Using Multimedia, Animation, Using Multimedia, Animation, and Robotics to Increase the and Robotics to Increase the

Number of Students and Number of Students and Teachers in Computing Teachers in Computing

Barbara EricsonBarbara EricsonICE, College of ComputingICE, College of Computing

Georgia TechGeorgia Tech

What is ICE?What is ICE?

• Partnership between – Georgia Tech’s College of Computing– Georgia Department of Education

• Announced June 2004 by Superintendent Kathy Cox and Dean Richard DeMillo

ICE GoalsICE Goals

• Train more computing teachers– Start by training teachers for beginning and

intermediate programming classes in Java– When ready train teachers for Advanced

Placement (AP)

• Increase the number and diversity of computing students – Interesting curriculum– Help with recruiting and retaining students

Why?Why?

• We are facing a huge shortage in computing!– There has been a 40% drop in CS majors

since 2001 nationwide– The percentage of women has dropped from

30% to about 12%– There has never been a significant amount of

African Americans, Hispanics, or Native Americans

Why the Drop in Majors?Why the Drop in Majors?

• Myth #1: All computing jobs are going overseas!– Only about 1% have– There are more jobs now than in 2001– The US Labor Department predicts that

computer software engineers and computer systems designers will be among the fastest growing occupations in 2002-2012

– Many jobs require interaction with and knowledge of computers

Why the Huge Drop in Students?Why the Huge Drop in Students?

• Myth #2– Only geeks do well in computing!

Who is in Computer Science?Who is in Computer Science?

They all are!

Why the Huge Drop in Students?Why the Huge Drop in Students?

• Myth #3– You have to like to play computer games!

• Professionals in computing– Say that you should like:

• Problem solving• Working with others in a team• Being creative

Why the Huge Drop in Students?Why the Huge Drop in Students?

• Myth #4 – The job is boring! – Introductory classes are often boring

• Students find the examples irrelevant, and tedious

– Computer Science juniors are often surprised how creative it is

• Once you are past the early classes• Example: Digital Video Special Effects

Digital Video Special EffectsDigital Video Special Effects

ICE PlanICE Plan

• Train teachers with no experience to teach a beginning programming class in Java– Teachers teach that course for a year or more

• Train teachers with some experience to teach an intermediate programming class in Java– Teachers teach that course for a year or more

• Train teachers to become AP teachers– Teach the Computer Science AP

Results to DateResults to Date

• Summer 2004– Beginning Programming Workshop - 30– AP Workshop - 17

• Summer 2005– Beginning Programming Workshop - 19– Intermediate Programming Workshop - 20– AP Workshop – 26

• Total teachers at one or more workshop -90

Goals for Summer WorkshopsGoals for Summer Workshops

• Teach computing in a way that is – Interesting– Relevant– Creative– Social

• Show how to recruit and retain students

• Demonstrate the breadth of computing– Research Demonstrations

Summer WorkshopsSummer Workshops

• Beginning Programming in Java– No experience required!– Learn programming with multimedia, animation and

robotics• Intermediate Programming in Java

– Some programming experience required!– Multimedia programming and GUI programming

• College Board Endorsed AP – Java experience required!– Object-oriented programming, recursion, data

structures, searching, sorting, and an introduction to the Case Study

AnimationAnimation

• Alice– 3D movies and games– Free program from CMU– http://www.alice.org

• Scratch– 2D animations and games– Free program from MIT

AliceAlice

Advantages of AliceAdvantages of Alice

• Create 3D movies and games– Simple way to handle events

• Drag-and-drop programming– No syntax errors

• Object-oriented programming– Good way to introduce object-oriented topics

• Tutorials make it easy to get started– Step by step instructions

ScratchScratch

Advantages of ScratchAdvantages of Scratch

• Runs on older machines

• Drag-and-drop programming– No syntax errors

• 2D is easier than 3D

RoboticsRobotics

• LEGO Mindstorms Robotics Invention System (RIS) 2.0– Build and program robots using drag-and-

drop programming – Or Java

• Virtual Robots– Turtles– Karel J Robot

Multimedia ProjectsMultimedia Projects

• Teaching programming by manipulating media: pictures, sounds, text, and movies

• Based on a successful class at Georgia Tech for non-majors

• Students find it interesting, relevant, creative, and social

• Teachers find it fun, too!

Negate an ImageNegate an Image

MirroringMirroring

Sepia-TintSepia-Tint

ChromakeyChromakey

Teacher Collages 2004Teacher Collages 2004

Teacher Collages 2005Teacher Collages 2005

ICE EventsICE Events

• Using Robots, Turtles, and Sound to Teach Java – Feb 27-28 2006

• Using Text, Games and GUIs To Teach Java – April 17-18 2006

• AP Bowl Competition – April 22 2006 at Georgia Tech

• Alice Competition – May 13 2006 at Georgia Tech

ICE Summer WorkshopsICE Summer Workshops

• Beginning Programming in Java – June 12-15 and June 19-22, 2006 – No Fee– Residential required! (Georgia Tech Hotel)

• Intermediate Programming in Java– June 26-27 and July 6-7, 2006– No Fee

• College Board Endorsed AP Workshop– July 10-13th 2006– $450 fee

ICE ResourcesICE Resources

• Collaborative Website– http://coweb.cc.gatech.edu/ice-gt

• Mailing lists– gacs-teachers-psm@cc.gatech.edu – gacs-teachers-ap@cc.gatech.edu

• Classroom visits and questions– Barbara Ericson ericson@cc.gatech.edu

• LEGO Robot lending library– http://coweb.cc.gatech.edu/ice-gt/288

• Summer camps for students– http://www.cc.gatech.edu/campice/