Non-determinism in CS high-school curricula

Michal Armoni; Judith Gal-Ezer

doi:10.1109/FIE.2003.1264702

Non-determinism in CS high-school curricula

Michal Armoni, Judith Gal-Ezer

Computer Science discipline

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

Abstract

One of the units in the relatively new high school CS curriculum which is being implemented in Israel is a theoretical unit on computational models. It includes deterministic and non-deterministic finite automata, regular and non-regular languages, closure properties of regular languages, pushdown automata, closure properties of context free languages, Turing machines, the Church-Turing thesis and the halting problem. This paper focuses on part of a study we conducted on the unit, dealing with the topic of non-determinism of finite automata. One of the aspects dealt with was how students perceived non-determinism. 339 students were given a relatively complicated regular language, and asked to construct a finite automaton that accepts this language. We found that many students did not choose the easiest way to solve the problem: Many students preferred to construct a deterministic automaton, even though constructing a non-deterministic automaton for the language is much simpler. We analyze and categorize the students' solutions, thus shedding some light on their perception of the abstract concept of non-determinism.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	33rd Annual Frontiers in Education
Subtitle of host publication	Engineering as a Human Endeavor: Partnering Community, Academia, Government, and Industry, FIE 2003 - Conference Proceedings
Publisher	Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
Pages	F2C18-F2C23
Volume	2
ISBN (Electronic)	0780379616
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/FIE.2003.1264702
State	Published - 2003
Event	33rd Annual Frontiers in Education, FIE 2003 - Westminster, United States Duration: 5 Nov 2003 → 8 Nov 2003

Publication series

Name	Proceedings - Frontiers in Education Conference, FIE
Volume	2
ISSN (Print)	1539-4565

Conference

Conference	33rd Annual Frontiers in Education, FIE 2003
Country/Territory	United States
City	Westminster
Period	5/11/03 → 8/11/03

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2003 IEEE.

Keywords

Computational model
Deterministic fnite automata
Non-determinism
Non-deterministic finite automata

Access to Document

10.1109/FIE.2003.1264702

Cite this

Armoni, M., & Gal-Ezer, J. (2003). Non-determinism in CS high-school curricula. In 33rd Annual Frontiers in Education: Engineering as a Human Endeavor: Partnering Community, Academia, Government, and Industry, FIE 2003 - Conference Proceedings (Vol. 2, pp. F2C18-F2C23). Article 1264702 (Proceedings - Frontiers in Education Conference, FIE; Vol. 2). Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.. https://doi.org/10.1109/FIE.2003.1264702

Armoni, Michal ; Gal-Ezer, Judith. / Non-determinism in CS high-school curricula. 33rd Annual Frontiers in Education: Engineering as a Human Endeavor: Partnering Community, Academia, Government, and Industry, FIE 2003 - Conference Proceedings. Vol. 2 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., 2003. pp. F2C18-F2C23 (Proceedings - Frontiers in Education Conference, FIE).

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abstract = "One of the units in the relatively new high school CS curriculum which is being implemented in Israel is a theoretical unit on computational models. It includes deterministic and non-deterministic finite automata, regular and non-regular languages, closure properties of regular languages, pushdown automata, closure properties of context free languages, Turing machines, the Church-Turing thesis and the halting problem. This paper focuses on part of a study we conducted on the unit, dealing with the topic of non-determinism of finite automata. One of the aspects dealt with was how students perceived non-determinism. 339 students were given a relatively complicated regular language, and asked to construct a finite automaton that accepts this language. We found that many students did not choose the easiest way to solve the problem: Many students preferred to construct a deterministic automaton, even though constructing a non-deterministic automaton for the language is much simpler. We analyze and categorize the students' solutions, thus shedding some light on their perception of the abstract concept of non-determinism.",

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Armoni, M & Gal-Ezer, J 2003, Non-determinism in CS high-school curricula. in 33rd Annual Frontiers in Education: Engineering as a Human Endeavor: Partnering Community, Academia, Government, and Industry, FIE 2003 - Conference Proceedings. vol. 2, 1264702, Proceedings - Frontiers in Education Conference, FIE, vol. 2, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., pp. F2C18-F2C23, 33rd Annual Frontiers in Education, FIE 2003, Westminster, United States, 5/11/03. https://doi.org/10.1109/FIE.2003.1264702

Non-determinism in CS high-school curricula. / Armoni, Michal; Gal-Ezer, Judith.
33rd Annual Frontiers in Education: Engineering as a Human Endeavor: Partnering Community, Academia, Government, and Industry, FIE 2003 - Conference Proceedings. Vol. 2 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., 2003. p. F2C18-F2C23 1264702 (Proceedings - Frontiers in Education Conference, FIE; Vol. 2).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

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Armoni M, Gal-Ezer J. Non-determinism in CS high-school curricula. In 33rd Annual Frontiers in Education: Engineering as a Human Endeavor: Partnering Community, Academia, Government, and Industry, FIE 2003 - Conference Proceedings. Vol. 2. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc. 2003. p. F2C18-F2C23. 1264702. (Proceedings - Frontiers in Education Conference, FIE). doi: 10.1109/FIE.2003.1264702

Non-determinism in CS high-school curricula

Abstract

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Bibliographical note

Keywords

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