Adapting to Different Types of Target Audience in Teaching Formal - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Adapting to Different Types

• f Target Audience

in Teaching Formal Methods

Antonio Cerone Department of Computer Science, Nazarbayev University, Kazakhstan antonio.cerone,@nu.edu.kz Karl Lermer Department of Computer Science, ZHAW, Switzerland lrka@zhaw.ch

Cerone and Lermer – p.1/18

Contents

FMFun 2019 - Bergen, 2-3 December 2019 Contents

• Set up the Context for Teaching FM
• Formal Methods and Maths
• Students’ Perspective
• Industry’s Perspective
• Our Strategy:

Motivations, Fun, Practice with Tools, Choice of FM

• Types of Target Audience
• Conclusion

Cerone and Lermer – p.2/18

Formal Methods and Maths?

FMFun 2019 - Bergen, 2-3 December 2019 Contents

In which ways are formal methods related to mathematics?

Cerone and Lermer – p.3/18

Formal Methods and Maths?

FMFun 2019 - Bergen, 2-3 December 2019 Contents

In which ways are formal methods related to mathematics? Typical students’ answers are

• they are as difficult as maths

Cerone and Lermer – p.3/18

Formal Methods and Maths?

FMFun 2019 - Bergen, 2-3 December 2019 Contents

In which ways are formal methods related to mathematics? Typical students’ answers are

• they are as difficult as maths
• they make computer science not

understandable

Cerone and Lermer – p.3/18

Formal Methods and Maths?

FMFun 2019 - Bergen, 2-3 December 2019 Contents

In which ways are formal methods related to mathematics? Typical students’ answers are

• they are as difficult as maths
• they make computer science not

understandable Typical industry people’s statements are

• they are a useless part of maths

Cerone and Lermer – p.3/18

Formal Methods and Maths?

FMFun 2019 - Bergen, 2-3 December 2019 Contents

In which ways are formal methods related to mathematics? Typical students’ answers are

• they are as difficult as maths
• they make computer science not

understandable Typical industry people’s statements are

• they are a useless part of maths
• they are maths that cannot be applied to real

world situations

Cerone and Lermer – p.3/18

Are Students Right?

FMFun 2019 - Bergen, 2-3 December 2019 Contents

They are as difficult as maths They make computer science not understandable

Cerone and Lermer – p.4/18

Are Students Right?

FMFun 2019 - Bergen, 2-3 December 2019 Contents

They are as difficult as maths They make computer science not understandable Well, they provide a concise, neat and meaningful formal model of a computer program that better addresses the specification

Cerone and Lermer – p.4/18

Are Students Right?

FMFun 2019 - Bergen, 2-3 December 2019 Contents

They are as difficult as maths They make computer science not understandable Well, they provide a concise, neat and meaningful formal model of a computer program that better addresses the specification = ⇒ develop abstraction skills

Cerone and Lermer – p.4/18

Are Students Right?

FMFun 2019 - Bergen, 2-3 December 2019 Contents

They are as difficult as maths They make computer science not understandable Well, they provide a concise, neat and meaningful formal model of a computer program that better addresses the specification = ⇒ develop abstraction skills No, they make computer science in some way independent of computers

Cerone and Lermer – p.4/18

Are Industry People Right?

FMFun 2019 - Bergen, 2-3 December 2019 Contents

They are a useless part of maths They are maths that cannot be applied to real world situations

Cerone and Lermer – p.5/18

Are Industry People Right?

FMFun 2019 - Bergen, 2-3 December 2019 Contents

They are a useless part of maths They are maths that cannot be applied to real world situations No, they provide an effective way to analyse critical, non functional properties of software

Cerone and Lermer – p.5/18

Are Industry People Right?

FMFun 2019 - Bergen, 2-3 December 2019 Contents

They are a useless part of maths They are maths that cannot be applied to real world situations No, they provide an effective way to analyse critical, non functional properties of software No, they can be applied to many practical disciplines: physics, chemistry, biology, ecology, psychology, cognitive science and economics

Cerone and Lermer – p.5/18

Formal Methods and Maths!

FMFun 2019 - Bergen, 2-3 December 2019 Contents

Formal methods

• define a formal model of a computer program
• make computer science in some way

independent of computers

• provide an effective way to analyse critical,

non functional properties of software

• can be applied to many practical disciplines:

physics, chemistry, biology, ecology, psychology, cognitive science and economics

Cerone and Lermer – p.6/18

Formal Methods Audience

FMFun 2019 - Bergen, 2-3 December 2019 Contents

Formal methods

• define a formal model of a computer program
• make computer science in some way

independent of computers (students and pupils)

• provide an effective way to analyse critical,

non functional properties of software (industry)

• can be applied to many practical disciplines:

physics, chemistry, biology, ecology, psychology, cognitive science and economics (multidisciplinary research)

Cerone and Lermer – p.7/18

Context of FM Education

FMFun 2019 - Bergen, 2-3 December 2019 Contents

Formal Methods

• are a powerful education tool, which bridges

the gap between mathematics and computer science

• have the potential to address a very wide

audience

Cerone and Lermer – p.8/18

Context of FM Education

FMFun 2019 - Bergen, 2-3 December 2019 Contents

Formal Methods

• are a powerful education tool, which bridges

the gap between mathematics and computer science

• have the potential to address a very wide

audience

• are not well received by both the academic

(students and researchers) and industrial audience

Cerone and Lermer – p.8/18

Context of FM Education

FMFun 2019 - Bergen, 2-3 December 2019 Contents

Formal Methods

• are a powerful education tool, which bridges

the gap between mathematics and computer science

• have the potential to address a very wide

audience

• are not well received by both the academic

(students and researchers) and industrial audience We need a strategy to reverse this trend and keep the learner engaged

Cerone and Lermer – p.8/18

Strategy for Teaching FM

FMFun 2019 - Bergen, 2-3 December 2019 Contents

Based on five dimensions:

• Motivations: enabling learners to build

themselves their intrinsic and extrinsic motivations to develop interest in FM

Cerone and Lermer – p.9/18

Strategy for Teaching FM

FMFun 2019 - Bergen, 2-3 December 2019 Contents

Based on five dimensions:

• Motivations: enabling learners to build

themselves their intrinsic and extrinsic motivations to develop interest in FM

• Fun, to keep the learners continuously

engaged in order to retain any acquired form

• f interest

Cerone and Lermer – p.9/18

Strategy for Teaching FM

FMFun 2019 - Bergen, 2-3 December 2019 Contents

Based on five dimensions:

• Motivations: enabling learners to build

themselves their intrinsic and extrinsic motivations to develop interest in FM

• Fun, to keep the learners continuously

engaged in order to retain any acquired form

• f interest
• Practice using tools

Cerone and Lermer – p.9/18

Strategy for Teaching FM

FMFun 2019 - Bergen, 2-3 December 2019 Contents

Based on five dimensions:

• Motivations: enabling learners to build

themselves their intrinsic and extrinsic motivations to develop interest in FM

• Fun, to keep the learners continuously

engaged in order to retain any acquired form

• f interest
• Practice using tools
• Choice of the formal methods approach

Cerone and Lermer – p.9/18

Strategy for Teaching FM

FMFun 2019 - Bergen, 2-3 December 2019 Contents

Based on five dimensions:

• Motivations: enabling learners to build

themselves their intrinsic and extrinsic motivations to develop interest in FM

• Fun, to keep the learners continuously

engaged in order to retain any acquired form

• f interest
• Practice using tools
• Choice of the formal methods approach
• Presentation of the concepts at a level of

formality appropriate for the audience

Cerone and Lermer – p.9/18

Building Motivations

FMFun 2019 - Bergen, 2-3 December 2019 Contents

How to start a course on formal methods?

Cerone and Lermer – p.10/18

Building Motivations

FMFun 2019 - Bergen, 2-3 December 2019 Contents

How to start a course on formal methods?

✲ theoretical

foundations — common approach —

Cerone and Lermer – p.10/18

Building Motivations

FMFun 2019 - Bergen, 2-3 December 2019 Contents

How to start a course on formal methods?

✲ ✲

theoretical foundations technical aspects — common approach —

Cerone and Lermer – p.10/18

Building Motivations

FMFun 2019 - Bergen, 2-3 December 2019 Contents

How to start a course on formal methods?

✲ ✲

students more skilled get bored less skilled students run away theoretical foundations technical aspects — common approach —

Cerone and Lermer – p.10/18

Building Motivations

FMFun 2019 - Bergen, 2-3 December 2019 Contents

How to start a course on formal methods?

✲ ✲

students industry people general context success stories university — our approach —

Cerone and Lermer – p.10/18

Building Motivations

FMFun 2019 - Bergen, 2-3 December 2019 Contents

How to start a course on formal methods?

✲ ✲

students industry people general context success stories Starting early — even with school pupils skilled university

Cerone and Lermer – p.10/18

Building Motivations

FMFun 2019 - Bergen, 2-3 December 2019 Contents

How to start a course on formal methods?

✲ ✲

students industry people general context success stories Starting early — even with school pupils skilled university

❅ ❅ ❅ ❅ ❘

current trends

Cerone and Lermer – p.10/18

Fun

FMFun 2019 - Bergen, 2-3 December 2019 Contents

school pupils university students industry people

✲ ✲

general context success stories

❅ ❅ ❅ ❅ ❘

current trends

✲

• ✒

problem solving

Cerone and Lermer – p.11/18

Fun

FMFun 2019 - Bergen, 2-3 December 2019 Contents

school pupils university students industry people

✲ ✲

general context success stories

❅ ❅ ❅ ❅ ❘

current trends

✲

• ✒

problem solving

❄

computer science problems dining philosophers protocols distributed algorithms

Cerone and Lermer – p.11/18

Fun

FMFun 2019 - Bergen, 2-3 December 2019 Contents

school pupils university students industry people

✲ ✲

general context success stories

❅ ❅ ❅ ❅ ❘

current trends

✲

• ✒

problem solving

❄

computer science problems mathematical puzzles (river crossing puzzle) games (sudoku, card games) videogams

Cerone and Lermer – p.11/18

Fun

FMFun 2019 - Bergen, 2-3 December 2019 Contents

school pupils university students industry people

✲ ✲

general context success stories

❅ ❅ ❅ ❅ ❘

current trends

✲

• ✒

problem solving

❄

computer science problems mathematical puzzles (river crossing puzzle) games (sudoku, card games) videogams

✛

interest

✛

challenge

Cerone and Lermer – p.11/18

Fun

FMFun 2019 - Bergen, 2-3 December 2019 Contents

school pupils university students industry people

✲ ✲

general context success stories

❅ ❅ ❅ ❅ ❘

current trends

✲

• ✒

problem solving

❄

computer science problems mathematical puzzles (river crossing puzzle) games (sudoku, card games) videogams

✛

interest

✛

challenge

✲

creativity

Cerone and Lermer – p.11/18

Fun

FMFun 2019 - Bergen, 2-3 December 2019 Contents

school pupils university students industry people

✲ ✲

general context success stories

❅ ❅ ❅ ❅ ❘

current trends

✲

• ✒

problem solving

❄

computer science problems mathematical puzzles (river crossing puzzle) games (sudoku, card games) videogams

✛

interest

✛

challenge

✲

creativity

tools

✻

Cerone and Lermer – p.11/18

Practice with Tools

FMFun 2019 - Bergen, 2-3 December 2019 Contents

school pupils university students industry people

✲ ✲

general context success stories

❅ ❅ ❅ ❅ ❘

current trends

✲

• ✒

practice tools

✻

Cerone and Lermer – p.12/18

Practice with Tools

FMFun 2019 - Bergen, 2-3 December 2019 Contents

school pupils university students industry people

✲ ✲

general context success stories

❅ ❅ ❅ ❅ ❘

current trends

✲

• ✒

practice tools

✻ ✻

semantics

experiments with fun discovery

Cerone and Lermer – p.12/18

Choice/Presentation of FM

FMFun 2019 - Bergen, 2-3 December 2019 Contents

The choice of FM is based on the following parameters:

• the age, level and background of the learner;
• the application domain, which may be

identified with the taught subject in the case of university students

• the availability and features of software tools

Cerone and Lermer – p.13/18

Choice/Presentation of FM

FMFun 2019 - Bergen, 2-3 December 2019 Contents

The choice of FM is based on the following parameters:

• the age, level and background of the learner;
• the application domain, which may be

identified with the taught subject in the case of university students

• the availability and features of software tools
• the preference and familiarity of the instructor

Cerone and Lermer – p.13/18

Choice/Presentation of FM

FMFun 2019 - Bergen, 2-3 December 2019 Contents

The choice of FM is based on the following parameters:

• the age, level and background of the learner;
• the application domain, which may be

identified with the taught subject in the case of university students

• the availability and features of software tools
• the preference and familiarity of the instructor

The presentation of FM can be

• either textual
• or visual

Cerone and Lermer – p.13/18

Audience: University Students

FMFun 2019 - Bergen, 2-3 December 2019 Contents

university students

✲ ✲

general context success stories

❅ ❅ ❅ ❅ ❘

current trends

✲

• ✒

practice tools

✻ ✻

formal semantics

experiments with fun discovery

Cerone and Lermer – p.14/18

Audience: University Students

FMFun 2019 - Bergen, 2-3 December 2019 Contents

university students

✲ ✲

general context success stories

❅ ❅ ❅ ❅ ❘

current trends

✲

• ✒

practice tools

✻ ✻

formal semantics

experiments with fun discovery

• Sparsely in core/elective subjects
• In a focussed way within FM-related subjects

Cerone and Lermer – p.14/18

Audience: School Pupils

FMFun 2019 - Bergen, 2-3 December 2019 Contents

school pupils maths

interdisciplinary context

• ther

subjects

✲

• ✒

problem solving unplugged approach

✻ ✻

concepts

informally/visually analysis (visual notations) with fun discovery and internalisation

Cerone and Lermer – p.15/18

Audience: School Pupils

FMFun 2019 - Bergen, 2-3 December 2019 Contents

school pupils maths

interdisciplinary context

• ther

subjects

✲

• ✒

problem solving unplugged approach

✻ ✻

concepts

informally/visually analysis (visual notations) with fun discovery and internalisation Primary School intrinsic motivations (fun, challenge, competition) Intermediate and High School also some extrinsic motivations

Cerone and Lermer – p.15/18

Audience: Industry

FMFun 2019 - Bergen, 2-3 December 2019 Contents

industry people

✲ ✲

general context success stories

— training —

❄

familiar methodologies

training with fun technology transfer inhouse use

• ✒

system model tools

✻ ✻

interpretable

• utput

analysis

Cerone and Lermer – p.16/18

Audience: Research Teams

FMFun 2019 - Bergen, 2-3 December 2019 Contents

interdisciplinary research teams

✲ ✲

general context success stories

— training —

❄

domain-specific language

✲

training with fun technology transfer domain research

• ✒

system model tools

✻ ✻

interpretable

• utput

analysis

Cerone and Lermer – p.17/18

Conclusion and Future Work

FMFun 2019 - Bergen, 2-3 December 2019 Contents

Conclusion

• Motivations, Fun, Practice with Tools and

Choice of FM apply to various kinds of audience differently

Cerone and Lermer – p.18/18

Conclusion and Future Work

FMFun 2019 - Bergen, 2-3 December 2019 Contents

Conclusion

• Motivations, Fun, Practice with Tools and

Choice of FM apply to various kinds of audience differently

• Motivation allows learners to build up interest

in formal methods while Fun is actually the essential dimension to keep learners continuously engaged

Cerone and Lermer – p.18/18

Conclusion and Future Work

FMFun 2019 - Bergen, 2-3 December 2019 Contents

Conclusion

• Motivations, Fun, Practice with Tools and

Choice of FM apply to various kinds of audience differently

• Motivation allows learners to build up interest

in formal methods while Fun is actually the essential dimension to keep learners continuously engaged Future Work

• Develop FM tools for different audiences
• Embed FM within methodologies that are

widely accepted in industrial contexts

Cerone and Lermer – p.18/18