Background Reading

Final Report

Contact Info.

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Summer 2007 Internship at Duke University

sponsored by

Computing Research Association Distributed Mentor Project (CRA-W DMP)

BACKGROUND READING

JAWAA and SOFTWARE VISUALIZATION

Akingbade, Ayonike, Thomas Finley, Diana Jackson, Pretesh Patel, and Susan H. Rodger. JAWAA: Easy Web-Based Animation from CS 0 to Advanced CS Courses. Department of Computer Science, Duke University. 2003.

This paper describes the usefulness of creating animated data structures over the web, and discusses the value of using JAWAA to output the script commands to accomplish the animations and run them on the web. It describes features of JAWAA and uses examples from lower division courses at Duke University. The JAWAA Editor (v. 2.0), for example, enables beginners to use JAWAA with almost no training because the code (or sections of code) can remain hidden from view to avoid confusing new students. Students can create primitive as well as intelligent objects (primitive objects are basically simple shapes and text, while intelligent objects include more complicate objects such as arrays, stacks, and graphs) and specify or change their attributes such as color, position, and size.

Pierson, Willard C. and Susan H. Rodger. Web-Based Animation of Data Structures Using JAWAA. Department of Computer Science, Duke University. 1998.

This paper explains the concept of the JAWAA applet and describes the general program design. It also illustrates how JAWAA can be of value. This paper is essentially an overview of JAWAA and doesn't go into detail, but does a good job of explaining what JAWAA is, and describes the various modules. In a nutshell, JAWAA is a programming tool to create animations that help students visualize algorithms and data structures and is compatible with programs written in (just about) any programming language.

Stasko, John; John Domingue, Marc H. Brown, and Blaine A. Price (editors). Software Visualization: Programming as a Multimedia Experience (book). Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1998.

This book was provided as a reference tool because it describes the history and ideas behind software visualization, as well as techniques for animating algorithms and processes.

ALICE PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE AND RELATED WORK

Alt, Casey, Owen Astrachan, Jeffrey Forbes, Richard Lucic, and Susan Rodger, Social Networks Generate Interest in Computer Science, thirty-seventh SIGCSE Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education, 2006 (p. 438-442).

Cooper, Steven, Kenneth J. Goldman, Martin Carlisle, Myles McNally, and Viera Proulx, Tools for Teaching Introductory Programming: What Works?, presented at SIGCSE 2006.

Cooper, Steven, Wanda Dann, and Randy Pausch, Alice: A 3-D Tool for Introductory Programming Concepts, presented at CCSNE, Ramapo, New Jersey. April 2000.

Cooper, Steven, Wanda Dann, and Randy Pausch, Teaching objects-first in introductory computer science, presented at SIGCSE 2003, Reno, Nevada. February 2003.

Cooper, Steven, Wanda Dann, and Randy Pausch. Developing Algorithmic Thinking With Alice. Presented at ISECON, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. November 2000.

Dann, Wanda P., Stephen Cooper, and Randy Pausch, Learning to Program with Alice, Pearson/Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ. 2006.
This book, developed by Carnegie University and Ithaca College professors, is a user-friendly introduction to the concepts inherent to all computer programming languages, and works in conjunction with the Alice programming language tutorial.

Dann, W, Steve Cooper, and R. Pausch. Using visualization to teach novices recursion (PowerPoint). Presented at ITiCSE 2001, Canterbury, England. July 2001.

Dann, W., T. Dragon, S. Cooper, K. Dietzler, K. Ryan, and R. Pausch. Objects: visualization of behavior and state. Presented at ITiCSE 2003, Thessaloniki, Greece. June 2003.

Moskal, B., D. Lurie, and S. Cooper, Evaluating the Effectiveness of a New Instructional Approach. SIGCSE 2004, Norfolk, Virginia. March 2004.

Naps, Thomas L. (co-chair), Guido Rossling (co-chair), Vicki Almstrum, Wanda Dann, Rudolf Fleischer, Chris Hundhausen, Ari Korhonen, Lauri Malmi, Myles McNally, Susan Rodger and J. Angel Velazquez-Iturbide. Exploring the Role of Visualization and Engagement in Computer Science Education. Report of the Working Group on "Improving the Educational Impact of Algorithm Visualization", SIGCSE Bulletin, Vol. 35, No. 2, p. 131-152, June 2003 (from ITiCSE 2002, Aarhus, Denmark, June 2002.)

This paper lists and defines suggested elements of algorithm animation and visualization, and the various levels of knowledge that are part of the process. The paper was a bit over my head, making it hard to read.

Rodger, Susan H. CompSci4 course website at Duke University. Coursework and lecture slides about camera work (September 14, 2007) and timers (October 24, 2006). http://www.cs.duke.edu/courses/fall06/cps004/

Professor Rodger suggested I look at her course and lecture website to learn about creating and using timers and manipulating the camera in Alice. This website was extremely valuable, especially when teaching myself how to create a scoring system for the dinoGame I'm developing.

Rodger, Susan H. An Innovative Approach with Alice for Attracting K-12 Students to Computing. International Conference on the Virtual Computing Initiative (IBM University Days), Research Triangle Park, NC, May 7, 2007, (p. 17).

S. H. Rodger, Integrating Animations into Courses, ACM SIGCSE/SIGCUE Conference on Integrating Technology in Computer Science Education, Barcelona, Spain, p. 72-74, 1996.

Rodger, S.H., Introducing Computer Science Through Animation and Virtual Worlds, Thirty-third SIGCSE Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education, p. 186-190, 2002.

Rodger, Susan H. Using Animation, Virtual Worlds, Pair Programming and Activities to Introduce Computer Science. Interactive Multimedia Electronic Journal of Computer-Enhanced Learning, Vol. 4, No. 2, 2002.

Rodger, S.H., Using Hands-on Visualizations to Teach Computer Science from Beginning Courses to Advanced Courses, Second Program Visualization Workshop, Hornstrup Centert, Denmark, p. 103-112, June 2002.

Zaccone, R. and W. Dann. Using 3D animation programming in a core engineering course seminar. FIE 2003, Boulder, Colorado. November 2003.