Collaborative Research: CI-ADDO-NEW: Parallel and Distributed Computing Curriculum Development and Educational Resources

计算日益渗透到日常生活中，但很少有人意识到并行和分布式计算(PDC)在常见计算活动中的日益存在；例如，现代笔记本电脑的处理器包含多个内核和特殊用途的设备，如图形处理器(GPU)。随着强大的PDC技术的日益普及，熟悉单处理器计算机和顺序计算不再构成计算机素养。技术发展表明，PDC需要在计算机科学、计算机工程和相关计算学科的各级高等教育中掌握基础广泛的技能。技术的快速变化向教育者提出了挑战，要求他们决定教什么以及如何教它。学生和雇主都面临着相似的挑战，即如何定义计算机领域的“基本”专业知识。PIS正在通过一个致力于创建和维持课程和教育基础设施的项目来应对这些挑战，以促进在与计算机有关的本科课程中教授PDC主题。我们的目标是让每个即将毕业的学生都能熟练掌握PDC技术，从而为进入未来的劳动力大军做好准备。该项目包含了多项协同活动，这些活动包括：为一系列学术计划和机构提供灵活的PDC课程；帮助个人维持货币流通的机制；PDC相关主题的教学材料；将PDC注入课程的基于经验的指导方针。一项标志性活动是为PDC课程的早期采用者举办竞赛(获胜者将获得种子资金、来自行业的设备捐赠)以及讲习班和培训课程，以促进对PDC课程的认识和采用。早期采用者的反馈和与ACM/IEEE 2013 CS课程特别工作组的协调指导着PDC课程指南和在更大规模的计算课程中部署PDC材料的策略的未来发展。该项目得到CEISE、OCI和EHR/DUE的支持。

Computing increasingly permeates daily lives, yet few appreciate the growing presence of Parallel and Distributed Computing (PDC) in common computing activities; e.g., modern laptops' processors contain multiple cores and special-purpose devices such as graphics processors (GPUs). With increasing availability of powerful PDC technology, familiarity with single-processor computers and sequential computing no longer constitutes computer literacy. Technological developments point to the need for a broad-based skill set in PDC at all levels of higher education in disciplines such as Computer Science, Computer Engineering, and the related computational disciplines. The rapid changes in technology challenge educators to decide what to teach and how to teach it. Students and employers face similar challenges in characterizing "basic" expertise in computing. The PIs are addressing these challenges via a project devoted to creating and sustaining curricular and educational infrastructure to facilitate the teaching of PDC topics in undergraduate computer-related curricula. The goal is for every graduating student to become skilled in PDC technology, hence be prepared to enter tomorrow's workforce.The project embodies multiple synergistic activities that develop: flexible PDC curricula for a spectrum of academic programs and institutions; mechanisms that help individuals maintain currency; instructional materials for PDC-related topics; experience-based guidelines for injecting PDC into curricula. A signature activity is competitions for early adopters of PDC curricula (winners receive seed funds, equipment donations from industry) and workshops and training sessions to foster awareness and adoption of PDC curricula. Feedback from early adopters and coordination with the ACM/IEEE 2013 CS Curriculum Taskforce steers future development of both the PDC curricular guidelines and of strategies for deploying PDC material within computing curricula at a larger scale.This project is supported by CISE, OCI, and EHR/DUE.