The Institute For Personal Robots In Education (IPRE)The Institute For Personal Robots In Education (IPRE)

Tucker BalchAssociate ProfessorCollege of Computing at Georgia Tech

Stewart TansleyProgram ManagerMicrosoft Research

Tucker BalchAssociate ProfessorCollege of Computing at Georgia Tech

Stewart TansleyProgram ManagerMicrosoft Research

ContentsContents

Attraction and retention in CS

Microsoft’s motivation and role

A program for addressing the challenge

The Institute for Personal Robots in Education

Background -- Context for CS & Threads

Program overview

The robots

Discussion

Attraction and retention in CS

Microsoft’s motivation and role

A program for addressing the challenge

The Institute for Personal Robots in Education

Background -- Context for CS & Threads

Program overview

The robots

Discussion

Computer Science In DeclineComputer Science Listed As Probable Major Among Incoming FreshmanComputer Science In DeclineComputer Science Listed As Probable Major Among Incoming Freshman

Source: HERI at UCLA

Microsoft Program VisionMicrosoft Program Vision

Partner with academia to bring measurable gains inComputer Science enrollment & retention

through the deployment of compellingrobotics-based technologies

in CS1/CS2 curriculum

Institute ConceptInstitute Concept

Concerted, focused applied research effort

Leverage best contemporary technologies and approaches

Target CS1/CS2 specifically

3-year program, $1M from Microsoft

Use this to establish a center of excellence in robotics-based education

Mutually select a partner from a pre-qualified invited list of potential hosts, using an augmented form of MSR’s proven Request For Proposals program

Concerted, focused applied research effort

Leverage best contemporary technologies and approaches

Target CS1/CS2 specifically

3-year program, $1M from Microsoft

Use this to establish a center of excellence in robotics-based education

Mutually select a partner from a pre-qualified invited list of potential hosts, using an augmented form of MSR’s proven Request For Proposals program

The Institute For Personal Robots In Education (IPRE)

Hosted at theCollege of Computing at Georgia Tech,with Bryn Mawr College

The Institute For Personal Robots In Education (IPRE)

Hosted at theCollege of Computing at Georgia Tech,with Bryn Mawr College

The InstituteThe Institute

The Institute for Personal Robots in Education

July 12 announcement

Hosted at Georgia Tech with Bryn Mawr College

$1M over 3 years, $1M matching funds

Goal:To develop a proven, practical, reliable, cost-effective robot technology platform for teaching CS, targeted at CS1/CS2

The Institute for Personal Robots in Education

July 12 announcement

Hosted at Georgia Tech with Bryn Mawr College

$1M over 3 years, $1M matching funds

Goal:To develop a proven, practical, reliable, cost-effective robot technology platform for teaching CS, targeted at CS1/CS2

The InstituteThe Institute

Tucker Balch, DirectorDoug Blank, SoftwareMark Guzdial, CurriculaDeepak Kumar, Curricula

Tucker Balch, DirectorDoug Blank, SoftwareMark Guzdial, CurriculaDeepak Kumar, Curricula

Background: Teaching CS At GTBackground: Teaching CS At GT

As of 1999: All GT students must take CS-1

Many take CS-1 and CS-2

3800 students per year

Problems:28% WDF rate (50% for non-CS majors)

Solution: Context & ChoiceComputational Media (Guzdial)

Engineering/Matlab (Smith)

As of 1999: All GT students must take CS-1

Many take CS-1 and CS-2

3800 students per year

Problems:28% WDF rate (50% for non-CS majors)

Solution: Context & ChoiceComputational Media (Guzdial)

Engineering/Matlab (Smith)

Impact Of ContextImpact Of Context

WDF rate 16% for non-majors

1 year later: 20% of non-major students report programming outside class

Students who move to CS major perform as well as “regular” CS students

WDF rate 16% for non-majors

1 year later: 20% of non-major students report programming outside class

Students who move to CS major perform as well as “regular” CS students

New: Threads CS CurriculumNew: Threads CS Curriculum

Computing & Computational ModelingComputing & EmbodimentComputing & FoundationsComputing & Information InternetworksComputing & IntelligenceComputing & MediaComputing & PeopleComputing & Platforms

Computing & Computational ModelingComputing & EmbodimentComputing & FoundationsComputing & Information InternetworksComputing & IntelligenceComputing & MediaComputing & PeopleComputing & Platforms

New: New:

New joint Computing and Engineering research center

~30 faculty, +2 / year

Henrik Christensen, Director

Endowed chair: KUKA Robotics

Robotics PhD program 2007

New joint Computing and Engineering research center

~30 faculty, +2 / year

Henrik Christensen, Director

Endowed chair: KUKA Robotics

Robotics PhD program 2007

Robots For CS EducationRobots For CS Education

Our proposal is not to create a set of introductory robotics courses . . .

but to create a set of introductory computer science courses using robots that reveal the fundamental concepts of computer science

Our proposal is not to create a set of introductory robotics courses . . .

but to create a set of introductory computer science courses using robots that reveal the fundamental concepts of computer science

Elements Of Our PlanElements Of Our Plan

Novel robots for the student’s desktop

Curricula: Robotics context for CS1 and CS2

Pyro/Myro: educational robotics

software platform

Evaluation using provenassessment instruments

Broad dissemination

Communicating the message

Novel robots for the student’s desktop

Curricula: Robotics context for CS1 and CS2

Pyro/Myro: educational robotics

software platform

Evaluation using provenassessment instruments

Broad dissemination

Communicating the message

Element: RobotsElement: Robots

Recall the PC.

Meet the PR.

Every student with her own robot.

Design goals:Inexpensive

Reliable

“Brainless”

Recall the PC.

Meet the PR.

Every student with her own robot.

Design goals:Inexpensive

Reliable

“Brainless”

Element: CurriculaElement: Curricula

“Use robots to reveal the fundamental issues in

computer science”

This is aresearch problem

We have roadmap pioneered byMark Guzdial

“Use robots to reveal the fundamental issues in

computer science”

This is aresearch problem

We have roadmap pioneered byMark Guzdial

Element: CS Teaching LaboratoriesElement: CS Teaching Laboratories

Four diverse universities:Georgia Institute of Technology;

Bryn Mawr College;

Georgia State University;

The University of Georgia

Four diverse universities:Georgia Institute of Technology;

Bryn Mawr College;

Georgia State University;

The University of Georgia

Element: SoftwareElement: Software

The Microsoft Robotics SDK.

Visual Studio

Pyro/Myro: the leading educational robotics software platform

The Microsoft Robotics SDK.

Visual Studio

Pyro/Myro: the leading educational robotics software platform

Element: EvaluationElement: Evaluation

Substantial experience with media-based CS education

Test deployments at 4 universities

Proven assessment instruments

Substantial experience with media-based CS education

Test deployments at 4 universities

Proven assessment instruments

Element: DisseminationElement: Dissemination

Initial deployment at 4partner universities

Two workshops for broader audience

Textbooks

Initial deployment at 4partner universities

Two workshops for broader audience

Textbooks

The RobotsThe Robots

Challenges/TradeoffsChallenges/Tradeoffs

High cost:Insurmountable obstacle forsome schools

Come to the lab, check outa robot….

Doesn’t scale

Compile, download and run:Increases cost

Decreases understandability

Build the robot:Requires support infrastructure

Reduces reliability

Intimidates some people

High cost:Insurmountable obstacle forsome schools

Come to the lab, check outa robot….

Doesn’t scale

Compile, download and run:Increases cost

Decreases understandability

Build the robot:Requires support infrastructure

Reduces reliability

Intimidates some people

Our ApproachOur Approach

Low cost

Reliable:Simple hardware;

Microsoft Robotics SDK.

Easy:“Brainless;”

Leverages the Microsoft desktop

Low cost

Reliable:Simple hardware;

Microsoft Robotics SDK.

Easy:“Brainless;”

Leverages the Microsoft desktop

Two RobotsTwo Robots

CS1 RobotCS1 Robot

Bluetooth + PIC

2 x wheels & motors

1 x actuator

Sensors

Buttons, LEDs

Speaker

Assembly, packaging

Bluetooth + PIC

2 x wheels & motors

1 x actuator

Sensors

Buttons, LEDs

Speaker

Assembly, packaging

$30--

$20--

$10--

$15--

$5--

$5--

$10--

Example LessonExample Lesson

A program is a sequence of stepsto execute:

Forward(10)

Right(90)

Forward(10)

Right(90)

Forward(10)

Right(90)

Forward(10)

Right(90)

A program is a sequence of stepsto execute:

Forward(10)

Right(90)

Forward(10)

Right(90)

Forward(10)

Right(90)

Forward(10)

Right(90)

Example LessonExample Lesson

Iteration:For(I=1; I<=4; I++)

Forward(10)

Right(90)

Iteration:For(I=1; I<=4; I++)

Forward(10)

Right(90)

CS2 RobotCS2 Robot

Arm and cameraArm and camera

Any Questions?Any Questions?

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