Abstract
This paper describes an orientation course for beginning computer science majors. The course is different from the CS 1 or computer literacy courses, but similar in intent and content to orientation courses in engineering, business, and other fields. Its purpose is to give students an overview of computer science and an idea of what computer professionals do so that students can make an informed career decision. Other emphases for the course are practice in problem solving, experience working in groups, teaching basic technical (non-programming) skills, social and ethical issues, and making students aware of the resources and opportunities available to them such as internship programs. Influences and constraints on the design of the course and suggested changes the next time the course is taught are also described.
- 1. B. Auerbach and O. Chein, Mathematics: Problem Solving Through Recreational Mathematics. W.H. Freeman, San Francisco, 1980.Google Scholar
- 2. J. Brookshear, Computer Science: An Overview. Benjamin/Cummings, Redwood City, California, 1993. Google Scholar
Digital Library
- 3. S. Hedetniemi and S. Goodman, Introduction to the Design and Analysis of Algorithms. McGraw-Hill, New York. 1977. Google Scholar
Digital Library
- 4. D. Johnson, Computer Ethics. Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 1994.Google Scholar
- 5. D. Miller, Problem Solving Explorations. Macmillan, New York, 1994.Google Scholar
- 6. G. Polya, How to Solve It: A New Aspect of Mathematical Method. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ, 1973.Google Scholar
- 7. M. Schneider and J. Gersting, An Invitation to Computer Science. West Publishing, Minneapolis/St. Paul, 1995. Google Scholar
Digital Library
- 8. W. Wickelgren, How to Solve Problems. W.H. Freeman, San FranciSco, 1974.Google Scholar
Index Terms
A computer science freshman orientation course
Recommendations
A graduate immigration course in computer science
SIGCSE '78: Papers of the SIGCSE/CSA technical symposium on Computer science educationAs part of a RIAS grant from the NSF, a pilot course intended for incoming graduate students in computer science was offered during the fall of 1977. This course was intended to acquaint new graduate students with (1) the CS graduate curriculum and ...
Computer science in kindergarten? Of course!: the ABC'S of the K-12 CSTA model curriculum in computer science
In the United States, computer science as a topic in pre-college education has historically been less than successful. Some states certify computer science teachers, but others do not. Some states have rigorous standards, but others do not. Some school ...
A graduate immigration course in computer science
The papers of the SIGCSE/CSA technical symposium on computer science educationAs part of a RIAS grant from the NSF, a pilot course intended for incoming graduate students in computer science was offered during the fall of 1977. This course was intended to acquaint new graduate students with (1) the CS graduate curriculum and ...






Comments