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![Page 1: More Than Literacy: Creating a Breadth-First Survey Course for the Future Julia E. Benson Georgia Perimeter College.](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062417/5518b148550346a61f8b4ef2/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
More Than Literacy: Creating a Breadth-First Survey Course for
the Future
Julia E. Benson
Georgia Perimeter College
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Today’s Talk
About GPC and its CS program Initial Course Development
• Details in conference proceedings
Update• What’s happening this fall
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Georgia Perimeter College
Two year school Third-largest institution in the University
System Five locations in metropolitan Atlanta
• Computer Science offered at three locations
Approximately 16,000 students
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Our Students
Large population of non-traditional students International student population is largest in
the state• 15% of total enrollment on F-1 visa• Many others are recent immigrants
Over 40% of students begin in Learning Support courses
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Why A Survey Course?
Semester conversion spurred a curriculum revision• Modernize and update curriculum• Move into line with ACM curriculum
guidelines• Provide realistic view of discipline
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Why? (cont.)
Student population characteristics mean many students have little prior computer experience
A new approach was needed to meet our students’ needs…..
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The New CS Curriculum
ATEC 1201/1203• Applied Technology (i.e. literacy)• Required of all students• Provide fundamental technology background
• ATEC 1201 -- computing concepts
• ATEC 1202 -- basic skills (word processing and Internet use)
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The New CS Curriculum (cont.)
CSCI 1401/1301/1302• Required of CS majors• Assume a basic computing background• CSCI 1401 -- survey• CSCI 1301/1302 -- Principles of CS I/II
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CSCI 1401Introduction to Computer Science “Provides an overview of selected major
areas of current computing technology.” Focuses on hands-on experience Pulls together overview materials that were
previously scattered throughout curriculum
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CSCI 1401 Major Topics
History/Vocabulary of Computers Data Representation and Storage Computer Hardware Computer Software Communications Technologies Social/Ethical Issues Algorithmic Design/Programming Concepts
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CSCI 1401 Pilot Courses
First pass -- Fall quarter 1997• One section at Dunwoody campus
Second pass -- Spring quarter 1998• One section at Dunwoody campus• One section at Clarkston campus• Sections were not coordinated
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Pilot Course Results
Student performance • Dunwoody campus:• 32% of students withdrew at/before midpoint• 81% of remaining students received a ‘C’ or
better• Compares favorably with prior non-majors’
programming course
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Pilot Course Results (cont.)
Informal comments were largely favorable Very few complaints to administration Students continuing to other CS classes
were very successful Students have recommended course to
others
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Update -- October 1998
Current Status Changes From Pilot Curriculum What’s Working What Isn’t Working Too Soon To Tell Future Plans
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Current Status
One completed section (half-semester) at Dunwoody campus
Sections in progress:• Two at Dunwoody campus• at Clarkston campus• at Lawrenceville campus
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Current Status (cont.)
Five instructors• Four full-time• One part-time
Enrollment (beginning of term)• 68 students at Dunwoody• students at Clarkston• students at Lawrenceville
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Current Status (cont.)
ATEC prerequisite was waived for 1998-99• Enrollment concerns
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Changes From Pilot Courses
Course enrollment largely computer science majors• Pilot courses were predominantly non-majors
Basic curriculum remains very similar• Pilot curriculum assumed no computing
background• Waiver of ATEC prerequisite continues
assumption
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Changes (cont.)
In-class lab work counts towards grade• For Dunwoody sections, 10%
New assignments• Explore functions/iteration using a spreadsheet
to compare loan payment plans• Book review: social or ethical issue
Programming language is Pascal rather than QBASIC
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What’s Working
Student interest is high• All sections offered were filled, even over-
filled
Projects are very popular with students• Relevant to their lives• Interesting, use practical skills
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What’s Working (cont.)
Curriculum lines up well with standard credit-by-exam programs• CLEP -- very similar except that CLEP
includes business/career issues• DANTES -- almost identical
Curriculum follows ACM guidelines for CS0
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What Isn’t Working
Half-semester course scheduling• Too rushed, several topics were shortchanged• Not enough time to complete all projects
• Omitted group presentation and problem set
• Only one programming assignment
• Retention:• 23 students enrolled, 5 withdrew at/before midpoint
• Only 10 passed with a ‘C’ or better
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What Isn’t Working (cont.)
Current textbook/lab manual • Chosen as best-available, but• Does not fit our curriculum
• Contains much unneeded material
• Missing important information
• Students find book hard to use• Web-based auxiliary materials are not available• Lab exercises contain many errors
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It’s Too Soon to Tell
Will this better prepare our CS majors for later courses?
Will this improve student performance in later courses?
At least a year before we can draw conclusions
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Future Plans
Fix the textbook problem!• Find something appropriate, or• Write it ourselves• Trick is to find something with broad coverage
that goes beyond elementary issues
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Future Plans (cont.)
Move into a transitional phase• Phase out material covered in ATEC• De-emphasize/refine coverage of basic
hardware/software/architecture• Expand coverage of network technologies• Expand social/ethical issue coverage• Focus on algorithmic development
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Future Plans (cont.)
Continue wrestling with programming and the language issue• Pascal in this course vs. C++ in later courses• Does this help or confuse the student?• What about Java?• What about a completely different approach?
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Future Plans (cont.)
Most important, make sure the course stays current!
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Acknowledgements:
The GPC Computer Science faculty:• especially Ashraful Chowdhury• also Anant Honkan and Gene Shepherd
Sue Henderson, department chair The GPC OIT staff, particularly
• Trish Fields• John Cothran• Hunter Eidson
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For More Information:
This presentation• http://www.gpc.peachnet.edu/~jbenson
/presentations/RockEagle98/
CSCI 1401 Course Site• http://www.gpc.peachnet.edu/~jbenson
/csci1401/csci1401.htm• Syllabus, assignments, course library, other
resources