Introducing Computer Science with Microsoft Project Hoshimi Ramiro Berrelleza, Javier González, and Helen Chávez Computer Science Department Tecnológico de Monterrey Campus Guadalajara México

Contents What is Project Hoshimi § Our Aim § Hoshimi in the Classroom § Our Experience § Final Comments § 1 2 3 4 5

What is Project Hoshimi ? It is a Game It is a Contest It could be a Teaching Environment 1

Strategy under a Comic Strip 1 Scenario Illnes Body Characters Nanobots Objetive Destroy viruses Delivery cure It is a Scenario with well defined objectives Alive Maintain the nanoAlive Score Destroy enemies Build Injection Points Collect AZN needed Strategy Navigate Achieve a mission Cool 3D Videogame Visual Programming

Project Hoshimi, means… different modes and scenarios, means… different strategies, means… different programming issues, means… different programming tools, means… Incremental and different challenges, means… An attractive teaching-learning tool, means… 1 Aha!, Project Hoshimi, so? Versatil Extensible Incremental Long term use Rising Skill & Knoledge Professor Student

Aim 2 Competition (scoring & winning) Clasical Approach Java Visual Programming Languajes RoboLab by Lego High School CS1 Videogames Compite Make a Product G generation (visual and graphical environments) Tangible products Visual Environment Alice Videogames Using and/or Developing Age of Empires Visual Approach

§ A loooooooot of theory and fundamentals § Long learning curve § Process: Samples + Language + Homework = Frustration § Results: Meaningless Useless code Intangible Isolated from the real world § BOOOOOORING 2 Classical Approach L

§ Uses logical deduction and spatial reasoning rather than calculation and algebraic reasoning § Based on incremental learning § Attractive and easy graphical environment § Visual Programming Languages RoboLab ® Lego § Visual Environments Alice § Results: Student is isolated from the coding process No resemblance to the previous knowledge 2 Visual Approach K 2 years Using Alice in CS1 At BS 1 year Using RoboLab ® Lego For high school workshop

§ Very cool J § 3D graphical environment § Competition à I want to Win! § Results: Students work harder – learn more To simple (Boring) or to complex (Frustration) Not always feasible for CS1 students § Used in PL, computer graphics, AI. 2 Video gamming J 1 year Using Age of Empire Scripting Workshop Other Videogames tools

Sense of competition Engaging experience funny Complete objective Imagine Cup Project Hoshimi [mid way point] One 3D environment Problems solved using logic and program principles 3D really attractive word 2 Interesting 3D environment Design strategies Video gamming Visual Project Approach Hoshimi Incremental challenge Develops creativity Create Tangible products

coding Interested students They work hard à Learn more A 3D environment Coding intelligence 2 Project Hoshimi [mid way point] Two Video gamming Visual Project Approach Hoshimi A 3D environment with a context Increasing coding and challenge use it for more Than one curse

student has to invest time learning make his time useful! Useless will cause frustration It is desirable to use it for more than one semester and use it in extra academic projects 3 Project Hoshimi in classroom

Discovery Mode: § Simple Click And Play interface § It is Task based § Low Abstraction § 40% of the SDK in use § It is for nonprogrammers High school 3 Project Hoshimi [discovery]

Intermediate Mode: § Simple Click And Play § It is NOT Task based § Adaptive strategy based on abstraction § Starts with concepts of coding loops, conditions, variables, object, inheritage, events. § Exploiting about 90% of the SDK § It is for nonprogrammers and novice programmers CS 1 3 Project Hoshimi [intermediate]

Let see it! 3

Expert Mode: § Write Code in C# § No more Click and Play § Programming based § Abstraction in Action § Use the Full Functionality of SDK § It is for experienced programmers CS Topics 3 Project Hoshimi [expert]

Let code somenthing! 3

Grows in complexity Develop different skills across the curricula Scenario Teachers create / select Students Combining lessons with practice solve Creating a strategy Click to play or Coding by by 4 Our experience

We offer workshops for seniors of high school and university freshmen non-programmers or novices Experience § Students starts at Discovery mode § In two hours they were working with concepts like: conditions. loops and data types at least. § This rapid increment, prevents frustration and promote participation and interest § Students learn by doing, reviewing, compare, evaluate and introspect their projects [Bloom]. 4 Our experience

§ Gain students’ interest. § Students gets a tangible product § This product could be part of an international contest § Project Hoshimi could be useful since elementary school through university. § Higher participation of high schools students in international forums. § Argentina high schools students in ImagineCup 2007 § Last year we had 10 teams under PH category. 4 Our experience

CS1 High School Motivation & Creativity Team Work Fancy Graphics Difficulty Programming About C# and VB 4 Our experience [local]

§ Allow to evaluate in different levels, strategies and stages. § Can evaluate different levels of abstraction § Can evaluate different concepts § Can define a path to follow across the curricula. § Students and teacher could design new scenarios and goals. § Promotes imaginations § Promotes new challenges § We should mention Project Hoshimi does not replace exams nor homework 4 About Evaluation…

www.projecthoshimi.com web site www.microsoft4me.com/faculty papers www.imaginecup.com Contest [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] 5 for More Information

Question Time What is Project Hoshimi § Our Aim § Hoshimi in the Classroom § Our Experience § Final Comments § 1 2 3 4 5