An Innovative Approach to Using Web 2.0 in CS1 Stephen H. Edwards [email_address] http://web-cat.org

What do I mean by Web 2.0? Highly interactive AJAX-based Web applications With a more modern look and feel http://web-cat.org

Highly interactive

AJAX-based

Web applications

With a more modern look and feel

What was our motivation? Proactively address recruitment , retention , and attrition concerns: Move away from textbook-oriented assignments Move toward assignments that have real-world relevance Speak to students’ interests Create solutions meaningful outside the classroom http://web-cat.org

Proactively address recruitment , retention , and attrition concerns:

Move away from textbook-oriented assignments

Move toward assignments that have real-world relevance

Speak to students’ interests

Create solutions meaningful outside the classroom

The basic idea … Teach students basic programming skills … … In the context of writing interactive web applications Give students more flexibility and control over the information content in their assignments Culminate with an integrative project that is centered around student interests http://web-cat.org

Teach students basic programming skills …

… In the context of writing interactive web applications

Give students more flexibility and control over the information content in their assignments

Culminate with an integrative project that is centered around student interests

So what can they do? Let’s look at a couple of examples http://web-cat.org

Let’s look at a couple of examples

How does the technology work? http://web-cat.org WebDAV Page request AJAX

Can students really write this? Let’s try a hands-on example Open your web browser and go to: http://zk.cs.vt.edu/zk/sigcse08/ http://web-cat.org

Let’s try a hands-on example

Open your web browser and go to:

http://zk.cs.vt.edu/zk/sigcse08/

Let’s discuss … Let’s hear your: … questions … issues … concerns … suggestions http://web-cat.org

Let’s hear your:

… questions

… issues

… concerns

… suggestions

What are the benefits? “ New” experience for students, even if they’ve done lots of programming Forces students to think about creating something meaningful outside the classroom Students can “show off” their work to others easily Nifty technology http://web-cat.org

“ New” experience for students, even if they’ve done lots of programming

Forces students to think about creating something meaningful outside the classroom

Students can “show off” their work to others easily

Nifty technology

There are rough edges to work on No textbooks cover this The underlying framework is still evolving Some features are not complete Some features are not orthogonal Student-level documentation is lacking Error handling needs improvement http://web-cat.org

No textbooks cover this

The underlying framework is still evolving

Some features are not complete

Some features are not orthogonal

Student-level documentation is lacking

Error handling needs improvement