An Interdisciplinary, Laboratory-Oriented Courses Sequence for Computer-Based Problem Solving

大多数大学要求所有学生对计算机有一定的了解，作为他们大学经历的一部分。通常开设“计算机知识”课程来满足这一要求。目前所教授的这些课程由于若干原因往往是不够的。首先，他们倾向于描述计算机可以做什么，而不是关注人们如何使用计算机来解决问题。此外，他们专注于教授当前流行的软件包或编程语言的语法，而不是关注这些工具的潜在特征。这些课程也不能代表计算机科学的广度。因此，学到的东西往往是肤浅的和短期的价值。我们迫切需要一门普通大学新生都能接触到的通识课程，这门课程将介绍计算机的基本原理，同时激发学生解决问题的能力。拟议的课程将满足这些目标。该方法的核心是通过使用基于计算机的模拟来呈现抽象概念。这些模拟将允许学生以“动手”的方式探索概念。本课程设计在一个学期内讲授，并将提供计算机科学的概述。本学科的许多方面将通过讲座和相应的实验练习来探索。主题包括：常用应用，如电子表格、数据库、计算机辅助设计、人工智能和计算机图形学；算法和主要的编程范式（函数式、过程式和逻辑式）；计算机体系结构，包括机器组织和数字逻辑；以及计算基础，包括自动机理论、图灵机和复杂性理论。这门课程的开发工作是真正跨学科的，来自计算机科学、工商管理、教育、工程和艺术与科学的教师积极参与课程设计。评估计划要求首先在路易斯安那理工大学开发课程材料，然后在其他几所大学使用。传播计划包括通过互联网提供为这个项目开发的所有课件。pi还计划编写计算机科学入门教材，以方便其他机构使用课程材料。这种发展的本质是一个结构化的实验室环境，包括开放和封闭的实验室，完全与讲座相结合。pi相信，如果提供涵盖基本概念的动手实验活动，抽象概念可以教授给数学背景有限的学生，并被他们理解。完成本课程的学生将对计算机科学有更大的了解，许多人可能会受到启发，在这一领域从事职业。

Most universities require all students to attain some understanding of computing as part of their college experience. Often courses in "computer literacy" are offered to meet this requirement. These courses, as they are currently taught, are often inadequate for a number of reasons. First they tend to present descriptions of what computers can do rather than focus on how people can use computers to solve problems. Also, they concentrate on teaching the syntax of currently popular software packages or programming languages, instead of focusing on the underlying characteristics of these tools. These courses also fail to represent the breadth of the computing sciences. Hence, what is learned tends to be shallow and of short term value. There is a critical need for a general course, accessible to the average college freshman, that will introduce the underlying principles of computing while stimulating the student's problem solving abilities. The proposed course will meet these objectives. The hear of the approach is to present abstract concepts through the use of computer-based simulations. These simulations will allow students to explore the concepts in a "hands on" manner. The course is designed to be taught in a single semester and will provide an overview of computer science. Many facets of the discipline will be explored through lecture and the accompanying laboratory exercises. Topics include: common applications, such as spreadsheets, databases, computer aided design, artificial intelligence, and computer graphics; algorithms and the major programming paradigms (functional, procedural, and logical); computer architecture, including machine organization and digital logic; and foundations of computing, including automata theory, Turing machines, and complexity theory. The course development effort is truly interdisciplinary with faculty from Computer Science, Business Administration, Education, Engineering, and Arts and Sciences actively involved in the course design. Evaluation plans call for initial development of the course materials at Louisiana Tech University followed by their use a several other universities. Plans for dissemination include making all courseware developed for this project available via the Internet. The PIs also plan to write an introductory computer science text to facilitate the use of the course materials at other institutions. The essence of this development is a structured laboratory environment, including both open and closed labs, that is completely integrated with the lectures. It is the PIs belief that abstract concepts can be taught to, and understood by, students with limited math backgrounds if provided hands-on laboratory activities that cover the basic concepts. Students completing the course are expected to have a much greater appreciation for the computing sciences and many may be inspired to pursue careers in this area.