The Innovative Use of Software in Introductory Computer Programming

我们建议发展一种新的计算机导论课程教学方法，以适应不同课程学生的需要。这种方法基于以下戒律：在所有课程中，学生都非常需要理解计算机编程的概念，特别是在科学和工程领域。2. 对于许多专业的学生来说，可能不再需要知道如何用传统的块结构语言（如Pascal）编写程序。3. 现在有很多广泛使用的软件，允许用户用专门的内置宏语言编写程序。4. 通过使用功能强大的、用户友好的、具有可编程功能的软件来教授编程概念，使用户能够立即编写出产生重要结果的程序。这为学习编程提供了比传统方法更强的动力。此外，计算机编程的基本概念（如变量、分支、迭代等）可以很容易地用各种常用软件包（如文字处理器、电子表格和数据库）的复杂特性来说明和实现。我们的方法的主要目的是教授编程概念和技术，而不仅仅是如何使用软件。学生将接触到所有语言共同的各种功能，从而促进通用语言或新的创新软件的学习，他们将需要在科学，工程或教学中追求他们的教育和职业生涯。这个项目将集中在两门课程上，一门是科学专业的科学和统计程序设计的一般介绍，一门是计算机科学专业的程序设计入门课程。它将着重于开发一组模块，以说明每个新生获得的Drexel“捆绑包”中的各种软件所展示的编程概念。除了这些模块之外，还将在这两个主题领域创建示例和练习。

We propose the development of a new approach for teaching introduction to computing courses, tailored to the needs of students in different curricula. This approach is based on the following precepts: 1. There is a strong need for students in all curricula to understand the concepts of programming a computer, particularly in the sciences and engineering fields. 2. It may no longer be necessary for students in many majors to know how to write programs in traditional block-structured languages (such as Pascal). 3. There is a wealth of software in wide use today which allows the user to write programs in specialized built-in macro languages. 4. Teaching programming concepts through the use of powerful, user-friendly software with programmable features allows the user to write programs immediately which produce nontrivial results. This provides stronger motivation to learn programming than traditional approaches. Moreover, the essential concepts of computer programming, (such as variable, branching, iteration, etc.) can be readily illustrated and implemented using the sophisticated features of a variety of commonly available software packages, such as word processors, spreadsheets, and databases. The main intention of our approach is to teach programming concepts and techniques, not simply how to use software. Students will be exposed to the kinds of functionality common to all languages, thus facilitating the learning of a general purpose language or new, innovative software they will need for pursuing both their education and their careers in science, engineering, or teaching. This project will focus on two courses, a general introduction to scientific and statistical programming for science majors and an introductory programming course for computer science majors. It will focus on developing a set of modules to illustrate the programming concepts exhibited by various pieces of software in the Drexel "bundle" which each freshman obtains. In addition to the modules, examples and exercises will be created in the two subject matter areas.