E-learning module development

Example module: Parsing strategies. Check requirements before running.

Goals of a module

• Guide the students through an assignment preparation/course content.
• Deconstruct a problem into its core elements.
• Engage students with the material and with their partner(s)
• Be useful as reference materials when studying (standalone demonstrations) or guide a student through content (worksheets)

Mainly: use of Jupyter Notebooks (either in JupyterLab or VS)

Methodology

Creating a repository of Jupyter Notebook materials

• Challenges
  • Content is adequate to the context(s) in which it will be used
    • Successfully engaging students
    • Fulfilling the learning outcomes
    • Enable constant evaluation
• Approaches
  • Use of notebooks to generate a set of course materials, worksheets and standalone dashboards/apps.
  • Provide students with the strategies they need to master the learning outcomes. Limit the complexity of the examples and focus on maximizing reflection and discussion.
  • Enable students to work together, discuss and provide feedback on each module.

Types of materials and exercises using Jupyter Notebooks

• Worksheet

  • Read and shift-enter materials/ Examples and counter-examples.
  
  • Fill in the blanks, run and reflect
  
  • Tweak parameters, run and reflect
  
  • Simple widgets that help reduce the complexity of a concept
  

• Notebook as a dashboard/app

  • Standalone dashboards with a focus on tweaking and visualizing some model
  • Interactive modules students can use to test their own scripts. Pictured: Interactive Machine Learning

  

Limitations and setbacks

• Students should bear in mind the differences between notebooks and scripting.
• How to make notebooks foolproof?
  • Introduce the functioning of notebooks and basic troubleshooting skills (restarting kernel, rerunning previous cells…).
  • These aspects could be tackled as extra modules in the course materials

Implementability

Integration in BrightSpace?

Provide notebooks as downloadable files.

Using GitLab for content delivery, teamwork and discussion

• Students would copy the repository with the course contents.
• Familiarize students with Git from assignment 1.
• Content delivery through a course repository, like in many online courses.
• Useful for teamwork
• Students can use issues as a forum or to give feedback on the module.
• Integration with code grading tools like CodeGrade is possible.

References

1. Teaching and Learning with Jupyter. https://jupyter4edu.github.io/jupyter-edu-book/index.html.