CNI Fall 2019 Membership Meeting

Learning Python, especially for data analysis, is a priority for students and faculty across disciplines, but good support to do so outside of a computer science course isn't typically available. George Washington University (GW) Libraries and Academic Innovation has been experimenting with a new model of Python programming instruction which leverages a GW engineering faculty member's openly licensed, Open edX curriculum, funded by the National Science Foundation Office of Advanced Cyberinfrastructure CyberTraining program. Designed for teaching computational thinking foundations to first-year engineering students, we adapted the curriculum into a three-day "Python Camp" to address the needs of a broad range of campus learners. The librarian instructors, also trained in the Carpentries pedagogical approach, emphasize live-coding and formative assessment. Key technical components of the mini-course include Open edX's platform's integration with Jupyter notebooks, auto-graded homework assignments, and the library-hosted JupyterHub platform. Learners who complete course requirements receive a certificate of completion. Python Camp sells out like a rock concert! While aligning with both the library mission and campus strategic priorities around increasing programming skills for research across disciplines, this project demonstrates the power of reusable computable content and open educational resources, as well as collaboration between library and faculty partners. The presenters will also discuss the challenges Python Camp raises for sustainability and scalability, as a hugely popular yet also resource-intensive offering.