ABSTRACT
In several labs, spaces for students were small and confining, and the environment effectively prevented group activities. Further, high partitions sometimes separated the workstations, reinforcing the misconception that computing is a solitary enterprise with little communication with others. A few labs were dark and dreary, with poor lighting, low ceilings, dark woodwork or dark paint, dirt marks on the walls, and layers of yellowed wax on the well-used floor. Walls in several labs were bare, with few bulletin boards, pictures, announcements, or other materials. At best, these labs seemed dull and boring; more commonly, the few posters present were old and worn, suggesting computing is a staid discipline with little excitement or energy. Overall, teaching labs suggest to both prospective students and current students something about the nature of the computing curriculum and discipline Messages about computing may be positive or negative.
