Transcript Learning to Program With Alice

Learning to
Program
With Alice
Wanda Dann ([email protected])
Stephen Cooper ([email protected])
Randy Pausch ([email protected])
Alice is a solution to the
current big problem in
Computer Science Education:
Attracting and Retaining Students
This isn’t just about selling books.
It’s about keeping America
economically competitive.
And about eighteen year-olds not
dropping a computer science
major due to frustration and
self-doubt.
You are going to revolutionize
the way students learn to
program computers.
Alice is:
Software + a Book
The Alice Software
• A 3D interactive animation environment
• A tool for teaching fundamental
programming concepts
– object oriented
• System developed at Carnegie Mellon
Overview
• We’ll demo Alice for you
• And leave you with a copy on your tablet
computer you can play with.
• If time permits, you will all write
your own computer program today!
A Demo of Alice…
The Alice Approach
• Uses 3D graphics to engage students
• Has a “smart” drag-and-drop editor that prevents
syntax errors
• Appeals to wide audience
– Storytelling
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(young women, minority students)
– Interactive computer games
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(young men)
– Not threatening; Alice builds students’ confidence
Key Alice Features
• Makes objects something students
can see and relate to
• Has a java syntax mode to ease the
transition to C++/Java/VB.net
Textbook Features
• Emphasizes design using storyboards
• Supports varying instructional approaches
– “objects-early”
– “objects-first"
• Allows an (optional) early introduction
to events
• Color screen captures illustrate
step-by-step construction of programs
Schools using Alice 2004-2005
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Bucknell University
California Lutheran University
California State University at
Humboldt
Camden County College
Carnegie Mellon University
Clemson University
Colorado School of Mines
Community College of
Philadelphia
Cornell University
Duke University
Georgetown College
Haverford College
Ithaca College
Manor College
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Mississippi Valley State University
Plymouth State University
Saint Edward’s University
Saint Joseph's University
Saint Lawrence College
San Diego State University
Sierra Nevada College
Southwestern University
Tompkins Cortland Community
College
University of Colorado
University of Illinois
University of Mississippi
Virginia Tech
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And several high schools
How Alice is being used
• In pre-CS1
– course for majors and students considering a CS
major
• As conceptual introduction in CS1, followed
by a transition to Java/C++/VB
• Introduction to programming course
– non-majors (in business schools, for example)
– attract students to become CS majors
• Computer literacy
– problem-solving component
• Pre-AP in high schools
Results of NSF-supported study
• As used towards retention of CS majors
– GPA in CS1 improved
• Grades went from C to B
• at-risk students (students with little to no prior
programming experience and/or weak
mathematics background)
– Increased retention into CS2
from 47% to 88%
– Improved attitudes towards computing
URLs
• The software: www.alice.org
– Includes forums for discussion/help
• Supplementary instructional materials and
solutions to exercises in the text:
www.aliceprogramming.net
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lectures
labs
assignments
sample chapter of the text
sample virtual worlds (programs)
Commonly Asked Questions
• How much does the Alice software cost?
– It is free! (and open source)
• Does Alice run on the Macintosh?
– Yes! Download Mac version from www.alice.org
• Where can I go for instructor support materials?
– www.aliceprogramming.net
• Is Alice hard to install?
– Just copy files to the hard drive; no “install”
Commonly Asked Questions, Cont.
• Isn’t Alice just a toy? (it looks so “Fisher-Price”!)
– No -- Alice contains all the features of “real” languages
– Students can write 3,000 line programs in Alice
• How do students go from Alice to Java?
– They have learned the concepts in Alice, then learn syntax in Java
– They have built confidence and are more persistent
• Is there any “hard evidence” that Alice works?
– Yes! An NSF study on “at risk” CS1 students who used Alice…
• Increased grades from C to B
• Retention (into CS2) went from 47% to 88%
Questions?
Wanda Dann ([email protected])
Stephen Cooper ([email protected])
Randy Pausch ([email protected])