Creative Labs in a CS1 Course: Self-directed Labs Enhance Inclusivity in Computer Science Learning

Most CS1 classes are designed to teach programming and computational thinking using a specific programming language such as Python or Java. This type of in-depth study leaves little room for creative exploration by students. In particular, at large colleges and universities, the programming assignments are usually autograded to keep up with expanding enrollment. This lightning talk will introduce the idea that simply adding three creative labs that do not use the actual course material, but instead expose students to other computing concepts, can give the students who are struggling a chance to catch up, while also offering them a much-needed breather doing something in computing that is individually directed and creative.