Getting Them Out Of Their Getting Them Out Of Their Shells: Service Learning And Shells: Service Learning And
CS StudentsCS Students
Jim Bohy – Iowa Wesleyan Jim Bohy – Iowa Wesleyan CollegeCollege
OverviewOverview
Why service learning?Why service learning?What is What is service learningservice learning??The course itselfThe course itselfThe resultsThe resultsWhat I’d do differentlyWhat I’d do differently
Why service learning?Why service learning?
Lilly grant @ SimpsonLilly grant @ SimpsonAdvisor trainingAdvisor training
Forming mentoring relationshipsForming mentoring relationshipsService learningService learning
Course development grantsCourse development grantsVocational explorationVocational explorationService learningService learning
My own interests in educational My own interests in educational technology and software developmenttechnology and software development
Service learning definedService learning defined
Service-learning is a Service-learning is a teaching methodteaching method which combines which combines community servicecommunity service with with academic instructionacademic instruction as it focuses on as it focuses on critical, reflective thinkingcritical, reflective thinking and and civic civic responsibilityresponsibility..
Service-learning programs involve Service-learning programs involve students in students in organized community serviceorganized community service that addresses local needs, while that addresses local needs, while developing their developing their academic skills, sense of academic skills, sense of civic responsibilitycivic responsibility, and , and commitment to the commitment to the communitycommunity..
Service learning from my Service learning from my perspectiveperspective
Balance academic rigor with social Balance academic rigor with social responsibilityresponsibility
Get the students to engage with the Get the students to engage with the “other” (however that’s defined – usually “other” (however that’s defined – usually it’s an opportunity to be exposed to it’s an opportunity to be exposed to diversity)diversity)
Overcome stereotypes of what CS majors Overcome stereotypes of what CS majors are and doare and do
The courseThe course
Computer Science in EducationComputer Science in EducationCross listedCross listedBroad goalsBroad goals
Get CS and Education majors to take the Get CS and Education majors to take the coursecourse
Each group can lend their expertise in Each group can lend their expertise in constructing truly educational softwareconstructing truly educational software
Get the school kids involved in the design Get the school kids involved in the design processprocess
Course objectivesCourse objectives
Upon completion of this course, students Upon completion of this course, students should be able to: should be able to: Develop a piece of instructional software Develop a piece of instructional software Develop and measure the effectiveness of a Develop and measure the effectiveness of a
piece of instructional software piece of instructional software Develop a set of criteria to be used to Develop a set of criteria to be used to
evaluate instructional software evaluate instructional software Critically evaluate applications of computer-Critically evaluate applications of computer-
based and computer assisted instruction based and computer assisted instruction
Objectives – continuedObjectives – continued
Develop a set of goals and objectives from Develop a set of goals and objectives from which instructional software could be which instructional software could be produced produced
Work with K-12 teachers and students to Work with K-12 teachers and students to design a piece of instructional software design a piece of instructional software
Work with K-12 students to develop an Work with K-12 students to develop an appropriate user interface for a piece of appropriate user interface for a piece of instructional software instructional software
ActivitiesActivities
Reflective writingReflective writingSoftware evaluationsSoftware evaluationsSoftware developmentSoftware developmentCourse participationCourse participation
The environmentThe environment
Economically disadvantaged elementary Economically disadvantaged elementary school in Des Moinesschool in Des Moines33rdrd grade classroom grade classroomVariety of reading levelsVariety of reading levels
The teacherThe teacherMA in educational technologyMA in educational technologyRan a reasonably well-structured classroomRan a reasonably well-structured classroom
3 CS majors took the course (no education 3 CS majors took the course (no education majors)majors)2 seniors and 1 freshman2 seniors and 1 freshman3 of the quietest students I have ever worked 3 of the quietest students I have ever worked
with in 16 years of teaching collegewith in 16 years of teaching collegeMy role was one of relatively active My role was one of relatively active
observerobserver
Basic structureBasic structure
Spent several periods talking about Spent several periods talking about educational software developmenteducational software development
Met with the 3Met with the 3rdrd grade clients once a week grade clients once a week for 6 weeksfor 6 weeks
Spent several class periods looking at Spent several class periods looking at existing software to get ideasexisting software to get ideas
Spent remaining class periods developing Spent remaining class periods developing the softwarethe software
The resultsThe results
The program itselfThe program itselfThe relationships builtThe relationships built
Between my students and these 3Between my students and these 3rdrd graders gradersBetween me and my studentsBetween me and my studentsBetween the institutionsBetween the institutions
The changes in the studentsThe changes in the studentsWhat I got out of itWhat I got out of it
““My perspective might be a little different My perspective might be a little different than that of my classmates, since I’ve than that of my classmates, since I’ve been lucky enough to be around been lucky enough to be around computers my entire school career. computers my entire school career. Through computers subjects seen as dull Through computers subjects seen as dull and boring, like math, can be turned into and boring, like math, can be turned into a fun game. With the project we did, I a fun game. With the project we did, I felt that the kids genuinely enjoyed felt that the kids genuinely enjoyed calling out answers and competing a little calling out answers and competing a little bit with each other. “bit with each other. “
““As a computer scientist, the ability to not As a computer scientist, the ability to not only complete goals but also do them in only complete goals but also do them in a timely manner is extremely important. I a timely manner is extremely important. I also learned how to split up the various also learned how to split up the various jobs we had to finish in order to complete jobs we had to finish in order to complete the project. Things like a general outline the project. Things like a general outline of how the program should work and look of how the program should work and look like were things I had never done like were things I had never done before.”before.”
““I don’t know if this class made me really I don’t know if this class made me really change as a person, but it did help me to change as a person, but it did help me to understand how to teach children. I am understand how to teach children. I am not going to be a teacher anytime soon, not going to be a teacher anytime soon, of course, but knowledge of the different of course, but knowledge of the different types of learning and different methods types of learning and different methods of teaching will certainly help when I of teaching will certainly help when I have a family of my own someday.”have a family of my own someday.”
““Honestly, the children’s reaction to the Honestly, the children’s reaction to the finished project was great. It was finished project was great. It was definitely the best experience I had as a definitely the best experience I had as a computer science major. Also asking the computer science major. Also asking the children for their input was definitely an children for their input was definitely an experience into and of itself.”experience into and of itself.”
““The only thing that hampered us from making The only thing that hampered us from making the project just a little bit better was the lack of the project just a little bit better was the lack of students in the group that were majoring in students in the group that were majoring in education. As a CompSci student I never was education. As a CompSci student I never was taught the differences between styles of learning taught the differences between styles of learning or anything like that. Also, some art students or anything like that. Also, some art students would have been nice, since none of us in the would have been nice, since none of us in the project are artists in any sense of the word. project are artists in any sense of the word. Animations are the one thing that I wish we Animations are the one thing that I wish we could have put in the game, but we ran out of could have put in the game, but we ran out of time and our animating skills weren’t up to par time and our animating skills weren’t up to par unfortunately.”unfortunately.”
What I’d Do DifferentlyWhat I’d Do Differently
The development environmentThe development environmentA bit more direction on the projectA bit more direction on the projectPush the teacher more for ideasPush the teacher more for ideasRecruit more education majors to take the Recruit more education majors to take the
coursecourse