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Program Visualization Using Virtual Worlds

Learn how the powerful animation programming environment of Alice can introduce object-oriented programming to beginning programmers, improving retention and attitudes towards computing.

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Program Visualization Using Virtual Worlds

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  1. Program Visualization Using Virtual Worlds CCLI NSF-0339734

  2. Research team Stephen Cooper, Saint Joseph’s University Wanda Dann, Ithaca College Barbara Moskal, Colorado School of Mines Randy Pausch, Carnegie Mellon University

  3. The Project • Using program visualization in a powerful, high-level animation programming environment as a methodology for introducing object-oriented programming to beginning programmers.

  4. Project goals • Decrease attrition and improve performance among at-risk computing majors • Improve attitudes towards computing • Attract students to minor/major in computing and technology related majors.

  5. Outcomes from pilot study • Drastic improvement in retention of at-risk computing majors • Retention to CS2: 47% to 88% • Improved performance in CS1 • GPA in CS1: 1.94 to 3.03

  6. Alice

  7. Alice features • Uses 3D graphics to engage students • Has a “smart” drag-and-drop editor that prevents syntax errors • Appeals to wide audience • Storytelling • (young women, minority students) • Interactive computer games • (young men)

  8. Alice features • Is a program visualization tool • The program state is visible to the student • State changes are animated • Has a java syntax mode to ease the transition to C++/Java • Makes visible and tangible the notion of an object

  9. Alice use • Current use by more than 60 colleges (2-year and 4-year) • Over 90 faculty representing nearly 60 colleges attended one of our summer 2005 workshops • Current use by approximately 50 high schools

  10. How Alice is being used • In pre-CS1 • course for majors and students considering a CS major • As conceptual introduction in CS1 • Introduction to programming course • non-majors • attract students to become CS majors • Computer literacy • problem-solving component • Pre-AP in high schools

  11. Animation tool and materials • Alice, freely available at: http://www.alice.org • Textbook available from Prentice Hall: http://vig.prenhall.com:8081/catalog/academic/product/0,1144,0131424203,00.html • Curricular materials available at: http://www.aliceprogramming.net

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