Information Systems students learn to program by design

IS STUDENTS
LEARN TO PROGRAM BY DESIGN
Dalit Levy
Zefat Academic College
ISRAEL
ILAIS2014 – Academic College of Tel Aviv-Yaffo, June 8, 2014

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About the College
Zefat Academic College brings life-changing benefits to residents of the city
and to the surrounding area.
‫ד‬"‫לוי‬ ‫דלית‬ ‫ר‬|ILAIS Meeting|08.06.2014

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Zefat Academic College is a rapidly
growing institution of higher education
located within the historic city of Zefat.
About the College

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It offers greater accessibility to higher
education in the Northern periphery
where there are no universities.
About the College

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It offers greater accessibility to higher
education in the Northern periphery
where there are no universities.
About the College
The college's location in the heart of the
city reinforces the impact that it has on
the local community.

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About the Field
The widespread everyday use of information systems reflects a
shift in conceptualizing the technology as more social than it was
perceived before.

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About the Field
perceived before.
“the computer started as a totalitarian tool, but has
now also been embraced as a social tool”
Kizza (2003), Ethical and Social Issues in the Information Age.

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About the Field
perceived before.
“the computer started as a totalitarian tool, but has
now also been embraced as a social tool”
Kizza (2003), Ethical and Social Issues in the Information Age.
Social Information Systems emerge as an empowering force for
both local and global communities, organizations, and businesses.

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About the Field
“Community Informatics is by its very nature ”glocal”...
providing even in the most rural and remote settings
...powerful connections to the global and the
opportunity to be present in the global ”
Guerstein (2012), Glocality: thinking about Community Informatics and the
Local in the Global and the Global in the Local.

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About the Field
“Community Informatics is by its very nature ”glocal”...
providing even in the most rural and remote settings
...powerful connections to the global and the
opportunity to be present in the global ”
Guerstein (2012), Glocality: thinking about Community Informatics and the
Local in the Global and the Global in the Local.
Community Information Systems
CIS

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CIS Goals
The increasing interest in integrating human, communal and
social considerations into traditional information systems
curricula has led to the development of new academic
interdisciplinary programs around the globe, with 2 main goals:

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CIS Goals
I Develop analytical
skills to identify
and evaluate the
social consequences
of ICT-based
systems

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CIS Goals
I Develop analytical
skills to identify
and evaluate the
social consequences
of ICT-based
systems
II Gain experience in
the socio-technical
process of designing
IS in business, libraries,
health, government,
education and beyond.

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CIS - an Interdisciplinary Field
"I think our major contribution to
computing was in bringing a liberal
arts point of view to the use of
computers.
… It was to bring beautiful fonts and
typography to people... to help them
communicate ...
Our goal was to bring a liberal arts
audience to what had traditionally
been a very geeky technology and
a very geeky audience.“ (Steve Jobs,

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CIS in Zefat Academic College
Most undergraduate IS programs in Israel operate as part of the faculty of
engineering or within the context of the business environment

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The new CIS program is sensitive to the increasing demand for higher
education of the population in the northern part of the country, and seeks to:

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Consider the
multi-cultural
facets of
businesses,
organizations,
and communities

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Consider the
multi-cultural
facets of
businesses,
organizations,
and communities
Empower these
developing
communities by
using advanced
technologies and
information
systems

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Consider the
multi-cultural
facets of
businesses,
organizations,
and communities
Empower these
developing
communities by
using advanced
technologies and
information
systems

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The notion of "community" in CIS is broad, including
business communities as well as non-profit organizations,
global or local organizations, public communities, cultural
communities, and rural communities.
CIS Program Structure

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CORE AREA OF STUDY – Foundations in 3 tracks
Information
Technologies
and Systems

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Information
Technologies
and Systems
ICT Information and Computer Technologies

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Information
Technologies
and Systems
IS Information Systems

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Information
Technologies
and Systems
CS Computer Science

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Information
Technologies
and Systems
CS Computer Science

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Information
Technologies
and Systems
CS Computer Science
SUPPORTING AREAS OF STUDY
A The Knowledge Society

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Information
Technologies
and Systems
CS Computer Science
B Information in OrganizationsA The Knowledge Society

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Information
Technologies
and Systems
CS Computer Science
B Information in Organizations
A The Knowledge Society
As a result of such integrated
curriculum, we vision graduates
who are both information-
technology-oriented and social-
oriented, and thus can empower
the communities within they live
and work.

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The Computer Science Track
The discipline of CS is often perceived by IS programs as one of
their supporting pillars.

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CS methods and ideas, which are at the root of ICT innovations
and information systems design processes, are thought to have
the potential to contribute to a greater understanding of those
creations.

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CS methods and ideas, which are at the root of ICT innovations
and information systems design processes, are thought to have
the potential to contribute to a greater understanding of those
creations.
“Advancing students' understanding of computing has
been thought of as critical to developing the needed
workforce for the 21st century ”
The College Board, 2012

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Students in IS programs in general, and in an interdisciplinary
program such as CIS in particular, should study fundamental CS
courses in order to acquire the needed broad foundation in
computing and consider its breadth of application.

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“Program…or Be Programmed”
Rushkoff, 2010

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“Program…or Be Programmed”
Rushkoff, 2010
But How?
• CS track tailored for non-CS majors
• Develop an understanding of the principles and practices of computing
• Program without drowning in syntax
• Expose students to CS potential for transforming the world

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“An unfortunate fact: Java and C++ don’t lend themselves to
these rules”
Bloch, 2011
But How?

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these rules”
Bloch, 2011
But How?
Alternatives to ‘Java first’:
Alice, Processing, Python, Scheme/Racket, Scratch/BYOB
Start with simpler syntax; Motivate with graphics.

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these rules”
Bloch, 2011
But How?
Alternatives to ‘Java first’:
Alice, Processing, Python, Scheme/Racket, Scratch/BYOB
Start with simpler syntax; Motivate with graphics.

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Goal: to enable the graduates' participation in the professional
discourse used among programmers, software designers, and
software development teams.

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THE FLOW OF THE REQUIRED COURSES IN THE CS TRACK
Year 1
Year 2 - Fall
Year 2 – Spring
Year 3
Program By Design
Introduction to CS and programming, using Racket

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Year 1
Year 2 - Fall
Year 2 – Spring
Year 3
Program By Design
Object-Oriented Programming
Introduction to OOP, using Java

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Year 1
Year 2 - Fall
Year 2 – Spring
Year 3
Program By Design
Software Design Methods
Design cycle and advanced programming, using Java

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Year 1
Year 2 - Fall
Year 2 – Spring
Year 3
Program By Design
Developing Software Systems
Agile methods for software development teams

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1st Course in the CS Track
What is a first CS course (usually) about?
(1) How to use computers/software packages (for ex., Office)
(2) The CS profession
(3) A language, IDE, OS etc.
That will get students into the job market
(4) Concepts, habits, methodologies of programming

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Four completely different courses,
each valuable for different
reasons and audiences

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Usefull for students about to graduate

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Usefull as a first course for non-majors

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First CS course for non-CS majors

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Beginning programming students always think
its about the syntax!
(thanks to Prof. Stephan Bloch, Adelphi University)

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The Program By Design Idea
Problem-solving curriculum

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Pedagogical IDE
(Integrated Development
Environment)

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A Trinity
Pedagogical IDE
(Integrated Development
Environment)
Simple-to-complex
set of
student languages

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Aim: To turn computing and programming into an
indispensable part of the liberal arts curriculum

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Origin: Mathias Felleisen and colleagues, PLT,
TeachScheme, DrRacket

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Origin: Mathias Felleisen and colleagues, PLT,
TeachScheme, DrRacket
Felleisen (2011), SIGCSE award talk

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PBD is a functions-first approach to teaching introductory
programming and problem-solving.

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PBD emphasizes software engineering practices such as early
testing from the beginning.

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PBD emphasizes software engineering practices such as early
testing from the beginning.
PBD is combined with the Racket IDE, featuring different
language levels, simple syntax, customized error messages, and
support for 'algebra of images'

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PBD example: support for 'algebra of images'

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PBD example: support for 'algebra of images'

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Most importantly, PBD offers design recipes to lead beginner
students through a sequence of steps in order to:
(a) obtain an understanding of the problem's nature
(b) design the solution

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Design Recipe: Function
Most importantly, PBD offers design recipes to lead
beginner students through a sequence of steps in order to:
(a) obtain an understanding of the problem's nature
(b) design the solution
The design of a function proceeds in several steps:
1 Signature (contract) and purpose.
2 Define examples (test using check-expect).
3 Template and Inventory.
4 Code the function body.
5 Test and debug until working.

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Design Recipe: Function
Test-first Design
The design of a function proceeds in several steps:
1 Signature (contract) and purpose.
2 Define examples (test using check-expect).
3 Template and Inventory.
4 Code the function body.
5 Test and debug until working.

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Design Recipe: Worlds and
Data Definitions
Test-first Design

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Test-first Design Recipes are
(can be) language-independent
“Java contains features that the beginner does not
understand, but the error messages refer to them”
Prolux, 2011

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Back on the CS Track
Goal: to enable the participation in professional discourse used
among software designers.
Year 1
Year 2 - Fall
Year 2 – Spring
Year 3
Program By Design
Developing Software Systems
Agile methods for software development teams

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Since ‘Program by Design’ also includes support for
transitioning to OOP and libraries for using design recipes as
part of Java IDE, the second course in the computer science
track builds naturally on the first while further focusing on
the systematic design of programs and classes
Back on the CS Track

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Program By Design - Summary
Step-by-step design recipe: from word problem to a
tested, correct code
‫המרחק‬ ‫פונקציית‬ ‫את‬ ‫הגדירו‬:‫פונקציה‬ ‫זוהי‬
‫מספריים‬ ‫פרמטרים‬ ‫שני‬ ‫שמקבלת‬ ‫חדשה‬,‫ומחזירה‬
‫המספרים‬ ‫ריבועי‬ ‫סכום‬ ‫של‬ ‫הריבועי‬ ‫השורש‬ ‫את‬.

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Concrete questions & deliverables at each step

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Test cases before code; part of analysis phase
Data-driven design:
"shape of data determines shape of code"

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Test cases before code; part of analysis phase
Data-driven design:
"shape of data determines shape of code"
The features of ‘Program by Design’ make the approach
especially suitable as a starter for a computer science track in
a liberal-arts-oriented undergraduate curriculum in
Community Information Systems.

Thanks for listening!
dalitl@zefat.ac.il
The features of ‘Program by Design’ make the approach
especially suitable as a starter for a computer science track in
a liberal-arts-oriented undergraduate curriculum in
Community Information Systems.

Information Systems students learn to program by design

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