Activity for 1 1) Name some preconceptions you think students may have about and briefly describe how they would impact your teaching –Arrays Arrays are only indexed by integers. Arrays are (are not) directly assignable. Arrays are single dimensional. –Assignment "a=a+1" means that you didn't pay attention in algebra. –Concurrency Within a locked region, your program can not be interrupted. Everything happens at once in a computer. (no notion of serial execution model) Concurrent programs will always run faster (then serial ones). 2) Assuming you don’t KNOW what preconceived ideas students have about your subject, name 2 concrete things you could do to help identify and address their preconceptions in a given course –a) Give a written "pre quiz" early in the class. –b) Walk, interactively, across the (supposedly) basic vocabulary and concepts in first discussion section. (a "supportive" "assessing" discussion rather than a "challenging" one)

Activity for 2 1) Compare and contrast something you might so to teach these subjects “deeply” – to engage factual knowledge, concepts in context and retrieval. Identify a way that would NOT be effective –Loops: Effective: Teach by unrolling (what do you do if you don’t have loops), establish need Relate to student knowledge Ask how to print numbers from 1 to 10 –Caches: Effective: Real world examples Different levels of memory structures: backpack, locker, house Store analogy: A small store that stocks frequently used things serves the purpose most of the time. –Abstract Class: Effective: Give a fruit, but not a specific type of fruit (e.g. apple) and show that’s impossible => Can’t instantiate an abstract class

Activity for 2 1) Compare and contrast something you might so to teach these subjects “deeply” – to engage factual knowledge, concepts in context and retrieval. Identify a way that would NOT be effective –Effective In General: Relate information to what students already know: –Stacks of pancakes –Backpack caches –Phonebook ripping binary search –Ineffective In General: Teaching concepts as just ‘abstract’ things that they can’t connect to anything

Activity for 3 1) You are an effective learner. What specific techniques do you use to show yourself that you are learning the material in a course? –1)Organize materials learned from a course –2)Outline –3) Interaction –4) Problem Solving with Self-Assessment What specific classroom activities, or graded work, or other official course thing do you think could be added to computer science courses to teach or support metacognitive skill development in CS students? –Discussion about subject between students –1 page “cheat sheet” on exam –Promote group study (To solidify concepts for a student in teaching other students)