Refactoring COMP:107 with Python in Google Colab

Abstract

As a computer science major and former teaching assistant, it is important to me to find ways to give back and help aspiring students feel welcomed into the department. That is why I spent my SIP working with Dr. Pam Cutter to refactor the COMP 107: Pictures and Sounds class to use Python. I chose this with the goal of making the class more accessible in a way that helps instill a stronger grasp of fundamental programming skills. While the old software that the class was built on (Jes4py) was effective for beginners, some parts of it were no longer supported by the newer versions of Python. Additionally, teaching a language that is almost never seen outside of one class is not a way to set students up for success. So, I set out to find ways to avoid Jython and do the class work either natively in Python or using more mainstream libraries.