The Magic of Computing 00000001000010010000001100000001000001000000100100001 Dr Tom Way

The Magic of Computing 00000001000010010000001100000001000001000000100100001 Dr. Tom Way CSESI 2009 Haverford College June 30, 2009

My Background 00000001000010010000001100000001000001000000100100001 • • • UM Radio TV UD SE VU Computer Science professor for 7 years Graduate student for 8 years Software engineer for 9 years Hollywood writer for 10 years Magician for 40 years (1969) CSESI 2009 2

Focus 00000001000010010000001100000001000001000000100100001 • Focus on teaching you how to perform some of the tricks • Understand the learning process for acquiring new tricks • Rely on your creativity to link tricks to your specific teaching needs CSESI 2009 3

Plan for the day 00000001000010010000001100000001000001000000100100001 • • Using magic to teach Art & Science behind magic Learning magic tricks Where to find out more CSESI 2009 4

Proposed Schedule 00000001000010010000001100000001000001000000100100001 • 9 -12 watch, learn, try • 12 -1 lunch • 1 -3: 30 develop, practice, perform CSESI 2009 5

Remedial Computer Science 101 Prof. Tom Way Section 1 Meeting: Today 9 -9: 30 am

2 s Complement 00000001000010010000001100000001000001000000100100001 • What is 2 s Complement? • Negative binary integers • What is the algorithm? • Start: • Not: • Add 1: 000101 111010 111011 • Check our work: 000101 +111011 000000 5 -5 0 CSESI 2009 7

Search Algorithms 00000001000010010000001100000001000001000000100100001 • Find specific value (its index) in an array • • Random search Linear search Binary search Optimal search • Know what the optimal is helps us to judge how good our algorithm is CSESI 2009 8

GUI Design Principles 00000001000010010000001100000001000001000000100100001 1. Principle of metaphor • Borrow behaviors from familiar systems 2. Principle of user profiling • Know who your user is 3. Principle of coherence • Behavior should be internally and externally consistent CSESI 2009 9

Load Balancing 00000001000010010000001100000001000001000000100100001 • Example: 3 tasks of different lengths • How long will it take to perform the tasks simultaneously? • How could we get them done faster? • What is the fastest way to get them done? CSESI 2009 10

Data Compression 00000001000010010000001100000001000001000000100100001 • Purpose is to squeeze the air out of data so it fits in a smaller space • Lots of ways to do this – depends on data • • Lossless – decompressed = original Lossy – some data is missing Run length encoding – lots of repetition Huffman – probabilistic data (Morse code) CSESI 2009 11

And now, back to your regularly scheduled program

Using Magic to Teach 00000001000010010000001100000001000001000000100100001 • Not a short-cut to As, revolutionary idea, scientifically validated approach • Is another trick for a good educator’s bag of pedagogical tricks • • A little KLA (Kinetic Learning Activities) A little problem-based learning A little example-based teaching A little what-the? • It’s cheap – don’t have to buy toys, candy, spend massive time planning, etc. CSESI 2009 13

What is going on? 00000001000010010000001100000001000001000000100100001 • • • Active Thinking – brain in high gear Uniqueness – brain loves surprise Coolness – popular, generates buzz Anticipation – appealing, fun, engaging Evolving – empirical? anecdotal! CSESI 2009 14

Approach 1: Topic Driven 00000001000010010000001100000001000001000000100100001 • • • Pick an upcoming topic you will teach Find a trick that fits Learn the trick Plan what to say Practice Perform it in class CSESI 2009 15

Approach 2: Trick Driven 00000001000010010000001100000001000001000000100100001 • • • Pick a trick that you really like Find an upcoming topic that fits Learn the trick Plan what to say Practice Perform it in class CSESI 2009 16

Learning a trick 00000001000010010000001100000001000001000000100100001 • • • Read the description Work through each step Try it in front of a mirror Practice it a couple times Use it in class CSESI 2009 17

Performing a trick 00000001000010010000001100000001000001000000100100001 • Natural is best • The overused “make it your own” applies • Attitude is important • NOT know-it-all, fooled you, try to figure this out – TURN OFF • YES check this out, I’m amazed too, enjoy it along with them CSESI 2009 18

Art of Magic 00000001000010010000001100000001000001000000100100001 • Magician’s Code • Never reveal how trick is done • Never repeat trick for same group • Practice, practice • Patter – what you say, story you tell • In our case, the patter will involve some aspect of Computer Science CSESI 2009 19

Science of Magic 00000001000010010000001100000001000001000000100100001 • Misdirection • Controlling the audience’s attention • Making them look where you want them to • THE secret of all magic • Concealment - hiding • Switching - replacing • Forcing – not a free choice CSESI 2009 20

Categories of Tricks 00000001000010010000001100000001000001000000100100001 • • Production Vanish Transposition Penetration Levitation Mental Escape CSESI 2009 21

MASTER Principle 00000001000010010000001100000001000001000000100100001 • • • Movement – large conceals small Angles – consider your angles Surprise – don’t tip your hand Thought – keep their brains busy Eyes – look where you want them to look Reason – has to make sense CSESI 2009 22

Let’s try it

Goodie Bag & Handbook 00000001000010010000001100000001000001000000100100001 • • Pencils Cards Rope String Hatpin Balloons Rubber bands Scotch tape • • Paperclips Fake dollar bill Penny Bent penny 3 Card Monte Professor’s Nightmare Floating gimmick Styrofoam cup CSESI 2009 24

Wrist Twister 00000001000010010000001100000001000001000000100100001 • • • Page 12 Penetration – break your wrist Switching – change the position Concealment – hide the position Misdirection CSESI 2009 25

Pick Any Card 00000001000010010000001100000001000001000000100100001 • • • Page 24 Mental – predict the future Forcing – you know which card Revelation – how to reveal prediction? Misdirection CSESI 2009 26

Sticky Pencil & Stickier Pencil 00000001000010010000001100000001000001000000100100001 • • Pages 29 & 30 Levitation – defy gravity Concealment – hide the mechanics Misdirection CSESI 2009 27

Napkinesis 00000001000010010000001100000001000001000000100100001 • • Page 42 Vanish Concealment Misdirection CSESI 2009 28

Professor’s Nightmare 00000001000010010000001100000001000001000000100100001 • • • Page 34 Transposition Switching Concealment Misdirection CSESI 2009 29

Other Tricks 00000001000010010000001100000001000001000000100100001 • Three Card Monte (36) – big cards • Instant Reconnect (37) – piece of string • Dematerializing Toothpick (43) – tape, toothpick • Cut & Restored Rope (13) – rope & scissors • Magician’s Choice (23) – any 3 objects • Mind Bending Coin (35) & utility switch CSESI 2009 30

More Tricks 00000001000010010000001100000001000001000000100100001 • • • Coin Vanish (40) – coin or other object Karate Dollar (14) – dollar & pencil Balloon Testing (16) – balloons & pin Linking Paper Clips (17) – dollar & 2 paperclips Jumping Rubber Band (18) – 1 rubber band CSESI 2009 31

Still More Tricks 00000001000010010000001100000001000001000000100100001 • • • Reversal of Expectation (38) – cards Pincushion Thumb (19) – napkin & pin Haunted Styrofoam Cup (28) – cup Cup Juggling (31) – cup Vanishing Card (41) – napkin, stirrer, cards CSESI 2009 32

Resources 00000001000010010000001100000001000001000000100100001 • Public library • Internet • Google: easy magic tricks • Google: online magic trick • Magic shops • Yellow pages • Online shops (e. g. , magicfact. com) • Web sites for magician’s • allmagic. com CSESI 2009 33

Grand finale!

Straitjacket 00000001000010010000001100000001000001000000100100001 • • • Invented by Dr. Benjamin Rush, 1814 Believed that torture was good medicine Restrains the “criminally insane” Designed to be escape proof Trying to escape leads to exhaustion Still used today CSESI 2009 35