Teaching Programming Concepts

1. Teaching Programming Concepts With Multiple Software

2. Angela Davison • Job Title • IT-Programming and Computer Applications Coordinator/Instructor • 13 years of experience • Education • Master’s in Business Administration • Bachelor’s in Computer Management • Bachelor’s in Medical Technology • Certifications • MCP • Network+

3. Lake Land College • Community College in Mattoon, Illinois • Founded 1966 • 60 minutes south of the University of Illinois • Rural community • Statistics • 8,867 students • FTE 4,996 • Students • Average age 25.6 • 55% female, 45% male

4. IT Programs 2-year Degrees & 1-year Certificates Information Technology –Programming Information Technology –Computer Applications Information Technology –Web Design Information Technology –Network Administration

5. Classes Taught • Computer Logic • Object-Oriented Programming I & II (C#) • Visual Basic • Systems Design • Practical Software Applications (Office 2010) • Introduction to Networking

6. Teaching Computers Today

7. What to do????

8. Why Incorporate Technology • Grown up using it • Engagement • Job market • Digital society

9. Computer Logic - Past • Techniques: • QBASIC • Visual Basic • Flowcharting & Pseudocode • Problems: • Focus on syntax, not logic • Lost in the environment • Just plain bored

10. What to teach?

11. Computer Logic - Present • Flowcharts & Pseudocode • Software: • Visual Logic • Alice • Turning Technologies

12. Computer Logic - Books • Programming logic • JUST ENOUGH PROGRAMMING LOGIC AND DESIGN • Joyce Farrell • ISBN 978-1-4390-3957-1 • Alice • STARTING OUT WITH ALICE • A Visual Introduction to Programming • Tony Gaddis • ISBN 978-0-321-54587-9 • Visual Logic • A Guide to WORKING WITH VISUAL LOGIC • Thad Crews & Chip Murphy • ISBN 978-0-324-60119-0

13. Visual Logic • Provides a minimal-syntax introduction to essential programming concepts • Uses flowcharts to explain concepts • including variables, input, assignment, output, conditions, loops, procedures, arrays and files • Based on research that shows students have more success when they start by focusing on concepts rather than syntax • Cost: $89

14. www.visuallogic.org

15. Visual Logic Example • Double a Number start get inputNumber while inputNumber <> 0 calculatedAnswer = inputNumber * 2 print calculatedAnswer get inputNumber endwhile stop

16. Alice • Innovative 3D programming environment • 3-D objects populate a virtual world and students create a program to animate the objects through a drag-and-drop interface • A teaching tool for introductory computing • facilitates a more engaging, less frustrating first programming experience • FREE!!!!!

17. www.alice.org

18. Alice Example • Double a Number start get inputNumber while inputNumber <> 0 calculatedAnswer = inputNumber * 2 print calculatedAnswer get inputNumber endwhile stop

19. Turning Technologies • Audience Response System • Integrates into Microsoft PowerPoint • Allows students to participate by submitting responses to interactive questions using a clicker • Transform your classroom into an interactive and engaging learning environment • Increases participation • Gauge student understanding • Cost: $35

20. Turning Technologies • Live Example Get your clickers ready 

21. What is your gender? 1. Female 2. Male 10 Countdown

22. What type of institution do you work at? 1. Community College 2. Technical College 3. University 4. Other 10 Countdown

23. Which of the following languages do you like best? 1. Cobol 2. Visual Basic 3. C# 4. Java 10 Countdown

24. Logic Survey • Fall 2011 semester • CIS-156 Computer Logic classes • 2 sections • 34 Participants

25. Survey Results

26. Survey Results

27. Survey Results

28. Survey Results

29. Survey Results

30. Survey Results

31. Survey Results

32. Survey Results 2. Did the Alice software keep you engaged in the task

33. Survey Results

34. Survey Results

35. Survey Results

36. Conclusions • Young males with computer access 10+ years • No/some knowledge TO average/above average knowledge • Students enjoyed with scale 1 to 5: • Turning Technologies (4.62) • Visual Logic (3.91) • Alice (3.88)

37. Conclusions • Students were engaged with scale 1 to 5: • Turning Technologies (4.56) • Visual Logic (4.06) • Alice (3.91) • Helped students understand with scale 1 to 5: • Turning Technologies (4.65) • Visual Logic (4.12) • Alice (3.91)

38. Conclusions • More beneficial to understanding logic: Visual Logic Alice • Enjoyed using the most: • Alice • Visual Logic • Turning Technologies

39. Why Men Are Like Computers • In order to get their attention, you have to turn them on. • They are supposed to help you solve problems, but half the time they are the problem. • They have a lot of data but are still clueless. • As soon as you commit to one, you realize that, if you had waited a little longer you could have had a better model. • They hear what you say, but not what you mean.

40. Why Women Are Like Computers • No one but the Creator understands their internal logic. • The native language they use to communicate with other computers is incomprehensible to everyone else. • Even your smallest mistakes are stored in long-term memory for later retrieval. • As soon as you make a commitment to one, you find yourself spending half your paycheck on accessories for it. • You do the same thing for years, and suddenly it's wrong.

41. Any Questions? If then Output question Else Output “Have a great day!” End if