[CLUE-Talk] Introduction to Computer Science Course

[Roger Frank]

I teach in mathematics and computer science in high school.  Next fall, I 
will be teaching a new one-semester course I'm starting to develop now
called Introduction to Computer Science.

A quick look around the Internet shows that "Intro to CS" in high school
is usually a beginning programming course.  We've had such a course,
and we've gotten students who want to learn how to program.  Classes
have been small, but students coming out of the old Intro course often
went on to Advanced Placement Computer Science and have done well.

I do not want the Intro to CS course to be a programming course.  To do
so is to teach the same course I took in the 60's, only the language then
was Fortran, not C++ or Java.  Computer Science in 2001 has to be 
much more than learning how to program.

I do want the course to be an entry level course that any student can
take.  Today's students are going to be living in a complicated cybernetic
world with difficult issues to face and decisions to be made.  Perhaps
this course will be the only computer course some of these students will
take.  If so, then teaching them to program in C++ was not the best use
of their time with me.  I think the Intro to CS course should have some 
programming so a student can decide whether he or she wants to 
continue with more advanced computer courses.  But there needs to be
a lot more than just the fundamentals of programming in the syllabus.

That's where I'd like your suggestions.  Imagine you are enrolling in your
first computer course, or imagine your son or daughter had just signed up
for Mr. Frank's Intro to CS course.   What would you hope he would cover
in the class?  Remember the goal is not necessarily to have every student
go on to become a computer scientist of engineer, but they sure should come
out with an understanding of what computers and computer science are
all about.

To prime the pump, here are some topics that I am considering:

 - computer history (modern, so we can see how we got here)
 - computer future (where should/can we go and not go?)
 - ethics and legal considerations  (Gnapster and beyond)
 - privacy  (safeguarding, identities)
 - cyber-terrorism (national, individuals)
 - Artificial Intelligence (including fuzzy logic, genetic algorithms)
 - Artificial Life (Boids, development and applications)
 - man-machine integration (direct-connect, muscular; optical)
 - nanocomputing (airborne, bloodstream)
 - hardware ("Let's take the covers off these computers...")
 - software (a little programming in Karel, Java, maybe HTML and Python)
 - careers in computer science

I'd appreciate any suggestions of other topics that might fit in this course.
This fall, we have filled all sections that were offered, so this course will
happen.  I have about 5 months to pull it together and make it what these
students deserve it to be.

Besides, it won't be too many years before I'll be sitting on a porch in a
rocking chair and today's bright-eyed 16-year-olds will be in charge.  
I want to know I taught them more than just how to program in some
then-extinct language.  In 2001, I believe there is more to 
"Computer Science" than just programming, so what else should
be in there?

To keep from cluttering the list, reply directly to me rfrank at rfrank.net
and I will post a one-time summary of all suggestions.  Many thanks.

-- 
Roger Frank
www.linuxclassroom.org