Visual Programming Labs for Teaching Computer Science Concepts to Undergraduates

9345708威廉姆斯这两个计算机科学的核心ACM工作组和NSF学科研讨会本科教育建议预定的，结构化的实验室会议，为本科生学习计算机科学。 根据我们的经验，当学生使用传统的编程语言时，他们在实验室课程中几乎没有进步。 因此，我们正在为一系列“可视化实验室”创建实验室软件和手册，在这些实验室中，学生使用可视化编程环境而不是传统的编程语言。 他们创建和测试模型（例如CPU，机器人的传感器配置，有限状态机，数据库查询或遗传算法），而不是编写代码。 每组实验都基于任务组课程中的一个知识领域。 我们以前创建了计算机体系结构，编程语言和机器人实验室。 我们现在正在创建数据库和信息检索实验室以及其他两个知识领域（暂定人工智能和软件方法论与工程）的实验室。 每一套实验室都是通过以下方式创建的：确定教学目标;设计用户互动;为软件制定规格和设计;用C编程语言和EYES可视化编程工具包实施软件;编写和桌面出版手册;对软件和手册进行用户测试;根据用户测试的结果修订软件和手册。 然后在课堂上使用软件和手册。 我们以前的研究表明，与没有实验室相比，视觉实验室可以提高学生的成绩。 我们目前正在进行正式的研究，以比较视觉实验室和传统的编程实验室，涵盖相同的概念。 我们正在使用一个实验设计，与大学的人类受试者委员会合作开发。 这些研究将揭示视觉实验室是否是一个有用的辅助本科计算机科学实验室课程，并将产生有关视觉编程教学的有用性的信息。 研究结果将发表在期刊和会议论文上。 实验室软件和手册可分发给其他感兴趣的学院和大学。

9345708 Williams Both the ACM Task Force on the Core of Computer Science and the NSF Disciplinary Workshops on Undergraduate Education recommend scheduled, structured laboratory sessions for undergraduates studying computer science. In our experience, students can make little progress during a lab session when they are working in a traditional programming language. Therefore, we are creating lab software and manuals for a series of "visual labs" in which students use a visual programming environment instead of a traditional programming language. They create and test models (of a CPU, a robot's sensor configuration, a finite state machine , a database query, or a genetic algorithm, for example), rather that write code. Each set of labs is based on one knowledge area from the Task Force curriculum. We have previously created labs for computer architecture, programming languages, and robotics. We are now creating labs for database and information retrieval and for two other knowledge areas (tentatively artificial intelligence and software methodology and engineering). Each set of labs is created by: defining pedagogical goals; designing user interaction; developing specifications and designs for the software; implementing the software in the C programming language and in the EYES visual programming toolkit; writing and desktop publishing a manual; conducting user tests of the software and manual; and revising the software and manual based on the results of the user tests. The software and manuals are then used in class. Our previous studies revealed that visual labs improve student performance, compared to no lab at all. We are currently conducting formal studies to compare visual labs to traditional programming labs that cover the same concepts. We are using an experimental design developed in conjunction with the university's human subjects committee. These studies will reveal whether visual labs are a useful adjunct to the undergraduate computer scie nce laboratory curriculum and will yield information about the usefulness of visual programming for instruction. Results will be published in journal and conference papers. The lab software and manuals are available for distribution to other interested colleges and universities.