Python for CS1 Not Harmful to CS Majors (and good for everyone) (#14)
Dr. Bill Punch (Michigan State University) bio, Dr. Richard J Enbody (Michigan State University)
30min ◊◊ Intermediate
Friday 10:20am, Ballroom FGH
categories:
education
At Michigan State Computer Science Dept. we have recently converted our CS1 course (200 students/semester, about 60% non-CS majors) to Python, previously taught in C++. Follow on courses for CS majors (CS2, etc.) still use and teach C/C++. Right around the conversion point, we had two groups of students taking the C++ CS2 course: those that took CS1 in Python and those that took CS1 in C++. We examined the performance of those two groups of students in the CS2-C++ course (covering the same topics as previously), looking for any significant differences as measured by t-test with respect to: final exam grade, overall programming project scores and final course grade. No significant differences between CS1-Python and CS1-C++ were found. Further, multiple regression analysis showed that only GPA was a good predictor of the three outcomes. Neither CS-1 Python nor CS1-C++ was a predictor. Our conclusion is that a CS1-Python course was as good a preparation for a CS2-C++ course as was a CS1-C++ course. Furthermore, CS1-Python was a far better terminal course for non-majors than CS1-C++, and both majors and non-majors were could address a wider range of practical STEM problem than previously. We have written a CS1-Python book for others who wish to teach a Python-CS1 course that emphasizes teaching Python to CS1 students with a theme of data manipulation.
Files:
| file | size | uploaded | comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| pycon09-Punch_.pdf | 2.0 MB | Thu, March 26th, 8:16 p.m. | python for CS1 presentation, Punch, Michigan State Univesity |
video:
# Permalink
.