Transcript Computing Branches Out

Computational Thinking (CT): On
Weaving It In -- CT Across the Curriculum
Amber Settle, DePaul University
Co-PI: Ljubomir Perkovic
14th Annual Conference on Innovation and
Technology in Computer Science Education
(ITiCSE 2009)
July 7, 2009
Work supported by the National Science Foundation
Overview
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Two-year project (July 2008 – June 2010) funded
through the NSF CPATH program
Distinguishing characteristics
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Integration of CT into existing, discipline-specific courses
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Categorization of CT instances across disciplines
Inclusion of a wide range of disciplines
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Traditional: Computer science, information technology
Allied: Animation, statistics, the sciences
Others: Anthropology, digital cinema, history
Broad and diverse faculty participation
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First year: College of Computing and Digital Media (CDM)
Second year: Other DePaul colleges and Chicago-area
universities
Goals
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Long term goal
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Incorporate CT into undergraduate courses across the
liberal arts curriculum
Project goals
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Develop a framework that will be used by instructors outside
of information technology to understand and integrate CT
into their courses
Improve understanding of CT
Improve the likelihood of buy-in by non-IT faculty
Develop a community of educators across institutions
familiar with and enthusiastic about CT, ready to implement
fundamental changes to the curriculum
Work completed
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Initial framework
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Analyzed select courses and categorized CT examples, starting with
Denning’s Great Principles of Computing
Developed course-specific CT learning goals
Developed assessment tools for the CT learning goals
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http://compthink.cs.depaul.edu/Framework.pdf
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Enhancement of existing CDM courses
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Five from SoC: CSC 233: Codes and Ciphers; CSC 235: Problem Solving; CSC 239:
Personal Computing; ECT 250: Internet, Commerce, and Society; IT 130: The Internet
and the Web
Four from CIM: ANI 201: Introduction to Visual Design; ANI 230: Modeling for
Animation and Gaming; DC 201: Introduction to Screenwriting; HCI 201: Multimedia and
the World Wide Web
One joint between CIM/SoC: GAM 224: Introduction to Game Design
Formative evaluation of the framework by Klaus Sutner at
Carnegie Mellon University
Classification of CT examples
Type of CT
Course(s)
Domain(s)
Automation
ANI 201; ECT 250
Arts and Literature;
Scientific Inquiry
Communication
IT 130
Scientific Inquiry
Computation
ANI 230; CSC 233,
CSC 235
Scientific Inquiry
Coordination
GAM 224
Arts and Literature
Design
DC 201; GAM 224;
HCI 201
Arts and Literature;
Scientific Inquiry
Evaluation
CSC 233; CSC 239
Scientific Inquiry
Recollection
IT 130
Scientific Inquiry
Work in progress
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Further course development beyond CDM
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Assessment of student performance in all modified courses and
refinement of course materials and framework
Evaluation of framework for other institutions
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(Current) DePaul departments: Anthropology, Environmental
Sciences, Geography, History of Art and Architecture, History,
Physics
Loyola University (Ron Greenberg)
Illinois Institute of Technology (Matt Bauer)
University of Illinois Chicago (Bob Sloan)
More information: http://compthink.cs.depaul.edu/