Demonstration and assessment of a modular courseware format

Demonstration and assessment of a modular courseware format using a VB. NET programming course as an example Larry Press lpress@csudh. edu http: //bpastudio. csudh. edu/fac/lpress

Presentation outline • • • The modular courseware format The programming course Demonstration Assessment of efficacy Advantages and disadvantages Further work

Modules for these topics • • • Introduction to programming Network applications Introduction to Web development Image processing Audio and video processing TCP/IP networking technology Wireless networking Vo. IP Connectivity History Encoding data Press, L. , "Information Processing at Tomorrow's University, " Communications of the ACM, Vol. 37, No. 7, pp 13 -17, July, 1994.

Modules consist of • A focused topic note with terms with optional demonstration programs • Assignments • Review questions

Programming course user interface 92 focused modules and 416 index entries

Presentation outline • • • The modular courseware format The programming course Demonstration Assessment of efficacy Advantages and disadvantages Further work

Context: the course • • • First course in programming Business IS, High School CS, etc. Use VB. NET, but could be any language Stress terminology and concepts Conventional topics

Topic areas • • Programming languages and terminology The VS. NET development system User interface creation and widgets Event handlers -- sequential execution and assignment statements • Interactive programs • Numeric, string and Boolean data • Continued …

Topic areas, continued • • Expressions Variables and scope Type conversion and checking Algorithms Functions Conditional execution if, case and loops Sequential files Arrays

Using the modules in class • • Lecture/demonstration using topic note One or more assignments with due dates Food for thought questions on their own Responsible for key terms

Presentation outline • • • The modular courseware format The programming course Demonstration Assessment of efficacy Advantages and disadvantages Further work

Context: six dimensions • Isolated instructional modules vs. an integrated course • Self-study vs. instructor mediated • Face-face vs. distant education • Joint, open authorship vs. editorial control • Repurposed textbook vs. interactive/executable material • Degree of correlation between classroom and courseware

Presentation outline • • • The modular courseware format The programming course Demonstration Assessment of efficacy Advantages and disadvantages Further work

Assessment: four sections Section Term Day Evening Textbook 17 24 Modules 18 23 Number of students

Assessment: outcomes Term Mean St. Dev. Textbook 77. 6 12. 7 Modules 78. 9 11. 0 Combined 78. 2 11. 7 Final exam scores

Assessment: mean scores Day Textbook Modules Best Eve. Textbook Modules Best Mid 1 44. 6 44. 1 T Mid 1 44. 4 45. 7 M Mid 2 48. 6 46. 8 T Mid 2 49. 5 47. 7 T Home Work 81. 9 80. 7 T Home Work 77. 9 82. 4 M Final Exam 77. 0 77. 8 M Final Exam 78. 1 79. 6 M

Assessment: standard deviations Day Textbook Modules Best Eve. Textbook Modules Best Mid 1 10. 4 8. 5 M Mid 1 7. 3 7. 6 T Mid 2 13. 7 10. 7 M Mid 2 13. 1 11. 8 M Home Work 14. 6 11. 6 M Home Work 14. 2 15. 7 T Final Exam 14. 9 10 M Final Exam 11. 1 12. 4 T

Presentation outline • • • The modular courseware format The programming course Demonstration Assessment of efficacy Advantages and disadvantages Further work

Advantages • • Save cost for students Executable content Easily modified and extended Close correlation between classroom and course material

<soapbox>

Cal. PIRG: Textbook spending 2003 -4 GAO: Textbook prices rose 186% between 1986 and 2004.

Textbook cost distribution Pu bli sh er Bo ok sto re 6 4. 7 % 2 2. 6 %

Textbook cost per dollar

</soapbox>

Disadvantages • Lot of grading and bookkeeping • No integrative exercises

Presentation outline • • • The modular courseware format The programming course Demonstration Assessment of efficacy Advantages and disadvantages Further work

Further work • • Capture live presentations Pre-record presentations Other languages Solutions and answers – wiki/threaded discussion • Database-driven implementation

Modules for these topics • • • Introduction to programming Network applications Introduction to Web development Image processing Audio and video processing TCP/IP networking technology Wireless networking Vo. IP Connectivity History Encoding data Press, L. , "Information Processing at Tomorrow's University, " Communications of the ACM, Vol. 37, No. 7, pp 13 -17, July, 1994.