Introduction to programming with the Finch robot: pre-conference workshop

Abstract

Robots are becoming a popular learning tool in computer science classes today. They offer active learning for the student, they engage the student's problem solving skills, and are easily applied to collaborative projects. They also allow the teachers to observe how the student is learning the objective. This workshop uses the Finch from Carnegie Mellon's CREATE lab and Jython to create introductory programs for CS0 students. The IDE used is JES (Jython Environment for Students) version created for the Finch. The Finch is an affordable robot and this JES version has the compiler, IDE, and Finch libraries in one convenient download. The participants will be provided with a Finch and two introduction programs.