Work in progress-reexamining closed laboratories in computer science courses

We present early results of a project that ultimately seeks to define how best to design, implement and deliver the next generation of laboratories for courses in computer science. In response to computing curriculum 1991 many computing programs adopted closed laboratories, especially for early courses. But advances in computing since 1991 raise questions about why closed laboratories should be used. The project has begun with a reexamination of the goals and strengths of the closed laboratory model. We have defined a classification of the types of activities students carry out in closed laboratories, along with set of rationales for why an activity might be included in a closed laboratory. These results were used to modify some closed laboratories in our CS1 course. We believe that the more complete understanding that our analysis of closed laboratories provides will help us design more effective practicum-oriented experiences for students in computing courses.