Guide to Teaching Computer Science: An Activity-Based Approach

From the Back Cover

Demonstrating that computer science learning and teaching processes can be fun, thought-provoking and stimulating, this unique textbook presents both a conceptual framework and detailed implementation guidelines for computer science (CS) teaching.
This highly-anticipated new edition has been updated with the latest teaching approaches and trends, and includes 110 learning activities (of which 15 are new). The content is clearly written and structured to be applicable to all levels of CS education and for any teaching organization, without limiting its focus to instruction of any specific institution, curriculum, programming language or paradigm.

Topics and features:
Provides 110 detailed learning activities to be facilitated in different class settings Reviews curriculum and cross-curriculum topics in CS Explores the benefits of CS education research Describes strategies for cultivating problem-solving skills, for assessing learning processes, and for dealing with pupils’ misunderstandings Proposes active-learning-based classroom teaching methods, including lab-based teaching Discusses various types of questions that a CS instructor or trainer can use for a range of teaching situations in class, homework and tests Investigates thoroughly issues of lesson planning and course design Examines the first field teaching experiences gained by CS teachers across different training frameworks

This preeminent textbook for CS teacher training programs draws on the authors’ experience gained from three decades of teaching and training prospective and in-service CS teachers, as well as research in CS education. Concise, thorough and easy-to-follow, the book is also eminently suitable for use as a teaching guide for CS instructors at all levels.

Product Description

This textbook presents both a conceptual framework and detailed implementation guidelines for computer science (CS) teaching. Updated with the latest teaching approaches and trends, and expanded with new learning activities, the content of this new edition is clearly written and structured to be applicable to all levels of CS education and for any teaching organization. Features: provides 110 detailed learning activities; reviews curriculum and cross-curriculum topics in CS; explores the benefits of CS education research; describes strategies for cultivating problem-solving skills, for assessing learning processes, and for dealing with pupils’ misunderstandings; proposes active-learning-based classroom teaching methods, including lab-based teaching; discusses various types of questions that a CS instructor or trainer can use for a range of teaching situations; investigates thoroughly issues of lesson planning and course design; examines the first field teaching experiences gained by CS teachers.

Review

“This book represents a comprehensive collection of information that is suitable for all teachers and lecturers who deliver computer programming language courses. … This is an excellent book for computer science educators, with a wealth of information that should be used by all teaching practitioners. … I would recommend this book to all computer science educators and suggest it become mandatory reading for novice computer science teachers entering the classroom.” (S. M. Godwin, Computing Reviews, June, 2015)

About the Author

Dr. Orit Hazzan is Professor and Head of the Department of Education in Science and Technology at the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel. Dr. Hazzan’s other publications with Springer include Agile Anywhere – Essays on Agile Projects and Beyond (2014) and Agile Software Engineering (2008).
Dr. Tami Lapidot is Executive Manager of Machshava – the Israeli National Center for Computer Science Teachers, Haifa, Israel.
Dr. Noa Ragonis is Head of the Instructional Development Center and a computer science senior lecturer at Beit Berl College, and an adjacent senior lecturer at the Department of Education in Science