ACt-PBL: An Adaptive Approach to Teach Multi-core Computing in University Education
18 Dec 2013-pp 19-23
TL;DR: Analysis of assessment results show that the ACt-PBL methodology, being easily adaptable to the students' individual needs, has reduced the failure rate of students by approximately 50% vis-a-vis the traditional method.
Abstract: This paper presents an Active Collaborative PBLbased teaching methodology (ACt-PBL), for reinforcing teaching and learning of multi-core computing in the university education. This approach complements traditional classroom teaching strategy by incorporating live project demonstrations on multi-core, hands on training on parallel programming, practical code dependency analysis task, think pair-share activity and open discussions on research issues in multi-core computing. Survey results show that 69% (approx.) of the students who attended the ACt-PBL lecture perceived that the lecture method encouraged them to think reflectively on the topic compared to only 36% of students from the traditional lecture. Analysis of assessment results show that the ACt-PBL methodology, being easily adaptable to the students' individual needs, has reduced the failure rate of students by approximately 50% vis-a-vis the traditional method. Using this method, a statistically significant (p=0.006) better learning outcome was obtained for freshmen when compared to their counterparts in the traditional lecture class. In contrast this method did not make any significant difference for the sophomores (p=0.74), who had higher prior knowledge than freshmen.
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14 Aug 2017
TL;DR: A strong consensus that active learning is good, but a lack of precision in how the term is used, often without definition, to describe instructional techniques, rather than student learning is found.
Abstract: In a survey of the computing education community, many respondents suggested "active learning" as a teaching approach that would increase the likelihood of student success. In light of these responses, we analyze the way in which active learning is described in the computing-education literature. We find a strong consensus that active learning is good, but a lack of precision in how the term is used, often without definition, to describe instructional techniques, rather than student learning. In addition, active learning techniques are often discussed as if they were all equally effective. We suggest that making clear distinctions, both between teaching techniques and active learning and among the teaching techniques, would be fruitful for both instructors and researchers. Finally, we propose some dimensions along which distinctions among techniques could usefully be made.
24 citations
Cites methods from "ACt-PBL: An Adaptive Approach to Te..."
...The computing version of this technique is said to include many different active-learning tactics: Think-pair-share, short project demonstrations, code dependency analysis and handson programming, research review and open discussion, assessment [52]....
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TL;DR: In this article, the authors explore the effectiveness of using Project Based Learning (PBL) to teach these skills when classes are at content capacity, and find that incorporating PBL has a significant effect on the students' parallel programming and soft skills.
7 citations
21 Oct 2020
TL;DR: This research full paper identifies how the teaching of parallel computing has been developing over the years, pointing out the state of the art of this area, and highlighting challenges that should be the focus of investigations.
Abstract: This research full paper identifies how the teaching of parallel computing has been developing over the years. The learning of parallel and distributed computing is fundamental for computing professionals, due to the popularization of parallel architectures. Teaching parallel computing involves theoretical concepts and the development of practical skills. Its content is dense and comprises different disciplines in computer courses. Although there is growing concerned about this type of teaching, the organization and depth of parallel computing teaching at universities change widely. The available literature on the teaching of parallel computing shows some experiences about how to teach parallel computing; however, it is not easy to determine the state of the art with challenges and gaps. Our objective is to identify essential aspects related to the teaching of parallel computing as methodologies, supporting resources, subjects taught, the satisfaction of students with learning and curricula. We carried out a systematic mapping to extract information from the literature, which is composed of three phases: planning, conduction, and reporting. We initially selected 819 papers from the Scopus, IEEE, ACM, and Google Scholar databases. After a previous analysis, we performed a full read of 94 papers. The use of different teaching methodologies appears in the publications, however, the traditional teaching methodology still is the most used. There is a small number of students in parallel computing courses, a concern of different authors. Educational software or hardware resources are reported, with software proposals corresponding to most of them. The teaching of parallel computing at the beginning of undergraduate courses appear in different papers. This paper contributes to research in teaching parallel computing, pointing out the state of the art of this area, highlighting challenges that should be the focus of investigations.
3 citations
Cites background or methods from "ACt-PBL: An Adaptive Approach to Te..."
...In Manogaran [15] another discipline based on PBL and Collaborative Education is presented, making a comparison with the traditional teaching methodology....
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...Performing a direct analysis of the literature, it is observed that most of the publications analyzed (84%, without replications) address teaching methods and techniques in disciplines or courses in Parallel Computing [4], [13]–[15]....
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References
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01 Jan 2010
Abstract: To counter these problems active learning methods are being promoted to believe in using different active learning techniques for classroom activities. Barriers that prevent faculty from using active learning strategies include: (6) Bonwell C, Eison J. Active Learning: Creating Excitement in the Classroom AEHE-ERIC. Using Active Learning Instructional Strategies to Create Excitement and Enhance Learning (Eisen, Univ. of South Florida, 2010), Does Active Learning Work? Learner Centered Instructional Strategies: A Crash Course. How might we create learning environments and design learning experiences that aid The focus is less on covering material and more on using content to develop new and personal ways of using it. Active learning: Creating excitement in the classroom.
175 citations
"ACt-PBL: An Adaptive Approach to Te..." refers background in this paper
...In order to teach parallel computing concepts, we have chosen a teaching intervention comprising of lecture + active learning activities [1] + collaborative activity [12] + project-based learning [13] strategies and named it the ACt-PBL methodology....
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01 Jan 2009
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present the unifying learning principles along with taxonomies and models for framing the diversity of problem-based and project-based learning in various education systems.
Abstract: Over the last ten years, PBL has become an abbreviation for both Problem-Based and Project-Based Learning as it was known from the reform universities that established these pedagogic approaches. There are many reasons for unifying problem-based and project-based learning at a level of learning principles. Especially when implementing PBL in various education systems it calls for a flexible and more abstract definition in order to allow adjustment to the subject area, institutional culture and national educational framework. But along with the more abstract and unified notion of PBL, there is a growing diversity in the implementation of PBL curricula and therefore an increased need for conceptualisation of diverse practices. This article will present the unifying learning principles along with taxonomies and models for framing the diversity of PBL.
99 citations
01 Mar 2003
TL;DR: ThreadMentor is a multiplatform pedagogical tool designed to ease the difficulty in teaching and learning multithreaded programming and consists of a C++ class library and a visualization system.
Abstract: ThreadMentor is a multiplatform pedagogical tool designed to ease the difficulty in teaching and learning multithreaded programming. It consists of a C++ class library and a visualization system. The class library supports many thread management functions and synchronization primitives in an object-oriented way, and the visualization system is activated automatically by a user program and shows the inner working of every thread and every synchronization primitive on-the-fly. Events can also be saved for playback. In this way, students will be able to visualize the dynamic behavior of a threaded program and the interaction among threads and synchronization primitives.
58 citations
TL;DR: As parallel computing becomes a part of several courses, it need not displace large segments of material that are currently in these courses; each course can contribute a small amount to the overall objective of understanding parallel computing.
Abstract: Computer science students need to understand parallel computing, since it may become an integral part of their own careers. The best way to accomplish this is to integrate parallel computing concepts throughout the entire curriculum, from the introductory level up. As parallel computing becomes a part of several courses, it need not displace large segments of material that are currently in these courses; each course can contribute a small amount to the overall objective of understanding parallel computing. The paper presents a sample curriculum.
28 citations
01 Mar 1998
TL;DR: This paper presents the current status of grant activities as they near completion and presents a "how to" approach for those faculty from teaching-oriented schools who want to submit a proposal in the area of educational computing.
Abstract: This paper reports on our NSF grant (CDA-9414309) from the Education Innovation program in the CISE directorate. We not only present the current status of grant activities as we near completion, but we also present a "how to" approach for those faculty from teaching-oriented schools who want to submit a proposal in the area of educational computing. We discuss both our successes and our failures and we give advice on how to avoid the pitfalls we have encountered. Most important, throughout the paper, we give advice on how to obtain funding in the first place.
26 citations