Computational Thinking for Information Technology

HOME | OBJECTIVES | WELCOME | TASK 1 | TASK 2 | TASK 3 | HELP STUDENT SCENARIO:web developers group In this scenario, you will work in project teams to identify outdated websites and recommend, develop and present updates to the site(s). Tina Richardson will be your Creative Director and virtual supervisor for the lesson. Your instructor will be the project manager.

HOME | OBJECTIVES | WELCOME | TASK 1 | TASK 2 | TASK 3 | HELP Objectives This course will enable you to develop logical thinking skills, including: • Asking probing questions to uncover details of a problem • Clearly defining a problem • Defining clear success criteria for the project including measurable objectives • Evaluating the effects of design options • Making design decisions based on rational criteria • Seeing “the big picture”

HOME | OBJECTIVES | WELCOME | TASK 1 | TASK 2 | TASK 3 | HELP Objectives (cont.) This course will enable you to develop logical thinking skills, including: • Deconstructing the problem into its component parts • Identifying the steps required to solve a problem • Identifying the sequence of steps including possible decisions and alternatives • Measuring and adapting the solution to optimize resource utilization • Measuring and evaluating solutions against the success criteria

HOME | OBJECTIVES | WELCOME | TASK 1 | TASK 2 | TASK 3 | HELP Welcome We have accepted your application to participate in this exclusive opportunity. We feel that your web development experience will add value to the group. This first page of the site is for orientation. We want you to know why the Student Web Developers Group (SWDG) was created and how the group finds clients and works to complete tasks.

HOME | OBJECTIVES | WELCOME | TASK 1 | TASK 2 | TASK 3 | HELP Business Objective We are a college student group that scours the internet for outdated websites. We offer our web development expertise for short 1 to 2 month projects intended only to update an existing site at a very affordable rate. We complete projects year round. However, the majority of the work is completed over the summer break. Our clients work with us remotely. We offer our services and receive payment only when work is agreed to be satisfactory.

HOME | OBJECTIVES | WELCOME | TASK 1 | TASK 2 | TASK 3 | HELP Business Objective (cont.) We know that the majority of a web site's effort is in the maintenance of the site. We are just giving companies who have let their sites become outdated a chance to get back to being functional and maintainable!

HOME | OBJECTIVES | WELCOME | TASK 1 | TASK 2 | TASK 3 | HELP • Step 3 (cont.) • Define specific Problems. Compelling reasoning behind allowing you to update their site (affordable, timely, college student support, satisfaction guaranteed) • Detailed expectations (including: recreating the same site with the same content; NOTHING more)

HOME | OBJECTIVES | WELCOME | TASK 1 | TASK 2 | TASK 3 | HELP • Debrief • Reflect on what we've learned from this task by discussing the following questions with your colleagues and project manager: • Group Discussion (The group recorder needs to document the discussion and results of the following group discussion): • This was your first task as a team. Discuss as a group what you learned about your group dynamic and what changes might need to take place before the next task.

HOME | OBJECTIVES | WELCOME | TASK 1 | TASK 2 | TASK 3 | HELP • Debrief (cont.) • Is your group lacking in some skills and too abundant in others? Make sure you consider this when assigning items that require the skills that lack. Maybe you will want to pair up on some items or work as a complete group? • Document the findings and results of this discussion.

HOME | OBJECTIVES | WELCOME | TASK 1 | TASK 2 | TASK 3 | HELP • Step 1 • Determine how the income will be divided. Explain reasonable time-to-pay ratios. Devise a work time logging method • Step 2 • Download the site and site images and objects. Document and report the original state of the site and the downloaded state of the site.

HOME | OBJECTIVES | WELCOME | TASK 1 | TASK 2 | TASK 3 | HELP • Deliverables • Time-to-pay ratio for the group and/or per person and time logging method. • Formatted document with screenshots of the original state of the site and the downloaded state. Explanations of differences, assumptions and other pertinent information. • Site files Zipped and submitted

HOME | OBJECTIVES | WELCOME | TASK 1 | TASK 2 | TASK 3 | HELP • Debrief • Reflect on what we've learned from this task by discussing the following questions with your colleagues and project manager: • What worked well within your team regarding project management and efficiency? • How did your team divide up responsibilities? • How did your team communicate and share files?

HOME | OBJECTIVES | WELCOME | TASK 1 | TASK 2 | TASK 3 | HELP • Debrief (cont.) • How did the process of downloading the website and related files go? What did you learn during the process? • Was the original site code that you worked with documented with comments? If not, do you wish it had? • Was the original site code well indented with good use of white space?

HOME | OBJECTIVES | WELCOME | TASK 1 | TASK 2 | TASK 3 | HELP • Debrief • Reflect on what we've learned from this task by discussing the following questions with your colleagues and project manager: • What elements of the other teams' solutions did you particularly admire? Why? • Have you learned more by having had your classmates share their experiences with you?

Computational Thinking for Information Technology