A balanced approach to first-year computer science

ABSTRACT

We describe a first-year course sequence for computer science majors that covers most of the traditional first-year concepts, providing a balance between formal analysis and software synthesis, with examples and assignments in three high-level programming languages: Pascal, Scheme (a lexically scoped dialect of Lisp), and C. We argue that this balanced, tri-lingual approach promotes more effective pedagogy and provides students with a broader foundation than does an all-formal, all-programming, or single-language focus.

REFERENCES

• 1: J. Glenn Brookshear, Computer science: an overview (3rd ed.), Benjamin-Cummings Publishing Co., Inc., Redwood City, CA, 1991
• 2: Programming for People/Pascal, by David G. Kay (Mayfield, 1985)
• 3: The Little Lisper, third edition, by Daniel P. Friedman and Matthias Felleisen (SRA, 1989).
• 4: R. Kent Dybvig, The SCHEME programming language, Prentice-Hall, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ, 1987
• 5: Programming in C, by Lawrence H. Miller and Alex Quilici (Wiley, 1986).
• 6: Douglas L. Brown, From Pascal to C: An Introduction to the C Programming Language, PWS Publishing Co., Boston, MA, 1985
• 7: Tomasz Müldner , Peter W. Steele, C as a second language: for native speakers of PASCAL, Addison-Wesley Longman Publishing Co., Inc., Boston, MA, 1988
• 8: George Springer , Daniel P. Friedman, Scheme and the art of programming, MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, 1989

INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  K. Computing Milieux
  K.3 COMPUTERS AND EDUCATION
      K.3.2 Computer and Information Science Education
          Subjects: Computer science education

Additional Classification:
  D. Software
  D.3 PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES
      D.3.2 Language Classifications

          Nouns: Pascal; C; SCHEME

  K. Computing Milieux
  K.3 COMPUTERS AND EDUCATION
      K.3.2 Computer and Information Science Education
          Subjects: Curriculum

General Terms:
Languages