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Using a Variety of Technologies to Teach Compute Hardware

Using a Variety of Technologies to Teach Compute Hardware. Background Approach Quizzes Web quests Basic programming Raspberry Pi Results Conclusions. Background. Difficult to teach computer students about future hardware Hardware constantly changing

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Using a Variety of Technologies to Teach Compute Hardware

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  1. Using a Variety of Technologies to Teach Compute Hardware • Background • Approach • Quizzes • Web quests • Basic programming • Raspberry Pi • Results • Conclusions

  2. Background • Difficult to teach computer students about future hardware • Hardware constantly changing • important to understand hardware and learn to learn • Skills required • Work with limited information • Solve problems • Map new information to current knowledge • Computer hardware is a black box • Need to demystify • Build up student’s confidence • Make enjoyable • Show its useful

  3. Background • Modules seem standalone • Need to provide show links • Promote cross-module learning • Feedback problems • Writing skills important • Difficult to provide timely feedback for written texts • Students • IT students (not computer science students) • No prior knowledge assumed • Module • Introduction to Computer Hardware • First year, semester 1 • 12 week semester, labs each week

  4. Background • Module • Concepts: • computer hardware concepts • basic hardware installation • different types and designs of computer hardware • computer hardware deployment and management • Learning outcomes include: • ability to compare computer hardware types and designs • demonstrate basic computer hardware installation skills • interpret computer hardware specifications.

  5. Strategies • Quizzes • Weekly online quiz • Motivation • Check knowledge and learning • Provide timely feedback to students • Student retention • Encourages participation • Get to know lab partner • Format • Multiple-choice questions (MCQs) • Open-book, closed-book, web quests • Difficult to design good distracters

  6. Strategies • Web Quests • Explore and evaluate data from the internet • Components • Introduction • Task description • Description of steps • Pointers to resources (optional) • Motivation • Not feasible nor desirable to provide all information • Need to learn to learn for life • Expose students to wealth of information available

  7. Strategies • Basic programming (Scratch) • No programming module in semester 1 • Javascript: first year, semester 2 • Java: second year (semesters 1 and 2) • Students have to write Scratch program • Motivation • Introduce some programming element • Link to other modules • Learn to learn, minimal guidance provided

  8. Strategies • Raspberry Pi • Low-cost, credit card size computer • No guidance provided – asked to get Raspberry Pi up and running • Install Apache server • Sonic Pi • programming environment to make music • Students had to write tune and review other’s tune • Some guidance provided (due to time constraints)

  9. Results • Labs completed successfully • Difficult to compare with other years • Student anonymous questionnaire • Labs clear and good for learning • Liked working in pairs • Had sufficient time • Link between lecture and lab clear • Disconnect reported by some students

  10. Results • Quizzes • Immediate feedback • Improved attendance/participation • Results spread was normal • => questions not too easy, not too hard • Useful for lecturer • See results in real-time • Problem questions easy to identify

  11. Results • Web Quests • Digital natives, but not necessarily competent or savvy • Able to find info • Understood challenges of web quests • Basic programming • Able to use Scratch without problems • Not exactly like programming but • Used loops and variables • Wrote more complex programmes - good

  12. Results • Raspberry Pi • Able to use without problems • Students enjoyed using Raspberry Pi • Especially Sonic Pi • Some Flow experiences • Lab technicians perspective • 5 lab technicians • Labs worked well • No problems with quizzes, web quests • Raspberry Pi usage beneficial and successful

  13. Discussion • Replacing lab reports with multiple choice quiz worked • Key is setting good questions with good distracters • Difficult for students to think • …. and not just regurgitate information • Need to understand subtle differences • Raspberry Pi computers • Good to learn new hardware • Build up students’ confidence

  14. Conclusions • Difficult to each computer hardware ab initio • Need to foster learning skills • Cannot learn all information on the course • Need to learn how to learn • Combination of strategies worked • Quizzes, web quests, Scratch, Raspberry Pi • Added bonus • Students enjoyed the course … good for learning

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