High school teachers and college professors from around the country are gathering at the University of Notre Dame this week (June 24-28) for a five-day on teaching introductory computer programming.
The workshop will employ MATLAB, a programming language widely used in engineering and science. , Notre Dame鈥檚 Frank M. Freimann Professor of Electrical Engineering, will lead the workshop, which is based on an approach to teaching first-time programmers that was developed in collaboration with South Bend鈥檚 .
The methodology presented at the workshop introduces beginning programmers to the techniques of building so-called GUI Tools 鈥� computer programs that include a graphical user interface (GUI, or 鈥済ooey鈥�). Students find building GUI Tools, which can include advanced interactive graphics, more rewarding than text-based programming alone. Learning to create and analyze computational models can help them understand the behavior of real-world systems.
鈥淚 think an attractive approach to learning how to actually 鈥榳rite鈥� useful programs, not just 鈥榰se鈥� programs, could be an important element in revitalizing U.S. STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education,鈥� Lent said.
The GUI Tools approach was created when Lent teamed with Tom Finke and other teachers from Trinity 91视频 to develop an appealing way to teach computer programming to high school juniors. Learning MATLAB and applying it in physics and mathematics are now part of the curriculum for all students at Trinity campuses in South Bend, Eagan, Minn., and Falls Church, Va.
鈥淎t Trinity 91视频s, we have been teaching MATLAB programming using the GUI Tools approach to all of our juniors and seniors since 2005,鈥� Kerry Koller, president of Trinity 91视频s Inc., said. 鈥淚t brings excitement to their study of mathematics and science, trains them in sophisticated problem-solving skills and equips them to engage science and mathematics seriously throughout their lives.鈥�
As head of science and math for Trinity, Finke sees multiple benefits to programming in high school.
鈥淲e鈥檝e been able to study mathematical modeling in biology and ecology as well as in physics,鈥� he said. 鈥淢any of our students go into STEM fields in college and they report how well prepared they are. Moreover, even for non-STEM students, the discipline of computer programming can improve their ability to think carefully and logically.鈥�
Notre Dame has been using the GUI Tools approach for all first-year engineering students for the last four years. Lent adapted the technique to the college level to be one part of 鈥淚ntroduction to Engineering Systems,鈥� a two-semester project-based course developed by , associate dean of engineering for educational programs at Notre Dame.
鈥淭丑别 MATLAB GUI Tools approach has proven very effective in teaching students to build useful computational models of engineering systems in a way that鈥檚 engaging and fun,鈥� Brockman said. 鈥淭丑别 graphical elements help in visualizing the model鈥檚 performance and are also a great opportunity for students to work on creative design of the interface.鈥�
This week鈥檚 workshop is being held in Notre Dame鈥檚 Stinson-Remick Hall of Engineering. Admission to the intense workshop was very competitive 鈥� there were three times as many applicants as there were available positions. The 22 participants are from public and private schools around the country. Several Trinity teachers with many years of experience are acting as 鈥渃oaches.鈥�
The workshop is co-sponsored by Notre Dame, Trinity 91视频s and the National Science Foundation, with additional support from Mathworks and Wiley.
Contact: Craig Lent, 574-631-6992, lent@nd.edu