Building Pythonic Pyramids in Nigeria

Abstract

This paper describes a Python-based "Mathematical Software" class that was conducted at the University of Ilorin (Ilorin, Nigeria) in November-December 2017. Unlike previous classes at the university, the class was activity-based, with brief instructional talks by the instructor interspersed with periods where students worked exercises. Before the class, a preliminary workshop was conducted to train graduate students in Python: the workshop’s purpose was to initiate a “learning pyramid”, whereby a smaller group of trained students would provide in-class assistance to less advanced students, thereby increasing interactivity while improving their own competency. This paper describes the class in more detail, assesses the strengths and weaknesses of this approach, and evaluates the potential of this instructional model as a template for other computer science classes in Nigeria.

Keywords: Computer Science, Nigeria, Python, interactive, flipped, hands-on, instruction, education