Problem-solving processes in an educational construction simulation game

The growing adoption of educational simulation games in construction pedagogy has significantly impacted student learning. One game, the Virtual Construction Simulator 4 (VCS4), has been found to support student learning of how to solve complex construction problems. However, further research is warranted to evaluate the thinking processes that students engage while playing the game. This study examines those thinking processes by analyzing verbal protocols collected as students thought aloud while playing VCS4 game modules and resulting verbal protocols were coded to capture both cognitive and metacognitive operations. Patterns of thought revealed by this coding were then compared to the patterns expected based on the intentions of game design. The results show that students do generally exhibit the expected patterns. These findings support the claim that students engaged in complex higher-order thinking processes and skills, which evolved based on the types of construction projects.     

信息与计算科学专业实践教学探索

培养学生的实践能力和创新精神是本科教学的重要目标。上海海洋大学信息学院应用数学系经过对实践教学的探索,逐渐摸索出比较适合的实践教学模式。文章研究信息与计算科学专业实践教学目的,分析其特点与原则,提出专业实践教学的课程体系,以期对专业办学有一定借鉴作用。     

计算机专业综合能力培养的研究

大学计算机专业就业形势偏紧和就业层面下移,带来一系列的问题和思考。改革最重要的一个环节,就是加强计算机专业综合性、创新性能力的培养。因此,有必要在教学计划中引入案例教学,独立设课,自成体系。而大学计算机教育必须改变以往的教育思想及教学管理方式,改进教学方法和手段,以利于计算机人才的培养。     

Interactive story authoring: A viable form of creative expression for the classroom

The unprecedented growth in numbers of children playing computer games has stimulated discussion and research regarding what, if any, educational value these games have for teaching and learning. The research on this topic has primarily focused on children as players of computer games rather than builders/constructors of computer games. Recently, several game companies, such as BioWare Corp. and Bethesda Softworks, have released game story creation tools to the public, along with their games. However, a major obstacle to using these commercial tools is the level of programming experience required to create interactive game stories. In this paper, we demonstrate that a commercial game story construction tool, BioWare Corp.’s Aurora Toolset, can be augmented by our new tool, ScriptEase, to enable students in two grade ten English classes to successfully construct interactive game stories. We present evidence that describes the relationship between interactive story authoring and traditional story authoring, along with a series of factors that can potentially affect success at these activities: gender, creativity, intellectual ability, previous experiences with programming, time playing computer games, and time spent online. Results indicate that students can successfully construct sophisticated interactive stories with very little training. The results also show no gender differences in the quality of these interactive stories, regardless of programming experience or the amount of time per week playing computer games or participating in general online activities, although a subset of female students did show a slightly higher level of performance on interactive story authoring. In the educational context of this study, we show that ScriptEase provides an easy-to-use tool for interactive story authoring in a constructionist learning environment.     

Hierarchical Processing for Evolving Recursive and Modular Programs Using Higher-Order Functions and Lambda Abstraction

We present a novel approach using higher-order functions and abstraction to evolve recursive and modular programs. Moreover, a new term structure abstraction is introduced to describe the property emerged from the higher-order function program structure. We test this technique on the general even-parity problem. The results indicate that this approach is very effective with the general even-parity problem due to the appropriate selection of the foldr higher-order function. Initially, foldr structure abstraction identify the promising area of the search space at generation zero. Once the population is within the promising area, foldr structure abstraction provides hierarchical processing for search. Consequently, solutions to the general even-parity problem are found very efficiently. We identify the limitations of this new approach and conclude that only when the appropriate higher-order function is selected that the benefits of structure abstraction show.     

高校非计算机专业计算机基础教学探讨

计算机基础教学是高等教育中必不可少的基本内容,它对于培养学生掌握计算机的知识和技能,提高学生的基本素质都具有十分重要的意义,本文分析了高校计算机基础教学目前存在的一些问题,结合转变观念,建立完善的教学体系、加强师资队伍建设,提高教学能力、完善教学方法,提高教学质量、分层次教学,实现有针对性教学、构建网络现代化教学平台等几项计算机基础教学改革措施进行探讨。     

探究职校计算机教学中对学生创新思维的培养

职业学校的计算机教学越来越为教育部门所重视,即便是职业学校以培养学生专业技术能力为主,但是计算机的基础知识和基本技能必须达到普遍学习和应用。职校学生的计算机应用范围会更加广泛。因此在职校计算机教学中一定要千方百计培养学生的创新思维,使学生用于实践,不断创新。笔者结合教学经验从四方面探究职校计算机教学中对学生创新思维的培养     

浅析运用游戏化教学激活“大学计算机基础”课堂

探讨了游戏化教学的定义和现实意义,分五个阶段描述了游戏化教学在“大学计算机基础”课堂中的具体应用.教学实践表明,游戏化教学在吸引学生注意力,激发学生思考,活跃学习氛围等方面有着举足轻重的意义.     

北京科技大学智能科学与技术专业建设情况

我校建立智能科学与技术专业已经有4年的历史。本文论述了我们本着培养学生解决问题能力为主导的方针,从专业教学目标、教学计划和教学大纲入手,辅以实验室建设、教学模式改革等手段,进行专业建设的情况。结合首届智能科学与技术专业学生的毕业去向,总结了专业建设经验,并进行了反思。     

Computer games created by middle school girls: Can they be used to measure understanding of computer science concepts?

Computer game programming has been touted as a promising strategy for engaging children in the kinds of thinking that will prepare them to be producers, not just users of technology. But little is known about what they learn when programming a game. In this article, we present a strategy for coding student games, and summarize the results of an analysis of 108 games created by middle school girls using Stagecast Creator in an after school class. The findings show that students engaged in moderate levels of complex programming activity, created games with moderate levels of usability, and that the games were characterized by low levels of code organization and documentation. These results provide evidence that game construction involving both design and programming activities can support the learning of computer science concepts.     

Beauty and the beast: New approaches to teaching computing for humanities students at the University of Aberdeen

This paper reports on the history and development of a new undergraduate course teaching computing for humanities students at the University of Aberdeen, and assesses some new teaching approaches developed in the course. It is noted that teaching computing to humanities students appears to be viewed with suspicion by some Computer Science and Humanities Departments. The two camps seem to fear, for different reasons, that issues and practices important to their disciplines will be compromised or watered down. This paper describes an attempt to reverse any such attitudes on the part of staff and students and to take undergraduates considerably beyond mere word processing and computer literacy. Various methods and techniques used in the course are presented and their value assessed. The importance of using a consistent computer interface to helping students form a stable conceptual model of computers is considered. We reflect on the value of teaching more about Human Computer Interaction and Artificial Intelligence than is usual in Humanities Computing courses. A number of lessons are drawn from the course.Gordon Burgess is a Reader in the Department of German at the University of Aberdeen. Simon Holland is a Lecturer in Computing Science at the University of Aberdeen.For example, Sterling Beckwith (1992) has noted that major contributors to human computer interaction and artificial intelligence such as Marvin Minsky, Alan Kay, Bill Buxton, and Jaron Lanier (we could add Christopher Longuet-Higgins, Terry Winograd, Phil Johnson-Laird and Herbert Simon) are all musicians or have been involved in music at some time as part of their academic research.     

“计算机与通信网络”课程仿真实验环节的研究与实现

随着计算机网络及相关技术的迅速发展,网络架构在各专业中的普及应用,＂计算机与通信网络＂课程已经纳入许多非计算机专业人才培养体系中,并成为重要的专业必修课程之一。该文以＂计算机与通信网络＂课程在电子信息科学专业的教学为例,探讨在少学时少实验教学条件下,如何开展并完善仿真实验环节,培养学生实践能力,提高课程教学效果。     

Improving computer-assisted instruction in teaching higher-order skills

Computer-assisted instruction (CAI) has been shown to enhance rote memory skills and improve higher order critical thinking skills. The challenge now is to identify what aspects of CAI improve which specific higher-order skills. This study focuses on the effectiveness of using CAI to teach logarithmic graphing and dimensional analysis. Two groups of ninth graders participated in a one-class period laboratory. Experiment 1 compared a fully automated computer laboratory to an equivalent paper-and-pencil exercise. Experiment 2 compared the same automated computer laboratory in Experiment 1 with a revised, less automated computer version. Both the paper-and-pencil exercise and the less automated computer exercise required students to perform basic mathematical calculations. The results from a post-test revealed that very few students were able to master the complex task of dimensional analysis, but students who took the paper-based and revised, less automated version scored higher overall. These results imply that students required to perform basic calculations had a better understanding of the lab as a whole. These results suggest that until students master basic skills, they do not have the cognitive resources to concentrate on higher-order concepts. This is supported by cognitive load theory.     

eNVyMyCar: A Multiplayer Car Racing Game for Teaching Computer Graphics

The development of a computer game is widely used as a way of conveying concepts regarding Computer Science. There are several reasons for this: it stimulates creativity, it provides an immediate sense of achievement (when the code works), it typically covers all the aspects of an introductory course, and it is easy to find ideas just by looking around and finding stimulation from one's environment and from fellow students. In this paper we present eNVyMyCar, a framework for the collaborative/competitive development of a computer game, and report the experience of its use in two Computer Graphics courses held in 2007. We developed a multiplayer car racing game where the student's task is just to implement the rendering of the scene, while all the other aspects, communication and synchronization are implemented in the framework and are transparent to the developer. The innovative feature of our framework is that all on‐line users can see the views produced by their fellow students. This motivates students to improve their work by comparing it with other students and picking up ideas from them. It also gives students an opportunity to show off to their classmates.     

让思维在实践中闪光——论计算机教学中思维能力的培养

随着人类时代的迅猛发展,计算机已经作为一门学科在社会得到广泛的应用,被人们所接受,计算机教学也受到社会的重视,本文主要从计算机思维和计算机教学中怎样培养思维能力的方法及其意义进行如下的叙述。     

Problem solving by 5–6 years old kindergarten children in a computer programming environment: A case study

Computer programming is considered an important competence for the development of higher-order thinking in addition to algorithmic problem solving skills. Its horizontal integration throughout all educational levels is considered worthwhile and attracts the attention of researchers. Towards this direction, an exploratory case study is presented concerning dimensions of problem solving using computer programming by 5–6 years old kindergarten children. After a short introductory experiential game the children were involved in solving a series of analogous computer programming problems, using a Logo-based environment on an Interactive White Board. The intervention was designed as a part of the structured learning activities of the kindergarten which are teacher-guided and are conducted in a whole-class social mode. The observation of the video recording of the intervention along with the analysis of teacher's interview and the researcher's notes allow for a realistic evaluation of the feasibility, the appropriateness and the learning value of integrating computer programming in such a context. The research evidence supports the view that children enjoyed the engaging learning activities and had opportunities to develop mathematical concepts, problem solving and social skills. Interesting results about children learning, difficulties, interactions, problem solving strategies and the teacher's role are reported. The study also provides proposals for the design of future research.     

A dialogic understanding of the relationship between CSCL and teaching thinking skills

How to teach flexible thinking and learning skills, particularly creativity and the skill of “learning to learn,” is a key concern for CSCL in the context of the emerging Networked Society. The currently dominant paradigms for supporting pedagogical design within CSCL, including socio-cultural theory, are limited in the support that they can offer to the project of teaching general thinking skills. This paper uses critical literature review, conceptual analysis, and evidence from case studies to argue for the value of a dialogic interpretative framework that links the goal of teaching thinking with the method of CSCL. The evidence reviewed suggests that dialogue is itself the primary thinking skill from which all others are derived. It is argued from this that dialogic theory offers a possible solution to the problem of how to conceptualize general thinking skills for CSCL: this is that teaching dialogue as an end in itself promotes the learning of general thinking skills. Implications of the proposed framework for pedagogical design are brought out through case studies illustrating the use of CSCL to broaden and deepen dialogic spaces of reflection.     

Questioning skills facilitate online synchronous discussions

Abstract The results of this study show that effective questioning skills increase student intellectual moves that, in turn, facilitate the process of knowledge construction in online synchronous discussion (OSD). The open-ended questions elicited multiple perspectives by promoting student participation, while OSD enabled them to share and debate multiple perspectives simultaneously without worrying about interrupting the flow of a conversation that had moved on. Furthermore, the high level of questions engaged students in higher order thinking. That is, OSD can be productive for learning when organised with appropriate questioning skills. The implication is that educators have to re-engineer their thinking to teach with OSD in order to discover effective pedagogy that uses OSD as an integral component in teaching. Research on educational OSD should focus on how and when it is an appropriate learning tool that enhances learning processes and outcomes.     

Computer game development as a literacy activity

This study examined computer game development as a pedagogical activity to motivate and engage students in curriculum-related literacy activities. We hypothesized that as a consequence, students would improve their traditional reading and writing skills as well as develop new digital literacy skills. Eighteen classes of grade 4 students were assigned to either an experimental or control group. Both groups studied the same curriculum unit over a 10 week period, however, in addition the experimental group developed computer games related to the unit using a game development shell. An analysis of pre- and post-unit scores on two standardized literacy test batteries revealed that the experimental students performed significantly better on one of the subtests, a measure of logical sentence construction (p = .002). Field notes and teacher interview data indicated that game development helped improve student content retention, ability to compare and contrast information presented, utilize more and different kinds of research materials including digital resources, editing skills, and develop an insight into questioning skills.     

智能科学基础系列课程国家级教学团队建设

介绍中南大学国家级"智能科学基础系列课程教学团队"的改革与建设,涉及课程建设、教材建设、教学手段、队伍建设以及交流合作等方面的一些进展。团队形成了"以趣导课、以疑启思、以法解惑、以律求知"的教学模式和方法;把国家级精品课程和全国双语教学示范课程放在优先建设的位置;采取引进优秀人才和在职培养相结合的做法,提高青年教师的教学素质;不断增进与国内高校和教学团队的交流,在教学团队建设方面发挥应有的作用。