Alice Software

An introduction to Alice software

1. Alice software
BS(H) Botany 3
rd
M
Introduction to computer
1005
Maha tariq
UniversityOf Education Okara

2. Table of contents
•Introduction to Alice
•Demo
•The Alice Approach
•Key features
•How Alice is used
•Related Questions
•References

3. Alice
software
)

4. Alice is a solution to the
current big problem in
Computer Science Education:
Attracting and Retaining Students

5. Alice is:
Software + a Book

6. The Alice Software
•A 3D interactive animation environment
•A tool for teaching fundamental
programming concepts
– object oriented
•System developed at Carnegie Mellon

7. A Demo of Alice…

8. The Alice Approach
•Uses 3D graphics to engage students
•Has a “smart” drag-and-drop editor that prevents
syntax errors
•Appeals to wide audience
– Storytelling
• (young women, minority students)
– Interactive computer games
• (young men)
–Not threatening; Alice builds students’ confidence

9. Key Alice Features
•Makes objects something students
can see and relate to
•Has a java syntax mode to ease the
transition to C++/Java/VB.net

10. How Alice is being used
•In pre-CS1
– course for majors and students considering a CS
major
•As conceptual introduction in CS1, followed
by a transition to Java/C++/VB
•Introduction to programming course
– non-majors (in business schools, for example)
– attract students to become CS majors
•Computer literacy
– problem-solving component
• Pre-AP in high schools

11. Commonly Asked Questions
•How much does the Alice software cost?
– It is free! (and open source)
•Does Alice run on the Macintosh?
–Yes! Download Mac version from www.alice.org
•Where can I go for instructor support materials?
– www.aliceprogramming.net
•Is Alice hard to install?
–Just copy files to the hard drive; no “install”

12. Commonly Asked Questions, Cont.
•Isn’t Alice just a toy? (it looks so “Fisher-Price”!)
–No -- Alice contains all the features of “real” languages
–Students can write 3,000 line programs in Alice
•How do students go from Alice to Java?
–They have learned the concepts in Alice, then learn syntax in Java
–They have built confidence and are more persistent
•Is there any “hard evidence” that Alice works?
–Yes! An NSF study on “at risk” CS1 students who used Alice…
•Increased grades from C to B
•Retention (into CS2) went from 47% to 88%

13. References
•Wanda Dann
([email protected]
du)
• Randy Pausch
([email protected]
•Stephen Cooper
([email protected]