A Laboratory for Enhancing Performance and Retention of Introductory Computer Science Students

该项目的目标是通过使用封闭实验室来提高学生在计算机科学入门课程中的表现和保留率。为了实现这种教学方法，我们将创建一个计算机实验室。该实验室将包括一台文件服务器、一台Postscript打印机、一个由20台装有Alsys ActivAda的微型计算机组成的网络，以及10台点阵打印机。该设施将用于每周进行封闭实验室。每个实验室将提供动手学习经验，掌握基本的编程技能，并成为胜任最经常需要的程序开发工具。这些工具集成在ActivAda中，包括编辑器、编译器、格式化器、调试器、图书管理员和执行分析器。这个实验室每天有14小时的工作人员。除了用于预定的封闭实验课程外，它还将被学生用于完成课程编程项目。另外5个ActivAda许可证将允许学生在实验室安排时从其他校园计算机集群访问该软件。通过将一个封闭的实验室整合到我们当前的课程结构中，我们期望提高学生在编程项目上的表现，并增加成功完成入门课程的学生的百分比。

The goal of this project is to enhance student performance and retention in introductory computer science courses through the use of closed laboratories. To enable this teaching approach we will create a computer laboratory. The laboratory will consist of a file server, a Postscript printer, a network of 20 microcomputers equipped with Alsys ActivAda, and 10 dot-matrix printers. This facility will be used to conduct weekly closed laboratories. Each laboratory will provide hands-on learning experiences for mastering basic programming skills and becoming competent with the tools most frequently needed for program development. These tools, which are integrated within ActivAda, include an editor, compiler, formatter, debugger, librarian, and execution profiler. The laboratory will be staffed 14 hours a day. In addition to being used for scheduled closed laboratory sessions, it will be used by students to complete course programming projects. An additional 5 licenses for ActivAda will permit students to access this software from other campus computer clusters when the lab is scheduled. By integrating a closed laboratory into our current course structure, we expect to improve student performance on programming projects and increase the percentage of students who successfully complete the introductory sequence.