Transcript Georgia Tech’s Three CS1’s  CS1321: Introduction to Computing     Based on How to Design Programs and the TeachScheme Project Was the only CS1 course, on.

Georgia Tech’s Three CS1’s

CS1321: Introduction to Computing




Based on How to Design Programs and the
TeachScheme Project
Was the only CS1 course, on a campus that
requires CS1 of everyone
CS1315: Introduction to Media Computation
CS1371: Computing for Engineers

Equivalent to CS1321, in MATLAB and Java
Evaluating the Course in
Spring 2003


Led by Andrea Forte, PhD student
Comparing CS1321, CS1371, and CS1315 in terms
of learning and motivation.




Observational study of student performance to
understand problems and strategies.


Withdrawal, F and D grade (WFD) rates
Surveys (initial, midterm, and final)
Common exam problems
Conducted by Rachel Fithian, MS HCI student
Interview study of impact on women.

Conducted by Lauren Rich, undergraduate CS student
Relevance through personal
connections: Data-first Computing


Real users come to a user with data that they care
about, then they (unwillingly) learn the computer to
manipulate their data as they need.
“Media Computation” works like that.


We use pictures of students in class demonstrations.
Students do use their own pictures as starting points
for manipulations.


Some students reversed sounds looking for hidden
messages.
They started doing this in the second week


How often do students use their second week of CS1 on
their own data?
How does that change the students’ relationship to the
material?
Who Were These Students
in Spring 2003?

Almost exclusively non-majors in all courses

Media Computation respondents:



Management, liberal arts, architecture (over 95%) and
science
Mostly female (67%)
Low prior programming experience
 17%, all 1 year or less
 Lower than CS1321 or CS1371 (Engin)
Does the class work?
Success
Rate




In Spring 2003, 121 students
(2/3 female),
3 drops
Spring 2004: Teachers who
aren’t the developers
60% of students surveyed
at end of course say that
they want a second course.
 These are non-majors,
who have already fulfilled
their requirement
We are getting transfers into
the CS major.
Average
GT’s CS1
72.2%
(2000-2002)
Media
Computation
Spring 2003
88.5%
Fall 2003
87.5%
Spring 2004
90.5%
How Do These Students View
CS?

In Spring 2003, there were some differences between the
three groups’ responses on the initial survey.
Course
Don't
Know
How
Program- Scary/ Required Web/
Computer
ming
Difficult Class
Internet
Work
CS 1321
4.9%
6.1%
51.2%
8.5%
7.3%
0.0%
Engin
11.4%
18.2%
45.5%
2.3%
4.5%
0.0%
Media
Comp
4.7%
7.0%
48.8%
10.5%
15.1%
8.1%
Were Students Motivated and
Engaged?
Q. What do you like best about this
course?
Survey responses
(Sp03) suggest that
students responded
well to the context of
media manipulation
and creation.
Cours Don't like Enjoy
e
it/Nothing Content
Conten
t is
Useful
CS
1321
18.2%
12.1%
0.0%
Engin
12.9%
16.1%
25.8%
Media
Comp
0.0%
21.3%
12.4%
Were Students Motivated and
Engaged?

“I think that we're doing things that I could actually
use as an architecture major—I like dealing with
pictures and sounds.”

It was interesting/surprising to learn... “Adjusting
pictures and sounds because it is something that I
will be able to use far into the future.”

It was interesting/surprising to learn... “About how
Photoshop works because now I understand what it
is doing and I can use it better.”
How did Women Respond to
the Course?

All female interviewees reported a positive
experience in CS1.

Did we make it:



Relevant?
Creative?
Social?
How did Women Respond to
the Course?

Did we make it:



Relevant?
Creative?
Social?
How did Women Respond to
the Course?

Did we make it:



Relevant?
“I dreaded CS, but ALL of the topics thus far have been
applicable to my future career (& personal) plans—there
isn't anything I don't like about this class!!!”
Creative?
Social?
How did Women Respond to
the Course?

Did we make it:



Relevant?
Creative?
“I just wish I had more time to play around with that and
make neat effects. But JES will be on my computer
forever, so… that’s the nice thing about this class is that
you could go as deep into the homework as you wanted.
So, I’d turn it in and then me and my roommate would do
more after to see what we could do with it.”
Social?
How did Women Respond to
the Course?

Did we make it:



20% of Spring 2003 students said
“Collaboration” was best part of
CS1315
Relevant?
Creative?
Social?
“Actually, I think [collaboration] is one of the best things
about this class. My roommate and I abided by all the
rules... but we took full advantage of the collaboration. It
was more just the ideas bouncing off each other. I don’t
think this class would have been as much fun if I wasn’t
able to collaborate.”
On CoWeb use: “Yes, it’s not just about the class…
people talk about anything, it’s a little bit more friendly
than just here’s your assignment.”