Gateway Labs for a Problem Solving Course

我们声称，短动手实验室作出教科书 在许多用途上已经过时。对于那些 主要依赖于实现或“如何”的主题 主题，或处理纯粹的代表性方面， 材料这种材料最好用小的 互动模块，我们称之为网关实验室。名称 使用网关的部分原因是这些实验室共享 开放实验室和封闭实验室的属性：它们是开放的，因为 学生独立工作，但任务包括封闭的- 结束介绍，这可以比任何一个短得多， 两种更常见的形式，开放式或封闭式实验室。我们声称学生 应该通过以下方式接受大部分“如何”指导： 与网关实验室进行直接的实践互动。那些讲座 因此，文本和传统实验室可以致力于 这门课的知识性更强，比如问题 解决我们认为网关应该作为 作为教学的主要手段， 使用特定的软件工具。网关实验室将被分配到 定期和经常，就像大多数课程目前雇用 阅读作业。我们预计， 有讲座。因此，一个完整的课程将包括30至 40个模块。 目前，我们已将几个网关 在我们的非专业的初级课程实验，CSc 104：问题 用计算机解决问题，这是一门解决问题的课程， 计算机工具的实际使用从属于广义的 解决问题的技巧虽然我们关注的问题 解决，学生还必须有使用经验， 具体工具。这种经验最好通过以下途径获得： 实验室，但我们希望使用传统的实验室 解决问题的经验。

We claim that short hands-on laboratories make text books obsolete for many purposes. This is particularly true for those topics which are largely implementation-dependent or "how to" topics, or deal with purely representational aspects of material. This material is better presented in small interactive modules, which we call gateway labs. The name gateway was used in part because these labs share some of the properties of both open and closed labs: they are open because the student works independently, but the tasks comprise closed- end introductions, which can be much shorter than either of the two more common formats, open or closed labs. We claim students should receive the bulk of their "how to" instruction through direct hands-on interaction with gateway labs. The lectures, the text, and the traditional labs can, thus, be devoted to the more intellectual aspects of the course, such as problem solving. We believe gateways should be implemented as a coordinated set of as the principal means of instruction in the use of specific software tools. Gateway labs will be assigned regularly and frequently, just as most courses currently employ reading assignments. We expect roughly as many gateway labs as there are lectures. Thus, a full course will incorporate 30 to 40 specific modules. We presently incorporate several gateway labs in our primary course for non-majors, CSc 104: problem solving with computers, a problem-solving course, in which the actual use of computer tools is subordinate to the generalized problem-solving techniques. Although we focus on problem solving, students must still have experience in the use of specific tools. Such experience is best gained through laboratories, but we want to use our traditional-format labs for problem-solving experiences.