Media Computation Teachers Website

Media Computation (nicknamed "MediaComp") is a contextualized approach to introducing computing using a ubiquitous theme of manipulating media. The critical characteristic of MediaComp is that students create expressive media by manipulating computational materials (like arrays and linked lists) at a lower-level of abstraction. Students manipulate images by changing pixels, create sounds by iterating over samples, render linked lists into music, and create artifacts like collages, music, and digital video special effects. In so doing, the students learn computation. Examples of CS1 activities and CS2 activities are available.

General Information for Teachers and Researchers: List of Schools Using, Research Reports, Mailing list, Talks on Media Computation, Project Ideas and Resources, More Resources & Links

Related links: Institute for Computing EducationGeorgia Tech, "Georgia Computes!", Workshops in Media Computation

Book Resources
Quick Navigation: (Click on the book of interest for download links.) Java CS1, Python CS1, Alice & Media Computation, Java Data Structures, Others' Books

Java

Introduction to Computing and Programming in Java: A Multimedia Approach by Mark Guzdial and Barbara Ericson.
Pearson site
All Java Book Resources Page

Resources for Students and Teachers: DrJava, java-sources.zip, MediaSources.zip,
For Teachers: PPT Slides, Media Computation Java FAQ, Lab Materials
Java Book Errata
- Translated into Chinese:

Python

Introduction to Computing and Programming in Python: A Multimedia Approach by Mark Guzdial and Barbara Ericson
Pearson site: Second edition Python, First edition Python

Resources for Students and Teachers: Latest version of JES Stable(v4.2.1/3.2.1), MediaSources.zip, Python Book Bugs List, Python 2ed Errata
For Teachers: First edition Slides(.zip), Python Second edition slides, MediaTools

Alice and Media Computation

Exploring Wonderland: Java with Alice and Media Computation by Barbara Ericson, Wanda Dann, and Steve Cooper.
Pearson site
Wonderland Project Website

Alice and Media Computation in Python

Data Structures
Expected December 2009. Problem Solving with Data Structures: A Multimedia Approach by Mark Guzdial and Barbara Ericson.

First four chapters of Beta book
Resources for Students and Teachers: DrJava, JMusic, Media-Sources.zip (Different than CS1 MediaSources), Java-Sources.zip (Different than CS1 Java-Sources)
For Teachers: Slides coming soon!, Beta version of book slides.zip

Other books are including Media Computation in their themes and exercises.

Python Programming in Context by Brad Miller and David Ranum

Practical Programming: An Introduction to Computer Science Using Python by Jennifer Campbell, Paul Gries, Jason Montojo, and Greg Wilson

Other Links and Resources

We have run several workshops on Media Computation. Information on new workshops and links to materials from old workshops
All of the Assessment Tools that we have used in our studies of Media Computation are available.
Demonstrations of the use of the Java MediaComputation materials (needs QuickTime (free)):
- About 40Mb (320x240 screen): JavaBookWalkthrough-Big.mov
- About 172Mb (640x480 screen): JavaBookWalkthrough-Huge.mov (Has a slightly different and extended introduction, but the demo is the same.)
The National Center for Women in IT (NCWIT) has highlighted Media Computation as a curricular approach for attracting women to IT. See the great program that they created for their Inaugural Practices Workshop at http://www.ncwit.org/pdf/Practices_Program.pdf
At SIGCSE 2007, we had a Media Computation Art Gallery with pieces contributed by students around the country.

More Resources and Project Ideas

High School Resources:

The new computing curriculum for the state of Georgia is at http://public.doe.k12.ga.us/ci_cta.aspx?PageReq=CICTACRComp
Georgia Tech's Institute for Computing Education