Questions tagged [ap-computer-science-a]
Questions related to the course AP Computer Science A taught with the Java programming language.
21
questions
2
votes
2answers
68 views
Interfaces and Greenfoot
My colleague and I are considering bringing Greenfoot into our AP classes this year, and while Interfaces have been removed from the AP subset, we will continue to teach them.
Greenfoot itself seems ...
4
votes
0answers
78 views
How does IB Computer Science compare with AP Computer Science?
I've taught AP Computer Science A for over a decade now, and an administrator has asked me to look into transitioning to IB. (We already have some programs in the school that use IB, so we would ...
2
votes
0answers
24 views
Hardware (cameras, headsets) for TEALS supported classrooms
We have TEALS (a NGO which supports CS education in US with programs that team industry professionals with CS classrooms - both in person and remotely) distance learning support for our CS classes - ...
2
votes
0answers
66 views
Curriculum choice for AP Computer Science A
We are currently researching what curriculum to use/adapt for the 2019-2020 school year. It will be our first year offering AP CSA. The students taking the class will have had 3-7 years of computers ...
5
votes
5answers
340 views
What is a good teaching example/application for jagged arrays (2d arrays with irregular row lengths)?
We are teaching an AP CS class and the topic of 2d-arrays is coming up. There are plenty of cool and approachable sample applications for standard rectanglular arrays - matrix math, MIDI music, sudoku,...
3
votes
2answers
65 views
Advise on a class project
Me and my friend are both in high school taking a “PLTW” Engineering class, where our goal is to design a solution to any problem and work on that solution over the course of the year. We’re reaching ...
4
votes
2answers
158 views
Criteria for admission to AP CS courses in high school
The question is simple and direct here: what objective criteria are helpful* in admitting students to AP CS courses?
(By "helpful," I mean criteria that have some worth as indicator of future success ...
3
votes
2answers
367 views
Lab Requirement in AP CS A
The official course description for AP Computer Science A, a high-school level course focusing on OOP using Java, details a 20-hour lab requirement. College Board provides three labs ready-made for ...
5
votes
4answers
96 views
Use of jshell in AP CS A
I recently installed jshell in my IDE for use in demoing concepts in AP CS A. It came at just the right time as it was a powerful way to teach ArrayLists and its ...
6
votes
4answers
474 views
Using Oracle's Java Documentation as a Teaching Tool
I'm in the process of preparing for the second semester of AP CS A (Java). I want to review objects and classes with my students to prepare for our extended focus this semester on inheritance and ...
8
votes
3answers
222 views
What does a certification program for CS high school teachers need to include?
If a high school math or science teacher was going to begin teaching computer science, what do they need to know? I know of many teachers given this responsibility without any training for it. Since ...
5
votes
3answers
488 views
Framework choice for AP CS A students: Swing or JavaFX?
I attended an AP workshop this week to prepare for teaching AP CS A this coming school year. It gave me my first glimpse of Swing, which has now piqued my interest about including some GUI components ...
3
votes
3answers
96 views
Integrating Graph Theory into AP CS A
During our year-end exit interviews with our outgoing seniors, the students made an explicit request to include some graph theory within our curriculum. This seems like an excellent idea, but the ...
6
votes
3answers
238 views
Homework Policy for Advanced/Honors Students
Perusing Twitter just now, I saw this tweet from the @CSTeachingTips account, and it got me thinking about the general topic of homework as it applies to our discipline:
Downsize homework because, ...
4
votes
2answers
214 views
Most beneficial CodingBat problems for AP CS A FRQs
I love the CodingBat platform and plan to integrate it throughout my course next year. Yet, since it will be my first year with AP CS A and I have not yet had a chance to study past years' FRQs, I'm ...
7
votes
2answers
214 views
Final exam advice
I probably should have asked this last week since we just finished up finals today. But, there's always next year :)
How do you create a final exam that is a valid assessment of an entire year or ...
11
votes
7answers
196 views
How to illustrate scope problem when creating variables inside `if` statements in Java
One of the problems that my students will stumble upon every year is trying to create or initialize variables within an if/else ...
8
votes
3answers
178 views
Workflow for Code Submission
Next year will be my first year teaching AP CS A. While I've spent a lot of time preparing by choosing textbooks, picking an IDE, and writing the syllabus, I'm not yet settled on my workflow for how ...
7
votes
3answers
485 views
Command-line Java in AP CS A
Context: Over the past school year I spent a significant portion of my time preparing to teach AP CS A next year. From choosing textbooks to writing the College Board syllabus, I essentially started ...
7
votes
1answer
135 views
Designing rubrics for AP Computer Science-style free response questions
When I create questions in the style of the College Board's AP Computer Science Free Response Questions, I always attempt to create authentic rubrics that reflect how such questions would be graded. ...
9
votes
11answers
510 views
Objects Lab Before Inheritance and Polymorphism
I am finding it very difficult to create a lab for Objects in Java before we've involved Inheritance and Polymorphism. The problem, as I see it, is that Inheritance and Polymorphism are basically the ...
