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Susan Horwitz University of Wisconsin-Madison

Using Peer-Led Team Learning to Increase Participation of Under-Represented Groups in Introductory Computer Science. Susan Horwitz University of Wisconsin-Madison. WHAT IS PLTL?. Active, cooperative learning in small groups: Students helping, learning from, other students

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Susan Horwitz University of Wisconsin-Madison

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  1. Using Peer-Led Team Learning to Increase Participation of Under-Represented Groups in IntroductoryComputer Science Susan Horwitz University of Wisconsin-Madison

  2. WHAT IS PLTL? • Active, cooperative learning in small groups: Students helping, learning from, other students • Groups led by undergraduate “peer” • Usually an add-on to regular class • Started by chemistry: www.pltl.org • Beneficial to both students and leaders

  3. LECTURE PLTL Why PLTL?Cone of Learning (Edgar Dale)

  4. Why PLTL: Learning Styles • Different people learn differently • Various ways to categorize learning styles

  5. Why PLTL: Learning Styles • Different people learn differently • Various ways to categorize learning styles • Visual

  6. Why PLTL: Learning Styles • Different people learn differently • Various ways to categorize learning styles • Visual • Auditory

  7. Why PLTL: Learning Styles • Different people learn differently • Various ways to categorize learning styles • Visual • Auditory • Kinesthetic/Tactile

  8. Why PLTL: Learning Styles • Different people learn differently • Various ways to categorize learning styles • Visual • Auditory • Kinesthetic/Tactile • Read/Write

  9. Why PLTL: Learning Styles • Different people learn differently • Various ways to categorize learning styles • Visual • Auditory • Kinesthetic/Tactile • Read/Write Most successful academics are read/write learners; most students are not!

  10. Why PLTL: Learning Styles • Different people learn differently • Various ways to categorize learning styles • Visual • Auditory • Kinesthetic/Tactile • Read/Write • “Don’t teach me all the time in your preferred style and think I’m not capable of learning” Virleen Carlson, Center for Teaching and Learning Cornell University

  11. A Typical CS PLTL Session • Play Games: • Guess partner’s secret word using String methods (substring, charAt, etc) • Simulate Code: • Act out lines of code, method calls… • Solve Logic Puzzles: • Sudoku, KenKen, chess mysteries… • Write Code • Pair Programming!

  12. Other Activities • Exam review sessions • Dinners with guest speakers • “Field trips” to local companies Goal: let students know a CS job doesn’t mean “sitting alone in front of a computer all day”

  13. Hand out exercise 1 materials Meet your neighbor EXAMPLE EXERCISE

  14. EXAMPLE EXERCISE moveToFront( int pos ) Move the letter in position pos to the beginning of the word (i.e., to position zero) moveToEnd( int pos ) Move the letter in position pos to the end of the word. swap( int pos1, int pos2 ) Swap the letter in position pos1 with the letter in position pos2. reverse( int start, Reverse the order of the letters in int finish ) positions start to finish.

  15. EXAMPLE EXERCISE moveToFront( int pos ) Move the letter in position pos to the beginning of the word (i.e., to position zero) moveToEnd( int pos ) Move the letter in position pos to the end of the word. swap( int pos1, int pos2 ) Swap the letter in position pos1 with the letter in position pos2. reverse( int start, Reverse the order of the letters in int finish ) positions start to finish. Original word Java code word after the code executes? HIPSH word.moveToFront(2) ZOOLOGY word.moveToEnd(0) PICKLES word.swap(0,6) AVOCADO word.reverse(4,6)

  16. EXAMPLE EXERCISE moveToFront( int pos ) Move the letter in position pos to the beginning of the word (i.e., to position zero) moveToEnd( int pos ) Move the letter in position pos to the end of the word. swap( int pos1, int pos2 ) Swap the letter in position pos1 with the letter in position pos2. reverse( int start, Reverse the order of the letters in int finish ) positions start to finish. Original word Java code word after the code executes? HIPSH word.moveToFront(2) PHISH ZOOLOGY word.moveToEnd(0) OOLOGYZ PICKLES word.swap(0,6) SICKLEP AVOCADO word.reverse(4,6) AVOCODA

  17. EXAMPLE EXERCISE • Start with the string “DEBIT-CARD”

  18. EXAMPLE EXERCISE Start with the string “DEBIT-CARD” Execute the following code: word.moveToFront(7) word.moveToEnd(5) word.swap(2,5) word.reverse(3,6) word.swap(7,4) word.moveToEnd(5) word.swap(8,9) word.moveToFront(5)

  19. EXAMPLE EXERCISE • Start with the string “DEBIT-CARD” • Execute the following code: word.moveToFront(7) ADEBIT-CRD word.moveToEnd(5) ADEBI-CRDT word.swap(2,5) AD-BIECRDT word.reverse(3,6) AD-CEIBRDT word.swap(7,4) AD-CRIBEDT word.moveToEnd(5) AD-CRBEDTI word.swap(8,9) AD-CRBEDIT word.moveToFront(5) BAD-CREDIT

  20. EXERCISE GOALS?

  21. EXERCISE GOALS Practice with method calls Parameters Enforce the value of careful code tracing Enforce counting from zero

  22. LEARNING STYLES?

  23. LEARNING STYLES Kinesthetic: Acting out method effects Auditory (maybe): talking aloud

  24. EXAMPLE EXERCISE int length( ): return the number of characters in this string char charAt(int index): return the character at the given index in this string (counting from zero); error if index is out of bounds String substring(int beginIndex, int pastEnd): return the sequence of characters in this string that starts at position beginIndex and ends at position pastEnd-1; error if beginIndex or pastEnd is out of bounds int indexOf(char ch): return the position of the first instance of ch in this string or -1 if ch isn’t in this string int compareTo(String anotherString): return a negative number if this string comes before anotherString in lexicographic order; zero if this string is the same as anotherString; or a positive number if this string comes after anotherString in lexicographic order boolean equals(Object anObject): return true iff this string is the same as anObject

  25. EXAMPLE EXERCISE int length( ) char charAt( int index ) String substring( int beginIndex, int pastEnd ) int indexOf( char ch ) int compareTo( String anotherString ) boolean equals( Object anObject ) String s method call value returned by the call? HIPSH s.length( ) ZOOLOGY s.charAt(0) ZOOM s.charAt(4) PICKLES s.substring(0,3) AVOCADO s.indexOf(‘A’) CAT s.compareTo(“DOG”) CAT s.compareTo(“CAT”) CAT s.equals(“KITTEN”)

  26. EXAMPLE EXERCISE int length( ) char charAt( int index ) String substring( int beginIndex, int pastEnd ) int indexOf( char ch ) int compareTo( String anotherString ) boolean equals( Object anObject ) String s method call value returned by the call? HIPSH s.length( ) 5 ZOOLOGY s.charAt(0) ‘Z’ ZOOM s.charAt(4) -- Error! -- PICKLES s.substring(0,3) “PIC” AVOCADO s.indexOf(‘A’)0 CAT s.compareTo(“DOG”) a negative number CAT s.compareTo(“CAT”) 0 CAT s.equals(“KITTEN”) false

  27. EXAMPLE EXERCISE • Handout Exercise 2 sheets • Form groups of 4

  28. EXAMPLE EXERCISE Play the String game! If you finish early, write a palindrome algorithm!

  29. CS PLTL BACKGROUND • Started fall 2004 Uwisc, $$ from Microsoft • 2005-2009: 4-year NSF grant with 7 other schools to implement & evaluate CS PLTL

  30. WHY DO PLTL? Improve retention rates: 93.2% vs 88.0% All schools combined: 2005 - 2007

  31. WHY DO PLTL? Improve grades: 80.2% vs 68.4% got B or better All schools combined: 2005 - 2007

  32. WHY DO PLTL? Improve grades: 83.3% vs 70.1% got B or better EVEN BETTER FOR WOMEN! All schools combined: 2005 - 2007

  33. WHY DO PLTL? • Great for student participants • Great for Peer Leaders • A lot of fun!

  34. Benefits for Student Participants • Learn the material at a deeper level • Learn to work together and use everyone’s strengths to solve problems • Learn to see concepts or situations from differing perspectives • More comfort discussing ideas because of small group size and peer leader

  35. Benefits for Student Participants • Stay engaged via hands-on activities • Easy to form study groups • Have fun learning • A wonderful new set of friends!

  36. Benefits for Peer Leaders • Develop skills: • leadership & communication skills • writing new exercises • learn to explain new concepts in many ways • adapt to different personalities in a positive way • working effectively in a group • Solidify own knowledge via helping others learn

  37. Benefits for Peer Leaders • Try out teaching • Get to know faculty • Prize/fellowship nominations • Research opportunities • Letters of recommendation

  38. RESOURCES: PRENTICE-HALL

  39. WE CAN HELP, TOO! www.pltlcs.org

  40. WE CAN HELP, TOO! www.pltlcs.org course descriptions sample exercises

  41. WE CAN HELP, TOO! www.pltlcs.org how to recruit/train Peer Leaders

  42. WE CAN HELP, TOO! www.pltlcs.org details on each school’s program

  43. WE CAN HELP, TOO! www.pltlcs.org searchable database of exercises

  44. maze

  45. PLTL IN HIGH SCHOOL? • Active recruiting • Peer Leaders • Support

  46. PLTL IN HIGH SCHOOL? • Active recruiting • Contact in-coming students • Presentations in other classes (math) • Peer Leaders • Support

  47. PLTL IN HIGH SCHOOL? • Active recruiting • Contact in-coming students • Presentations in other classes (math) • Peer Leaders • Two-semester sequence? • Support

  48. PLTL IN HIGH SCHOOL? • Active recruiting • Contact in-coming students • Presentations in other classes (math) • Peer Leaders • Two-semester sequence? • Support • Admin • Companies

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