Dealing With Diverse Students

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Dealing With Diverse Students
Myra Darling Summer Institute 2001
Myra Darling Summer Institute 2001
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Areas of Diversity

• Reasons students take computer science/engineering
  courses
• Knowledge and skills they bring
• Special considerations
• Resources
• Family Obligations

Myra Darling Summer Institute 2001
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Reasons

• To learn about computer science/engineering
• They are computer geeks
• Computer programmers/engineers make lots of money
• Everyone says there are lots of jobs in
  computers
• Everyone says they should take this course
• They like computers playing games, word
  processing, surfing the net
• Their parents insist they do
• In this period the only other course with spaces
  is Latin
• Their friend is taking this course
• Computer labs are air conditioned

Myra Darling Summer Institute 2001
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Knowledge and Skills

• Successfully completed grade 9 TTI and TEE or TIK
  or all three
• Successfully completed grade 9 TTI
• Successfully completed BTT
• Successfully completed DIC2A or DIC2G
• Havent taken a computer course since grade 8
• Successfully completed MPM2D or MFM2P or MAT2A or
  MAT2G
• Struggled with grade 10 math
• Without grade 10 math
• Successfully completed MAT3A or MTT3G or MTB3G

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Special Considerations

• ESL students, with little or no English, who have
  computer science/engineering credits from another
  country and who also have superior math skills
• ESL students with little or no English who have
  no computer credits and who struggle with math
• New Canadians, English and non English speaking,
  who have never used a computer before
• I.P.R.C. Students
• gifted
• learning disabilities
• Behavioural Problems

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Resources

• Multi media computer system, high speed internet
  access, latest versions of popular software
• Pentium 11 computer, dial up access, software
  compatible with school
• 386 computer, no printer, no internet access, no
  programs compatible with school.
• No computer at home and no access to one outside
  of school or the public library.

Myra Darling Summer Institute 2001
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Family Obligations

• None, other than tidying their room
• Taking care of younger siblings including
  dropping them off at school in the morning and
  picking them up from school in the afternoon
• Part time job a couple of hours 2 days a week
  and at weekends
• Full time job afternoon shift or night shift
• Gender Issues

Myra Darling Summer Institute 2001
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Teaching Amidst Diversity

• As Teachers, our job is to assist students to
  succeed
• 100 success rate is, for most of us, unrealistic
• For many students, imparting knowledge, is not
  enough to ensure success
• Ensuring success for many of our students
  requires us to dig deep
• Ensuring the success of computer
  science/engineering courses requires us to dig
  deep

Myra Darling Summer Institute 2001
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Our courses are not core. Lets make them
enjoyable, for ourselves as well as our students.

• Enjoyment Success
• Enjoyment lt gt No Effort
• Enjoyment lt gt All Fun - No Work
• Enjoyment lt gt Easy Marker
• Enjoyment lt gt No Stress

Myra Darling Summer Institute 2001