Introduction
I am interested in building, deploying and evaluating collaborative
learning tools and technologies to support computer science instruction.
I am currently involved in two projects that involve collaborative tools.
In both projects the motivation is to provide collaborative frameworks
to give students opportunities for interaction. The first project
uses the teaching model of Tutored Video Instruction (TVI) first proposed
by Gibbons to teach introductory computer programming [4]. The second
project, in the early stages of design and evaluation, uses synchronous
distance learning technology to teach masters courses in computer science
and engineering to a combination of local and remote students. Because
the projects have different goals and design issues, I describe the projects
in separate sections.
I. Tutored Video Instruction and Classroom Assessment Tools
Project
Background: Learning to program is generally an active
process; however, computer programming is often taught through lecture
material, creating a passive environment [9]. In any teaching model
instructors encounter the challenge of presenting material while making
the class feel personal to students. Our experiences with Tutored
Video Instruction (TVI) courses for CS 1 and 2 led us to develop tools
to give students local ownership and provide support for the instructor.
The CS 1 and 2 courses are taught in a TVI format, utilizing taped lectures and a local tutor to facilitate discussion [4]. The model first proposed by Gibbons takes advantage of the benefits of combining lecture courses with discussion by allowing students to pause the videotapes to ask and answer questions. Our department has experience distributing TVI materials to local colleges and community colleges [1]. Prior to my work, the materials included lecture videos, lecture slides, sample homework assignments and sample exams. Kors, Postner and Shelton conducted observations of community college classrooms using the TVI materials and found that student and instructor interaction was less frequent than the experiences described by Gibbons [7,10]. Some students reported negative experiences in their TVI course since a live instructor did not deliver the lecture [1].
I responded to the issue of students not feeling locally involved in the course by developing and classifying a repository of Classroom Assessment Tools (CATs) to supplement each lecture video. CATs can provide a springboard for student discussion in addition to giving students concrete examples and evidence of their own (mis)understanding. Our hypothesis is that CATs encourage local interaction, improving students' attitudes in a TVI course. The TVI page lists the Classroom Assessment Tools that we distribute to TVI instructors.
Previous Research: Many types of CATs that we designed come from Classroom Assessment Techniques by Angelo and Cross [2]. Angelo and Cross motivate the use of CATs to encourage frequent feedback for the instructor. We hope that CATs serve as a framework for student discussion and interaction, improving students' attitudes in the course.
Steadman conducted a study regarding the use of CATs in community college classrooms [11]. She found that students felt they had more control and voice in the classroom while using the CATs to monitor their own learning in the course.
Goals of the Research:
Interim Conclusions: Instructor survey data and field observation data suggest that students engage in interactive activities while completing the CATs. During one class session I observed, the instructor let the students work individually or with a partner on a CAT involving C expressions. I observed 7 of 12 students working with another student in the class. When asked about another CAT, the instructor replied "I think it complimented the lecture material and helped with classroom instruction. It was a nice change of pace and allowed for additional student interaction and active learning."
I asked the students to complete a mid-course survey regarding the TVI course. Seven out of nine students said they enjoyed the teaching format of the course and would recommend the course to a friend This data provides some preliminary evidence suggesting that students are enjoying the format of the course.
II. Distributed Classroom Project
Background: The motivation for this work is similar to
the motivation for the Tutored Video Instruction project. Students
in a synchronous distance learning environment need to feel ownership and
have a voice in the course. The University of Washington offers Professional
Masters courses in a distance learning setting. One group of students
attends the course at the local site (with the instructor present) while
another collocated group of students attends the course via videoconferencing
technology. It is common for these courses to use lecture material
for the three-hour weekly session. When learning technical material,
it is important for students to communicate with the instructor and have
time to work with the concepts.
I am planning to deploy a shared whiteboard and chat system for the distance students to communicate to the instructor in real-time during the class session. Students can use this tool to create solutions to problems presented by the instructor; the instructor can then comment on the progress of the remote students. Additionally, students can use this tool to ask questions by drawing a picture or writing code in the shared whiteboard space. The shared whiteboard will have primitive drawing tools, acting as the pen and paper for remote students.
Previous Research: Gloster and Doss studied a distance course in North Carolina with a similar structure as the course at the University of Washington [5]. They had two-way audio and video at both sites and utilized a tutor at the remote site to field questions and observe students working on problems. We'd like to use a similar process but utilize the instructor at the local site to serve as a guide for the remote students via the shared whiteboard and chat system. Other systems have been developed for online discussions and peer reviews as collaborative technologies [3,6,8].
Goals of the Research:
Interim Conclusions and Open Issues: I think the system can make a difference for the students at the remote site. When talking to the distance students I learned that they liked the idea of solving problems during class and getting feedback from the instructor. Many said that three hours is a long time to listen to a lecture and small group work would be a nice compliment to the lecture format. Several open issues exist with the current stage of the research. We need to study the usability of the system, how the system encourages and/or discourages interaction among students and the instructor, and if the system changes students' attitudes in the course.
Current Stage of Study
I completed the Masters in Science degree in Computer Science and Engineering
in June 2001. I am currently in my third year of the Ph.D. program,
searching for a thesis topic involving computer science education and/or
educational technology. My main interests involve designing and evaluating
technology for collaboration among a group of students working at the same
site and across different sites.
What I Hope to Gain from Participating in the Doctoral Consortium
My career interests include teaching computer science at an undergraduate
institution or community college. I hope to gain insights from fellow
researchers in the education and computer science community. These
insights may include teaching techniques and research practices with which
others have found success.
Bibliographic References