Discusses informal education as a form for learning about computers and describes relevant computer competencies on four levels based on empirical project work. Computer learning offered by formal, organized programs and by informal methods via the media are reviewed. Contains 56 references. (Author/LRW)

The National Science Foundation will increase support for supercomputer centers at the University of California, San Diego and the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, while leaving unclear the status of the program at Cornell University (New York) and a cooperative Carnegie-Mellon University (Pennsylvania) and University of Pittsburgh…

University of Ulster students undertake mandatory 1-year paid work placements. A survey of those in informatics and math/science/computing indicated they developed skills and a realistic concept of work. A web portal is being developed to provide placement resources for students and faculty. (Contains 17 references.) (SK)

Discusses how the design and implementation of problem-solving tools used in programming instruction are complementary with both the theories of problem-based learning (PBL), including constructivism, and the practices of distributed education environments. Examines how combining PBL, Web-based distributed education, and a problem-solving…

Describes three projects at Carnegie Mellon University (Pennsylvania) that developed novice programming environments based on structure editors: GNOME, MacGNOME and ACSE (Advanced Computing for Science Education). Tracks the evolution of the programming environments and courses, documenting important lessons and discoveries about novice…

Discusses the issue of education versus training in computer science based on the author's personal experiences. Highlights include early uses of computers, learning programming languages, initial computer-assisted instruction, the use of courseware, Web-based instruction that will need both education and more practical training, and realizing the…

Explores how the for-profit, computer training chain Computer Learning Centers continued to operate, enrolling thousands of students and qualifying for millions of dollars in federal student aid, despite three years of legal and regulatory turmoil. (EV)

Provides an overview of the College of Charleston's faculty/library liaison system and describes library and faculty efforts to maintain the computer science and English collections. Concludes that a liaison system can provide better coverage and higher quality than any other means available to small and medium-sized college libraries. (PEN)

Although computer scientists understand the importance of discrete mathematics to the foundations of their field, computer science (CS) students do not always see the relevance. Thus, it is important to find a way to show students its relevance. The concept of program correctness is generally taught as an activity independent of the programming…

Much has been written about the challenges faced by women in technical and scientific study and professional life. A literature search on women in technology or computing shows, however, that the rate at which articles and research reports are published has declined dramatically in recent years. Does this mean that the challenges have disappeared…

This paper presents the degrees conferred by Connecticut institutions of higher education in 2007-08. Connecticut colleges and universities awarded 36,634 degrees in 2007-08 (up 1.6% over 2006-07), the state's seventh consecutive year of growth and a 28 percent increase since 1998. Once again, the top five degree-producing disciplines were…

Teachers in e-learning play a crucial role as facilitators of the students' learning experiences. To this end, a teacher needs to monitor, understand and evaluate the activity of the students in the course. What is more, e-learning can be enhanced if tools for supporting teachers in this task are provided. In this paper, two experiences are…

Like any infrastructure technology, Virtual World (VW) platforms provide affordances that facilitate some activities and hinder others. Although it is theoretically possible for a VW platform to support all types of activities, designers make choices that lead technologies to be more or less suited for different learning objectives. Virtual World…

Science and mathematics education needs to serve several (possibly contradictory) motivating goals. One is found in the movement for a universal literacy in the central principles and methods of the disciplines. The second is the need to provide the experiences and background that makes possible the production of scientists and engineers. A…

The "Computers-for-edu" case is designed to provide students with hands-on exposure to creating Advanced Business Application Programming (ABAP) reports and dialogue programs, as well as navigating various mySAP Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) transactions needed by ABAP developers. The case requires students to apply a wide variety…