x1<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
<CAT xmlns:cat="http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/" version="2.0"> 
<cat:title>Software Directed Paraphrasing</cat:title>
<cat:author>Tammy VanDeGrift and Kate Deibel</cat:author>
<cat:date>March 27, 2004</cat:date>

<cat:technique>Directed Paraphrasing</cat:technique>

<cat:purpose>
<p>
This activity allows instructors to see how well students can communicate technical ideas (in this case, computers and software) to non-technical people. The ability to converse with non-technical people is important in the field of programming.
</p>
</cat:purpose>
<cat:activity>
<p>
In the next 15 minutes, answer the following two exercises on explaining technical ideas to non-technical people.
</p>

<ol>
<li>Suppose you have a 10-year-old brother or sister. Explain to him or her (in a short paragraph) what a computer is.
<br></br>
</li>
<li>After your explanation, your sister asks you to explain the idea of software. Explain to her (in another short paragraph) the idea of computer software.</li>
</ol>
</cat:activity>
<cat:solution>
<p>
Many responses for both situations are acceptable depending on the approach of the course.
</p>
</cat:solution>
<cat:analysis>
<p>
If you have collected written feedback, read each paraphrase and separate them into separate piles: "Confused," "Minimal," "Adequate," and "Excellent." Reread the items in the "Confused" pile to determine common misconceptions. Select a few examples to share with the class from the "Adequate" and "Excellent" piles.
</p>

<p>
If not written feedback is collected, as you are monitoring the groups' progress, write down notes. Otherwise, immediate feedback (see Possible Uses of Activity) is recommended.
</p>
</cat:analysis>
<cat:variant_uses>
	<cat:variation>Have students work in groups to complete this activity. The instructor may want to circulate throughout the groups to ensure that each group is making progress. After the groups have completed their explanations, have each group share their explanations to the rest of the class.</cat:variation>
	<cat:variation>Have students work on the explanations individually and then form groups to share their explanations with other members of the class.</cat:variation>
	<cat:variation>Have students volunteer their paraphrases for the rest of the class.</cat:variation>
</cat:variant_uses>
<cat:classification>
<cat:assessment_goals>
	<cat:goal>Develop ability to apply principles and generalizations already learned</cat:goal>
	<cat:goal>Improve writing skills</cat:goal>
	<cat:goal>Learn concepts and theories of this subject</cat:goal>
	<cat:goal>Develop management skills</cat:goal>
	<cat:goal>Develop ability to perform skillfully</cat:goal>
</cat:assessment_goals>
<cat:topics>
	<cat:topic>Software</cat:topic>
	<cat:topic>Computers</cat:topic>
	<cat:topic>Terminology</cat:topic>
</cat:topics>
<cat:participation_level>
</cat:participation_level>
<cat:time>
	<cat:preparation_time>LOW</cat:preparation_time>
	<cat:class_time>MEDIUM</cat:class_time>
	<cat:in_class_analysis_time>MEDIUM</cat:in_class_analysis_time>
	<cat:out_class_analysis_time>MEDIUM</cat:out_class_analysis_time>
</cat:time>
<cat:instructor_response>
	<cat:response>Lecture</cat:response>
	<cat:response>Class Discussion</cat:response>
	<cat:response>Small Group Discussions</cat:response>
	<cat:response>Homework</cat:response>
</cat:instructor_response>
<cat:device_enabled>Difficult to Enable</cat:device_enabled>
<cat:related_topics>
	<cat:topic>Hardware</cat:topic>
	<cat:topic>Design</cat:topic>
	<cat:topic>Languages</cat:topic>
	<cat:topic>Compilers</cat:topic>
	<cat:topic>Syntax</cat:topic>
	<cat:topic>Algorithm</cat:topic>
	<cat:topic>Programming</cat:topic>
</cat:related_topics>
</cat:classification>
</CAT>