CS & IT Symposium 2001June 24, 2001 The High School Computing Course J. Philip East University of Northern Iowa

CS & IT Symposium 2001 June 24, 2001

The High School Computing Course

J. Philip East

University of Northern Iowa


It is important that students leave high school understanding computing!

As important as understanding physics, chemistry, biology, history, government, mathematics, and (maybe) writing and reading.


Recommendation for A High School Coursein Computer Science

Follow the Fluency Report Its major recommendations

Concepts Skills Intellectual Capabilities Project-based Learning


“Ten” Concepts

How computers work ?Information systems? How networks work Digital representation

of data & information Information storage &

retrieval

Problem representation & abstraction

Algorithmic thinking & programming

?Universality? Limits of comuting Social impact


“Ten” Intellectual Capabilities

Engage in sustained reasoning

Manage complexity Test a solution ?Manage faulty

solutions? Find/use information

Collaborate Communicate with

other audiences Expect the unexpected Anticipate new tech. Think about IT

abstractly


“Ten” Skills

Set up a computer Basic OS tasks Text documents Slides & images Connecting to a

network

Resources via Internet Communication Spreadsheet ?Database? Computer-based

instruction & documentation


Project-based Instruction

Results in some “artifact” Provide opportunity for students to apply

some skills and practice some intellectual capabilities while demonstrating learning & understanding of some computing concept

Probably some skills, concepts, and capabilities will not be addressed by projects (but some will!)


What about programming?

Programming (ala the Fluency Report) included in “concepts”—algorithmic thinking and programming specifying instructions “precisely” & “primitively” for some agent other

than the programmer to carry out, preferably with conditional and iterative execution

deemed essential by authors does not require traditional programming (spreadsheet/HTML might do)

I am not convinced it is necessary I cannot equate programming with spreadsheets or HTML but do think designing significant projects in these areas uses the same intellectual skills as programming. I plan not to have students do any “programming” project(s).


What does one of these courses look like?

How do I do that?


Planning The Course

Skill acquisition activitiesexercise on-line/independent learning capability

Knowledge acquisition activities(the “lecture” part of the course?)

Projects—apply skills and exercise intellectual capabilities to demonstrate conceptual understanding

Group work—address changing technology, societal impact, collaboration, etc.


Assessing Student Learning

Is hard At least two forms

did you do it? how well did you do?

Make your time as instructionally effective as possible

Try to get students to focus on learning not grades develop student evaluation skill


Keep In Mind No single bit of knowledge is critical Trust the process How do you know what students hear/learn in your current teaching? You already trust the process (with little evidence of success)!

Intellectual capabilities and concepts are enduring; skills are transitory

You pick the skills to include, concepts to address, and intellectual capabilities to apply


Resources Being Fluent with Information Technology

http://www.nap.edu/catalog/6482.html

College level examples Philip East (not well done, yet):

http://www.cns.uni.edu/~east/teaching/021 Larry Snyder (one of the report authors):

http://www.cs.washington.edu/education/courses/100/CurrentQtr/

Add your course here? _________________________________________________


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Documents

CS & IT Symposium 2001June 24, 2001 The High School Computing Course J. Philip East University of Northern Iowa