Intro Programming at UW

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Intro Programming at UW

• Richard Anderson
• Department of Computer Science and Engineering
• University of Washington

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Topics

• Language change in CSE 142/143
• UW Course export
• Tutored Video Instruction
• Lecture export

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CSE 142/143

• Large courses
• UW 142 - 1900 students per year
• UW 143 - 850 students per year
• Fixed and stable course materials
• Currently taught using C/C
• Language change to Java, Summer 2001

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Course Components

• Lectures 3 hrs per week,
• PowerPoint transparencies
• Quiz section with TA
• 142 1hr per week,
• 143 2 hrs per week
• Programming Assignments
• 4-6 per quarter
• Exams
• 1 or 2 midterms
• Final

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Java

• Why change languages?
• Java is a better language for teaching the
  concepts of programming
• Instruction in Java is common1, will become the
  language for AP computer science test
• Knowledge of Java is important for students
  educated in Computer Science

• According to one authority, Java 35 and
  increasing,
• C/C 50 and decreasing, other 15 and steady.

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Conversion process

• Offer CSE 142 in Java starting Summer 2001
• CSE 143 in Java starting Fall 2001
• Internal and external transition issues will
  require a lot of attention
• CC Language shift? When???????
• Articulation issues

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Statewide UW-CC meeting?

• Tentative late fall, early winter?
• Is there interest????
• Day long meeting at UW.
• Topics
• Language conversion
• Articulation
• Course export
• Other ????

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Statewide Intro Programming Issues

• Uniformity
• Difficulty of recruiting instructors/offering
  courses
• Transferability
• Course credits
• Preparation for follow on courses

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Tutored Video Instruction

• Pioneered by Jack Gibbons (Stanford) in the 70s
• Group viewing of archived course materials with a
  tutor

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UW TVI

• Autumn 1998
• CSE 143 NSCC
• Winter 1999
• CSE 142 Highline and NSCC
• Winter 2000
• CSE 142 Green River, Shoreline, Centralia
• Spring 2000
• CSE 142 Centralia, Green River, Highline and
  Central Washington
• CSE 143 Shoreline, NSCC, Green River

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Motives and Project Goals

• IT work force issues
• Understand use of Technology in Education
• Export of UW CSE Curriculum
• Leadership in Educational Technology
• Develop exportable class materials
• Evaluate Tutored Video as a means of instruction
• Develop scalable evaluation mechanisms

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TVI Course Implementation

• Lecture material recorded Winter 2000
• Download from http//www.cs.washington.edu/educati
  on/TVI/
• UW Homework and exams used
• Grading done at UW
• Grades officially assigned by CC instructors, CC
  credit granted (transferable to UW).

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Evaluation

• Surveys and class visits
• Direct email feedback from students (anonymous
  and named)
• Some sections successful, others not
• More information anderson_at_cs.washington.edu

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Lessons learned

• Course materials
• Positive response to lecturers
• Difficulty with material not captured in lectures
• Centralized administration did not work
• Logistics
• Student concerns
• Separation of students from local instructor

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Future of TVI at UW

• Studio produce made for TVI lectures
• CSE 142 (Sept 2000)
• CSE 143 (Fall 2000)
• CSE 100 (2001)
• Change in administrative model
• Course export
• Lectures, supporting materials, hw, exams
• Evaluation done by local instructor

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Studio Audience Wanted!

• C version of CSE 142
• Studio lectures will need a small audience
• Lectures will be recorded in September
• Tentatively, Sept 13-23
• Schedule TBD
• Est. 20 hours of lecture
• Other courses will be filmed later in the year.
• Send mail to tvi-info_at_cs.washington.edu