EDEC 575 / COMP 598: The Teaching of Computer Science

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Week 2 - Fall 2020

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Today

1. Review ~5 mins
2. Programming pedagogies ~5 min
3. Mini break ~5 min
4. Resuming course planning ~25 min
5. Mini break ~5 min
6. Worksheet ~2 h
1. Due: next week @ noon

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What did you learn last week?

Put notes in meeting chat

“Backwards Design”

• Goals, assesment
• Work backwards from end of term for figuring out schedule

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Programming pedagogy

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Techniques we saw last week

• Direct instruction (“lecturing”)
• Problem-based learning

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Today I’ll be using

• Structured small-group discussions
• Give students a list of Qs to discuss
• Like PBL: collaborative active learning
• Unlike PBL: structured
• Railroad vs sandbox
• Discuss: the many techniques in the article!

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Today’s article mentions

• Peer Instruction
• Live coding
• Prediction-soliciting
• Pair programming
• Subgoal labelling & worked ex
• Contextualizing
• Parson’s Problems

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Article envisions uni CS1

• CS1: shorthand for intro programming class
• Focused on activities that scale well to large classes

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Article envisions uni CS1

• CS1: shorthand for intro programming class
• Focused on activities that scale well to large classes

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Language to know (not in article)

• Fixed mindset: idea that ability to do a thing is innate
• Growth mindset: idea that ability to do a thing comes through practice
• Fixed mindsets are a blocker in many domains (e.g. math, music)

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For further reading

“Porter, Leo, Cynthia Bailey Lee, and Beth Simon. "Halving fail rates using peer instruction: a study of four computer science courses."

• Title really says it all!

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5 min break

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Things about grad classes

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Grading is not zero sum

• Every student can get an A
• I want to give every student an A!
• Helping each other benefits all
• Grad school is where you form long-term professional relationships

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I give all the extensions

• My philosophy of teaching grad classes: revise until worthy of A
• (Or until you’re satisfied)
• I only use late penalties because of feedback it helps ADHD students
• Many ADHDers need real deadlines to do things

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Grad classes should count beyond the term

• Goal of a grad class project
• Worth turning into a publishable paper
• Worth turning into something to put in teaching portfolio
• E.g. my decision theory project

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Syllabus proposals & open questions

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Course policy merge

• Attendance
• Require? Not req but encourage?
• Land acknowledgments
• Pros vs cons
• Perusall?

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Refined course LGs

1. Create CS learning opportunities for varied contexts
2. Critically analysing the status quo in CS education
3. Explore the socio-historical context of CS education

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Proposal: Final project

• Open ended, may do in groups
• Must address 2 course LGs
• Suggestions:
• Creating an online learning module
• Drafting a nifty programming assignment
• Teach a class
• Research paper

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Proposal: Assessment

• 10% participation (class or Teams)
• 20% weekly worksheets
• 10% final project proposal
• 15% final project worksheet
• 35% final project report
• 10% feedback for peers on projects

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Format

• Typically in a 3h grad class
• I lecture 20-30 mins
• I give S worksheets to structure small group disc for remaining time
• Qs about readings, applying concepts
• Envisioning this term: give worksheets to finish between weeks

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Worksheet group formation

• Idea: when2meet/doodle, group people based on availability?
• Discussion: prefs on how we form groups on a weekly basis?

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5 min break

(Elizabeth will form breakout groups)

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Groups

Purple

1. Louis
2. Michelle
3. Jingyi

Orange

• Hanneli
• Julianna
• Thurstyn

Green

• James
• Ivan
• Sedi

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Before you leave today

• Have a plan for when group will meet
• Can be now!
• Can start now, finish later
• Post time(s) in breakout channel
• Elizabeth will do best to be around
• Create shared doc
• Post in breakout channel

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