Introductory courses in computer science at colleges and universities have undergone significant changes in 20 years. This article provides an overview of the history of introductory computer science (FORTRAN, ANSI flowchart symbols, BASIC, data processing concepts, and PASCAL) and its future (robotics and C++). (PEN)

Presents four teaching activities including: creating sculptures from computer-related items; debugging approach for TRS-80; LOGO parallelograms; and flowcharting techniques. Includes an article ("BASIC Adventures") by Nancy Kuechle focusing on essential commands in creating interactive adventure programs. (JN)

Presents five teaching activities for early elementary children, including BASIC multiplication, creating picture using LOGO recursive procedure, and use of commas and semicolons with BASIC. Also discusses flowcharting techniques and cross-age tutoring. Includes "Computing without a Computer" by Evelyn Woldman, discussing use of a programmable toy…

Discusses the role of computer assisted instruction (CAI) in undergraduate education via a survey of related literature and specific applications. Describes an undergraduate computer concepts course and includes appendices of instructions, flowcharts, programs, sample student work in accounting, COBOL instructional model, decision logic in a…

Five computer-oriented classroom activities are suggested. They include: Logo programming to help students develop estimation, logic and spatial skills; creating flow charts; inputting data; making snowflakes using Logo; and developing and using a database management program. (JN)

Discussion of the use of computers in education focuses on a graphics-based system for teaching the Pascal programing language for problem solving. Topics discussed include user interface; notification based systems; communication processes; object oriented programing; workstations; graphics architecture; and flowcharts. (18 references) (LRW)

The use of a strategic planning model to integrate a computer literacy component into an established general education program is illustrated. Key issues are identified at each planning model stage, which consists of: identifying appropriate goals, writing objectives, developing an action plan, identifying options/alternatives, identifying…

Describes the use of a graduate student in computer science to develop an automated fiscal reporting system to handle budgetary problems associated with funded research projects at the Texas A&M College of Medicine. The roles of graduate students, faculty members, and system users in the project are described. (Author/JL)

Studies whether students' stated preferences for flowcharts or pseudocodes match their actual behaviors. Provides a review of the literature on flowchart utility. Reports that students preferred flowcharts to pseudocodes. Lists an example of both a flowchart and pseudocode. (MVL)