Case Studies in the Advanced Placement Computer Science Curriculum Panelists Gail Chapman Educational Testing Service Princeton, NJ 08541 gchapman@rosedale. org Sarah Fix The Career Center Winston-Salem, NC 27103 76516.31 72@compuserve,com Moderator Michael Clancy Computer Science Division University of California Berkeley, CA 94720 clancy@cs.berkeley .edu Abstract Beginning in spring 1995, the Advanced Placement Computer Science Examination will include questions based on œDirectory Manager , a case study describing the design and development of a program to manage file names in a simulated directory, The œDirectory Manager  materials include the following a problem statement; solution program code; a narrative description andl defense of decisions made in the solution process; study questions distributed throughout the narrative to involve the reader in the solution process; sample exam items; and a comprehensive instructors ™ manual. A variety q Owen Astrachan Computer Science Department Duke University Durham, NC 27706 ola@cs.duke.edu Joseph Kmoch Washington High School Milwaukee, WI 53210 kmoch(ij?whscdp, whs.edu Case studies engage students in a kind of œapprenticeship  with an expert programmer. of advantages result from using case studies to teach programming. They provide excellent context models for study for student learning, of abstract on their programs programming strengths without concepts; and weaknesses the overhead and learn from q and assessment q encouragement for students their experience; opportunities them from for working scratch. to reflect with large q involved in produ~cing Case studies represent a swing of the pendulum away from a focus on program synthesis toward a better balance with analytical skills. Thus this change potentially will have a significant impact on the teaching and learning of programming in high schools and colleges. Panelists will describe the upcoming changes to the examination and the rationale behind these changes. They will also describe a recent pilot study of the œDirectory Manager  materials, its results, and experience teaching with œDirectory Manager  in high school AP CS courses. Gail Chapman is ETS Consultant to the AP CS Test Development Committee. She coc}rdinated and helped design the recent pilot study of the œDirectory Manager  materials. Owen Astrachan is Director of Undergraduate Studies in the Computer Science Department at Duke University, as well as Chief Faculty Consultant in charge of grading the exam and a former Test Development Committee member. Sarah Fix and Joseph Kmoch are AP CS instructors who participated in the pilot study. Both have several years ™ experience as AP CS exam readers, supervisors of question grading, College Board consultants, and leaders of workshops member of the Test Development Committee for AP CS instructors; since 1989. in addition, Sarah has been a

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