Making Paper Airplanes
Friday, August 28, 2015

Summary: In this laboratory, you will begin to study algorithms as you explore various techniques for describing images.

Introduction

As you will learn throughout the semester (and will be told the first day of class), one of the primary activities computer scientists do is to write clear and unambiguous instructions for a variety of tasks. In writing these instructions, it is essential that you understand what the device or person for which you are writing instructions knows.

To get you accustomed to writing instructions, we'll start with a simple task. Your goal is to instruct another on how to create a paper airplane.

To make it a bit more interesting, two of you will sit back to back. One person (let's call her the director) will give verbal instructions to another (let's call him the actor) to create the airplane.

Preparation

When you entered the room (or soon thereafter), you received a sheet of paper. Pair up with someone near you (preferably someone you do not know) and introduce yourself. Once you have formed a group, read through all of the directions below. Do not discuss the task with your partner at this point; when everyone is ready, I will give the cue to begin.

Exercise

The director is to narrate instructions for creating a paper airplane to the actor, with the following restrictions:

The actor and director should arrange their chairs to sit back to back.
The actor and director may not observe each other or their work.
The actor may not speak.
The director should give instructions to the actor on how to make a paper airplane with the actor's sheet of paper.
The director should instruct at a slow enough pace for the actor to follow.

Reflection

Before going through this exercise, which role would you have preferred to play (actor or director)? Why?
After going through this exercise, which role would you have preferred to play? Why?
What made your task as an actor or director particularly challenging?
What would have made your task as an actor or director easier?
Does the order in which the director gave their instructions matter?
What lessons can you derive about writing algorithms from this exercise?

Acknowledgement

This exercise was inspired by Leigh Ann Sudol, First Day Activities, http://blog.acm.org/archives/csta/2007/08/first_day_activ.html 29 August 2007 (accessed 23 August 2011).

Making Paper AirplanesFriday, August 28, 2015