Teaching parallel programming and software engineering concepts to high school students

ABSTRACT

This paper takes the stand that it is never too early to teach so-called “hard” concepts in computer science. Specifically, basic principles in parallel algorithm development and software engineering can be introduced to students first learning about computers. The key is to present ideas in a manner that is simple, fun and suited to the audience. We discuss an interactive exercise developed with this premise in mind, based on sorting algorithms, that we conducted with one hundred minority students aged 14 to 17, on March 19, 1993. Our students, relative neophytes to high level computer science notions, had fun while learning alleged difficult concepts.

REFERENCES

• CM89: K. Mani Chandy, Parallel program design: a foundation, Addison-Wesley Longman Publishing Co., Inc., Boston, MA, 1988
• Cou92: National Research Council. Computing the Future: A Broader Agenda .for Computer Scsence and Engineering. National Academy Press, 2101 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20418, October 1992.
• J92: Joseph JáJá, An introduction to parallel algorithms, Addison Wesley Longman Publishing Co., Inc., Redwood City, CA, 1992
• Les93: Bruce P. Lester, The art of parallel programming, Prentice-Hall, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ, 1993
• MS91: Bernard M. E. Moret , Henry D. Shapiro, Algorithms from P to NP (vol. 1): design and efficiency, Benjamin-Cummings Publishing Co., Inc., Redwood City, CA, 1991
• Mul93: James C. Muldavin. A pilot computer and computational sciences awareness program for minority youth at the california institute of technology. Center for Research on Parallel Computation Minority Youth Program, March 1993.
• Rif93: Adam Rifkin. Teaching parallel programming and software engineering concepts to high school students. Center for Rencarch on Parallel Computation Galtech Technical Report CRPC~93-4, May 1993.

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.1 PROGRAMMING TECHNIQUES
      D.1.3 Concurrent Programming
          Subjects: Parallel programming

  F. Theory of Computation
  F.2 ANALYSIS OF ALGORITHMS AND PROBLEM COMPLEXITY
      F.2.2 Nonnumerical Algorithms and Problems
          Subjects: Sorting and searching

General Terms:
Design, Human Factors