From mad libs to tic tac toe: Using robots and game programming as a theme in an introduction to programming course for non-majors

Jennifer Kay

From mad libs to tic tac toe: Using robots and game programming as a theme in an introduction to programming course for non-majors

Computer Science

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

Abstract

Computer Science has a bad reputation among non-CS majors. This paper describes three assignments from a gentle introduction to programming course for non-majors that uses robots and simple game programming as a hook to get students interested in the subject. In each of the assignments presented, what might be considered a trivial twist to an instructor was a key factor in making an otherwise standard project into something that is more engaging.

Original language	English (US)
Title of host publication	Proceedings of the 22nd International Florida Artificial Intelligence Research Society Conference, FLAIRS-22
Pages	174-175
Number of pages	2
State	Published - Nov 4 2009
Event	22nd International Florida Artificial Intelligence Research Society Conference, FLAIRS-22 - Sanibel Island, FL, United States Duration: Mar 19 2009 → Mar 21 2009

Publication series

Name	Proceedings of the 22nd International Florida Artificial Intelligence Research Society Conference, FLAIRS-22

Other

Other	22nd International Florida Artificial Intelligence Research Society Conference, FLAIRS-22
Country	United States
City	Sanibel Island, FL
Period	3/19/09 → 3/21/09

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Artificial Intelligence
Computer Networks and Communications
Software

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Cite this

Kay, J. (2009). From mad libs to tic tac toe: Using robots and game programming as a theme in an introduction to programming course for non-majors. In Proceedings of the 22nd International Florida Artificial Intelligence Research Society Conference, FLAIRS-22 (pp. 174-175). (Proceedings of the 22nd International Florida Artificial Intelligence Research Society Conference, FLAIRS-22).

Kay, Jennifer. / From mad libs to tic tac toe : Using robots and game programming as a theme in an introduction to programming course for non-majors. Proceedings of the 22nd International Florida Artificial Intelligence Research Society Conference, FLAIRS-22. 2009. pp. 174-175 (Proceedings of the 22nd International Florida Artificial Intelligence Research Society Conference, FLAIRS-22).

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title = "From mad libs to tic tac toe: Using robots and game programming as a theme in an introduction to programming course for non-majors",

abstract = "Computer Science has a bad reputation among non-CS majors. This paper describes three assignments from a gentle introduction to programming course for non-majors that uses robots and simple game programming as a hook to get students interested in the subject. In each of the assignments presented, what might be considered a trivial twist to an instructor was a key factor in making an otherwise standard project into something that is more engaging.",

author = "Jennifer Kay",

year = "2009",

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booktitle = "Proceedings of the 22nd International Florida Artificial Intelligence Research Society Conference, FLAIRS-22",

note = "22nd International Florida Artificial Intelligence Research Society Conference, FLAIRS-22 ; Conference date: 19-03-2009 Through 21-03-2009",

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Kay, J 2009, From mad libs to tic tac toe: Using robots and game programming as a theme in an introduction to programming course for non-majors. in Proceedings of the 22nd International Florida Artificial Intelligence Research Society Conference, FLAIRS-22. Proceedings of the 22nd International Florida Artificial Intelligence Research Society Conference, FLAIRS-22, pp. 174-175, 22nd International Florida Artificial Intelligence Research Society Conference, FLAIRS-22, Sanibel Island, FL, United States, 3/19/09.

From mad libs to tic tac toe : Using robots and game programming as a theme in an introduction to programming course for non-majors. / Kay, Jennifer.

Proceedings of the 22nd International Florida Artificial Intelligence Research Society Conference, FLAIRS-22. 2009. p. 174-175 (Proceedings of the 22nd International Florida Artificial Intelligence Research Society Conference, FLAIRS-22).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

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Kay J. From mad libs to tic tac toe: Using robots and game programming as a theme in an introduction to programming course for non-majors. In Proceedings of the 22nd International Florida Artificial Intelligence Research Society Conference, FLAIRS-22. 2009. p. 174-175. (Proceedings of the 22nd International Florida Artificial Intelligence Research Society Conference, FLAIRS-22).