{"51615":{"#nid":"51615","#data":{"type":"news","title":"NSF Supports Innovative Approach to Undergraduate Education","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E(November 25, 2006)--\u003C\/strong\u003EBarbara Ericson, director of computer science outreach and Professor Mark Guzdial, director of undergraduate programs at the College of Computing were recently awarded funding for yet another National Science Foundation Course, Curriculum, and Laboratory Improvement (NSF CCLI) grant. Their proposal titled \u201cCollaborative Research: Alice and Media Computation\u201d leverages the strengths of two innovative approaches that have been successful in attracting and retaining undergraduate students in computer science.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.alice.org\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EAlice\u003C\/a\u003E is free software from Carnegie Mellon University that allows students to build 3D movies and games using drag-and-drop programming, while \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/content\/view\/105\/140\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EMedia Computation\u003C\/a\u003E, developed at Georgia Tech, uses more traditional programming in Java to manipulate media. Media Computation students write programs to alter pictures or sounds, create linked lists of musical phrases, and more.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThis combined approach builds on the advantages of Alice and Media Computation and is likely to create an appealing learning environment for students. \u201cThe goal of our investigation,\u201d says Ericson, \u201cis to develop a highly motivating first-year programming course using Alice that is naturally linked to traditional text-based programming through Media Computation.\u201d A likely outcome will be an increase in the number of students who decide to major or minor in computer science, and an improved retention of first-year computer science majors.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe proposed curriculum is likely to also have a strong appeal to undergraduate faculty who are interested in using Alice as an introductory course, but are uncertain as to how to transition students to traditional text based programming. \u201cThis project leverages the popularity of Alice and the need to integrate with other CS classes through our Media Computation curricula.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe NSF Division of Undergraduate Education awarded Ericson and Guzdial, along with Associate Professors Stephan Cooper (St. Joseph\u0027s University), Wanda Dann(Ithaca College), and Barbara Moskal (Colorado School of Mines) over $107,000 for the next two years.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EFor more information about the NSF CCLI, \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.nsf.gov\/funding\/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5741\u0026amp;org=DUE\u0026amp;from=home\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eclick here\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECollege of Computing\u2019s Barbara Ericson and Mark Guzdial are leveraging the strengths of Alice and Media Computation to continue attracting and retaining students in computer science.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":"","uid":"27154","created_gmt":"2010-02-09 21:46:40","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:05:04","author":"Louise Russo","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2006-11-26T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2006-11-26T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"47223","name":"College of Computing"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}