This article addresses what was learned through the National Computational Science Leadership Program about involving teachers in planning high quality units of instruction around computational science investigations. Two cohorts of roughly 25 teacher teams nationwide were given opportunities to develop "replacement units." The goal was to support…

Team-based student projects have become an intrinsic part of coursework in information technology courses. The rationale is that once students enter the work environment they will be required to work in teams. Challenges of teamwork are reviewed and factors influencing student team performance are identified. An approach is described which deals…

As the field of Computer Science has grown, the syllabus of the introductory Computer Science course has changed significantly. No longer is it a simple introduction to programming or a tutorial on computer concepts and applications. Rather, it has become a survey of the field of Computer Science, touching on a wide variety of topics from digital…

This paper describes how the TI-92+ calculator can be valuable in illustrating basic and advanced programming concepts in introductory computer science courses. Descriptions of the scope of the curricula for the courses in which the TI-92+ is used are provided. The TI-92+ programming language is particularly useful in demonstrating the progression…

Mathematical modeling problems encountered in many disciplines are discussed in terms of the modeling process and applications of models. The models are classified according to three types of abstraction: continuous-space-continuous-time, discrete-space-continuous-time, and discrete-space-discrete-time. Limitations in different kinds of modeling…

Discusses the rationale, aims, and objectives of introductory computer courses and suggests an improved approach to designing such courses to prepare pupils for a computer-based society and to improve problem solving through structured programing. Criteria for evaluating and choosing an appropriate programing language are listed. (EAO)

Activities for middle/junior high school students are presented, including use of string variables, science lesson ideas, computer scavenger hunt, and guidelines for interviewing people who own/use computers. Includes "I'll Write...Just Lead Me to My Computer" by Robert Engberg, discussing word processing instruction. (JN)

Reviews literature, particularly journal articles, related to competencies needed by teachers for successful classroom computer implementation. Several key areas in which teachers should receive training are suggested, and 16 references are provided. (EJS)

Describes growth of computer science program in Chetek Junior High School (Wisconsin), from having a single DecWriter II terminal to 14 microprocessors, electronic training devices, and a sequence of computer science courses. Students learn about basic computer literacy, hardware, software, programing, and computer technology. (EAO)

Suggest use of well-organized slide presentation as effective way to introduce computers to large audiences and discusses how to get started--state objective, analyze audience, outline presentation, prepare slides--and equipment needed to obtain slides from television screens, miniature components, and book illustrations. References and sources…

This article considers the sum of a finite geometric series as applied to numeric data storage in the memory of an electronic digital computer. The presentation is viewed as relevant to programing in several languages and removes some of the mystique associated with syntax constraints that any language imposes. (MP)

Describes the development and purpose of The Computer Programme, a 10-part television series produced by the BBC's Continuing Education Television Department and designed to provide a beginner's guide to the world of computers and computing. The history of the project is reviewed and the creation of the BBC microcomputer is recounted. (Author/JL)

The problems used in the Second Annual Computer Problem Solving Contest are presented. There are three groups of five problems, which corresponded to Elementary, Junior, and Senior contest sets. The contest questions are seen as interesting for individual study, and potentially useful to teachers of computer programing. (MP)

It is argued that the objectives identified by the Minnesota Educational Computing Consortium should not be viewed as a list of what should be taught, but as a picture of what was actually practiced in 1978 and 1979. Future courses are viewed as having heavy emphasis on computer-student interaction. (MP)