Orit Hazzan Tami Lapidot Noa Ragonis Guide to Teaching Computer Science An ActivityBased Approach
1 Introduction What Is This Guide About? 1 1.1 Introduction 1 1.2 Motivation for Writing This Guide 2 1.3 The Methods of Teaching Computer Science (MTCS) Course 3 1.3.1 MTCS Course Overview 3 1.3.2 Course Population 4 1.3.3 Course Objectives 4 1.3.4 Recommended Teaching Methods Used in the MTCS Course 5 1.4 The Structure of the Guide to Teaching Computer Science 5 1.4.1 Guide Structure and Organization 5 1.4.2 The Content of the Guide Chapters 6 1.5 How to Use the Guide? 9 1.5.1 Instructors of the MTCS Course 10 1.5.2 The Prospective Computer Science Teachers Enrolled in the MTCS Course 11 1.5.3 Computer Science Instructors in the University 11 1.5.4 Instructors ofinservice Teachers' Professional Development Programs 11 1.5.5 High School Computer Science Teachers 11 References 12 2 Active Learning and the ActiveLearningBased Teaching Model 13 2.1 Introduction 13 2.2 Active Learning 14 2.3 Why Active Learning Is Suitable for Implementation in the MTCS Course? 14 2.4 ActiveLeamingBased Teaching Model 16 2.5 The Role of the Instructor in the ActiveLearningBased Teaching Model 18 References 19
3 Overview of the Discipline of Computer Science 21 3.1 Introduction 21 3.2 What Is Computer Science? 22 Activity 1: The Nature of Computer Science 23 Activity 2: Computer Science and Other Sciences 25 3.3 The History of Computer Science 26 Activity 3: Plan a Lesson About the History of Computer Science 26 Activity 4: History of Computational Machines 28 3.4 Computer Scientists 28 Activity 5: Preparation of a Presentation on a Computer Scientist 29 3.5 Social Issues of Computer Science 29 3.5.1 Ethics in Computer Science Education 30 Activity 6: Analysis of Ethical Dilemmas 31 3.5.2 Diversity 32 Activity 7: Diverse Class Demography 32 Activity 8: Test Evaluation 32 Activity 9: Gender Diversity 33 3.6 Programming Paradigms 33 Activity 10: Programming Paradigms Exploration of Learners'Knowledge 35 Activity 11: AbstractOriented Examination of Programming Paradigms 36 Activity 12: Activity Design for a Given Programming Paradigm 37 3.7 Computer Science Soft Ideas 38 3.7.1. What Are Computer Science Soft Ideas? 38 3.7.2 Computer Science Soft Ideas in the MTCS Course 39 Activities 1314: Introduction to Soft Ideas 41 Activity 13: Types of Concepts, Class Discussion 41 Activity 14: Computer Science Concept Classification, Teamwork 42 Activity 15: Construction of Tasks and Questions About Soft Ideas 42 Activities 1619: Computer Science Heuristics: The Case of Abstraction 43 References 45 4 Research in Computer Science Education 47 4.1 Introduction 47 4.2 Research in Computer Science Education: What Is It and Why and How Is It Useful? 48 4.2.1 Computer Science Education Research Categories 48 4.2.2 Computer Science Education Research on Learning and Teaching Processes 50 4.2.3 Resources for Computer Science Education Research 52 4.3 MTCS Course Activities 52 Activity 20: Exploration of a Computer Science Education Research Work on Learners' Understanding of Basic Computer Science Topics 53
Activity 21: The Computer Science Education Research World 53 Activity 22: Looking into a Research Work on Novices' Difficulties 54 Activity 23: The Teacher as a Researcher 55 Activity 24: Reflection on Reading a Computer Science Education Paper 59 References 60 5 ProblemSolving Strategies 63 5.1 Introduction 63 5.2 ProblemSolving Processes 64 Activity 25: ProblemSolving Techniques in Computer Science 65 5.3 Problem Understanding 66 Activity 26: Examination of Representative Inputs and Outputs 66 5.4 Solution Design 67 5.4.1 Defining the Problem Variables 67 Activity 27: Choosing the Problem Variables 67 Activities 2829: Roles of Variables 68 5.4.2 Stepwise Refinement 70 Activity 30: Practicing Stepwise Refinement Break Down Problem Solutions into Subtasks 71 Activity 31: Practicing Stepwise Refinement Analyze a List of Problems 71 5.4.3 Algorithmic Patterns 71 Activities 3234: Practicing Algorithmic Patterns 72 5.5 Solution Examination 73 Activity 35: Examination of the Debugging Process 73 Activity 36: Development of a Lab Activity about Debugging 73 5.6 Reflection 74 Activity 37: Reflective Activity in Computer Science Education 75 References 77 6 Learners' Alternative Conceptions 79 6.1 Introduction 79 6.2 Pedagogical Tools for Dealing with Alternative Conceptions 81 6.3 Activities to Be Facilitated in the MTCS Course 82 Activity 38: Exploration of a Computer Science Education Research Work on Learners' Understanding of Basic Computer Science Topics 82 Activity 39: Evaluation of a Pupil's Answer in a Written Exam 84 Activity 40: A Clinical Conversation with a Pupil as a Means to Reveal Alternative Conceptions 86 References 89
7 Teaching Methods in Computer Science Education 91 7.1 Introduction 91 7.2 Pedagogical Tools 92 7.2.1 Pedagogical Games 92 Activity 41: Pedagogical Examination ofgames 93 7.2.2 The CSUnplugged Approach 96 Activity 42: Pedagogical Examination of the CSUnplugged Approach... 96 7.2.3 Rich Tasks 97 Activity 43: Pedagogical Examination of Rich Tasks 98 7.2.4 Concept Maps 103 Activity 44: Pedagogical Examination of Concept Maps 105 7.2.5 Classification of Objects and Phenomena from Life 106 Activity 45: Pedagogical Examination of Classification 107 7.2.6 Metaphors 109 Activity 46: Metaphors Activity 47: Metaphors Preparing a Poster, Variable Exhibition 110 Advantages and Disadvantages of Metaphors 110 7.3 Different Forms of Class Organization Ill Activity 48: Different Forms of Class Organizations I i 2 7.4 Mentoring Software Project Development 113 Activity 49: Analysis of Mentoring Software Project Development Situations 114 Activity 50: Scheduling the Mentoring Process of Software Project Development 116 References 117 8 LabBased Teaching 119 8.1 Introduction 119 8.2 What Is a Computer Lab? 120 Activity 51: Analyzing a Computer Science Lesson in the Computer Lab 122 Activity 52: A "Dry" Lab 123 8.3 LabFirst Approach 124 Activity 53: Pedagogical Exploration of the LabFirst Teaching Approach 125 8.4 Visualization and Animation 130 Activity 54: Algorithm Visualization 133 Activity 55: Musical Debugging 135 Activity 56: Software Visualization and Animation 135 Activity 57: Visualization and AnimationBased IDEs 136 Activity 58: Media Computation 137 Activity 59: Summary Work 138 8.5 Using the Internet in the Teaching of Computer Science 138 Activity 60: The Internet as an Information Resource 139
Activity 61: Exploring the Internet Through the Computer Science Lens 139 Activity 62: Distance Learning, 139 References 140 9 Types of Questions in Computer Science Education 143 9.1 Introduction 143 9.2 Types of Questions 145 9.2.1 Typel. Development of a Solution 146 9.2.2 Type2. Development a Solution That Uses a Given Module 146 9.2.3 Type3. Tracing a Given Solution 147 9.2.4 Type4. Analysis of Code Execution 147 9.2.5 Type5. Finding the Purpose of a Given Solution 148 9.2.6 Type6. Examination of the Correctness of a Given Solution... 148 9.2.7 Type7. Completion a Given Solution 149 9.2.8 Type8. Instruction Manipulations 150 9.2.9 Type9. Efficiency Estimation 151 9.2.10 TypelO. Question Design 152 9.2.11 Typell. Programming Style Questions 152 9.2.12 Typel2. Transformation of a Solution 153 9.2.13 Combining Several Types of Questions 154 Activity 63: Question Classification 155 Activity 64: Classification of Nonsimple Questions 156 9.3 Kinds of Questions 156 9.3.1 Story Questions 156 9.3.2 Closed Questions 158 Activity 65: Question Formulation 159 9.3.3 Unsolvable Questions 159 9.4 Assimilation of the Types of Questions to Different Computer Science Contents 160 9.5 Question Preparation 161 Activity 66: Question Design 162 Activity 67: Test Design 162 References 163 10 Evaluation 165 10.1 Introduction 165 10.2 Tests 166 Activity 68: Test Construction 167 Activity 69: Construction of a CourseSummary Exam 170 10.3 Project Evaluation 170 10.3.1 Individual Projects 171 10.3.2 Team Projects 171 Activity 70: Getting Familiarity with an Evaluation Rubric for Software Projects 173
Activity 71: Construction of an Evaluation Rubric for Software Projects 173 Activity 72: Analysis of a Grading Policy of the Group Project 175 10.4 Portfolio 175 Activity 73: The Portfolio in Computer Science Education 177 10.5 The Evaluation of the Students in the MTCS Course 178 References 179 11 Teaching Planning 181 11.1 Introduction... 181 11.2 TopDown Approach for Teaching Planning 182 11.2.1 Broad Perspective: Planning the Entire Curriculum 182 11.2.2 Intermediate Level Perspective: Planning the Teaching of a Study Unit 183 11.2.3 Local Level Perspective: Planning a Lesson 183 11.3 Illustration: Teaching OneDimensional Array 184 11.3.1 Planning the Teaching of a Study Unit About OneDimer\sional Array 184 11.3.2 Planning the Teaching of the First Lesson About OneDimensional Array 186 11.3.3 Illustration Summary 189 11.4 Activities to be Facilitated in the MTCS Course 189 Activity 74: Dividing a Computer Science Topic into Components 190 Activity 75: Time Allocation 190 Activity 76: Plan a First Lesson About a Topic/Subtopic 190 Activity 77: A Comprehensive Teaching Planning of a Study Unit 191 References 192 12 Integrated View at the MTCS Course Organization: The Case of Recursion 193 12.1 Introduction 193 12.2 Classification of Everyday Objects and Phenomena: The Case ofrecursion 195 Activity 78: Classification Activity in the Context of Recursion 195 12.3 Leap of Faith 197 Activity 79: Mastering the Leap of Faith Approach 198 12.4 Models of the Recursive Process 200 12.4.1 The Little People Model 200 Activity 80: Pedagogical Examination of the Little People Model 201 12.4.2 The "TopDown Frames" Model 203 12.5 Research on Learning and Teaching Recursion 205 Activity 81: Investigating Research on Learning and Teaching Recursion 205 Activity 82: Recursive Models 206
12.6 How Does Recursion Sound? 207 Activity 83: Using Colors and Music for the Examination of Recursive Structures 207 12.7 Evaluation 208 Activity 84: Analysis of Recursive Phenomena 208 Activity 85: Construction of a Written Test on Recursion 209 12.8 Additional Activities 210 Activity 86: History of Recursive Functions 210 Activity 87: Comparison of Recursive Algorithms in Different Paradigms 210 Activity 8 8: Recursive Patterns 210 Activity 89: Recursion Animation 211 Activity 90: Design of Questions About Recursion 211 Activity 91: Planning the Teaching of Recursion 211 References 211 13 Getting Experience in Computer Science Education 213 13.1 Introduction 213 13.2 The Practicum in the High School 214 13.2.1 General Description 214 13.2.2 The Practicum as a Bridge Between Theory and Its Application 215 13.2.3 Activiti es to be Facilitated in the MTCS Course 218 Activity 92: Bridging Gaps Related to the Content Aspect of Computer Science Education 218 Activity 93: Bridging Gaps Related to the Pedagogical Aspect of Computer Science Education 220 Activity 94: Prospective Teacher's Conception About the First Lesson 222 13.3 A Tutoring Model for Guiding Problems Solving Processes 222 13.3.1 The Implementation of the Tutoring Model 223 13.3.2 The Contribution of the Mentoring Model to Prospective Computer Science Teachers Teaching Experience 225 13.4 Practicum Versus Tutoring 226 References 226 14 Design of a Methods of Teaching Computer Science Course 229 14.1 Perspectives on the MTCS Course 229 14.2 Suggestions for MTCS Course Syllabi 230 14.2.1 Course Structure 231 14.2.2 Course Syllabus 231 Activity 95: First Lesson of the MTCS Course 231 References 234
15 High School Computer Science Teacher Preparation Programs 235 15.1 A Model for High School Computer Science Education 235 15.1.1 Background 235 15.1.2 The Model Components and Their Amalgamation 236 15.1.3 Questions About the Model 241 15.2 Construction of a Computer Science Teacher Preparation Program the ECSTPP Workshop 242 15.2.1 Rationale 242 15.2.2 Population 242 15.2.3 Objectives 243 15.2.4 Structure and Contents 243 15.2.5 ECSTPP Workshop Summary 245 References 245 16 Epilogue 247 Index 249