This article presents a project-based case study that was developed for students with diverse backgrounds and varied inclinations for engaging technical topics. The project, called History Places, requires that student teams develop a vision for a kind of digital library, propose a conceptual model, and use the model to derive a logical model and…

This paper aims at explaining the outcomes of information technology education for international students using anthropological theories of cultural schemas. Even though computer science and engineering are usually assumed to be culture-independent, the practice in classrooms seems to indicate that learning patterns depend on culture. The…

Three different approaches to teaching introductory programming are reviewed: the incremental approach, the sub-language approach, and the mini-language approach. The paper analyzes all three approaches, providing a brief history of each and describing an example of a programming environment supporting this approach. In the incremental approach,…

In the hope that a general exchange of information on computer courses for humanists will be of help to persons contemplating or already teaching such, and in the hope of encouraging a continued growth in the universities offering these courses, article surveyed that field. (Author/RK)

This paper discusses five points related to developmental research on children learning to do Logo programming: (1) systematic developmental research documenting what children are learning as they learn to program is necessary; (2) Logo is cognitively complex beyond its early steps and difficult to learn without instructional guidance; (3) the…

Persistent conceptual bugs exist in how novices, from primary school to college age, program and understand programs. These bugs are not specific to a given programming language but appear to be language-independent. The three different classes of bugs are: (1) parallelism, the assumption that different lines in a program can be active at the same…

Designed for use by computer programming teachers, this booklet presents the concepts of structured programming and provides examples of how to implement this methodology, which provides a systematic way of organizing programs so that even large and complex programs are easier to understand and modify than unstructured programs. After a brief…

This pilot study tested the hypothesis that the logical thinking skills of middle-grades students are enhanced by teaching them computer programming using the BASIC programming language. A quasi-experimental design was used with 36 students randomly selected and assigned to one of two treatment groups: 18 students received no instruction in…

This computer literacy project, which was carried out with a group of fifth grade students, was designed to provide them with an enjoyable experience in learning about the computer through such activities as interactive programs, games, discussions, interviews, and field trips. Course content covered the history of computers, computer components,…

At the University of Illinois at Urbana, a computer based curriculum called Automated Computer Science Education System (ACSES) has been developed to supplement instruction in introductory computer science courses or to assist individuals interested in acquiring a foundation in computer science through independent study. The system, which uses…

On the basis of the experience gained in a Title III project called Computer Instruction NETWORK, the author presents some guidelines for the planning and implementation of a course at the high school level dealing with computers. The guide lists the first steps to be taken in setting up such a program, describes a teacher training program, and…

The digital computer can perform many functions in the junior college, from instruction through administrative operations and community service. Planning the computer center for institution-wide service requires particular attention to feasibility, organizational structure, staffing, physical planning, and financial implications. Depending on the…

This handbook is for the student with little or no previous experience with computer utilization for data processing. Sample problems to be run on the computer are included. It gives: (1) an overview of the sequence of steps from obtaining data to receiving computer output, (2) a guide to common computer packages, (3) an illustration of the use of…

A module designed to teach ninth grade students how to write simple machine language programs is offered in this newsletter of the University of Pittsburgh's Project Solo. The first few pages of the newsletter present a rationale for having ninth grade students learn programming, and some programs which were written by such students are presented.…