Passages

2021 ◽  
Vol 46 (2) ◽  
pp. 10-10
Author(s):  
Alex Groce
Keyword(s):  
Computer Science ◽  
Computer Programming ◽  
Symbolic Computing

Brian Harvey's Computer Science Logo Style (Volume 1: Symbolic Computing, Volume 2: Advanced Techniques, Volume 3: Beyond Programming) begins with the words: "This book isn't for everyone." There follows a brief account of the fact that not everyone needs to program computers, based on an economic (Marxist-flavored) tirade (that I mostly agree with). The closing of the introductory paragraphs is the part that matters, though: "This book is for people who are interested in computer programming because it's fun."

After-Hours Learning

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-31
Author(s):  
Joslenne Peña ◽  
Benjamin V. Hanrahan ◽  
Mary Beth Rosson ◽  
Carmen Cole
Keyword(s):  
Science Education ◽  
Computer Science ◽  
Young Women ◽  
Computer Programming ◽  
Computer Science Education ◽  
Professional Women ◽  
Web Development ◽  
Learning Space ◽  
After Hours ◽  
K 12

Many initiatives have focused on attracting girls and young women (K-12 or college) to computer science education. However, professional women who never learned to program have been largely ignored, despite the fact that such individuals may have many opportunities to benefit from enhanced skills and attitudes about computer programming. To provide a convenient learning space for this population, we created and evaluated the impacts of a nine-week web development workshop that was carefully designed to be both comfortable and engaging for this population. In this article, we report how the professionals’ attitudes and skills grew over the course of the workshop and how they now expect to integrate these skills and attitudes into their everyday lives.

Computer Programming in Elementary and Middle School

2015 ◽  
pp. 337-361
Author(s):  
Danielle Boyd Harlow ◽  
Hilary Dwyer ◽  
Alexandria K. Hansen ◽  
Charlotte Hill ◽  
Ashley Iveland ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Middle School ◽  
Computer Science ◽  
Computer Programming ◽  
Opportunity To Learn ◽  
National Standards ◽  
Content Areas ◽  
Almost All ◽  
School Schedule ◽  
Elementary And Middle School

Computing has impacted almost all aspects of life, making it increasingly important for the next generation to understand how to develop and use software. Yet, a lack of research on how children learn computer science and an already impacted elementary school schedule has meant that very few children have the opportunity to learn computer science prior to high school. This chapter introduces literature on teaching computer programming to elementary and middle school, highlights three studies that span elementary and middle school, and discusses how programming can be integrated into other content areas and address national standards.

Computer Programming for the Seventh Grade

1973 ◽  
Vol 66 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-19
Author(s):  
Ronald Allison
Keyword(s):  
High Schools ◽  
Computer Science ◽  
Computer Programming ◽  
Seventh Grade ◽  
The Past ◽  
Mathematics Department

During the past few years, high schools have made a commitment to the computer-science age by making available a computer and terminals for student use. The equipment is usually assigned to the mathematics department, and the department is responsible for developing a program for student use of the computer.

When Is a Program Like a Function?

1986 ◽  
Vol 79 (8) ◽  
pp. 648-651
Author(s):  
Frederic S. Klotz
Keyword(s):  
Computer Science ◽  
Computer Programming ◽  
Floating Point ◽  
Floating Point Arithmetic ◽  
Point Arithmetic ◽  
Attention To Detail

In some respects computer programming seems closely related to mathematics. Good programming requires the same combination of clear logic, attention to detail, and inventiveness that is characteristic of good mathematics. Yet many important concepts in programming—loops, pointers, arrays, and floating-point arithmetic, to name just a few are awkward to deal with in mathematical terms. Even the concept of a variable in computer science looks strange to someone accustomed to variables in mathematics.

The Design and Study of Fractal Graph Based on Visual C++

2013 ◽  
Vol 475-476 ◽  
pp. 1094-1097
Author(s):  
Jian Xia Su ◽  
Gen Li
Keyword(s):  
Linear System ◽  
Computer Science ◽  
Computer Programming ◽  
Rotation Angle ◽  
Fractal Theory ◽  
C Language ◽  
Geometric Shapes ◽  
Non Linear ◽  
Fractal Simulation ◽  
Non Linear System

The effect of fractal theory describes roughness and irregular geometric shapes in the nature or in non-linear system. In recent years fractal theory is extensively applied to many fields, such as mathematics, physics, chemistry, geography, earthquake and astronomy, computer science. In this paper, Visual C++ language is used to simulate fractal trees, snowflakes and cracks because of good use interface and strong computer programming technology. The parameter of the fractal graphics, such as recursive degree, length and rotation angle, can be modified by using the parameter dialogue box in order to obtain various fractal graphs. This paper focuses on the algorithm study of fractal simulation graphs.

scholarly journals Gender differences in learning styles: Nurturing a gender and style sensitive computer science classroom

2010 ◽  
Vol 26 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wilfred Wing Fat Lau ◽  
Allan Hoi Kau Yuen
Keyword(s):  
Learning Styles ◽  
Computer Science ◽  
Learning Style ◽  
Computer Programming ◽  
Computer Anxiety ◽  
Science Classroom ◽  
Pedagogical Practices ◽  
Science Field ◽  
Gregorc Style Delineator ◽  
Number Of Factors

<span>The gender digital divide has been widely discussed and researched over the years. Previous studies have focused on a number of factors such as computer attitude, computer anxiety, computer self-efficacy, and computer experience. This study empirically tested the sensitivity of a learning style instrument, the </span><em>Gregorc Style Delineator</em><span> (GSD), to gender in a sample of students who studied computer programming in Hong Kong secondary schools. Results indicated that females had higher preference for concrete sequential (CS) and abstract random (AR) compared with males. Males had higher preference for concrete random (CR) than females. From these results, we proposed learning style-based pedagogical practices to teach computer programming. In order to address the needs of female students, we further proposed that learning style-based pedagogical practices need to move from a gender neutral to gender sensitive approach. This proposal helps to improve student learning through individualisation in pedagogy in terms of gender and learning styles and contributes to a gender and style sensitive computer science classroom. Eventually, through various remedial interventions, we anticipate more female participation in computer science field and hence the gender issue is addressed.</span>

scholarly journals Infusing Autopoietic and Cognitive Behaviors into Digital Automata to Improve Their Sentience, Resilience, and Intelligence

2022 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 7
Author(s):  
Rao Mikkilineni
Keyword(s):  
General Theory ◽  
Computer Science ◽  
Common Knowledge ◽  
Physical World ◽  
Cognitive Behaviors ◽  
Symbolic Computing ◽  
New Science ◽  
Theory Of Information ◽  
Living Organisms ◽  
Classical Computer

All living beings use autopoiesis and cognition to manage their “life” processes from birth through death. Autopoiesis enables them to use the specification in their genomes to instantiate themselves using matter and energy transformations. They reproduce, replicate, and manage their stability. Cognition allows them to process information into knowledge and use it to manage its interactions between various constituent parts within the system and its interaction with the environment. Currently, various attempts are underway to make modern computers mimic the resilience and intelligence of living beings using symbolic and sub-symbolic computing. We discuss here the limitations of classical computer science for implementing autopoietic and cognitive behaviors in digital machines. We propose a new architecture applying the general theory of information (GTI) and pave the path to make digital automata mimic living organisms by exhibiting autopoiesis and cognitive behaviors. The new science, based on GTI, asserts that information is a fundamental constituent of the physical world and that living beings convert information into knowledge using physical structures that use matter and energy. Our proposal uses the tools derived from GTI to provide a common knowledge representation from existing symbolic and sub-symbolic computing structures to implement autopoiesis and cognitive behaviors.

scholarly journals The impact of Memory Transfer Language (MTL) on reducing misconceptions in teaching programming to novices

2012 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Leonard J. Mselle ◽  
Hashim Twaakyondo
Keyword(s):  
Computer Science ◽  
Statistical Difference ◽  
Computer Programming ◽  
Conventional Approach ◽  
The Other ◽  
Memory Transfer ◽  
Significant Statistical Difference ◽  
Daunting Task ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Difficult Subject

Despite the fact that programming is at the heart of computer science, it is argued that even at its simplest level it is a difficult subject to teach and learn. For any new learner programming concepts are abstract and confusing. As teaching programming continues to be a daunting task, this article revisits common challenges inherent in teaching computer programming to novices. Further, Memory Transfer Language (MTL) as used to teach programming is introduced and demonstrated. Different kinds of misconceptions in programming and their associated bugs are analysed. An experiment using MTL to teach programming was carried out, using error-counts in examination scripts from two groups of students, one instructed using MTL and the other through the conventional approach. Results indicated a highly significant statistical difference (p = 0) between the two groups, showing that MTL can help novices avoid common programming misconceptions and reduce the errors they make. This shows that if programming is taught using MTL, comprehension is enhanced.

80th Anniversary of the birth of Prof. Donald Knuth

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anton Iliev ◽  
Nikolay V. Kyurkchiev
Keyword(s):  
Computer Science ◽  
Computer Programming ◽  
Theoretical Computer Science ◽  
Mathematical Research ◽  
Adequate Description ◽  
Computer Scientist ◽  
Theoretical Computer ◽  
80Th Anniversary ◽  
Research Division ◽  
Science Theory

In this year one of the most famous people in theoretical Computer Science Prof. Knuth celebrates his 80th birthdayDonald Knuth was born on January 10, 1938 (age 80), Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S. He is computer scientist, mathematician, and professor at Stanford University. His achievements are mainly in algorithm's analysis and computational complexity. Knuth is creator of the \TeX computer typesetting system. He is an author of book on computer programming language compilers. Knuth decide that there no adequate description of computer science theory which is insight for him to write the fundamental books The Art of Computer Programming which are one of the most influential in Computer Science ever as well as they are one the most cited nowadays. His idea to present Computer Programming as art was nonstandard in these days. Knuth developed his plans for the book and took the decision for the book to be in six volumes, and then seven.Before publishing first part of The Art of Computer Programming, Knuth left Caltech and become to be employer of the Institute for Defense Analyses' Communications Research Division. His main duties concern serious mathematical research in cryptography. The Knuth's ideas are developed from many scientists. We give the new trends of some algorithms from Art of Computer Programming, vol. 2,

A Brief Discussion on Incentives and Barriers to Computational Thinking Education

2022 ◽  
pp. 253-269
Author(s):  
Hüseyin Özçınar
Keyword(s):  
Computer Science ◽  
Programming Language ◽  
Primary Education ◽  
Computer Programming ◽  
Computational Thinking ◽  
Thinking Skill ◽  
Logo Programming ◽  
Basic Concepts ◽  
The 1960S ◽  
Algorithmic Thinking

The idea that computational thinking or algorithmic thinking should be taught to everyone dates back to the 1960s. First in 1960s, Alan Perlis argued that computer programming should be taught to everyone because it can be used as a mental tool for understanding and solving every kind of problem. In 1980s, under the leadership of Seymour Papert, students at the level of primary education were attempted to be taught LOGO programming language with the aim of gaining procedural thinking skill. After the publication of Jeannette Wing's “computational thinking” in Communications of the ACM in 2006, the idea that the basic concepts of computer science should be learned by all was started to be debated widely again. In the present paper, the justifications for teaching computational thinking and applicability of teaching computational thinking within the context of existing conditions will be discussed.

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