Introductory Programming Active Learning Activities

1. Introductory Programming Active Learning Activities Keith J. Whittington Rochester Institute of Technology kjw@it.rit.edu This material is partially based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Award No. DUE-0442987 2006 Whittington Workshop - DePaul

2. Active Learning Theory • If you get students: • Talking, listening, and writing about the subject • Sharing answers • Teaching each other • Solving problems collectively • It helps them think critically, and • Deepens their knowledge 2006 Whittington Workshop - DePaul

3. My Basic Premises • Active learning is good • Active learning exercises supplement the lecture, not replace it • Speak less, do more 2006 Whittington Workshop - DePaul

4. Active Learning Goals • Reflect on current knowledge • Deepen understanding • Critical thinking • Build confidence 2006 Whittington Workshop - DePaul

5. Reflective Learning • Use activities to promote student critical reflection on their knowledge • Ask WHY not how 2006 Whittington Workshop - DePaul

6. Design for Significant Learning Lecture Reflective Activity HW Assignment In-class Activity 2006 Whittington Workshop - DePaul

7. Every Main Topic • Lecture (What)– basic information • In-class activity (How)– immediate practice • HW (Practice) – harder application of topic • Reflection (Why) – critical thinking & deepen knowledge 2006 Whittington Workshop - DePaul

8. Getting Started • Start with “low-risk” activities • Reject activities that are uncomfortable • Build your toolbox and confidence • Don’t give up • Some things will work, some won’t 2006 Whittington Workshop - DePaul

9. Activities - Low to High Risk • Icebreakers • Paired Programming • Group Questions • Code Analysis / Debugging • Think-Pair-Share • Rapid Programming • Group code • Role Playing • Classroom Code 2006 Whittington Workshop - DePaul

10. Activity Steps • Define your objective • Design the activity • Tell students what to do • Explain why you are doing it • Display the steps to the class • Get student feedback • Modify the exercise for next time 2006 Whittington Workshop - DePaul

11. Try and Try Again Try Activity Revise Get Feedback 2006 Whittington Workshop - DePaul

12. Icebreakers • Purpose • Get students talking and sharing • Sets the tone for the entire quarter • Examples • Interview • Lies 2006 Whittington Workshop - DePaul

13. Paired Programming • Each person has a different role: • Driver – writes the code • Navigator – helps debug, find errors, make suggestions, etc • Switch roles at EVERY numbered step • Keeps them engaged • Answer questions throughout the exercise • Can emulate “real” programming techniques such as compile and run often 2006 Whittington Workshop - DePaul

14. Paired Programming • In-class activity • Purpose: • Code more efficiently • Naturally discuss questions before asking for help • Questions become deeper • Help recognize errors quicker • Teach each other • Must switch roles frequently 2006 Whittington Workshop - DePaul

15. Group Questions • Forces students to: • Talk to each other • Share ideas • Work cooperatively on a difficult question • Teach each other • Learn from each other • Benefits • Lessens feelings of intimidation • Deepens understanding • Critically think 2006 Whittington Workshop - DePaul

16. Group Questions – Enhancing • One person write a sentence • Next person write a sentence • Add/improve previous statements • Rules: • All members need to write a statement • Vocalize your answer to the group • Discuss the team’s answers when finished • One person will explain answer to the class 2006 Whittington Workshop - DePaul

17. What is the purpose of a constructor? 2006 Whittington Workshop - DePaul

18. What is the purpose of a mutator? 2006 Whittington Workshop - DePaul

19. Why are attributes defined as private? 2006 Whittington Workshop - DePaul

20. Types of Questions • Ask questions that require thought • Ask “why” (conceptual knowledge) • Cover “how” questions in lecture • Done after practice with topics 2006 Whittington Workshop - DePaul

21. Focus • Emphasize “Why”, instead of “How“ • Do after they have sufficient practice on the topic 2006 Whittington Workshop - DePaul

22. Group Questions – Round Robin • Take turns doing the following: • Write one answer to the question • Tell group your answer • Pass paper to next person • Continue until you run out of ideas • You can “pass” 2006 Whittington Workshop - DePaul

23. List the steps required to create a java application. Do not use any java syntax, just use common words to describe each required process. 2006 Whittington Workshop - DePaul

24. List the steps required to create a GUI application that displays a button. 2006 Whittington Workshop - DePaul

25. List the steps required to have your program react to a button being pressed. 2006 Whittington Workshop - DePaul

26. Types of Questions • Questions that have multiple answers • Use for programming techniques that require multiple steps • Done after practice with topics 2006 Whittington Workshop - DePaul

27. Purpose • Quickly dump ideas • Reflect on required steps • Build self-confidence • Demonstrates that: • No one remembers everything • Groups usually remember everything 2006 Whittington Workshop - DePaul

28. Think-Pair-Share • Listen to the question • Think about your answer • Share your answer to the person next to you • Be prepared to answer question when called upon 2006 Whittington Workshop - DePaul

29. Benefits (Shown to Students) • Learn from each other • The answer doesn’t have to be yours • Verbalizing enhances learning • Forces me to wait longer • Gives you a chance to think about the question • Participating has to be less boring 2006 Whittington Workshop - DePaul

30. Tell Students • If peer has best answer, claim it as your own • If your answer is “dumb”, blame your partner • Not knowing an answer is okay 2006 Whittington Workshop - DePaul

31. Think-Pair-Share • Purpose • Encourage class participation for all students • Provide students with time to think • Minimize competitive environment • Minimize student embarrassment • Students sharing/teaching students • Leads into next topic • Displaying questions is very beneficial 2006 Whittington Workshop - DePaul

32. What are user actions called in GUI programs? 2006 Whittington Workshop - DePaul

33. What is an event? 2006 Whittington Workshop - DePaul

34. What type of event is created when a button is pressed? 2006 Whittington Workshop - DePaul

35. What are the 3 objects used to react to an event? 2006 Whittington Workshop - DePaul

36. What is a source object? 2006 Whittington Workshop - DePaul

37. What is a listener object? 2006 Whittington Workshop - DePaul

38. Group Code Analysis • Wait until the specific code is shown in class • Describe the following about the error message: • What line does the error occur • What is the problem • How do you fix it • Make sure each of you understand • Prepare to explain this to the class 2006 Whittington Workshop - DePaul

39. Example 1 public class Example1 { public class method1() { System.out.println("Hi"); } } Example1.java:3: '{' expected public class method1() ^ Example1.java:7: '}' expected } ^ • 2 errors 2006 Whittington Workshop - DePaul

40. Example 9 public class Example9 { public static void main(String[] args) { int a; int b; b = a + 12; System.out.println("b = " + b); } } Example9.java:8: variable a might not have been initialized b = a + 12; ^ 1 error 2006 Whittington Workshop - DePaul

41. Purpose • Force students to look at compiler errors • Learn what compiler errors mean • Show that the compiler gets confused • Develop troubleshooting skills • Demonstrate that the compiler helps you • Working together on complex problems 2006 Whittington Workshop - DePaul

42. Rapid Programming • Roles • Functional class writer • Test class writer • Spokesperson • Change roles for each problem 2006 Whittington Workshop - DePaul

43. Procedure • Split into groups of 3 and hand out templates • Each card has a role that rotates on every turn • Functional class writer • Test class writer • Spokesperson • Show description of requirements • # and types of parameters • Return value • Put templates on board • Choose a group • Have spokesperson tell the answer 2006 Whittington Workshop - DePaul

44. Problem 1 • Create a class with a method that: • Accepts 1 integer parameter • Adds 20 to the parameter • Returns the result of the calculation • Create a test class that prints the result of the calculation 2006 Whittington Workshop - DePaul

45. Problem 4 • Create a class with a method that: • Accepts 1 double and 2 integer parameters • Adds the 2 integer parameters then divides the sum by the double parameter • Returns the result of the calculation • Create a test class that prints the result of the calculation 2006 Whittington Workshop - DePaul

46. Purpose • Deepen understanding through repetition • Break the problem into smaller pieces • Spokesperson • overall understanding • Test class coder • process return values and send values • Functional class writer • get parameters and return values • Rotating gets all involved in different areas 2006 Whittington Workshop - DePaul

47. Role Playing • Act out a HW assignment • Class determines the objects • Each group becomes an object • Discuss role with each individual team • Run through the program 2006 Whittington Workshop - DePaul

48. Classroom Procedure • User class group starts • Create an object • Get user input for each attribute • Set the attribute in the object • Add object to collection • Get each object out of the collection • Get attributes • Ask class what went wrong 2006 Whittington Workshop - DePaul

49. Purpose • Easier to visualize objects • Shows areas of misunderstanding • Errors naturally occur that they solve • Demonstrate reasons for OOP concepts 2006 Whittington Workshop - DePaul

50. Results • Some students said it was the single most important activity, and that they now understood OOP • Some students felt it was the most insulting and demeaning activity they’ve ever done 2006 Whittington Workshop - DePaul