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Integrating Java through Thinklets in Education at Seton Hall University

This document discusses the innovative integration of Java into the curriculum at Seton Hall University, focusing on the use of Thinklets—small web-based programs designed to illustrate complex academic concepts across various disciplines. Collaborating with faculty and student programmers, these tools enhance teaching and learning experiences through interactive visualization. Seton Hall, a technologically advanced institution, supports these initiatives as part of its mission to produce servant leaders who will make a difference in the world.

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Integrating Java through Thinklets in Education at Seton Hall University

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  1. Thinklets Integrating Java into the Curriculum Bert G. Wachsmuth Seton Hall University

  2. Seton Hall University • Catholic University in New Jersey, next to New York City • 10,000 students total • 4,500 Undergraduate students • Mission: “…to prepare students to be servant leaders who will make a difference in the world …” • In short: mid-size, private college with high degree of Information Technology

  3. Information Technology at SHU • On of the top 30 Most Wired Campuses nationwide • Mobile Computing Program (5,000 laptops on 2-year leases for UG students and faculty) • Wireless Campus • State-of-the-Art Gigabit backbone • Reasonable Internet, (soon) Internet 2 connectivity • Extensive buy-in by upper administration • 5 year strategic plan implemented, second strategic plan approved • Approximately 10% of University Budget

  4. Support for Teaching/Learning • Extensive Blackboard use (every class automatically available and populated) • Teaching, Learning, and Technology Center (also Telecom, Media Center, Networking, PC Support) • (almost) 24 x 7 Help Desk and Laptop repair • Reasonable technology Assessment implementation • Extensive Software Package (Office, FrontPage + Server Extensions, SPSS, Maple, Notes, etc.)

  5. Pilot Projects and Grants • CDI: Curriculum Development Initiative(Multi-year technology grants to maximize impact on students) • FIG: Faculty Innovation Grants(Small grants to support individual faculty projects) • Lila: Linux Laptops(Dual-Boot Windows and Linux Laptop with functionally equivalent software for both OS) • SHUTAP: SHU Tablet PC’s(Investigate potential impact of Tablet PC’s on Teaching and Learning)

  6. So, what’s missing? JAXP? WSDL? WSRP? BPEL? JSR? WS-I? MEP? Certainly - but I want to focus on …

  7. Thinklets • A Thinklet is a small, focused program that runs inside a web browser and helps visualize or utilize concepts in areas useful for academic disciplines • Thinklets are developed "in house" as cooperation between a content specialist (faculty), one or more student programmer(s), and a coordinator. • Thinklets are available for free for educational institutions; source code is available upon request • What was missing: create not only consume

  8. Stand-alone Thinklets • PopDynamics: illustrates predator-prey relationships (biology, dynamical systems) • Sorting: illustrates/compares many sorting algorithms (computer science) • FFT: shows how analog signals are decomposed as Fourier Series (math, networking) • HypoTester: illustrates how hypothesis testing works (statistics)

  9. General Purpose Thinklets • SyncStream: lets you create slideshows that are synchronized with a Real video stream. Comes with a stand-alone editor and an (independent) SyncStream applet. Does not require special server software • Jadis: A dictionary program that can help translate web pages and lets you upload “translated” web pages. Several dictionaries available (of varying quality)

  10. Integrated Thinklets • IRA: An online text book on Real Analysis (Advanced Calculus) that integrates several Thinklets into a coherent, large-scale project • PsychoQuiz: An applet that uses JDBC technology to test student’s knowledge of standard terminology in experiment design and hypothesis testing. It is integrated into a large-scale course re-design project in Psychology.

  11. Thinklets with Servers • Asset: A Servlets-based project to create, deliver, and evaluate web-based surveys. Can also be used as a voting tool with LDAP-verified voter lists. • ChatterBox: A complete client/server chat solution with features such as password protected rooms, auditorium mode, web page pushing, etc.

  12. Thinklets with Maple (supported by a grant from Waterloo Maple) • JCalc: Maple with a custom-made user interface for mathematics up to Calc 3 • JGJ: Learn how to solve a system of Linear Equations or to invert a square matrix • ZMap: Visualize the (4-dimensional) graph of a complex function

  13. Thinklets Framework • Student Programmer: • Most Thinklets are created by, or with the help of, one or more student. • Content Specialist: • Most Thinklets are created with the help of, or with ideas from, a faculty member. • Coordinator: • Analyzes faculty suggestions for feasibility, moderates content/programmer interaction, and helps with programming aspects • Resources Required: • Supported by TLTC money and external grants • Close cooperation with Comp. Sci. department to find student programmers • Requires 1 Intel-based multi-processor Linux server and some cooperation from IT professional department

  14. Thinklet Advantages • “Low-tech” and focused: can create a “small” Thinklet in about 2 months • No competition with “professional” IT developers • Benefit for Student Programmer: • interesting on-campus job • portfolio piece • integrating software into larger project • Benefit for Faculty: • relatively quick turn-around time • cheap • easy “presentation material” • Benefit for Coordinator: • Gets to travel to Florida in the Winter

  15. Thinklet Successes • Asset – widely used at Seton Hall and other institutions (and presented at JA-SIG 2002) • ChatterBox – frequently requested by small web site operators • Jadis – presented at Russian Language Conference • SyncStream – written up in the “Chronicle” • PopDynamics – presented at “Biology and IT” conference • IRA Thinklets – several thousand people signed guestbook • Jobs – all programmers who worked on Thinklets and graduated got decent jobs.

  16. Thinklet Failures • Unclear Concept: Trig FunctionsIf it is not immediately clear how a Thinklet works and what it is supposed to illustrate, it fails. • Too Simplistic: Projectile MotionIf the concept a Thinklet illustrates is so simple that students understand it already, it fails. • No support: PsychoQuizIf a Thinklet requires extensive user support but the original collaborators are not committed or unavailable, it fails. • External Reliance: SyncStream Support to maintain Thinklets is minimal. If a Thinklet relies on external technology that is too complex or changes too quickly, it fails.

  17. Thinklet Web Site • For additional information, please visithttp://www.cs.shu.edu/thinklets/ • You can view, download, and optionally register for our Thinklets • Source code is available upon request (for most Thinklets)

  18. Thinklet Contributors • Brian Borowski • Michael Bosco • William Daly • Patrick Fineza • Paul Ladny • Brad Lepre • Rehan Malik • Robert Moore • Steve O'Brien • Joseph P. Ptaszynski • Sam Shiffmann • Bert G. Wachsmuth • Huang Shon Wen (Sam) (Thinklets existed from about 2000 – now)

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