Integrate readings from the Blown-To-Bits book and related writing prompts into your introductory CS curriculum to engage students critical thinking skills on tech and current events.
Use tupperware containers and act out being the computer to teach students how in CS variables and statements like x=x+1 are different than variables and equations in math by creating a meaningful visualization.
Misconception: When a variable is on both sides of an equal sign (i.e., x = x+1), students can get very confused.
Have students compare two hypothetical job candidates using their resumes and social media profiles to discuss issues that impact online presence and searching for jobs.
Show students the “What Facebook Knows About You” video to help them better understand their digital fingerprint.
Use the playful phrasing “bracket thief” when students get a common Java error for forgetting to use a closing bracket to remind students of this error in a non-threatening way.
Show a storyboarding video clip from Pixar’s Toy Story to show students that storyboarding is a real world activity and that storyboarding is vital in some careers.
Use some of the following real world constructs to help beginning students form better understandings of abstract object-oriented principles.
Use Potato Head Toys to teach classes, objects, methods, and properties so that students develop hands on experience with abstract topics.