Using a Variety of Technologies to Teach Compute Hardware Background Approach  Quizzes  Web quests  Basic programming  Raspberry Pi Results Conclusions

Background Difficult to teach computer students about future hardware  Hardware constantly changing important to understand hardware and learn to learn  Skills required Work with limited information Solve problems Map new information to current knowledge Computer hardware is a black box  Need to demystify  Build up student’s confidence  Make enjoyable  Show its useful

Background Modules seem standalone  Need to provide show links  Promote cross-module learning Feedback problems  Writing skills important  Difficult to provide timely feedback for written texts Students  IT students (not computer science students)  No prior knowledge assumed Module  Introduction to Computer Hardware  First year, semester 1  12 week semester, labs each week

Background Module  Concepts: computer hardware concepts basic hardware installation different types and designs of computer hardware computer hardware deployment and management  Learning outcomes include: ability to compare computer hardware types and designs demonstrate basic computer hardware installation skills interpret computer hardware specifications.

Strategies Quizzes  Weekly online quiz  Motivation Check knowledge and learning Provide timely feedback to students Student retention  Encourages participation  Get to know lab partner  Format Multiple-choice questions (MCQs) Open-book, closed-book, web quests  Difficult to design good distracters

Strategies Web Quests  Explore and evaluate data from the internet  Components Introduction Task description Description of steps Pointers to resources (optional)  Motivation Not feasible nor desirable to provide all information Need to learn to learn for life Expose students to wealth of information available

Strategies Basic programming (Scratch)  No programming module in semester 1  Javascript: first year, semester 2  Java: second year (semesters 1 and 2)  Students have to write Scratch program  Motivation Introduce some programming element Link to other modules Learn to learn, minimal guidance provided

Strategies Raspberry Pi  Low-cost, credit card size computer  No guidance provided – asked to get Raspberry Pi up and running  Install Apache server  Sonic Pi programming environment to make music Students had to write tune and review other’s tune Some guidance provided (due to time constraints)

Results Labs completed successfully Difficult to compare with other years Student anonymous questionnaire  Labs clear and good for learning  Liked working in pairs  Had sufficient time  Link between lecture and lab clear Disconnect reported by some students

Results Quizzes  Immediate feedback  Improved attendance/participation  Results spread was normal => questions not too easy, not too hard  Useful for lecturer See results in real-time Problem questions easy to identify

Results Web Quests  Digital natives, but not necessarily competent or savvy  Able to find info  Understood challenges of web quests Basic programming  Able to use Scratch without problems  Not exactly like programming but Used loops and variables  Wrote more complex programmes - good

Results Raspberry Pi  Able to use without problems  Students enjoyed using Raspberry Pi Especially Sonic Pi  Some Flow experiences Lab technicians perspective  5 lab technicians  Labs worked well No problems with quizzes, web quests Raspberry Pi usage beneficial and successful

Discussion Replacing lab reports with multiple choice quiz worked  Key is setting good questions with good distracters Difficult for students to think  …. and not just regurgitate information  Need to understand subtle differences Raspberry Pi computers  Good to learn new hardware  Build up students’ confidence

Conclusions Difficult to each computer hardware ab initio Need to foster learning skills  Cannot learn all information on the course  Need to learn how to learn Combination of strategies worked  Quizzes, web quests, Scratch, Raspberry Pi Added bonus  Students enjoyed the course … good for learning