Abstract- Undergraduate students often start their academic course of studies with inadequate lea... more Abstract- Undergraduate students often start their academic course of studies with inadequate learning and thinking skills. Our college has a policy of setting high standards, while supporting students ' learning in a variety of ways. In this paper we present two distinctive courses designed to aid students develop logical and algorithmic thinking, essential for coping with software engineering studies. The courses are taught independently from but in parallel to Introduction to Computer Science and Math courses of first semester. Courses elaborate on algorithmic thinking, logical ideas which are often hidden in a loaded curriculum of
International Journal of Engineering Education, 2019
The development of a product according to specific requirements is the engineers’ core mission. T... more The development of a product according to specific requirements is the engineers’ core mission. Therefore, engineering programsneed to equip their graduates with the tools to deal with the entire cycle of product development. Project-Based Service Learning(PBSL) is a hands-on pedagogical approach that involves the development of a product for the benefit of society. PBSL providesstudents with opportunities to design and develop innovative solutions for real clients with real needs.The study focuses on the perceptions of 13 mechanical engineering graduates who participated in a one-semester RehabilitationBiomechanics course that includes development of tailor-made and low-cost assistive devices for people with special needs. Thestudy aims to evaluate the long-term impact of PBSL on graduates, after several years of employment in industry. The course is apart of an ORT Braude College of Engineering flagship project: ‘‘Engineers on Behalf of People with Disabilities’’. The study usesth...
Proceedings of the 2017 ACM Conference on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education, 2017
It is widely agreed that an introductory computer science (CS) course should be about more than j... more It is widely agreed that an introductory computer science (CS) course should be about more than just programming. Other aims are acquainting students with concepts and principles of CS and developing students' problem-solving skills. In this paper we propose an early introduction of a term often used by computer scientists: the Sliding Window (SW). The term has evolved over time among professionals to simplify the description of algorithms and can be used as well to support beginners when solving algorithmic problems. This metaphoric term enables abstracting and communicating ideas and at the same time it is easy to implement with elementary programming tools. We illustrate a set of stimulating problems in contemporary CS topics that use the SW and may be introduced in an introductory course.
2015 IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE), 2015
Service learning is a hands-on pedagogical approach where students participate in activities that... more Service learning is a hands-on pedagogical approach where students participate in activities that are beneficial to society. In engineering, Project-Based Service Learning involves the development of a product for the benefit of an individual or an organization. Being engaged in PBSL provides students with opportunities to design and develop innovative solutions for real clients. Research on the impact of service-learning programs reveals a positive effect on students' understanding of social issues, and improves their communication, teamwork, and cognitive skills. Yet, only a small amount of research has assessed the long-term impact on engineering graduates after several years of integration in industry. This study follows a flagship project that includes several programs involving populations with special needs. The study uses the Grounded Theory Methodology that allows revealing ideas that could not be foreseen. The study's first phase focuses on the perceptions of graduates who participated in a Rehabilitation Biomechanics course that includes development of assistive devices for a disabled people. Analysis of interview protocols reveals their growing awareness of the roles of engineering solutions in assisting people with special needs, the effects on their interests, and the new skills and understandings they take to the workplace.
Proceedings of the 2005 international workshop on Computing education research - ICER '05, 2005
ABSTRACT Developing solutions to recurring algorithmic and design problems in various contexts co... more ABSTRACT Developing solutions to recurring algorithmic and design problems in various contexts constitutes a fundamental part of computer science (CS) and software engineering. A main principle in software development is the transfer of solutions from previously solved problems to novel ones. The ability to abstract similarities and apply previous productive experiences to new situations relates to analogical reasoning - one of the most important problem-solving heuristics.However, some of the major difficulties that CS students encounter with algorithmic problem-solving involve poor analogical reasoning skills. This paper describes a Pattern-Oriented-Instruction (POI) approach to a computer science fundamentals course. The main principles governing the POI approach lie in defining Algorithmic Patterns - solutions to basic algorithmic problems - and in organizing course problem-solving activities around them. The POI approach is grounded in cognitive theories that deal with an individual's knowledge organization in memory. The knowledge structure is assumed to have implications with regard to problem-solving performance. The aim of our research is to explore how a course designed according to the POI approach affects students' analogical reasoning when they analyze an algorithmic problem and design a solution.
2012 Frontiers in Education Conference Proceedings, 2012
ABSTRACT Colleges of engineering increase accessibility to higher education in the Science, Techn... more ABSTRACT Colleges of engineering increase accessibility to higher education in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields. There is often a need to promote students' learning and thinking skills in order to maintain high academic standards and at the same time avoid high rates of failure and dropout. In addition, academic staff with high pedagogical qualifications is an essential requirement. Establishing a Teaching and Learning Center (TLC) is an increasingly frequent process for achieving these goals. Such centers offer various programs for the promotion of teaching and learning in academic institutions. This article examines the factors that influence the significant role played by TLC in an institution, and the effectiveness of its curricula. The literature refers to several factors, such as the initiation of innovative programs and participation in the institutional strategy plan. In our college, the tight linkage between teaching and learning and the involvement of faculty members in TLC programs are highly influential factors.
2012 Frontiers in Education Conference Proceedings, 2012
As part of a national strategic plan recently established by the Ministry of Education in Israel ... more As part of a national strategic plan recently established by the Ministry of Education in Israel to strengthen science and technology education, an innovative Computer Science (CS) curriculum for middle school was developed. One main goal of the new curriculum is to expose students at an early stage of education to the fundamentals of CS and computational thinking, and to encourage students to study CS in the future. We present the curriculum and its initial implementation, focusing on issues of teachers' professional development.
We report on how students perceived their learning experiences during two half-semester courses, ... more We report on how students perceived their learning experiences during two half-semester courses, the Geology of Venus, taught in the Fall of 2004, and The Geology of Mars, taught this Fall, just prior to this AGU meeting. These courses were designed to have a strong research component. Students were required to complete two research projects, one based on a location
2010 IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE), 2010
ABSTRACT Solving algorithmic problems and implementing them in code is a major theme in introduct... more ABSTRACT Solving algorithmic problems and implementing them in code is a major theme in introductory computer science courses. Problems related to string manipulation are common and of great importance in various domains. In the context of computer science education, solving algorithmic problems of this type may be very challenging for novices, even for the more competent students. Analysis of novice students' solutions to a specific class of problems dealing with string manipulation revealed that a widespread intuitive and non-linear approach was used to solve these problems, which led to cumbersome and erroneous solutions. On the other hand, a straightforward linear approach that leads to shorter and more elegant solutions is uncommon. Uncovering students' common and unsatisfactory approaches in problem solving have significant implications on instruction.
Novices often experience difficulties in problem analysis and solution construction. Pattern-orie... more Novices often experience difficulties in problem analysis and solution construction. Pattern-oriented instruction (POI) is a pedagogical approach based on incorporating patterns into instruction design. It is well-grounded in cognitive theories concerning knowledge construction and organization as well as the acquisition of expertise in problem solving. We show that the incorporation of algorithmic patterns through POI may enhance the construction of algorithmic problem-solving knowledge. Findings of a comparative research study showed that novices who studied according to the POI approach exhibited better problem-solving competence than those who studied in a traditional manner. Specifically, they were more competent in problem decomposition and solution construction.
Undergraduate students often start their academic course of studies with inadequate learning and ... more Undergraduate students often start their academic course of studies with inadequate learning and thinking skills. Our college has a policy of setting high standards and demands, while supporting students' learning in a variety of ways. In this paper we present a distinctive course designed to aid students develop algorithmic problem-solving skills. The course is taught in parallel to a CS1 course and elaborates on activities such as analogical reasoning, prototyping problems, comparison between alternative solutions and reflection on problem-solving processes. It is one of the courses offered at our institution aimed at strengthening general learning and thinking skills, in addition to the regular disciplinary curriculum. Feedback from participants in the course demonstrates a developed awareness and appreciation of abstract ideas beyond programming knowledge. Students report on acquiring problem-solving skills that enable them to cope with compound problems. Additionally, stud...
ABSTRACT Abstraction is a major concept in computer science and serves as a powerful tool in soft... more ABSTRACT Abstraction is a major concept in computer science and serves as a powerful tool in software development. Pattern-oriented instruction (POI) is a pedagogical approach that incorporates patterns in an introductory computer science course in order to structure the learning of algorithmic problem solving. This paper examines abstraction processes in the course of solving an algorithmic problem and highlights three distinct, although interrelated, facets of abstraction: pattern recognition, black-boxing, and structure identification. A study that examined the influence of the POI approach on students' abstraction skills is described; students who learned according to the POI approach were compared with students who learned in a traditional manner with regard to analogical reasoning and problem decomposition and solution, as well as verbal expression. The three facets of abstraction were used to analyze students' abstraction skills and their competency in algorithmic problem solving.
Abstract- Undergraduate students often start their academic course of studies with inadequate lea... more Abstract- Undergraduate students often start their academic course of studies with inadequate learning and thinking skills. Our college has a policy of setting high standards, while supporting students ' learning in a variety of ways. In this paper we present two distinctive courses designed to aid students develop logical and algorithmic thinking, essential for coping with software engineering studies. The courses are taught independently from but in parallel to Introduction to Computer Science and Math courses of first semester. Courses elaborate on algorithmic thinking, logical ideas which are often hidden in a loaded curriculum of
International Journal of Engineering Education, 2019
The development of a product according to specific requirements is the engineers’ core mission. T... more The development of a product according to specific requirements is the engineers’ core mission. Therefore, engineering programsneed to equip their graduates with the tools to deal with the entire cycle of product development. Project-Based Service Learning(PBSL) is a hands-on pedagogical approach that involves the development of a product for the benefit of society. PBSL providesstudents with opportunities to design and develop innovative solutions for real clients with real needs.The study focuses on the perceptions of 13 mechanical engineering graduates who participated in a one-semester RehabilitationBiomechanics course that includes development of tailor-made and low-cost assistive devices for people with special needs. Thestudy aims to evaluate the long-term impact of PBSL on graduates, after several years of employment in industry. The course is apart of an ORT Braude College of Engineering flagship project: ‘‘Engineers on Behalf of People with Disabilities’’. The study usesth...
Proceedings of the 2017 ACM Conference on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education, 2017
It is widely agreed that an introductory computer science (CS) course should be about more than j... more It is widely agreed that an introductory computer science (CS) course should be about more than just programming. Other aims are acquainting students with concepts and principles of CS and developing students' problem-solving skills. In this paper we propose an early introduction of a term often used by computer scientists: the Sliding Window (SW). The term has evolved over time among professionals to simplify the description of algorithms and can be used as well to support beginners when solving algorithmic problems. This metaphoric term enables abstracting and communicating ideas and at the same time it is easy to implement with elementary programming tools. We illustrate a set of stimulating problems in contemporary CS topics that use the SW and may be introduced in an introductory course.
2015 IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE), 2015
Service learning is a hands-on pedagogical approach where students participate in activities that... more Service learning is a hands-on pedagogical approach where students participate in activities that are beneficial to society. In engineering, Project-Based Service Learning involves the development of a product for the benefit of an individual or an organization. Being engaged in PBSL provides students with opportunities to design and develop innovative solutions for real clients. Research on the impact of service-learning programs reveals a positive effect on students' understanding of social issues, and improves their communication, teamwork, and cognitive skills. Yet, only a small amount of research has assessed the long-term impact on engineering graduates after several years of integration in industry. This study follows a flagship project that includes several programs involving populations with special needs. The study uses the Grounded Theory Methodology that allows revealing ideas that could not be foreseen. The study's first phase focuses on the perceptions of graduates who participated in a Rehabilitation Biomechanics course that includes development of assistive devices for a disabled people. Analysis of interview protocols reveals their growing awareness of the roles of engineering solutions in assisting people with special needs, the effects on their interests, and the new skills and understandings they take to the workplace.
Proceedings of the 2005 international workshop on Computing education research - ICER '05, 2005
ABSTRACT Developing solutions to recurring algorithmic and design problems in various contexts co... more ABSTRACT Developing solutions to recurring algorithmic and design problems in various contexts constitutes a fundamental part of computer science (CS) and software engineering. A main principle in software development is the transfer of solutions from previously solved problems to novel ones. The ability to abstract similarities and apply previous productive experiences to new situations relates to analogical reasoning - one of the most important problem-solving heuristics.However, some of the major difficulties that CS students encounter with algorithmic problem-solving involve poor analogical reasoning skills. This paper describes a Pattern-Oriented-Instruction (POI) approach to a computer science fundamentals course. The main principles governing the POI approach lie in defining Algorithmic Patterns - solutions to basic algorithmic problems - and in organizing course problem-solving activities around them. The POI approach is grounded in cognitive theories that deal with an individual's knowledge organization in memory. The knowledge structure is assumed to have implications with regard to problem-solving performance. The aim of our research is to explore how a course designed according to the POI approach affects students' analogical reasoning when they analyze an algorithmic problem and design a solution.
2012 Frontiers in Education Conference Proceedings, 2012
ABSTRACT Colleges of engineering increase accessibility to higher education in the Science, Techn... more ABSTRACT Colleges of engineering increase accessibility to higher education in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields. There is often a need to promote students' learning and thinking skills in order to maintain high academic standards and at the same time avoid high rates of failure and dropout. In addition, academic staff with high pedagogical qualifications is an essential requirement. Establishing a Teaching and Learning Center (TLC) is an increasingly frequent process for achieving these goals. Such centers offer various programs for the promotion of teaching and learning in academic institutions. This article examines the factors that influence the significant role played by TLC in an institution, and the effectiveness of its curricula. The literature refers to several factors, such as the initiation of innovative programs and participation in the institutional strategy plan. In our college, the tight linkage between teaching and learning and the involvement of faculty members in TLC programs are highly influential factors.
2012 Frontiers in Education Conference Proceedings, 2012
As part of a national strategic plan recently established by the Ministry of Education in Israel ... more As part of a national strategic plan recently established by the Ministry of Education in Israel to strengthen science and technology education, an innovative Computer Science (CS) curriculum for middle school was developed. One main goal of the new curriculum is to expose students at an early stage of education to the fundamentals of CS and computational thinking, and to encourage students to study CS in the future. We present the curriculum and its initial implementation, focusing on issues of teachers' professional development.
We report on how students perceived their learning experiences during two half-semester courses, ... more We report on how students perceived their learning experiences during two half-semester courses, the Geology of Venus, taught in the Fall of 2004, and The Geology of Mars, taught this Fall, just prior to this AGU meeting. These courses were designed to have a strong research component. Students were required to complete two research projects, one based on a location
2010 IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE), 2010
ABSTRACT Solving algorithmic problems and implementing them in code is a major theme in introduct... more ABSTRACT Solving algorithmic problems and implementing them in code is a major theme in introductory computer science courses. Problems related to string manipulation are common and of great importance in various domains. In the context of computer science education, solving algorithmic problems of this type may be very challenging for novices, even for the more competent students. Analysis of novice students' solutions to a specific class of problems dealing with string manipulation revealed that a widespread intuitive and non-linear approach was used to solve these problems, which led to cumbersome and erroneous solutions. On the other hand, a straightforward linear approach that leads to shorter and more elegant solutions is uncommon. Uncovering students' common and unsatisfactory approaches in problem solving have significant implications on instruction.
Novices often experience difficulties in problem analysis and solution construction. Pattern-orie... more Novices often experience difficulties in problem analysis and solution construction. Pattern-oriented instruction (POI) is a pedagogical approach based on incorporating patterns into instruction design. It is well-grounded in cognitive theories concerning knowledge construction and organization as well as the acquisition of expertise in problem solving. We show that the incorporation of algorithmic patterns through POI may enhance the construction of algorithmic problem-solving knowledge. Findings of a comparative research study showed that novices who studied according to the POI approach exhibited better problem-solving competence than those who studied in a traditional manner. Specifically, they were more competent in problem decomposition and solution construction.
Undergraduate students often start their academic course of studies with inadequate learning and ... more Undergraduate students often start their academic course of studies with inadequate learning and thinking skills. Our college has a policy of setting high standards and demands, while supporting students' learning in a variety of ways. In this paper we present a distinctive course designed to aid students develop algorithmic problem-solving skills. The course is taught in parallel to a CS1 course and elaborates on activities such as analogical reasoning, prototyping problems, comparison between alternative solutions and reflection on problem-solving processes. It is one of the courses offered at our institution aimed at strengthening general learning and thinking skills, in addition to the regular disciplinary curriculum. Feedback from participants in the course demonstrates a developed awareness and appreciation of abstract ideas beyond programming knowledge. Students report on acquiring problem-solving skills that enable them to cope with compound problems. Additionally, stud...
ABSTRACT Abstraction is a major concept in computer science and serves as a powerful tool in soft... more ABSTRACT Abstraction is a major concept in computer science and serves as a powerful tool in software development. Pattern-oriented instruction (POI) is a pedagogical approach that incorporates patterns in an introductory computer science course in order to structure the learning of algorithmic problem solving. This paper examines abstraction processes in the course of solving an algorithmic problem and highlights three distinct, although interrelated, facets of abstraction: pattern recognition, black-boxing, and structure identification. A study that examined the influence of the POI approach on students' abstraction skills is described; students who learned according to the POI approach were compared with students who learned in a traditional manner with regard to analogical reasoning and problem decomposition and solution, as well as verbal expression. The three facets of abstraction were used to analyze students' abstraction skills and their competency in algorithmic problem solving.
Uploads