Active learning to transform Washington University undergraduate computer science education

Lectures on the backburner

Kenneth J. Goldman, Ph.D., associate professor of computer science and engineering, is the recipient of a $562,000 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) that will enable his department to transform undergraduate teaching methodology.

Goldman and his fellow principal investigators are working to cultivate “active learning” in the classroom, with a significant increase in studio courses that involve team projects and interdisciplinary collaboration. In a culture marked by frequent critique, students will refine their design skills, as well as improve their ability to present and justify their designs and work in groups. Passive learning, typified by the traditional lecture, will be put on the backburner, though the flame will still burn low.

“At most universities, students spend the bulk of their in-class time passively listening to a lecture. They may ask a few questions, but nearly all of their active learning on problems and projects is done outside of class,” said Goldman. “We want to change that. Much of the passive learning can be done effectively out of class. We want students to interact in the classroom more, instead of hearing a lecture. As we phase in courses during this transformation, we will be making video and audio from lectures available on the Web. We can then assign these, much like reading assignments, so that students can arrive in class ready to do something with that knowledge.”

The planning for this transformation has been a significant ongoing effort, involving many faculty and students. NSF support for this transformation was formally announced and discussed with computer science and engineering students on Wednesday, October 10 at a meeting of the student chapter of the Association for Computer Machinery.

“Students seemed very enthusiastic,” said Goldman. “One student commented that more hands-on time will be better, and that of what he learns in computer science, only 10% is from lecture anyway.”

At the meeting, Goldman explained that undergraduate courses affected by this transformation will be divided into two groups: Foundations courses will concentrate on fundamental problem solving skills; studio courses will be marked by application of foundational knowledge to design and implementation in teams. In both types of courses, students will experience active learning in the classroom and frequent critique from the faculty and other students.

“We want to raise the interaction level to a significant degree,” said Goldman. “I think this approach appeals to the engineering mentality. People are attracted to computer science and engineering because it is a creative discipline. Educational research shows that if students are creating during class, rather than just sitting there listening, motivation will be higher and the students will learn more.”

Goldman noted that computer science and the School of Engineering have never been entirely passive, and that many design and capstone courses are hands-on, and students do have opportunities to develop presentation skills.