Undergraduate Undergraduate Consultation: Consultation:

Opportunities and Opportunities and ChallengesChallenges

John PaxtonJohn PaxtonMontana State University – Montana State University –

BozemanBozemanOctober 15, 2005October 15, 2005

Seventh Annual CCSC-NW Seventh Annual CCSC-NW ConferenceConference

OutlineOutline

Course OverviewCourse Overview

Course EvaluationCourse Evaluation

Questions and CommentsQuestions and Comments

Course OverviewCourse Overview

Undergraduate Consultation, CS 474Undergraduate Consultation, CS 474 1 Credit1 Credit Prerequisite: Junior StandingPrerequisite: Junior Standing Required for students who began Required for students who began

prior to Fall 2005prior to Fall 2005 An elective for students who began An elective for students who began

in Fall 2005 or laterin Fall 2005 or later

Course DutiesCourse Duties

Assist with a weekly two hour laboratoryAssist with a weekly two hour laboratory CS 160 (Introduction to Programming)CS 160 (Introduction to Programming) CS 221 (Beginning Data Structures)CS 221 (Beginning Data Structures) CS 222 (Discrete Mathematics)CS 222 (Discrete Mathematics) CS 223 (Advanced Data Structures)CS 223 (Advanced Data Structures) CS 150 (Computer Literacy) – Open LabCS 150 (Computer Literacy) – Open Lab

Send a weekly report that describes the Send a weekly report that describes the consulting experienceconsulting experience

Write a three page paperWrite a three page paper

Consulting in ActionConsulting in Action

Universal OutcomesUniversal Outcomes

1.1. Improve ability to apply one’s Improve ability to apply one’s knowledge of computer scienceknowledge of computer science

2.2. Better understand professional Better understand professional responsibilitiesresponsibilities

3.3. Improve ability to communicateImprove ability to communicate

4.4. Better understand the need for Better understand the need for lifelong learninglifelong learning

Secondary OutcomesSecondary Outcomes

Improve one’s ability to design, Improve one’s ability to design, implement and debug programsimplement and debug programs

Improve one’s ability to utilize Improve one’s ability to utilize mathematics in the context of CSmathematics in the context of CS

Improve one’s ability to design and Improve one’s ability to design and conduct experimentsconduct experiments

Similar ExperiencesSimilar Experiences

Teaching Computer Science, 4 credits, Teaching Computer Science, 4 credits, Stanford University. Elective.Stanford University. Elective.

Teaching Techniques for Computer Teaching Techniques for Computer Science, 1 credit, University of California – Science, 1 credit, University of California – Berkeley. Required for all students who Berkeley. Required for all students who teach. An elective for all others.teach. An elective for all others.

Paid experience, University of Arizona Paid experience, University of Arizona (Stuart Reges). Optional experience for (Stuart Reges). Optional experience for undergraduates.undergraduates.

Course EvaluationCourse Evaluation

ConsultantsConsultants

StudentsStudents

Instructors and TAsInstructors and TAs

OutsidersOutsiders

Consultant EvaluationConsultant Evaluation

1 = strongly disagree1 = strongly disagree 2 = disagree2 = disagree 3 = neutral3 = neutral 4 = agree4 = agree 5 = strongly agree5 = strongly agree

Consultant EvaluationConsultant Evaluation

OutcomOutcomee

Apply Apply

CSCSProf. Prof. Resp.Resp.

CommuCommunicatenicate

Lifelong Lifelong LearninLearningg

Closed Closed Lab Lab (14)(14)

4.44.4 4.14.1 4.14.1 4.14.1

Open Open Lab (6)Lab (6)

3.33.3 3.83.8 3.33.3 4.04.0

Consultant EvaluationConsultant Evaluation

The course The course should be should be requiredrequired

The course is The course is valuablevaluable

Closed LabClosed Lab 4.14.1 3.83.8

Open LabOpen Lab 4.14.1 3.73.7

Consultant Evaluation – Consultant Evaluation – General CommentsGeneral Comments

The course should be 2 creditsThe course should be 2 credits A mandatory preparation period A mandatory preparation period

should be addedshould be added Open labs are more difficult to Open labs are more difficult to

prepare forprepare for Sometimes not many students come Sometimes not many students come

to the open labto the open lab

Consultant Evaluation - Consultant Evaluation - BenefitsBenefits

Learning about different thought Learning about different thought processesprocesses

Becoming a better problem solverBecoming a better problem solver Seeing how much one has learnedSeeing how much one has learned Learning to help more effectivelyLearning to help more effectively Learning patienceLearning patience Recapturing the joy of learning a Recapturing the joy of learning a

topic for the first timetopic for the first time

Consultant Evaluation - Consultant Evaluation - ChallengesChallenges

Being preparedBeing prepared

Helping, but not helping too muchHelping, but not helping too much

Feeling uncomfortable when viewed Feeling uncomfortable when viewed as an expertas an expert

Student EvaluationStudent Evaluation

How often How often could the could the consultant consultant help?help?

Was the Was the consultant consultant clear?clear?

Was the Was the consultant consultant courteouscourteous??

Closed Closed Lab for CS Lab for CS 222 (44)222 (44)

78%78% 84%84% 94%94%

Student Evaluation - Student Evaluation - BenefitsBenefits

The consultants could spend longer The consultants could spend longer helpinghelping

The consultants were enthusiasticThe consultants were enthusiastic

The consultants were more The consultants were more approachableapproachable

Student Evaluation - Student Evaluation - ChallengesChallenges

The consultants should be better preparedThe consultants should be better prepared The consultants should listen more carefullyThe consultants should listen more carefully The consultants need to be more confidentThe consultants need to be more confident The consultants need to circulate through The consultants need to circulate through

the lab regularlythe lab regularly The consultants need to provide the The consultants need to provide the

reasoning behind their answers, not just the reasoning behind their answers, not just the answeranswer

Instructor EvaluationInstructor Evaluation

OutcomOutcomee

Apply Apply CSCS

Prof. Prof. Resp.Resp.

CommuCommunicatenicate

Lifelong Lifelong LearninLearningg

Faculty Faculty (4)(4)

4.54.5 4.24.2 4.74.7 4.04.0

Closed Closed Lab Lab (14)(14)

4.44.4 4.14.1 4.14.1 4.14.1

Open Open Lab (6)Lab (6)

3.33.3 3.83.8 3.33.3 4.04.0

Instructor EvaluationInstructor Evaluation

The course The course should be should be requiredrequired

The course is The course is valuablevaluable

FacultyFaculty 4.04.0 4.74.7

Closed LabClosed Lab 4.14.1 3.83.8

Open LabOpen Lab 4.14.1 3.73.7

TA EvaluationTA Evaluation

How often How often could the could the consultant consultant help?help?

Was the Was the consultant consultant clear?clear?

Was the Was the consultant consultant courteouscourteous??

TAs for CS TAs for CS 222 (3)222 (3)

85%85% 92%92% 98%98%

Closed Closed Lab for CS Lab for CS 222 (44)222 (44)

78%78% 84%84% 94%94%

Outside Evaluation – SIGCSE Outside Evaluation – SIGCSE Listserv Questionnaire on Listserv Questionnaire on

10/23/0410/23/04 Should this course be required?Should this course be required?

Yes – ACM CC2001 encourages cooperative Yes – ACM CC2001 encourages cooperative learninglearning

NoNo NoNo

Should this course be an elective?Should this course be an elective? YesYes YesYes YesYes

Outside Evaluation - ListservOutside Evaluation - Listserv

What are the strengths?What are the strengths? One of the most effective ways to learn One of the most effective ways to learn

is to teachis to teach Lower division students get extra Lower division students get extra

assistanceassistance Helps identify undergraduates for paid Helps identify undergraduates for paid

teaching positionsteaching positions

Outside Evaluation – Outside Evaluation – ListservListserv

What are the weaknesses?What are the weaknesses? Some consultants might not be very Some consultants might not be very

good at helping others. This could good at helping others. This could disadvantage the helped students.disadvantage the helped students.

The course might be perceived as free The course might be perceived as free labor for the department.labor for the department.

The course does not appear to be The course does not appear to be terribly demanding. Students are not terribly demanding. Students are not learning upper division CS content.learning upper division CS content.

Outside Evaluation – Outside Evaluation – ABET (Fall 2004)ABET (Fall 2004)

The course is non-standard The course is non-standard compared to other CS programscompared to other CS programs

The course should be an elective and The course should be an elective and not count towards the upper division not count towards the upper division credits requirement of ABETcredits requirement of ABET

Significant ChangesSignificant Changes

Starting in Spring 2005, consultants Starting in Spring 2005, consultants are only placed in closed labsare only placed in closed labs

Starting in Fall 2005, the course is an Starting in Fall 2005, the course is an electiveelective

Thank you!Thank you!

Are there any questions or Are there any questions or comments?comments?