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Getting Algorithm Visualizations into the Classroom

Getting Algorithm Visualizations into the Classroom. Clifford A. Shaffer Monika Akbar Alexander Joel D. Alon Michael Stewart Stephen H. Edwards Department of Computer Science Virginia Tech Blacksburg, VA 24061. AVs. AVs have high faculty and student favorability ratings.

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Getting Algorithm Visualizations into the Classroom

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  1. Getting Algorithm Visualizationsinto the Classroom Clifford A. Shaffer Monika Akbar Alexander Joel D. Alon Michael Stewart Stephen H. Edwards Department of Computer Science Virginia Tech Blacksburg, VA 24061

  2. AVs • AVs have high faculty and student favorability ratings

  3. AVs: The Problem • AVs have high faculty and student favorability ratings • But AV use in courses does not match the favorability ratings

  4. Informal Survey Results • Warning: Self-selected responders

  5. Informal Survey Results • Warning: Self-selected responders • Are AVs useful? • Strongly Agree: 12 • Agree: 17 • Neutral: 1

  6. Informal Survey Results • Warning: Self-selected responders • Are AVs useful? • Strongly Agree: 12 • Agree: 17 • Neutral: 1 • A (bare) majority indicated that they used some sort of visualization with class

  7. Survey: Impediments to Use • Lack of knowledge/time to find good AVs: 13

  8. Survey: Impediments to Use • Lack of knowledge/time to find good AVs: 13 • Time to make good AVs: 2 • Difficulty integrating in class: 9 • Lack of time within class constraints: 2 • Uncertainty about quality outcomes: 1 • Content not relevant to my classes: 1

  9. Overcoming Impediments • Reassurance about what AVs are good • Ideas on how to use AVs • Reassurance about how a given AV can be used successfully in class • Ability to connect to developers

  10. Community Solutions • http://algoviz.org/ • Build a community of users/developers • Better disseminate best practice information • Project Support • NSF CCLI grant • NSF NSDL grant • Connections to NSDL/Ensemble project

  11. AlgoViz.org

  12. AlgoViz.org • A collection of links to over 500AVs • With rating and review information

  13. AlgoViz.org • A collection of links to over 500AVs • With rating and review information • Annotated bibliography: over 500 papers

  14. AlgoViz.org • A collection of links to over 500AVs • With rating and review information • Annotated bibliography: over 500 papers • Field reports, forums: Community input

  15. AlgoViz.org • A collection of links to over 500AVs • With rating and review information • Annotated bibliography: over 500 papers • Field reports, forums: Community input • AlgoViz news and information

  16. AlgoViz.org • A collection of links to over 500AVs • With rating and review information • Annotated bibliography: over 500 papers • Field reports, forums: Community input • AlgoViz news and information • Guides and information for developers

  17. AlgoViz.org • A collection of links to over 500AVs • With rating and review information • Annotated bibliography: over 500 papers • Field reports, forums: Community input • AlgoViz news and information • Guides and information for developers • OpenAlgoViz

  18. Phase I: The Passive Side • What problem do we solve here? • AlgoViz addresses instructor’s reported need for information

  19. Phase I: The Passive Side • What problem do we solve here? • AlgoViz addresses instructor’s reported need for information • Nearly done!

  20. AlgoViz Usage Statistics

  21. Phase II: The Active Side • Key problem: How to help instructors through the impediments to using AVs • We identified community as a solution • How do we build an online educational community?

  22. New Paradigm for Digital Library

  23. New Paradigm for Digital Library • Create a new model of “dissemination” to lower barriers to access • Move away from the “digital library” model of users coming to collections

  24. New Paradigm for Digital Library • Create a new model of “dissemination” to lower barriers to access • Move away from the “digital library” model of users coming to collections • Focus on “community-driven” content development • Discussion, review, ratings • Think Amazon, but we have critical mass issues

  25. Community Value Added • Catalog entry ratings • Catalog entry reviews • Field reports • Forum discussions • Interactions with developers

  26. Community Building: AlgoViz Awards • Exemplars of good AVs

  27. Community Building: AlgoViz Awards • Exemplars of good AVs • Solicited votes from the public on a slate of nominees • 2010: Six winners • Hall of Fame: 6+1 • Sorting out Sorting

  28. Community Building: AlgoViz Awards • Exemplars of good AVs • Solicited votes from the public on a slate of nominees • 2010: Six winners • Hall of Fame: 6+1 • Sorting out Sorting • 2011: Two winners • Come to NSF showcase tomorrow • 3:00pm Friday

  29. Notification • Connect to community by informing members of site changes • News posts, • New AVs, bibliography, field reports, forum posts

  30. Notification • Connect to community by informing members of site changes • News posts, • New AVs, bibliography, field reports, forum posts • Email, FaceBook, Twitter, RSS feeds

  31. Notification • Connect to community by informing members of site changes • News posts, • New AVs, bibliography, field reports, forum posts • Email, FaceBook, Twitter, RSS feeds • Fine grained • User control of information stream • User profiles

  32. Registration and Access (1) • Site registration requirements deter users from participating • Link spammers and other malicious entities can overwhelm a site

  33. Registration and Access (1) • Site registration requirements deter users from participating • Link spammers and other malicious entities can overwhelm a site • So we need a balance • Minimum registration requirements possible

  34. Registration and Access (1) • Site registration requirements deter users from participating • Link spammers and other malicious entities can overwhelm a site • So we need a balance • Minimum registration requirements possible • Goals: • Link together a given user’s site activities • Be able to block a user

  35. Registration and Access (2) • Solutions:

  36. Registration and Access (2) • Solutions: • Allow unrestricted access to view

  37. Registration and Access (2) • Solutions: • Allow unrestricted access to view • Minimize registration burden

  38. Registration and Access (2) • Solutions: • Allow unrestricted access to view • Minimize registration burden • FaceBook connect, etc.

  39. Registration and Access (2) • Solutions: • Allow unrestricted access to view • Minimize registration burden • FaceBook connect, etc. • Initially moderate, then declare user to be “trusted”

  40. Lessons Learned

  41. Lessons Learned • Building site infrastructure and collection is relatively easy • Developers are motivated to provide information

  42. Lessons Learned • Building site infrastructure and collection is relatively easy • Developers are motivated to provide information • Building community infrastructure is relatively easy

  43. Lessons Learned • Building site infrastructure and collection is relatively easy • Developers are motivated to provide information • Building community infrastructure is relatively easy • Building community is hard

  44. You can help! • We need field reports! • Can be quite informal, just post a couple paragraphs on your classroom experience with using an AV • Ratings/reviews of Avs • Discussion (forums) • Thank you!

  45. You can help!

  46. You can help! • We need field reports! • Can be quite informal, just post a couple paragraphs on your classroom experience with using an AV

  47. You can help! • We need field reports! • Can be quite informal, just post a couple paragraphs on your classroom experience with using an AV • Ratings/reviews of Avs • Discussion (forums)

  48. You can help! • We need field reports! • Can be quite informal, just post a couple paragraphs on your classroom experience with using an AV • Ratings/reviews of Avs • Discussion (forums) • Thank you!

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