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A Comprehensive Capstone Project In Computer Science I: Getting The (Instant) Message. April 13, 2007 Dr. Tim DeClue Department of Computer and Information Sciences College of Business and Computer Science Southwest Baptist University. Preview. Background The CS1 Problem The Project
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A Comprehensive Capstone Project In Computer Science I: Getting The (Instant) Message April 13, 2007 Dr. Tim DeClue Department of Computer and Information Sciences College of Business and Computer Science Southwest Baptist University
Preview • Background • The CS1 Problem • The Project • Summary CCSC-Central Plains Region
Fahrenheit to Celsius? Code w/o Design Lone Coders? Bring it On! BACKGROUND: My Computer Science I Class, Fall 2006
Background • SBU • COBACS • CIS Department • 60-70 majors • CS & CIS • 4+ faculty • Course Organization • Lecture/Lab • Size • Textbook and labs • Netbeans IDE CCSC-Central Plains Region
The Problem • Students do not see a real world connection to their software • Lack of relevance • Students do not see need for design • I can do this in my head • Students do not want to work together – esp. on busy work • What do I need him/her for? • Enjoyment, success and gender neutrality • Why should I major in this if I don’t enjoy it? • Everyone else looks like they are getting it. I’ll just be quiet and drop after class… (move on syndrome) • Students are not reflecting or generalizing • Compartmentalization • “What do you mean this is a typecast error? It can’t be. We finished that program a long time ago…” CCSC-Central Plains Region
The Solution • Software should mirror a “real-world” application • Instant messaging is relevant • Make it big enough so design must be necessary, not just additional • Multiple phases with pair trading • Abstraction to deal with complexity • Make it big so it requires teamwork to complete • Complexity and size • Use pair programming & pair trading (project memory) • Creates a need read and critique code written by others • Must be achievable, enjoyable & gender friendly • Retention of majors • Emphasize communication (gender neutrality) • Must synthesize prior learning • Generalization • Capstone to maximize reflection Phase 1 Team 1 Team 2 Team 3 CCSC-Central Plains Region
The Solution • Software should mirror a “real-world” application • Instant messaging is relevant • Make it big enough so design must be necessary, not just additional • Multiple phases with pair trading • Abstraction to deal with complexity • Make it big so it requires teamwork to complete • Complexity and size • Use pair programming & pair trading (project memory) • Creates a need read and critique code written by others • Must be achievable, enjoyable & gender friendly • Retention of majors • Emphasize communication (gender neutrality) • Must synthesize prior learning • Generalization • Capstone to maximize reflection Phase 2 Team 1 Team 2 Team 3 CCSC-Central Plains Region
The Solution • Software should mirror a “real-world” application • Instant messaging is relevant • Make it big enough so design must be necessary, not just additional • Multiple phases with pair trading • Abstraction to deal with complexity • Make it big so it requires teamwork to complete • Complexity and size • Use pair programming & pair trading (project memory) • Creates a need read and critique code written by others • Must be achievable, enjoyable & gender friendly • Retention of majors • Emphasize communication (gender neutrality) • Must synthesize prior learning • Generalization • Capstone to maximize reflection Phase 3 Team 1 Team 2 Team 3 CCSC-Central Plains Region
Course Design Weeks 1-8 Fundamental Programming Weeks 9-16 Synthesis & Reflection Conditionals & Loops Data & Expressions Intro to OOD & GUI Using Classes & Objects Writing Classes & UML Control Flow CCSC-Central Plains Region
Course Design Weeks 1-8 Fundamental Programming Weeks 9-16 Synthesis & Reflection Conditionals & Loops Data & Expressions Intro to OOD & GUI Prep & POC Phase II Phase I Phase III Debrief Using Classes & Objects Writing Classes & UML Collections Arrays Exception Handling Recursion Inheritance, Polymorphism & Sorting Control Flow CCSC-Central Plains Region
Phase III PhaseII Phase I A buddy list Arrays Sorting & Searching Interfaces File I/O POC Looping Exceptions Pair-Programming GUI Front End GUI Components Testing Two Weeks Two Weeks Two Weeks The Project CCSC-Central Plains Region
The Proof of Concept (POC) Student 123456 Student 121212 Read Read Write Write message.txt message.txt Two students reading and writing text messages. WRITEs are done with a local text file in a WWW accessible folder READs are done by treating the file in another student’s WWW folder as a URL
MessageFormatter + MessageFormatter () //Creates a default message formatter + MessageFormatter (lineLength: int) : void //Will break a string into lines of lineLength + showMessage (message: String) //Displays message with lines of lineLength uses MessageSystem MessageStream - buddy : String + main(String [] args):void //Manage the user interface uses + MessageStream (buddy : String) //Creates a message stream with a buddy + send (message: String) : void //Sends a message by writing to message.txt + read (): String //Returns a read message as a String Phase 1 UML
MessageFormatter MessageSystem + MessageFormatter () //Creates a default message formatter + MessageFormatter (lineLength: int) : void //Will break a string into lines of lineLength + showMessage (message: String) //Displays message with lines of lineLength + main(String [] args):void //Manage the user interface uses uses MessageStream BuddyList - buddy : String • buddyList [] : MessageStream • + BuddyList() • //Creates an empty buddy list • + save () : void • //Writes buddylist info to a file • + showMessage (message: String) • //Displays message with lines of lineLength + MessageStream (buddy : String) //Creates a message stream with a buddy + send (message: String) : void //Sends a message by writing to message.txt + read (): String //Returns a read message as a String uses Phase 2 UML
SBUIMS 123456 Says: Hey, what’s up? Not much…how ‘bout you? 123456 Says: I’m hungry…how bout lunch? OK! Sounds good to me! 232323 Says: Did Dr. DeClue post the assignment yet? Yes…I think so Yes…I think so Buddies Current buddy Send Add Buddy 123456 232323 454566 232323 Phase 3: GUI Front End Design
Summary & Reflection • Survey supported purpose • Students had to rely on design to address complexity • Students had to rely on pair programmers (even if their partner wasn’t as proficient) • They were proud of their product • Retention • Only one student dropped the course, two pre-engineering majors and one Math major switched (or declared dble-mjr) in CS/CIS • Design needs to be improved if used again CCSC-Central Plains Region
Questions CCSC-Central Plains Region