A Beginners Guide to Conducting an Alice Workshop

A Beginner’s Guide to Conducting an Alice Workshop Brenda Parker Middle Tennessee State University Murfreesboro TN

Introduction • • Why offer an Alice Workshop? Planning the Workshop Delivery of the Workshop Survey Results and Follow-Up Activities Alice Symposium - June 17, 2009 - Duke University 2

Why offer an Alice workshop? • We live in a technological age. – Provides technological exposure to K-12 students – Most states need more advanced technological education • Computer programming is the new “computer literacy” • Revolutionize the way programming is taught in the United States • It’s the right thing to do! Alice Symposium - June 17, 2009 - Duke University 3

Planning the Workshop • • Establish goals How to seek funding Who should attend Publicizing the workshop Research similar projects Produce Power. Point Presentation Produce “hands-on” activities Gather supplies Alice Symposium - June 17, 2009 - Duke University 4

Planning the Workshop • Establish Goals – Make a list of workshop objectives • Participants will be able to: – – – Create and play an Alice world Understand basic concepts in programming Know why students should use Alice Know how to use Alice in the classroom Guide students in creating Alice animations Etc. Alice Symposium - June 17, 2009 - Duke University 5

Planning the Workshop • How to seek funding – – – Departmental funding Internal and external grants Textbook publishers College bookstores Corporate donations Alice Symposium - June 17, 2009 - Duke University 6

Planning the Workshop • Determine workshop participants – Middle/high school teachers – Middle/high school students – Math/science teachers? Alice Symposium - June 17, 2009 - Duke University 7

Planning the Workshop • Publicizing the Workshop – – – Determine dates/times for the workshop Create and publish an Alice web site Design and print brochures for distribution Produce application forms Attend K-12 in-service training sessions Give presentations at in-service training sessions – Establish contact with education coordinators Alice Symposium - June 17, 2009 - Duke University 8

Alice Symposium - June 17, 2009 - Duke University 9

Planning the Workshop • Research similar projects – http: //www. cs. duke. edu/csed/alice/ – http: //www. cis. uab. edu/programs/alicefestival/ – http: //www. aliceprogramming. net/works hop 2008. html – http: //visualization. sju. edu/newsletter. h tml – http: //itestlrc. edc. org Alice Symposium - June 17, 2009 - Duke University 10

Planning the Workshop • Produce Presentation – Divide presentation into components • Welcome and Introduction • Alice Basics (adding and placing objects) • Alice control Structures • Advanced Concepts – Creating and calling functions – Creating events • Using Alice in the Classroom – Presentation should meet the goals of the workshop Alice Symposium - June 17, 2009 - Duke University 11

Planning the Workshop • Produce “hands-on” activities – Should be short and “manageable” Alice Symposium - June 17, 2009 - Duke University 12

Planning the Workshop • Gather supplies – – – – Flash drives CD’s Door prizes Participation Certificates Recruit student aids Manage luncheon details Award plaques or ribbons Reserve laboratory facilities Alice Symposium - June 17, 2009 - Duke University 13

Delivery of the Workshop • Welcome and Introduction – Indicate your state’s need for computer programming – Indicate employment statistics – Show sample Alice animations Alice Symposium - June 17, 2009 - Duke University 14

Delivery of the Workshop • Presentation Components – Brief Power. Point Presentation – Hands-on Activity – Brief component “test” Alice Symposium - June 17, 2009 - Duke University 15

Delivery of the Workshop • • Alice Basics Alice Control Structures Advanced Concepts in Alice Using Alice in the K-12 Classroom Alice Symposium - June 17, 2009 - Duke University 16

Delivery of the Workshop • Alice Basics – – What is Alice? Where to obtain Alice? Alice environment How to create a simple Alice Animation Alice Symposium - June 17, 2009 - Duke University 17

Delivery of the Workshop – Alice Basics • Hands-on Activities – Practice 1 – Open Alice, set defaults, click on an object, examine properties and methods for the object – Practice 2 – Create a new world, add at least 4 objects to the world, position the objects, rename the objects and save the world. – Practice 3 – Click on an object, drag method for object, play and save the animation. Do this for 2 different objects. Alice Symposium - June 17, 2009 - Duke University 18

Delivery of the Workshop – Alice Basics • Example: Practice 1 - Test Questions – How do we select an object? – Show names for the different areas of the Alice window. – Name a property of the ground object. – Name a method listed for the light object. • Test questions have point value • Purpose of test – aid students Alice Symposium - June 17, 2009 - Duke University 19

Delivery of the Workshop • Alice Control Structures – – – Do in order Do together Loop Decision structures Screen grab Alice Symposium - June 17, 2009 - Duke University 20

Delivery of the Workshop • Advanced Alice Concepts – – – Creating and calling custom methods Using events Managing the camera Billboards Scenes Dummy camera Alice Symposium - June 17, 2009 - Duke University 21

Delivery of the Workshop • Using Alice in the K-12 Classroom – – Very short lessons on Alice Encourage lab time in pairs Use Alice tutorials Allow students to change previously created worlds – Begin small – delay advanced concepts Alice Symposium - June 17, 2009 - Duke University 22

Delivery of the Workshop Using Alice in the K-12 Classroom • Example assignments – – – – Animation about math/science question Create a space quiz Create a video about a famous person Book report History Day project Advertisements for school programs Art classes Alice Symposium - June 17, 2009 - Duke University 23

Survey and Follow-up Activities • Survey – – Alice is easy to understand. My students will benefit by using Alice I plan to discuss Alice with others. I will use Alice in my classroom. Alice Symposium - June 17, 2009 - Duke University 24

Survey and Follow-up Activities • Follow-up Activities – Keep in contact with the teachers – Request experiences with Alice – Conduct surveys after using Alice in the classroom Alice Symposium - June 17, 2009 - Duke University 25

Summary • • Planning workshop is very important! Planning requires methodical efforts. Is it worth it? Advice: – Plan well – Plan easy to follow steps for all attendees. Alice Symposium - June 17, 2009 - Duke University 26

Brenda Parker - (615) 898 -2389 Email - csbrenda@mtsu. edu Web site: http: //www. cs. mtsu. edu/~parker/Alice Symposium - June 17, 2009 - Duke University 27