, or used in a stand-alone context
• Each module addresses privacy issues arising normally during a given phase of database design
• Modules contain class discussion exercises, homework assignments, test questions, teaching tips & resources
• A full-service website is also under development
• The goal is to sensitize students to database privacy issues & enable them to implement privacy safeguards
Integrating Ethics Into the Database Curriculum
Florence Appel * Saint Xavier University * DUE 0442637
• Automatically evaluated exercises and interactive examples for database course
• Parameterized SQL problem generator and evaluator, SQL-KnoT(SQL Knowledge Tester) for increasing problem solving skills
• Adaptive and personalized guidance to increase student engagement and success rate
• Comprehensive database course system by the integration with automatic evaluation system of exercises, SQL-Tutor (University of Canterbury) and various contents from several universities
NSF DUE NSF- 0633494Primary PI: Peter Brusilovsky, Associate Professor, School of Information SciencesCo-PI: Vladimir Zadorozhny, Associate Professor, School of Information Scienceshttp://adapt2.sis.pitt.edu/cbum/
Key Components:o Core Ideologyo Student Connectednesso Deliberate Practices
Results:o Higher retentiono Development of professional,
research, technical skillso Higher level of confidenceo Preparation for success in graduate
studies and workforce
Ann Gates Steve Roach Elsa VillaThe University of Texas at El Paso Department of Computer Science
AFFINITY RESEARCH GROUP MODEL: Developing Students Beyond Academe
A comprehensive model comprised of fundamental principles and effective practices for involving undergraduates in research.
NSF DUE-0443061
Problets Provide Practice Exercises for Computer Science I
Unique features: Adapt to the learning needs of the student
Maximize learning while minimizing the time spent Explain the step-by-step execution of programs
Proven to help students learn on their own Usable for:
Closed-lab exercises, after-class assignments, in-class tests Available for:
Expressions (Arithmetic, Relational, Logical), if, if-else, while, for, C++ pointers
C, C++, J ava and C# Free to use; Easy to adopt, use, and track student progress
Used over 2600 times, adopted by 24+ teachers in 2007-08 Details at www.problets.org Contact: [email protected]
NSF CCLI ShowcaseSIGCSE 2008
Friday 2:30 p.m. — 4:00 p.m.
• Cooperative Learning Methods for Java-Based CS1 Courses– Leland L. Beck, San Diego State University– Alexander W. Chizhik, San Diego State University
• Teaching by Collaborating: Toward a Pedagogy Adapted from the Open Source Culture
– John David N. Dionisio, Loyola Marymount University– Ray Toal, Loyola Marymount University
• Building and Using an Emulab– W. David Laverell, Calvin College– Timothy H. Brom, University of Kentucky
Final Exam Scores by Section
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
11-20 21-30 31-40 41-50 51-60 61-70 71-80 81-90 91-100
Fre
quency
Lecture Sections Cooperative Learning Sections
Cooperative Learning Methods for Java-Based CS1 Courses
• A comprehensive set of cooperative learning activities for CS1
• Average final exam scores 25-30% higherfor cooperative learning sections than for lecture sections
• Will you join us in exploring these materials with your own students?
• We’ll provide instructor’s notes, training, and consultation
Leland L. BeckAlexander W. Chizhik
Please join us here on Friday between 2:30 and 4:00 to see video showing this approach in action in the classroom!
San Diego State University
Teaching by Collaborating:Toward a Pedagogy Adapted from the
Open Source CultureJohn David N. Dionisio Ray Toal
Department of Electrical Engineering & Computer ScienceLoyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, California
Open Source Culture ➟ Set of Values
•Source code is available and long-lived
•Accountability implies community
•Responsibilities accompany rights
Curriculum Arc
Instructional Techniques
Year One: Study, Testing, and Fixing of Pre-Existing
Code
Pre-existing is key here: conventional teaching at this level usually involves writing “toy” programs from scratch.
Year Two: Coding and Testing Specific Functions
from Scratch
From the open source culture’s value of community and accountability, unit tests serve as an unambiguous (and easily automated) mechanism for validating the correctness of submitted work.
Year Three: Term-Length, Focused Projects
The long life of code becomes apparent: software written at the junior level and beyond finds its way back to the freshmen, as pre-existing code that must be examined, fixed, and completed.
Year Four: Capstone Projects
Capstone projects continue to “live” on beyond the graduations of their creators. Future students are exposed to this code and may contribute to it in their own courses.
Sample Code Bazaar
Live, organized, searchable, student-accessible sample code libraries introduce students to the creation of “derived works” from the sample code.
The Cyclic Life of Code
Student work becomes a permanent part of a source code repository, available across courses and facilitating incremental improvement or additional functionality.
Test Infection
Instructors run student test suites against a variety of implementations to eliminate false positives, after which each student implementation is run against each set of tests.
Release Early, Often, & Open
Code-in-progress is visible and sharable to fellow students. Students who produce widely reused code must be duly acknowledged, just as widespread adoption can be viewed as a measure of success for an open source project.
Building and Using an Emulab
• Emulation versus dedicated labs and simulators
• Building an Emulab at Calvin College• Creating network topologies and running
experiments (Live Demo)• Conclusions
NSF CCLI ShowcaseSIGCSE 2008
Saturday 10:00 a.m. — 11:30 a.m.
• Cultural Challenges in Teaching Alice in Hawaii– Judith L. Gersting, University of Hawaii at Hilo– Keith Edwards, University of Hawaii at Hilo
• WeBWorK in Computer Science– Christelle Scharff, Pace University– Andy Wildenberg, Cornell College– Olly Gotel, Pace University– Richard Kline, Pace University
• Tablet PC's as Mind Tools for Enhancing Thinking and Learning Skills– Cheryl Willis, University of Houston
Narrative Programming at Univ. of Hawaii at Hilo
• Uses Alice to animate Hawaiian legends– Challenges
• Authentic images
• Cultural sensitivity and respect
– What works
• Provides positive introduction to computer science
– What doesn’t
• Does not pave the way for success in CS-1
in CS
Collaborative Research: Adapting and Extending WeBWorK for Use in the
Computer Science Curriculum
Project Web Page: http://www.csis.pace.edu/~scharff/webworkWeBWorK Server: http://atlantis.seidenberg.pace.edu/wiki/webwork2
Dr. Christelle Scharff, Dr. Olly Gotel, Dr. Richard [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
Pace University, New York
Dr. Andrew WildenbergCornell College, Iowa
Cheryl L. Willis, Ph.D.University of Houston
Tablet PCs as MindTools to Enhance Learning Skills
CCLI Showcase