Paper Info
Title
Using python and QuickDraw to foster student engagement in CS1
Abstract
Most students enrolling in introductory computer science courses today have grown up working exclusively with graphical user interfaces. Through this experience, they have come to expect computers to be reasonably intuitive and easy to use. Yet, when students enter an introductory course in computer science, it is commonplace for them to work on exclusively text based assignments using complex programming languages. This paper describes our experience using Python and QuickDraw when teaching CS1. We have found that using these tools engages students by allowing them to quickly complete assignments that solve interesting problems and generate visually interesting results, without requiring excessive exposure to low level concepts or the use of complex graphical libraries. In our experience, students get greater satisfaction from working on such assignments, and this encourages them to spend additional time and effort learning the concepts that each assignment is designed to reinforce. In addition, using these tools presents a modern image for the discipline while also providing opportunities for students to be creative, helping to overcome the stereotype that computer science is sterile and boring.
Year
DOI
Venue
2009
10.1145/1639950.1639964
OOPSLA Companion
Keywords
Field
DocType
interesting problem,student engagement,additional time,introductory computer science course,introductory course,complex programming language,computer science,complex graphical library,graphical user interface,complete assignment,interesting result,programming language,computer science education,graphic user interface,python,pedagogy,sterilization
Programming language,Computer science,Human–computer interaction,Graphical user interface,Student engagement,Stereotype,Python (programming language)
Conference
Citations 
PageRank 
References 
1
0.40
15
Authors
1
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
Ben Stephenson15610.86