AP Computer Science Workshop

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Tentative Agenda and Index to Handouts

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• Curriculum
  • Topic Outline is on pp. 6-11 of 2000-2001 Computer Science Course Description (Acorn book -- PDF file)
  • My Version (high-level view, slightly more detailed view, excrutiatingly detailed view)

• C++
  • C++ and the AP CS Idiom
    Constructors, Function Declarations, Parameter Passing, Avoiding Friends
    Example: Fraction.h and Fraction.cpp
  • The AP CS C++  Subset
    (Acorn book has good overview of the C++ Subset: pp. 45-52) (PDF file)
  • The AP CS C++  Classes
    Why?,   Synopsis Examples: Palindrome and Mode
  • C++  Caveats

• Object-Oriented Design
  • Structured vs. Object-Oriented Design
  • Object-Oriented Design (with examples of a graphical notation and CRC cards)
  • Aquarium Lab Series: introducing objects on Day 1 (or 2)
  • Brief case study of an object-oriented design of a Car Wash simulation
  • Notes on Designing Classes from the 1998 Berkeley Workshop (Owen Astrachan, Duke University)

• Case Studies
  • Marine Biology Case Study and Teacher's Guide
  • Object Diagrams for the Marine Biology Case Study (College Board web site)
    (My own copy of the Object Diagrams is sometimes more up-to-date.)
  • Chris Nevison's Marine Biology Case Study page
    • Philosophy for using the Maring Biology Case Study
    • Web Workshop Index (including purpose and assignment description for each unit)
  • Alyce's Marine Biology Case Study page
    • Big picture: highlights
    • Tricky bits and Gotchas
    • Integrating the MBCS throughout your curriculum
    • Using CMU Graphics Package
    • Supplementary Assignments (including Histogram and Unbounded Ocean)
  • Large Integer Case Study in C++

• Your Shared Experiences
  • Choosing a textbook, compiler, etc.
  • What topics do students struggle with?
  • Labs: Managing hardware, software, and students
  • Developing good labs
  • Your favorite assignments

• Teaching Resources
  • 2000-2001 Computer Science Course Description (Acorn book - PDF file)
  • AP Teacher's Guide in Computer Science (includes syllabi of high school and college teachers)
  • AP CS Web Page
  • AP CS C++ Information (Subset, AP classes, Case Study, etc)
  • Chief Reader's Unofficial AP Computer Science Web Site - provides a site where teachers can exchange ideas and materials
  • Alyce's AP CS web site
  • Alyce's Introduction to Programming (syllabus and pointers to lecture notes)
  • Alyce's Data Structures (syllabus and assignments)

• The Advanced Placement Computer Science Exam
  • What's on the Exam
    • 40 Multiple Choice Questions,   4 Free Response Questions
    • Marine Biology Case Study (5-10 multiple choice questions, 1 free response question)
  • Developing the Exam
  • Grading the Exam
    1999 Released Exam,   Recent Free Response Questions,   Scoring Guidelines,   Sample Student Solutions

• Future Directions of CS1 and CS2 (not necessarily of AP CS)
  • Set, Map, Lists and Iterators, Design Patterns (MBCS uses MVC pattern)
  • Inheritance, Dynamic Binding
  • Java
    Aquarium Lab Series (APCS A material),   Materials from my current Data Structures course

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Alyce Brady, Kalamazoo College