Computer Science Teachers as Amateurs Students and Researchers

  • Slides: 41
Download presentation
Computer Science Teachers as Amateurs, Students and Researchers Raymond Lister University of Technology, Sydney,

Computer Science Teachers as Amateurs, Students and Researchers Raymond Lister University of Technology, Sydney, Australia 1

Teacher-centred knowledge 11 12 1 3 9 10 2 8 4 5 2 6

Teacher-centred knowledge 11 12 1 3 9 10 2 8 4 5 2 6 7

The Rise and Fall of an Academic Discipline ¡ Pre-Discipline l l ¡ Boom-Discipline

The Rise and Fall of an Academic Discipline ¡ Pre-Discipline l l ¡ Boom-Discipline l l l ¡ Part of larger discipline(s) E. g. Computer Science pre-1970 s Critical mass of undergraduates Teacher-centred knowledge Computing in the late 20 th Century Post-Discipline l l Loss of undergraduates E. g. English literature, physics 1980 s, … Computing in the 21 st Century ? ? ? 3

Doomed? 4

Doomed? 4

The formal study of how novices come to know a discipline is central to

The formal study of how novices come to know a discipline is central to the sustained health of a discipline. 5

Folk Medicine See file: ///c: /talks/2005 Koli. Calling. BBCNEWSMothers. Were. Right. Over. Colds. Koli.

Folk Medicine See file: ///c: /talks/2005 Koli. Calling. BBCNEWSMothers. Were. Right. Over. Colds. Koli. A And … Benjamin, H. (1936) “Everybody’s Guide to Nature Cure” 6

Pedagogy Folk Medicine × Bruner, 1996 “… intuitive theories about how other minds work

Pedagogy Folk Medicine × Bruner, 1996 “… intuitive theories about how other minds work … … badly want some deconstructing if their implications are to be appreciated". 7

Differing folk pedagogies cannot be resolved … … and there is no progress. 8

Differing folk pedagogies cannot be resolved … … and there is no progress. 8

Research vs. Teaching ¡ Read literature, attend seminars/conferences ¡ Guided by direct experience and

Research vs. Teaching ¡ Read literature, attend seminars/conferences ¡ Guided by direct experience and introspection We lead a double life ¡ ¡ Work within well defined theoretical or empirical framework ¡ Guided by “folk pedagogies” ¡ Outcomes remain private Publish 9

&& Research vs. Teaching × ¡ Read literature, attend seminars/conferences ¡ Work within well

&& Research vs. Teaching × ¡ Read literature, attend seminars/conferences ¡ Work within well defined theoretical or empirical framework ¡ l Koli, ACE; ACM’s ICER, SIGCSE, & ITi. CSE l E. g. constructivism, Bloom’s taxonomy, Kolb learning cycle l Publish! (see above) Publish 10

Boyer (1990) But what exactly did he mean by “scholar” 11

Boyer (1990) But what exactly did he mean by “scholar” 11

The Three Types of Academic Teacher Practise Theory 12

The Three Types of Academic Teacher Practise Theory 12

The Three Types of Academic Teacher Practise Theory Amateur • Guided by folk pedagogies

The Three Types of Academic Teacher Practise Theory Amateur • Guided by folk pedagogies • Possibly an amateur in the finest sense of the word. • … but has little influence on colleagues. 13

The Three Types of Academic Teacher Practise Theory Amateur Education Specialist • May be

The Three Types of Academic Teacher Practise Theory Amateur Education Specialist • May be a gifted teacher, or clumsy. Implements education theory uncritically • Possibly an amateur in the finest sense of the. Victim of theory wars? word. • Guided. Student by folk pedagogies • Has little influence on colleagues. 14

The Three Types of Academic Teacher Practise Theory Amateur Student Education Specialist Note: NOT

The Three Types of Academic Teacher Practise Theory Amateur Student Education Specialist Note: NOT uncritically researcher Implements education Teachertheory as as teacher Researcher Sees theory as either discipline-specific or requiring discipline-specific validation. 15

Two dimensions (and short term vs. long term) Quality of engagement with low students

Two dimensions (and short term vs. long term) Quality of engagement with low students high low Quality of engagement with colleagues high amateur researcher 16

Overview of this talk ¡ Amateur, Student, Researcher l ¡ One example from my

Overview of this talk ¡ Amateur, Student, Researcher l ¡ One example from my own work l l ¡ Just finished that Leeds Working Group … ¡ A logical break point … followed by BRACElet See my Koli paper for other examples from my work 17

One Example from my Work: Teaching the Novice (“CS 1”) 18

One Example from my Work: Teaching the Novice (“CS 1”) 18

Mc. Cracken, et al. (2001) ¡ 10 authors, 8 universities, 5 countries 19

Mc. Cracken, et al. (2001) ¡ 10 authors, 8 universities, 5 countries 19

Mc. Cracken, et al. (2001) ¡ ¡ ¡ Remember, 8 universities, 5 countries ….

Mc. Cracken, et al. (2001) ¡ ¡ ¡ Remember, 8 universities, 5 countries …. . . it says something about our discipline. Amateurs! … don’t blame yourself! 20

But Why? 21

But Why? 21

The Problem-Solving Gene Conjecture “You cannot teach problem-solving. It’s innate. ” The amateur feels

The Problem-Solving Gene Conjecture “You cannot teach problem-solving. It’s innate. ” The amateur feels no need to test that conjecture (fact? ). The teacher-as-researcher asks “What experiment will test that conjecture? ” Answer: Eliminate problem-solving. 22

The Leeds Group (2004) 12 universities, 7 countries, >500 students 23

The Leeds Group (2004) 12 universities, 7 countries, >500 students 23

Twelve Multiple Choice Questions 24

Twelve Multiple Choice Questions 24

Evidence against the problem-solving gene Quartile Top 25% Second Third Bottom 25% Scores 10

Evidence against the problem-solving gene Quartile Top 25% Second Third Bottom 25% Scores 10 -12 8 -9 5 -7 0 -4 The Leeds Group, 2004. 12 universities, 7 countries, over 500 students Bottom 25% of students Mc. Cracken et al. , 2001 performing at a level consistent with chance! 25

A logical break point in the talk 11 12 1 3 9 10 2

A logical break point in the talk 11 12 1 3 9 10 2 8 4 5 26 6 7

Overview of this talk, again (break point) ¡ Amateur, Student, Researcher ¡ One example

Overview of this talk, again (break point) ¡ Amateur, Student, Researcher ¡ One example from my own work l Leeds Working Group … ¡ l ¡ Just finished that … followed by BRACElet See my Koli paper for other examples from my work 27

Leeds Group as Research ¡ Read literature, attend seminars/conferences ¡ Work within well defined

Leeds Group as Research ¡ Read literature, attend seminars/conferences ¡ Work within well defined theoretical or empirical framework ¡ Publish l Mc. Cracken et al. , 2001 … and a host of other papers l Empirical, yes. Theoretical, no. l l SIGCSE Bulletin, December 2004. 28

Bracelet × Leeds Group as Research ¡ Read literature, attend seminars/conferences ¡ Work within

Bracelet × Leeds Group as Research ¡ Read literature, attend seminars/conferences ¡ Work within well defined theoretical or empirical framework l Mc. Cracken et al. , Leeds Group 2001 … and a host SIGCSE of other papers Bulletin, 2004. l Empirical, yes. Theoretical, no. l × SOLO taxonomy ¡ Publish l SIGCSE Whalley, Bulletin, Lister, December 2004. et al. , to appear, ACE 2006 29

BRACElet ¡ A collaboration between four New Zealand institutions and one Australian (me). l

BRACElet ¡ A collaboration between four New Zealand institutions and one Australian (me). l l Jacqueline Whalley, Tony Clear, Phil Robbins Errol Thompson Ajith Kumar Christine Prasad 30

BRACElet Several multiple choice questions, superficially like the Leeds Group questions, plus … ¡

BRACElet Several multiple choice questions, superficially like the Leeds Group questions, plus … ¡ One “explain in plain English” question … ¡ 31

BRACElet In plain English, explain what the following code does: int i. Numbers[i. MAX];

BRACElet In plain English, explain what the following code does: int i. Numbers[i. MAX]; // i. MAX is a constant … array initialization omitted in question to students… bool b. Valid = true; for (int i = 0; i < i. MAX-1; i++) { if (i. Numbers[i] > i. Numbers[i+1]) { b. Valid = false; } } 32

SOLO Taxonomy (Biggs & Collis ’ 82 – general theory, not programming) • •

SOLO Taxonomy (Biggs & Collis ’ 82 – general theory, not programming) • • • “Prestructural” or “Unistructural” • An incorrect understanding of the semantics of the programming language. “Multistructural” • Line-by-line understanding, but no grasp of what the code does as whole • “failing to see the forest for the trees” “Relational” • A summary of the purpose of the code, for example “it checks if the elements in the array are sorted” • The student “sees the forest” 33

BRACElet The multiple choice questions determine quartile Quartile 1 Quartile 2 Quartile 3 Quartile

BRACElet The multiple choice questions determine quartile Quartile 1 Quartile 2 Quartile 3 Quartile 4 34

BRACElet Relational “see the forest” Quartile 1 Quartile 2 Quartile 3 Quartile 4 35

BRACElet Relational “see the forest” Quartile 1 Quartile 2 Quartile 3 Quartile 4 35

BRACElet Quartile 1 Quartile 2 Quartile 3 Quartile 4 36

BRACElet Quartile 1 Quartile 2 Quartile 3 Quartile 4 36

BRACElet Multistructural “failing to see the forest for the trees” 37

BRACElet Multistructural “failing to see the forest for the trees” 37

How? e. g. Roles of Variables file: ///2005 Koli. Roles. Of. Variables. Home. Page.

How? e. g. Roles of Variables file: ///2005 Koli. Roles. Of. Variables. Home. Page. htm file: ///c: /talks/2005 Koli. Literature. On. Roles. Of. Variables. htm 38

We are near the end of our time: Teacher-centred knowledge 11 12 1 3

We are near the end of our time: Teacher-centred knowledge 11 12 1 3 9 10 2 8 4 5 39 6 7

Overview of this talk (again) ¡ Amateur, Student, Researcher ¡ One example from my

Overview of this talk (again) ¡ Amateur, Student, Researcher ¡ One example from my own work l l ¡ Leeds Working Group … … followed by BRACElet See my Koli paper for other examples from my work 40

Summary and Conclusion: Research vs. Teaching && × ¡ Read literature, attend seminars/conferences ¡

Summary and Conclusion: Research vs. Teaching && × ¡ Read literature, attend seminars/conferences ¡ Work within well defined theoretical or empirical framework ¡ Publish ¡ The formal study of how novices come to know a discipline is central to the sustained health of a discipline. The End 41