One of the small ways that I can help students when I’m away from class—and students can help one another—is by participating in our class wiki.
But lately, I’ve noticed that the signal-to-noise ratio in our discussion forum is dropping!
Our great friend Wikipedia tells us that “Signal-to-noise ratio compares the level of a desired signal (such as music) to the level of background noise. The higher the ratio, the less obtrusive the background noise is. Signal-to-noise ratio is sometimes used informally to refer to the ratio of useful information to false or irrelevant data in a conversation or exchange. For example, in online discussion forums and other online communities, off-topic posts and spam are regarded as ‘noise’ that interferes with the ‘signal’ of appropriate discussion.”
I greatly value the discussion forum, and judging from the nearly 100 discussions so far this year, I know that students do, too! In a forum posting this evening, I’ve reminded students of the importance of “postings etiquette,” and I know that with their cooperation we’ll be able to boost our signal-to-noise ratio!
2010-11-30
2010-11-29
In good hands, redux
I’m sorry to be away from class, but I’ve confidence that my excellent students—and the exemplary Student Hosts—will have matters well in hand.
It’s a wonderful compliment to them that I can be absent and not be concerned about students working hard, being helpful to and cooperative with one another, and being gracious to and respectful of the Guest Teacher.
I’m grateful for such wonderful students!
It’s a wonderful compliment to them that I can be absent and not be concerned about students working hard, being helpful to and cooperative with one another, and being gracious to and respectful of the Guest Teacher.
I’m grateful for such wonderful students!
2010-11-26
Studio 218—the mime version
What a great treat to be exposed to new music in different genres!
And what a disappointment to have nothing new to listen to on a Friday.
I do hope that Studio 218 will “reopen” soon!
And what a disappointment to have nothing new to listen to on a Friday.
I do hope that Studio 218 will “reopen” soon!
2010-11-25
Don’t drown the Lunatic!
The Lunatic visits my house for dinner, and reminding me that there’s no water on Luna, asks if it would be possible to take a bath chez moi. Of course I reply in the affirmative. But there’s a problem, says the Lunatic: I don’t know how to take a bath!
So begins my traditional introduction to programming. I ask students to imagine that the Lunatic visits them and makes the same request. Can they write clear, straightforward instructions which allows the Lunatic to take a bath and return to the dinner table without being drowned, scalded, poisoned, maimed, or found inappropriately attired out in the street?
The task is more difficult than it looks, and speaks to students (in)ability to break down a problem into small, ordered steps. And such a skill is one of the three I proposed, today, as necessary for success in programming. The others are reading with precision and visualizing the contents of memory.
In the final analysis, all three are necessary to prevent the Lunatic from drowning!
So begins my traditional introduction to programming. I ask students to imagine that the Lunatic visits them and makes the same request. Can they write clear, straightforward instructions which allows the Lunatic to take a bath and return to the dinner table without being drowned, scalded, poisoned, maimed, or found inappropriately attired out in the street?
The task is more difficult than it looks, and speaks to students (in)ability to break down a problem into small, ordered steps. And such a skill is one of the three I proposed, today, as necessary for success in programming. The others are reading with precision and visualizing the contents of memory.
In the final analysis, all three are necessary to prevent the Lunatic from drowning!
2010-11-24
Reporting for duty, sir!
Today, the mid-term reports were issued to all students. These reports give students, teachers, and parents/guardians a good opportunity to pause and consider the progress that students are making in their four courses.
Sometimes the report is gratifying; sometimes the report is a warning that academic behaviours need to change. Whatever the report, students have the opportunity to continue to learn and develop their skills, and to work towards an even better report at semester’s end.
Students can best discharge their duty—to themselves and to their learning community—by becoming the best students they can be!
Sometimes the report is gratifying; sometimes the report is a warning that academic behaviours need to change. Whatever the report, students have the opportunity to continue to learn and develop their skills, and to work towards an even better report at semester’s end.
Students can best discharge their duty—to themselves and to their learning community—by becoming the best students they can be!
2010-11-23
Following the leader
What a treat it is to find so many students racing ahead of the curriculum and discovering for themselves new programming concepts and features!
In the last few days, students have been exploring the use of procedures, arrays, fonts—and even the rudiments of animation. Not only that, they’ve been sharing their discoveries with their classmates and working together to develop even greater knowledge and skill.
It’s a real treat for all of us to follow the student leaders!
In the last few days, students have been exploring the use of procedures, arrays, fonts—and even the rudiments of animation. Not only that, they’ve been sharing their discoveries with their classmates and working together to develop even greater knowledge and skill.
It’s a real treat for all of us to follow the student leaders!
2010-11-22
Death by a thousand cuts
It seems a modern affliction: students believe it’s sufficient to produce text, regardless of its quality and without regard to its provenance. But text that’s been typed without checking—and repeatedly rechecking—its meaning, coherence, lucidity, fluidity, spelling, and grammar, and text that’s misappropriated or reproduced holus-bolus, even if credited, shows disrespect to the reader and disdain for education.
Not every modern student suffers this affliction, but left untreated, this disease demeans a community of learners and diminishes its accomplishments. What an ignoble end: death by a thousand cuts—and pastes.
Not every modern student suffers this affliction, but left untreated, this disease demeans a community of learners and diminishes its accomplishments. What an ignoble end: death by a thousand cuts—and pastes.
2010-11-18
What do you really think?
Today, the third of my three classes completed a mid-term survey designed to help me continue working for student success. The survey asks students to think about what they like about our course (what should continue), what they don’t like about our course (what should stop), and what they’d like to see in the future (what should start).
I always appreciate the candour with which students complete the survey, and their responses help me make small—and sometimes big!—changes to the way our classes run.
It’s a privilege and a pleasure to teach my students, and I take as a compliment their willingness to frankly tell me what they really think.
I always appreciate the candour with which students complete the survey, and their responses help me make small—and sometimes big!—changes to the way our classes run.
It’s a privilege and a pleasure to teach my students, and I take as a compliment their willingness to frankly tell me what they really think.
2010-11-17
One of the pleasures of teaching
Few things please me more than watching students assume responsibility for their own learning. And what a pleasure today was!
Students were assigned the double task of analyzing and desk checking a partner’s code. Immediately, the room was filled with the bustle of earnest analysis and considered recommendations. Strengths were lauded, weaknesses were carefully diagnosed, and newly revised programs were tested and further refined.
The responsible and capable students of my classes explored, discovered, and learnt. All in, it was a most pleasing sight!
Students were assigned the double task of analyzing and desk checking a partner’s code. Immediately, the room was filled with the bustle of earnest analysis and considered recommendations. Strengths were lauded, weaknesses were carefully diagnosed, and newly revised programs were tested and further refined.
The responsible and capable students of my classes explored, discovered, and learnt. All in, it was a most pleasing sight!
2010-11-16
Does paper grow on trees?
Students often express concern about the use of paper, but these same students often have wasteful consumer habits. To cite just one example: buying chewing gum wrapped in non-recyclable foil-and-plastic packaging.
There’s an environmental cost to all that we do. Just breathing produces greenhouse gases! And I’m glad that students think about (some) of these costs.
But as well as costs, students should also consider the benefits—and there are many benefits to compiling a physical portfolio of one’s work. It’s much easier to flip through paper documents, to compare multiple paper documents, and to annotate paper documents. And it takes no additional electricity to read these documents over and over again.
One day, the resolution, flexibility, and efficiency of electronic display devices may approach that of paper, but in the present, the benefit of paper documentation to students’ education outweighs the environmental cost of paper production.
Of course, paper does grow on trees, and we grow a lot of trees right here in Canada! In fact, the Canadian Encyclopedia tells us that “pulp and paper production in the mid- to late 1980s has been valued at some $14 billion annually and has accounted for about 3% of the Gross Domestic Product. Exports of around $11 billion have comprised about 9% of total Canadian exports. The industry is the largest of Canada’s manufacturing industries, with about 85 000 workers in mills and offices, some $2.8 billion paid in wages and salaries, and some $6 billion in value added by manufacture. Furthermore the industry makes a net contribution to Canada’s balance of payments of some $8 billion, larger than that of any other Canadian industry.” [retrieved 2010-11-16]
Young minds, towering trees, environmental responsibility—all of these grow in Canada!
There’s an environmental cost to all that we do. Just breathing produces greenhouse gases! And I’m glad that students think about (some) of these costs.
But as well as costs, students should also consider the benefits—and there are many benefits to compiling a physical portfolio of one’s work. It’s much easier to flip through paper documents, to compare multiple paper documents, and to annotate paper documents. And it takes no additional electricity to read these documents over and over again.
One day, the resolution, flexibility, and efficiency of electronic display devices may approach that of paper, but in the present, the benefit of paper documentation to students’ education outweighs the environmental cost of paper production.
Of course, paper does grow on trees, and we grow a lot of trees right here in Canada! In fact, the Canadian Encyclopedia tells us that “pulp and paper production in the mid- to late 1980s has been valued at some $14 billion annually and has accounted for about 3% of the Gross Domestic Product. Exports of around $11 billion have comprised about 9% of total Canadian exports. The industry is the largest of Canada’s manufacturing industries, with about 85 000 workers in mills and offices, some $2.8 billion paid in wages and salaries, and some $6 billion in value added by manufacture. Furthermore the industry makes a net contribution to Canada’s balance of payments of some $8 billion, larger than that of any other Canadian industry.” [retrieved 2010-11-16]
Young minds, towering trees, environmental responsibility—all of these grow in Canada!
2010-11-15
Practising safe programming
As users of computer systems, we’re always making errors: mistyping usernames and passwords, selecting the wrong menu choice, clicking the wrong button, and so on.
Thankfully, modern programmers care enough to allow us to re-enter mistyped IDs, say that we didn’t really mean to log off (you know we mean you, Windows!), and undo those disastrous cuts-and-pastes.
Today in class, we saw how to check user input for reasonableness, allowing us to start protecting users from themselves. Our programming skills are growing up, and now we can show that we care enough to practise safe programming!
Thankfully, modern programmers care enough to allow us to re-enter mistyped IDs, say that we didn’t really mean to log off (you know we mean you, Windows!), and undo those disastrous cuts-and-pastes.
Today in class, we saw how to check user input for reasonableness, allowing us to start protecting users from themselves. Our programming skills are growing up, and now we can show that we care enough to practise safe programming!
2010-11-12
Lather, rinse, repeat!
Today we had the good fortune to have a visitor in our period C class: the VIVP responsible for Vic Park’s IT. He got to see our introduction to the third leg of the program-control tripod: repetition.
Now we’ve got the full set: sequence, selection, and repetition. This means we can really pick up our programming game and write some interesting programs—including those with animation!
Thanks for stopping by, Mr. Ward. You’re welcome to repeat your visit anytime!
Now we’ve got the full set: sequence, selection, and repetition. This means we can really pick up our programming game and write some interesting programs—including those with animation!
Thanks for stopping by, Mr. Ward. You’re welcome to repeat your visit anytime!
2010-11-11
Lest we forget
Today Vic Park students provided a moving Remembrance Day ceremony. I am grateful to these students and their teachers for the opportunity for thoughtful observance.
2010-11-10
What does the picture show?
Today students had the chance to show me what they’ve learnt so far in the programming unit.
A test is stressful for teachers and students alike: teachers want to ensure that the material tested fairly represents the work studied and that tests are equivalent across classes; and students want to demonstrate their mastery of the material and have the opportunity to stand out from their peers.
In the end, though, a test is just one component of a student’s evaluation—just a single frame in the movie of a student’s life.
A test is stressful for teachers and students alike: teachers want to ensure that the material tested fairly represents the work studied and that tests are equivalent across classes; and students want to demonstrate their mastery of the material and have the opportunity to stand out from their peers.
In the end, though, a test is just one component of a student’s evaluation—just a single frame in the movie of a student’s life.
2010-11-09
Should we accumulate our happiness?
A common task performed by computer programs is the production of financial statements for credit unions, banks, credit-card companies, and so on. These programs must accumulate transactions (deposits, withdrawals, purchases, payments) and frequently must count these transactions as well, in order to determine what fees, if any, must be paid by clients.
Today we looked at a simple example of an accumulator and a counter: the accumulation and counting of marks to enable the calculation of their arithmetic mean. This example, and those to follow, will lead nicely to a discussion of repetition—the final leg of our control-structures tripod.
Happiness is like manna; it is to be gathered in grains, and enjoyed every day. It will not keep; it cannot be accumulated; nor have we got to go out of ourselves or into remote places to gather it, since it has rained down from a Heaven, at our very door.—Tryon Edwards (1809–1894)
Today we looked at a simple example of an accumulator and a counter: the accumulation and counting of marks to enable the calculation of their arithmetic mean. This example, and those to follow, will lead nicely to a discussion of repetition—the final leg of our control-structures tripod.
Happiness is like manna; it is to be gathered in grains, and enjoyed every day. It will not keep; it cannot be accumulated; nor have we got to go out of ourselves or into remote places to gather it, since it has rained down from a Heaven, at our very door.—Tryon Edwards (1809–1894)
2010-11-08
The 2 Ds of successful programming
It seems a bit paradoxical, but success at programming requires attention to both the macro and the micro levels.
We start our analysis of a problem with an overview (the macro level) and decompose the problem into smaller and smaller parts, eventually arriving at the micro level at which attention to detail is crucial—as our recent code-analysis exercise reveals.
So to be successful programmers, we need to be masters of the 2 Ds: Decomposition and Detail.
We start our analysis of a problem with an overview (the macro level) and decompose the problem into smaller and smaller parts, eventually arriving at the micro level at which attention to detail is crucial—as our recent code-analysis exercise reveals.
So to be successful programmers, we need to be masters of the 2 Ds: Decomposition and Detail.
2010-11-05
We’re well on our way!
I’m quite pleased with the progress of my students, and I hope that they realize how far they’ve come in such a short time.
Next week, they’ll write a short test so that they can see for themselves just how much they’ve learnt.
I’m honoured and privileged to be their guide on this learning journey!
Next week, they’ll write a short test so that they can see for themselves just how much they’ve learnt.
I’m honoured and privileged to be their guide on this learning journey!
2010-11-04
What happens when we don’t check our work
Things blow up in the sky
In 1996, Europe’s newest unmanned satellite-launching rocket, the Ariane 5, was intentionally blown up just seconds after taking off on its maiden flight from Kourou, French Guiana. The European Space Agency estimated that total development of Ariane 5 cost more than 8 billion USD. On board Ariane 5 was a 500 million USD set of four scientific satellites created to study how the Earth’s magnetic field interacts with Solar Winds. According to a piece in the New York Times Magazine, the self-destruction was triggered by software trying to stuff “a 64-bit number into a 16-bit space. … This shutdown occurred 36.7 seconds after launch, when the guidance system’s own computer tried to convert one piece of data—the sideways velocity of the rocket—from a 64-bit format to a 16-bit format. The number was too big, and an overflow error resulted. When the guidance system shut down, it passed control to an identical, redundant unit, which was there to provide backup in case of just such a failure. But the second unit had failed in the identical manner a few milliseconds before. And why not? It was running the same software.”—Abridged from The top 10 IT disasters of all time, retrieved 2010-11-04.
Hybrids go haywire
Toyota recalled 160 000 of its Prius hybrid vehicles following reports of vehicle warning lights illuminating for no reason, and cars’ gasoline engines stalling unexpectedly. But unlike the large-scale auto recalls of years past, the root of the Prius issue wasn’t a hardware problem—it was a programming error in the smart car’s embedded code. The Prius had a software bug.—Abridged from History’s Worst Software Bugs, retrieved 2010-11-04.
People die
In the mid-1980s, a Canadian-designed radiation therapy device malfunctioned and delivered lethal radiation doses at several medical facilities. Based upon a previous design, the Therac-25 was an “improved” therapy system that could deliver two different kinds of radiation: either a low-power electron beam (beta particles) or X-rays. The Therac-25’s X-rays were generated by smashing high-power electrons into a metal target positioned between the electron gun and the patient. A second “improvement” was the replacement of the older Therac-20’s electromechanical safety interlocks with software control, a decision made because software was perceived to be more reliable. What engineers didn’t know was that both the 20 and the 25 were built upon an operating system that had been kludged together by a programmer with no formal training. Because of a subtle bug called a “race condition,” a quick-fingered typist could accidentally configure the Therac-25 so the electron beam would fire in high-power mode but with the metal X-ray target out of position. At least five patients died; others are seriously injured.—Abridged from History’s Worst Software Bugs, retrieved 2010-11-04.
In 1996, Europe’s newest unmanned satellite-launching rocket, the Ariane 5, was intentionally blown up just seconds after taking off on its maiden flight from Kourou, French Guiana. The European Space Agency estimated that total development of Ariane 5 cost more than 8 billion USD. On board Ariane 5 was a 500 million USD set of four scientific satellites created to study how the Earth’s magnetic field interacts with Solar Winds. According to a piece in the New York Times Magazine, the self-destruction was triggered by software trying to stuff “a 64-bit number into a 16-bit space. … This shutdown occurred 36.7 seconds after launch, when the guidance system’s own computer tried to convert one piece of data—the sideways velocity of the rocket—from a 64-bit format to a 16-bit format. The number was too big, and an overflow error resulted. When the guidance system shut down, it passed control to an identical, redundant unit, which was there to provide backup in case of just such a failure. But the second unit had failed in the identical manner a few milliseconds before. And why not? It was running the same software.”—Abridged from The top 10 IT disasters of all time, retrieved 2010-11-04.
Hybrids go haywire
Toyota recalled 160 000 of its Prius hybrid vehicles following reports of vehicle warning lights illuminating for no reason, and cars’ gasoline engines stalling unexpectedly. But unlike the large-scale auto recalls of years past, the root of the Prius issue wasn’t a hardware problem—it was a programming error in the smart car’s embedded code. The Prius had a software bug.—Abridged from History’s Worst Software Bugs, retrieved 2010-11-04.
People die
In the mid-1980s, a Canadian-designed radiation therapy device malfunctioned and delivered lethal radiation doses at several medical facilities. Based upon a previous design, the Therac-25 was an “improved” therapy system that could deliver two different kinds of radiation: either a low-power electron beam (beta particles) or X-rays. The Therac-25’s X-rays were generated by smashing high-power electrons into a metal target positioned between the electron gun and the patient. A second “improvement” was the replacement of the older Therac-20’s electromechanical safety interlocks with software control, a decision made because software was perceived to be more reliable. What engineers didn’t know was that both the 20 and the 25 were built upon an operating system that had been kludged together by a programmer with no formal training. Because of a subtle bug called a “race condition,” a quick-fingered typist could accidentally configure the Therac-25 so the electron beam would fire in high-power mode but with the metal X-ray target out of position. At least five patients died; others are seriously injured.—Abridged from History’s Worst Software Bugs, retrieved 2010-11-04.
2010-11-03
Today, we took our kids to work!
Today, most of my students went to the workplace with their parents/guardians.
I look forward to reading their thoughts and feelings about their experiences!
I look forward to reading their thoughts and feelings about their experiences!
2010-11-02
Happy birthday, George Boole!
His method of formal logic—defining statements as true or false—has been used extensively in computer programming and hardware design since the late 1940s.
George Boole, the British creator of a mathematico-logical system that bears his name, was born in Lincoln, England. He began his career as a schoolteacher, writing articles on mathematics in his spare time. These investigations led to the book Mathematical Analysis of Logic. Queen‘s University at Cork, Ireland, recognized Boole‘s contributions and offered him the chair of mathematics in 1848. This opportunity allowed Boole to extend his studies and produce his most significant work: An Investigation of the Laws of Thought. Dublin and Oxford Universities awarded Boole honorary degrees, the Royal Society of London elected him as a fellow, and he was elected as an honorary member of the Cambridge Philosophical Society in 1858. Boole died of pneumonia on 8 December 1864, at the age of 50.
—Abridged from This Day in History (Computer History Museum) retrieved 2010-11-02.
George Boole, the British creator of a mathematico-logical system that bears his name, was born in Lincoln, England. He began his career as a schoolteacher, writing articles on mathematics in his spare time. These investigations led to the book Mathematical Analysis of Logic. Queen‘s University at Cork, Ireland, recognized Boole‘s contributions and offered him the chair of mathematics in 1848. This opportunity allowed Boole to extend his studies and produce his most significant work: An Investigation of the Laws of Thought. Dublin and Oxford Universities awarded Boole honorary degrees, the Royal Society of London elected him as a fellow, and he was elected as an honorary member of the Cambridge Philosophical Society in 1858. Boole died of pneumonia on 8 December 1864, at the age of 50.
—Abridged from This Day in History (Computer History Museum) retrieved 2010-11-02.
2010-11-01
A good excuse for being late?
Thanks are due the Student Hosts who helped our Guest Teacher on Friday. We all appreciate their efforts!
Today, students demonstrated to one another their best coding ideas and techniques. Working in small groups, they found the best features of their Turing programs and incorporated them into hybrid assignments which are the “best of breed!”
Wow! Could some of my students be future recipients of the Turing Award?
Today, students demonstrated to one another their best coding ideas and techniques. Working in small groups, they found the best features of their Turing programs and incorporated them into hybrid assignments which are the “best of breed!”
Wow! Could some of my students be future recipients of the Turing Award?
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