IJERT Volume 5 [4] 2014 62 | P a g e © 2014 Society of Education, India
TPS(Think-Pair-Share) : An Active Learning Strategy to Teach Theory of Computation Course
Sunita M. Dol
CSEDepartmentWalchandInstituteofTechnology,Solapur,IndiaEmail:[email protected]
ABSTRACT
TPS (Think-Pair-Share) which is a cooperative learning strategy where students think about their responses for a problem given by instructor then discuss their individual solutions in pairs and share those solutions with the class. As Theory of Computation is the core course of Computer Science and Engineering and the base for many courses like System Programming, Compiler Construction etc., so this TPS activity is considered for this course to improve students’ conceptual understanding about the course. In this paper, one group Pre-Test Post-Test model is considered. Experimental results and student’s perception about this activity are also presented. Keywords- Think-Pair-Share(TPS), Theory of Computation, t-Test, Likert’s Scale. Received 12.09.2014 Revised 29.11. 2014 Accepted 18.11.2014
How to cite this article: Sunita M. Dol.TPS(Think-Pair-Share) : An Active Learning Strategy to Teach Theory ofComputationCourse.Inter.J.Edu.Res.Technol.5[4]2014;62-67.DOI:10.15515/ijert.0976-4089.5.4.6267
INTRODUCTION TheoryofComputation is thecorecourseofComputerScienceandEngineeringand thebase formanycourses like System Programming, Compiler Construction etc. So it is necessary to clear the concept ofthis course. Also this course is important as far as GATE examination is concerned. This course isimportantformodelingdifferentkindsofhardwareandsoftware.AsTheoryofComputationisthecourseof Second year of Computer Science and Engineering/Information Technology, so students need activelearning technique in addition to the blackboard teaching. Teaching and learning this subject is achallenging task. This subject is difficult to understand from student point of view. TPS which iscooperativelearningstrategyhasbeenrecommendedforitsbenefitsofallowingstudentstoexpresstheirreasoning,reflectontheirthinking,andobtainimmediatefeedbackontheirunderstanding[6],[7].Hencethe TPS activity is considered to teach the Theory of Computation Course. So the research question is“whether the use of TPS activity in class helps the students to improve the conceptual understandingaboutthecourse”.Tofindtheanswertothisresearchquestion,onegrouppre-testpost-testexperimentalstudyalongwithfeedbackwascarriedout.Resultsshowedthatthisactivityisusefulforthiscourse.Alsofeedback states that students agreed that think-pair-share activity developed interest in them to learn,thinkingabouttheproblemandwritingthesolutionduringthethinkphasehelpedthemlearnconceptsmorepreciselyanddiscussingthesolutionwiththepartnerduringthepairphasehelpedstudentslearnconceptsmoreclearly.Also100%studentsagreedthattheyfoundtheThink-Pair-Shareactivityeffective.
RELATED WORK There are many software tools to teach this course [4],[5]. In addition to this Mukta Goyal, ShellySachdeva in “Enhancing Theory of Computation Teaching through Integration with other Courses” [1]aimed towards introducing different approaches for making the course interactive and realistic byintegratingitwithothercourseslearntinprevioussemestersandcurrentsemesterofengineering.CarlosI. Ches˜nevar et al. in “Didactic Strategies for Promoting Significant Learning in Formal Languages andAutomata Theory” [2] introduced a number of didactic strategies based on a constructivist approach.Carlos Iv´an Ches˜nevar et al. in “Teaching Fundamentals of Computing Theory: A ConstructivistApproach” [3] were proposed a strategies based on a stronger use of technology and a constructivistapproach.
International Journal of Educational Research and Technology P-ISSN0976-4089;E-ISSN2277-1557IJERT:Volume5[4]December2014:62-67
©AllRightsReservedSocietyofEducation,IndiaISO9001:2008CertifiedOrganizationWebsite:www.soeagra.com/ijert.htmlOriginal Article
IJERT Volume 5[4] 2014
METHODOLOGY Theobjectivesofthisstudywere: Tocleartheconceptsaboutfiniteautomata,regularexpressionetc. Toimprovetheperformanceofstudentsinthiscourse. To make easy the concepts like converting one form of machine to another, converting regular
expressiontoNFA,convertinggrammartonormalformsetc.To test the effectiveness of TPS activity, one group Preconsidered is Theory of Computation which is Second Year Computer Science and Engineering Course.Simplified forms and normal forms is the topic considered from this course for this activity. Firstinstructortaughtthistopicbytraditionalteachingmethodthatisblackboardteachingmethodtotheclass.Inthistopic,subtopicscoveredwereeliminatingunitproductionthegivencontextfreegrammar,freegrammarand finallyconverting thegivencontext freegrammar toChomskyNormalForm.Precoveringthesesubtopics wasconducted for25marks. Afterconducting thepreactivity in the classroom. For TPS activity, the problem statement was to convert the given context freegrammartoChomskyNormalformwhichconsistoffollowingsteps:Step1:Eliminatenullproductionsfromgivencontextfreegrammarifany.Step2:Eliminateunitproductionsfromgivencontextfreegrammarifany.Step3:Eliminateuselessvariablefromtheproductionsofgivencontextfreegrammarifany.Step4:ConvertthecontextfreegrammartoChomskyNormalForm.TPSactivityforconvertingthegivencontextfreegrammartoChomskyNormalformconsistofThink: In think phase of TPS activity, instructor asked the question to students to eliminate nullproductions,unitproductionsanduselessvariableifanyfromPair:Inpairphase,eachstudentwasaskedtopairwiththepartner,sharedtheirthinkingwitheachotherandproceedswiththetask.Instructoraskedthequestionrelatedthe students’ understanding of the topic. The students were asked to convert the grammar obtained in‘Think’phasetoChomskyNormalform.Share:Insharephase,studentssharedthesolutionwiththeentireclass.InstructordiscussedtheproblemofconvertingcontextfreegrammartoChomskyNormalformandhighlightsimportantpoints.
EXPERIMENTAL DETAIL A. SampleSinceTheoryofComputationisthecourseofSecondyearComputerScienceandEngineering,agroupof40studentswasselectedforthisexperiment.B. Think-Pair-Share(TPS)ActivityTPSisacollaborative,activelearningstrategy,inwhichstudentsworkonaproblemposedbyinstructor,firstindividually(Think),theninpairs(Pair)orgroups,andfinallytogetherwithth[7]. SothisTPSconsistofthreephase:
63 | P a g e © 2014 Society of Education, India
Theobjectivesofthisstudywere:Tocleartheconceptsaboutfiniteautomata,regularexpressionetc.
performanceofstudentsinthiscourse.To make easy the concepts like converting one form of machine to another, converting regularexpressiontoNFA,convertinggrammartonormalformsetc.
To test the effectiveness of TPS activity, one group Pre-Test Post-Test model is considered. The courseconsidered is Theory of Computation which is Second Year Computer Science and Engineering Course.Simplified forms and normal forms is the topic considered from this course for this activity. First
thistopicbytraditionalteachingmethodthatisblackboardteachingmethodtotheclass.Inthistopic,subtopicscoveredwere-eliminatingnullproductionfromthegivencontextfreegrammar,eliminatingunitproductionthegivencontextfreegrammar,eliminatinguselessvariablethegivencontextfreegrammarand finallyconverting thegivencontext freegrammar toChomskyNormalForm.Precoveringthesesubtopics wasconducted for25marks. Afterconducting thepre-test,weconsideredTPS
y in the classroom. For TPS activity, the problem statement was to convert the given context freegrammartoChomskyNormalformwhichconsistoffollowingsteps:Step1:Eliminatenullproductionsfromgivencontextfreegrammarifany.
unitproductionsfromgivencontextfreegrammarifany.Step3:Eliminateuselessvariablefromtheproductionsofgivencontextfreegrammarifany.Step4:ConvertthecontextfreegrammartoChomskyNormalForm.TPSactivityforconvertingthegivencontextfreegrammartoChomskyNormalformconsistof
In think phase of TPS activity, instructor asked the question to students to eliminate nullproductions,unitproductionsanduselessvariableifanyfromgivencontextfreegrammar.
Inpairphase,eachstudentwasaskedtopairwiththepartner,sharedtheirthinkingwitheachotherandproceedswiththetask.Instructoraskedthequestionrelatedpreviousonethatissuitabletodeepen
’ understanding of the topic. The students were asked to convert the grammar obtained in‘Think’phasetoChomskyNormalform.
studentssharedthesolutionwiththeentireclass.InstructordiscussedtheproblemtfreegrammartoChomskyNormalformandhighlightsimportantpoints.
Figure 1: Experimental Set up
SinceTheoryofComputationisthecourseofSecondyearComputerScienceandEngineering,agroupofselectedforthisexperiment.
Share(TPS)ActivityTPSisacollaborative,activelearningstrategy,inwhichstudentsworkonaproblemposedbyinstructor,firstindividually(Think),theninpairs(Pair)orgroups,andfinallytogetherwithth
SothisTPSconsistofthreephase:
Sunita M Dol
Society of Education, India
To make easy the concepts like converting one form of machine to another, converting regular
Test model is considered. The courseconsidered is Theory of Computation which is Second Year Computer Science and Engineering Course.Simplified forms and normal forms is the topic considered from this course for this activity. First
thistopicbytraditionalteachingmethodthatisblackboardteachingmethodtotheclass.eliminatingnullproductionfromthegivencontextfreegrammar,
eliminatinguselessvariablethegivencontextfreegrammarand finallyconverting thegivencontext freegrammar toChomskyNormalForm.Pre-test
test,weconsideredTPSy in the classroom. For TPS activity, the problem statement was to convert the given context free
Step3:Eliminateuselessvariablefromtheproductionsofgivencontextfreegrammarifany.
TPSactivityforconvertingthegivencontextfreegrammartoChomskyNormalformconsistofIn think phase of TPS activity, instructor asked the question to students to eliminate null
givencontextfreegrammar.Inpairphase,eachstudentwasaskedtopairwiththepartner,sharedtheirthinkingwitheachother
previousonethatissuitabletodeepen’ understanding of the topic. The students were asked to convert the grammar obtained in
studentssharedthesolutionwiththeentireclass.InstructordiscussedtheproblemtfreegrammartoChomskyNormalformandhighlightsimportantpoints.
SinceTheoryofComputationisthecourseofSecondyearComputerScienceandEngineering,agroupof
TPSisacollaborative,activelearningstrategy,inwhichstudentsworkonaproblemposedbyinstructor,firstindividually(Think),theninpairs(Pair)orgroups,andfinallytogetherwiththeentireclass(Share)
IJERT Volume 5[4] 2014 64 | P a g e © 2014 Society of Education, India
Think: Faculty starts the teaching-learning process by seeking answers to specific question about thetopic.Students"think"aboutwhattheyknoworhavelearnedaboutthetopicforagivenspecifiedtimeslot.Pair:Eachstudentispairedwithanotherstudent.Studentssharetheirsolutiontogivenprobleminthinkphase,discussideas,andaskquestionstoeachother.Facultyaskscomplexquestionrelatedtopreviouslyaskedproblemandstudentsareaskedtosolvetheproblem.Share:Pairhasadequatetimetosharetheirthoughtsandhaveadiscussion;teachersexpandthe"share"into a whole-class discussion. Allow each group to choose who will present their thoughts, ideas, andquestions.Aftertheclass“share,”youmayagainaskthepairtotalkabouthowtheirthinkingchangedasaresultofthe“share”element.
Figure 2: TPS activity
C. Pre-Test and Post-Test Pre-TestandPost-Testwereconductedonthetopic:SimplifiedFormsandNormalForms.Theweightageofbothtestswas25marks.Bothtestsconsistofquestionslikeeliminatenullproductions,eliminateunitproductions, eliminate useless variable and convert the given grammar into Chomsky Normal Form.These question covers Apply and Analyze level of Bloom’s Taxonomy. The sample question in tests isshownasbelow:
D. Procedure In this one group Pre-Test Post-Test Model, first blackboard teaching was done related to the topicSimplifiedFormsandNormalForms.Afterteachingthistopic,Pre-Testwasconductedonthistopic.TwoTPS activity was conducted to convert the given context free grammar to Chomsky Normal Form. Toknow about the students’ perception about activity, feedback was also conducted at the end of thisactivity.Post-TestwasconductedafterTPSactivitytochecktheeffectivenessofthisactivity.E. Feedback Tounderstandstudent’sperceptionaboutthisactivity,thefeedbackwasconductedattheendofactivityasshownintable4.Feedbackcontainsthequestionlikehowfrequentlydidyouwritethesolutiontotheproblemgivenbytheinstructorduringthethinkphase?,Howfrequentlydidyoudiscussyoursolutionwithyourpartnerduringthepairphase?,Istayedinterestedinthecontentofthelecturebecauseofthethink-pair-shareactivities?,Thinkingabouttheproblemandwritingthesolutionduringthethinkphasehelpedmelearn<topic>concepts,Discussingmysolutionwithmypartnerduringthepairphasehelpedmelearn<topic>concepts,Iwouldnothavelearnedasmuchfromthelectureiftherehadbeennothink-pair-shareScaleactivitiesetc.
Convert the following context free grammar to
Chomsky normal form
S->PQP
P-> 0P|^
Q-> 1P|^
Sunita M Dol
IJERT Volume 5[4] 2014
Table Sr.No.
1 Howfrequentlydidyouwritethesolutiontotheproblemgivenbytheinstructorduringthethinkphase?
2 Howfrequentlydidyoudiscussyoursolutionwithyourpartnerduringthepairphase?
3 Istayedinterestedinthecontentofthelecturebecauseofthethinkpair-shareactivities.
4 Thinkingabouttheproblemandwritingthesolutionduringthethinkphasehelpedmelearn<topic>concepts.
5 Discussingmysolutionwithmypartnerduringthepairphasehelpedmelearn<topic>concepts
6 Listeningtootherstudents'solutionsphasehelpedmelearn<topic>concepts.
7 Iwouldnothavelearnedasmuchfromthelectureiftherehadbeennothink-pair-shareScaleactivities.
8 DidyouliketheThink-Pair–Share
RESULTS ANALYSIS Students’conceptualunderstandingwasanalyzedusingpreinfigure3showsthatstudentsperformedbetterinpostalsocalculatedasshowninfigure4.
Figure
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Table 4: Students’ perception about TPS activity Never Sometimes
Howfrequentlydidyouwritethesolutiontotheproblemgivenbytheinstructorduringthethinkphase?
2% 21%
yoursolutionwithyourpartnerduring 0% 21%
Strongly Disagree
Disagree
Istayedinterestedinthecontentofthelecturebecauseofthethink- 0% 1%
problemandwritingthesolutionduringthethinkphasehelpedmelearn<topic>concepts.
0% 0%
Discussingmysolutionwithmypartnerduringthepairphasehelped 0% 4%
Listeningtootherstudents'solutionsanddiscussionduringtheshareconcepts.
3% 4%
Iwouldnothavelearnedasmuchfromthelectureiftherehadbeenno 2% 30%
Shareactivity:Yes/NoWhy? TPSYes=100%
Figure: 6: TPS activity example for Theory of Computation
Students’conceptualunderstandingwasanalyzedusingpre-poettestmarksasshowninfigure3.Graphinfigure3showsthatstudentsperformedbetterinpost-testascomparedtopre-test.Normalizedgainisalsocalculatedasshowninfigure4.
Figure 3: Pre-Post Test marks of students
Sunita M Dol
Society of Education, India
Sometimes Often Always
27% 50%
21% 57%
Disagree Agree Strongly Agree
70% 29%
64% 36%
48% 48%
57% 36%
55% 13%
Figure: 6: TPS activity example for Theory of Computation
poettestmarksasshowninfigure3.Graphtest.Normalizedgainis
IJERT Volume 5[4] 2014 66 | P a g e © 2014 Society of Education, India
Figure 4: Normalized Gain
Averagegainandrelativegainwerecalculatedandisshownintable1.Relativeaveragegainis0.87.
Table 1: Average Gains
AveragePre-test
AveragePost-Test
AbsoluteAverageGain
RelativeAverageGain
9 16 7 0.87
Table 2: Average Gains Pre-Test Level
No. of Students
Mean of Pre-Test
Mean of Post-Test
Average Gain
High(>=60%)
4 15.5 20 4.5
Medium(40-59%)
12 12.16 17.16 5
Low(<40%)
24 5.95 15.75 9.8
Asshowninfigure5,thereissignificantdifferenceinpre-testandpost-testmarks.Itmeansthisactivityisusefulforlowperformer.
Figure 5: Mean of Pre-Post Test for high, medium and low
t-Test is used to determine if two sets of data differ significantly from each other. For t-Test to besignificantstatistically,tvaluemustbe2.145andpvaluemustbelessthanorequalto0.05.t-Testresultisshownintable3. t-Testresultalsoshowsstatisticalsignificantdifferencebetweenpre-testandpost-testconductedforthisactivity
Sunita M Dol
IJERT Volume 5[4] 2014 67 | P a g e © 2014 Society of Education, India
Table 3: t-Test Result
DegreeofFreedom
StandardDeviation
tvalue pvalue
78 4.14 8.45 0.0001
CONCLUSIONS Inthispaper,howTPSactivitycanbeusedforTheoryofComputationisexplained.Fromthefeedback,99%studentsagreedthat think-pair-shareactivitydeveloped interest in themto learn.100%studentsagreed that thinking about the problem and writing the solution during the think phase helped themlearnconceptsmoreprecisely.96%studentsagreedthatdiscussingthesolutionwiththepartnerduringthepairphasehelpedstudentslearnconceptsmoreclearly.93%studentsagreedthatlisteningtootherstudents'solutionsanddiscussionduringthesharephasehelpedtolearnconcepts.Also100%studentsagreedthattheyfoundtheThink-Pair-Shareactivityeffective.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT Iwouldliketothankreviewers,entire‘RMET’workshopteam,IITBombay&mentorJayKrishanan.IalsothankManagementandPrincipalS.A.HalkudeofWalchandInstituteofTechnology,Solapur.REFERENCES 1. Mukta Goyal, Shelly Sachdeva(2009). “Enhancing Theory of Computation Teaching through Integration with
otherCourses”,InternationalJournalofRecentTrendsinEngineering,Vol.1,No.2,90-98.2. CarlosI.Ches˜nevaretal. (2004).“DidacticStrategiesforPromotingSignificantLearninginFormalLanguages
andAutomataTheory”,ACM1581138369,ITiCSE’04,June28–30.3. Carlos Iv´an Ches˜nevar et al. (2004). “Teaching Fundamentals of Computing Theory: A Constructivist
Approach”,JCS&TVol.4No.2,23-37.4. Carlos I. Ches˜nevar et al.(2009). “Using Theorotical Computer Simulators for Formal Laguages and Automata
Theory.pp4055. Anna O. Bilska et al.(2008).”A Collection of Tools for Making Automata Theory and Formal Languages Come
Alive.6. Aditi Kothiyal et. Al,(2013).Effect of Think-Pair-Share in a Large CS1 Class: 83% Sustained Engagement”,
ICER’13,August12–14.7. GargiBanerjeeet.al(2013).“Teachingwithvisualizationsinclassroomsetting:MappingInstructionalStrategies
toInstructionalObjectives”,IEEEFifthInternationalConferenceonTechnologyforEducation.
Sunita M Dol