An Interactive Approach to Formal Languages and Automata with JFLAP

计算机科学(31)几乎所有的正式语言和自动机(FLA)教科书都以正式的方式呈现理论材料，几乎没有可视化，也没有反馈。该项目正在开发一种创新的FLA教学方法，在学习形式化理论的同时，使用JFLAP教学软件工具来探索抽象概念。它还通过一项广泛的研究评估JFLAP的有效性。本课程的目的是表明，在使用JFLAP和正式理论的同时，学生对FLA有了更好和更深入的了解。智力优势：本提案中开发的材料提供了一种基于发现的交互式学习方法。学生可以立即收到关于问题的反馈，并解决用纸和笔很难解决的问题类型。广泛的影响：该项目正在与11个机构合作，其中4个是少数族裔非博士授予机构。它的方法为学生提供了一种更实际的方法来学习这一理论材料。JFLAP允许教员通过解决类似的问题，如测试、调试和运行时分析，将更具理论性的FLA课程与其他计算机科学课程联系起来。传播内容包括增强型软件、JFLAP用户手册、动手教科书、在线教师指南、论文和会议上的四个教员研讨会。

Computer Science (31)Almost all Formal Languages and Automata (FLA) textbooks present theoretical material in a formal manner with little visualization and no feedback. This project is developing an innovative way of teaching FLA that uses the JFLAP instructional software tool to explore abstract concepts while learning the formal theory. It is also evaluating JFLAP's effectiveness through an extensive study. The goal is to show that when using JFLAP in addition to the formal theory, students gain a better and deeper understanding of FLA.Intellectual Merit:The material developed in this proposal is providing an interactive, discovery-based approach to learning. Students can receive immediate feedback on problems, and solve types of problems that are difficult to do with pencil and paper.Broader Impacts:This project is working with 11 institutions, four of which are minority non-PhD granting institutions. Its approach gives students a more hands-on approach to learning this theoretical material. JFLAP lets faculty relate the more theoretical FLA course to other computer science courses by addressing similar issues such as testing, debugging, and run time analysis. Dissemination includes enhanced software, a JFLAP user manual, a hands-on textbook, an online teacher's guide, papers, and four faculty workshops at conferences.