Bug Brains: AP biology and Artificial Intelligence meet CS-101 (!!??!!)

One of my most persistent problems is how to teach to the diverse group of kids that make up my Computer Science 1 class. They're a very diverse bunch: Maybe only one or two are computer nerds, the rest are there essentially because I'm the only other elective class available at my school.

One way to expose such a group to systems logic - without first throwing them into a structured language like Python - is to have them try some lightweight neural network programming. As esoteric as that sounds, I had first tried it with my 6th grade Compu. Lit. class using a program called "Bug Brain." http://www.biologic.com.au/bugbrain

Bug Brain is an A/I programming system, a flow-chart system that runs, a demonstration of analog computing and a curriculum in A/P biology all rolled into one, neat curriculum. What's truly fabulous is that Bug Brain is free - not trialware, not shareware (however, not Open Source). Bug Brain was originally shareware, but its author, Tom Morton, now distributes it freely as a free download. What Tom developed in Bug Brain is a complete, step-by-step, Intro to Neural Networking curriculum. He did a fine job and created a wonderful system, and Tom deserves many kudos and statements of thanks and appreciation.

As for the 6th graders, it was a qualified success: The majority of the 11-year olds followed the exercizes through into programming an inhibition/stimulus XOR behavioral circuit (the Lady Bug chapter). The quiz, however, where I asked that they match the circuit shape to its function was, well, a bitter lesson in poor test design on my part. *Sigh*

However, I took that experience and I turned it into a formal part of the curriculum with the high school Computer Science class. I had first tried to push the motley crew in the Computer Science class into working with Python, but they got quite lost when we started delving into functions. So I turned to Bug Brain to give them a more intuitive experience with the functional, living, flow chart system that is Bug Brain. With these older students we were able to advance to analyzing and understand the neural networking driving a 3-chamber worm heart. I actually believe the students learned something they wouldn't have otherwise.

/leebert