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Demonstrating and Assessing a Modular Courseware Format: A Case Study in VB.NET Programming Course

This article presents a demonstration and assessment of a modular courseware format using a VB.NET programming course as an example. It discusses the advantages, disadvantages, and efficacy of this format, as well as further work to improve and expand the modules. Relevant topics covered include introduction to programming, network applications, web development, image and audio/video processing, TCP/IP networking, wireless networking, VoIP, and more. The modular courseware format offers cost-saving benefits for students and provides easily modifiable and extensible content. However, it requires extensive grading and lacks integrative exercises. Future work includes capturing live presentations, pre-recording presentations, implementing other programming languages, and incorporating solutions and answers through a database-driven system.

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Demonstrating and Assessing a Modular Courseware Format: A Case Study in VB.NET Programming Course

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  1. Larry Press lpress@csudh.edu http://bpastudio.csudh.edu/fac/lpress Demonstration and assessment of a modular courseware format using a VB.NET programming course as an example

  2. Presentation outline • The modular courseware format • The programming course • Demonstration • Assessment of efficacy • Advantages and disadvantages • Further work

  3. Modules for these topics • Introduction to programming • Network applications • Introduction to Web development • Image processing • Audio and video processing • TCP/IP networking technology • Wireless networking • VoIP • Connectivity • History • Encoding data Press, L., "Information Processing at Tomorrow's University," Communications of the ACM, Vol. 37, No. 7, pp 13-17, July, 1994.

  4. Modules consist of • A focused topic note with terms with optional demonstration programs • Assignments • Review questions

  5. Programming course user interface 92 focused modules and 416 index entries

  6. Presentation outline • The modular courseware format • The programming course • Demonstration • Assessment of efficacy • Advantages and disadvantages • Further work

  7. Context: the course • First course in programming • Business IS, High School CS, etc. • Use VB.NET, but could be any language • Stress terminology and concepts • Conventional topics

  8. Topic areas • Programming languages and terminology • The VS.NET development system • User interface creation and widgets • Event handlers -- sequential execution and assignment statements • Interactive programs • Numeric, string and Boolean data • Continued …

  9. Topic areas, continued • Expressions • Variables and scope • Type conversion and checking • Algorithms • Functions • Conditional execution if, case and loops • Sequential files • Arrays

  10. Using the modules in class • Lecture/demonstration using topic note • One or more assignments with due dates • Food for thought questions on their own • Responsible for key terms

  11. Presentation outline • The modular courseware format • The programming course • Demonstration • Assessment of efficacy • Advantages and disadvantages • Further work

  12. Context: six dimensions • Isolated instructional modules vs. an integrated course • Self-study vs. instructor mediated • Face-face vs. distant education • Joint, open authorship vs. editorial control • Repurposed textbook vs. interactive/executable material • Degree of correlation between classroom and courseware

  13. Presentation outline • The modular courseware format • The programming course • Demonstration • Assessment of efficacy • Advantages and disadvantages • Further work

  14. Section Term Day Evening Textbook 17 24 Modules 18 23 Number of students Assessment: four sections

  15. Term Mean StDev. Textbook 77.6 12.7 Modules 78.9 11.0 Combined 78.2 11.7 Final exam scores Assessment: outcomes

  16. Assessment: mean scores

  17. Assessment: standard deviations

  18. Presentation outline • The modular courseware format • The programming course • Demonstration • Assessment of efficacy • Advantages and disadvantages • Further work

  19. Advantages • Save cost for students • Executable content • Easily modified and extended • Close correlation between classroom and course material

  20. <soapbox>

  21. CalPIRG: Textbook spending 2003-4 GAO: Textbook prices rose 186% between 1986 and 2004.

  22. Textbook cost distribution

  23. Textbook cost per dollar

  24. </soapbox>

  25. Disadvantages • Lot of grading and bookkeeping • No integrative exercises

  26. Presentation outline • The modular courseware format • The programming course • Demonstration • Assessment of efficacy • Advantages and disadvantages • Further work

  27. Further work • Capture live presentations • Pre-record presentations • Other languages • Solutions and answers – wiki/threaded discussion • Database-driven implementation

  28. Modules for these topics • Introduction to programming • Network applications • Introduction to Web development • Image processing • Audio and video processing • TCP/IP networking technology • Wireless networking • VoIP • Connectivity • History • Encoding data Press, L., "Information Processing at Tomorrow's University," Communications of the ACM, Vol. 37, No. 7, pp 13-17, July, 1994.

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