The Design and Use of an Interactive Laboratory for CS1 and CS2

这项提议的目的是配备一间教室，以便为中一和中二课程进行封闭式实验室。所要求的设备包括IBM兼容的486微型计算机和支持硬件和软件，如Novell Netware、激光打印机、Microsoft WIindowsTM和Turbo Pascal.本课堂中进行的实验练习将遵循文献中出现的入门编程实验模型。但是，这些实验将在以下方面具有互动性：图形用户界面外壳程序将指导学生完成实验任务和活动，并提供对编译器和演示程序等所需资源的访问。学生将通过图标、按钮、菜单等控件，以标准的方式与这个外壳进行交互。提出者相信，这种新环境将对学生产生更大的吸引力和刺激性，有助于招收和留住潜在的计算机科学专业学生。每个外壳程序将是一个独立的Windows应用程序，因此可以被其他机构的教师按原样使用。作者建议开发一个面向对象的框架来支持这些实验室外壳应用程序的快速高效编码。该框架将捕获外壳应用程序的设计以及它们所基于的模型。在知识最少的情况下，其他教师可以使用该框架开发针对自己的学生身体和兴趣定制的互动实验室练习。此外，该框架还可用于开发其他CS课程的实验练习。因此，这个实验框架将是对教学技术的重大贡献。

The objective of this proposal is to equip a classroom for the purpose of conducting closed laboratories for CS1 and CS2 courses. The equipment requested includes IBM compatible 486 microcomputers and support hardware and software such as Novell Netware, a laser printer, Microsoft WIindows, and Turbo Pascal.The laboratory exercises conducted in this classroom will follow the model for introductory programming labs which has emerged in the literature. However, these labs will be interactive in the following sense: A GUI shell program will guide students through the tasks and activities of the lab, providing access to required resources such as compilers and demonstration programs. Students will interact with this shell in the standard way, via controls such as icons, buttons, menus, etc. The proposers believe this new environment will be significantly more engaging and stimulating for the student, aiding the recruitment and retention of potential majors in Computer Science. Each shell program would be a free-standing Windows application, and thus can be used as is by instructors at other institutions.The authors propose development of an object-oriented framework to support the quick and efficient coding of these lab shell applications. This framework would capture the design of the shell applications as well as the model upon which they are based. With minimal knowledge, other instructors could use the framework to develop interactive lab exercises customized to their own student body and interests. Moreover, the framework could be used to devlop lab exercises for other CS courses also. Thus, this lab framework would represent a significant contribution to instructional technology.