Modules

From NW-DCSD

Contents 1 Goals of NWDCSD Curriculum Modules 2 Course Module Development 2.1 Modules tested and ready for use 2.2 Modules presently under development 2.3 Proposed Modules 2.4 Module Repositories 3 Procedure for Proposing a New Module 3.1 Typically Two Months (or more) Before Expected Use 3.2 A Month (or more) Before Expected Use 3.3 Just Before the Module is to be Used 3.4 Just After the Module was Used 4 Procedure for Using an Existing Module 5 Instructor Resources

Goals of NWDCSD Curriculum Modules

Curriculum Designed for the NWDCSD Project should directly relate to goals from the original proposal. Specifically, projects should:

...target three types of innovative curricular projects: projects that use modern content areas to teach traditional computer science learning objectives; inter-departmental projects that address modern needs of the computing workforce by focusing on large scale and distributed team development; inter-disciplinary projects that bring computational thinking to non-computer science students. (Project Proposal pp. 6)

Course Module Development

This is the main page for the course module development, mangement, and assessment. Each new module under development will have a top level page associated with it.

Modules tested and ready for use

Airport Traffic Simulation

Ant Simulation

How animals get their stripes

Robot Defense

Internet Connectivity

Modules presently under development

Algorithmic Art

Information Technology Fluency

Bird Migration

Animation of Proteins and other Cellular Components

Proposed Modules

The following modules are proposed ideas that are looking for input.

Neural Networks

Mobile Robots

Module Repositories

Examples

Procedure for Proposing a New Module

Typically Two Months (or more) Before Expected Use

1. Formulate an idea for a module; modules should include:
   1. Enough background materials and references so that other instructors (who may be teaching similar, but not identical courses) can be reasonably expected to reuse your curriculum.
   2. Explicit learning objectives.
   3. Assignments, quizzes or projects that can be used to assess whether the learning objectives were met.
2. Propose idea to PI indicating:
   1. How the goals of the proposed module relate to NWDCSD goals
   2. Who would be interested in using the module (ideally, there will already be people you've communicated with who are potential users of your module)
   3. Approximately how long is the module (1,2 and 4 week modules are normal)
3. Obtain go-ahead from PIs

A Month (or more) Before Expected Use

1. Create a wiki page for your new module following the format outlined in Robot Defense
2. Develop the materials that will be part of your module
3. Create a knowledge assessment questionnaire:
   1. Questions should be multiple choice
   2. Questions should be directly tied to the stated learning objectives
   3. Questions should allow us to assess whether the learning objectives were achieved
   4. There must be two sets of questions: the first will be asked before students get the module (this is essentially a pre-test) the second will be asked after the module.
   5. An explanation of how you expect students will respond to the questions based on the range of potential background knowledge and the degree to which they actually learn what you intend.
4. Send the PIs your knowledge assessment questions so they can be added to the electronic survey.
5. Obtain IRB approval to survey your students. Standard survey instruments have been approved by WSU's IRB, however, to use them you will need approval at your home institution. This may take a month or more, so be sure to do this early.

Just Before the Module is to be Used

1. Give your students the pre-module assessment survey

Just After the Module was Used

1. Give your students the post-module assessment survey
2. Take the instructor survey
3. Update module wiki and ensure all assignments are consistent with what you used in your class
4. Create an entry in the instructor wiki
   1. Add solutions and rubrics if applicable to the instructor wiki
   2. Add any additional readings, background materials, slides, etc to the instructor wiki
   3. Write up a brief summary (2-3 paragraphs) of your experience for future users (you might include thoughts on what went well, and what you might try to change).
5. Let the PIs know the check list is complete
6. Receive pay
7. Recruit more and be available for module users

Procedure for Using an Existing Module

This procedure is only necessary if you want to obtain a stipend for use testing some of the curriculum.

1. Propose idea to PI
   1. Identify the course in which you want to use the module, the expected number of students and their abilities as they relate to the module prerequisites
   2. Make sure that the module you want to use is aligned with your learning objectives if not, propose a set of modified learning objectives for your use case.

   - Upon approval, a stipend will be reserved for you

2. Keep track of how you are spending your time preparing to use the module
3. Modify the student surveys to align with your learning objectives if necessary
4. Obtain IRB approval to survey your students
5. Give your students the pre-assessment survey
6. Use your module
7. Give your students the post assessment survey
8. Fill out the instructor survey for module reuse
9. Post any changes/modifications or notes to the wiki and instructor wiki as appropriate
10. Receive pay

Instructor Resources

Completed modules may also contain resources for the instructor on our protected site. You can obtain access to these by requesting a login from one of the project PIs. Please send your email message from an account associated with your academic institution so we can verify you are an instructor. Resources and information obtained from this site may not be re-posted on the internet as we are trying to ensure that students do not have easy access to solved assignments.