code-puzzle

Code puzzle

The students form small groups and cooperatively join small pieces of code into the complete one. In other words, they solve a Parson's problem.

Parameters:
Duration:	20 minutes
Participants:	3-18 students
Instructors:	1 teacher
Class:	tables
Resources:	printed pieces of a code
Prerequisites:	read basic C# code

Learning outcomes

• Practice code conventions and code understanding.
• Practice teamwork.

Setup and preparation

• Print the code parts 1, 2, 3 for each group. Use one-sided printing.
• Cut the papers.

Activity overview

1. Divide the students into groups of 2--3 people.
2. Each group receives printed code parts.
3. The task of the group is to cooperatively join the parts into the complete code.
   • Warning: There are several distractors -- code parts that shouldn't be used.
4. When the group is finished, pair it with another finished one so they can compare and discuss their choices.

Tips and tricks

• Put the pieces of code for each group into the envelopes, so that it is easier to reuse this activity. It also reduces the chance of loss of some pieces.
• If you are not sure which part is correct, you can check the solution (C# source or a plain text file).

Related material

• Parson's problems are an effective learning tool, especially for beginners.
• Mark Guzdial created a generator for Parson's problems.

Author

Martin Macák, 2017