Higher Education Computer Science

The field of computer science (CS) is currently experiencing a surge in undergraduate degree production and course enrollments, which is straining program resources at many institutions and causing concern among faculty and administrators about how best to respond to the rapidly growing demand. There is also significant interest about what this growth will mean for the future of CS programs, the role of computer science in academic institutions, the field as a whole, and U.S. society more broadly. Assessing and Responding to the Growth of Computer Science Undergraduate Enrollments seeks to provide a better understanding of the current trends in computing enrollments in the context of past trends. It examines drivers of the current enrollment surge, relationships between the surge and current and potential gains in diversity in the field, and the potential impacts of responses to the increased demand for computing in higher education, and it considers the likely effects of those responses on students, faculty, and institutions. This report provides recommendations for what institutions of higher education, government agencies, and the private sector can do to respond to the surge and plan for a strong and sustainable future for the field of CS in general, the health of the institutions of higher education, and the prosperity of the nation.

The march towards on-line and blended teaching—present before the Covid-19 pandemic—has been accelerated by it, and there is no going back. Students and staff may object, but the economic drive towards “greater productivity” will inevitably result in less face-to-face (f2f) instruction. Therefore, it is incumbent for those delivering this precious, in-person resource to make maximum use of time...which raises the question, “how”? The second edition of Higher Education Computer Science offers some potential answers. It also addresses other questions, such as “why have f2f teaching at all?” “what is the purpose of f2f?” and “what is the appropriate balance between the two?” The first edition began to offer suggestions for optimising limited opportunities to get together with students. Aligned with that, this unique new volume examines how to use the technology available to maximum advantage: For example, resources such as Moocs and other on-line instructional materials can provide invaluable pedagogic support. In addition, the book addresses ‘problem-based learning,’ using robotics in the teaching of programming, and a multidisciplinary approach to data science. Although it includes a chapter on distance learning, there is greater emphasis placed on the soft, transferable skills and employability skills that are best delivered in person. Further, the work provides several examples of putting theory into practice when teaching computer science at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Written by experienced practitioners, each chapter tackles a particular teaching activity or topic within computing, presented in such a way that other practitioners can use. As such, this new volume will be an invaluable resource to those who want to protect and optimise in-person teaching.

Students often face challenges in a swiftly advancing Computer Science Education (CSE), where technologies evolve rapidly, and concepts unfold with overwhelming intricacies. As society becomes interwoven with technology, how essential is the integration of CSE into the educational framework to adequately equip future generations for the complexities of the digital era? Navigating Computer Science Education in the 21st Century advocates integrating CSE into curricula, underlining its crucial role in early childhood development. The book grapples with the challenge of introducing children to technology responsibly, addressing concerns about unmonitored screen time while emphasizing the necessity of evidence-based approaches for educators. Within these pages, effective teaching strategies are linked to successes in CSE. The book explores learner-centered teaching methodologies in computer science, emphasizing individualized instruction, active learning, and collaborative approaches. It evaluates the effectiveness of traditional lecture-based teaching against more innovative strategies such as game-based learning and collaborative approaches. By presenting studies that delve into the impact of these strategies on student engagement and motivation, the book equips educators with the insights needed to make informed decisions tailored to diverse learning environments.

This book addresses two main themes. The first is, the discipline of informatics. Two major questions will be discussed: how can we obtain and keep track of a systematic and objective overview of the vast landscape in higher informatics education, both nationally and internationally? and would it be useful to rationalize and redesign the informatics curricula, leading to less fragmentation and more communality? The second theme is the relation between informatics and other disciplines, with the following main questions: what informatics do we need to offer a coherent curriculum which suits the needs of the actual information society with respect to specific disciplines? what is relevant in informatics and CIT to provide to others? and what informatics concepts, methods and techniques form the hard core needed in every other discipline?

The first of 18 papers in this collection is a committee report of a workshop held in Kansas City, Missouri, June 26-27, 1982, to consider instructional uses of computers in pre-college education and what colleges of education should be doing. In "Computer Education and Colleges of Education," J. Philip East provides an overview of the issues involved. Papers submitted by workshop participants prior to the meeting are then presented: "Computer Literate Teachers--a Possible Dream" (James E. Beamer); "Computer Education at Arizona State University" (Gary Bitter); "Computer Related Teaching and Research in the Faculty of Education at the University of Calgary: Achievements, Present Developments and Predictions for the Future" (Ann Brebner); "Graduate Degree Programs in Computer Education for Elementary and Secondary Teachers" (Robert L. Burke); "Computers and Teacher Education: From Cow Trail to Expressway" (George H. Culp); "Computers in the College of Education, University of Illinois" (J. Richard Dennis and Esther Steinberg); "Computer Education for Elementary Schools: A Course for Teachers" (J. Philip East); "The Challenge of Computer Education to Teacher Education--An Australian Perspective" (Graham Ferres); "Computing and Education at the University of Maryland" (James T. Fey and Linda P. Rosen); "An Undergraduate Minor and Graduate Program in Computers in Education" (Susan Friel and Nancy Roberts); "Implementing a Program to Train (Retrain) Secondary Teachers--A Cooperative Effort between Education and Computer Science at Towson State University" (Doris Keefe Lidtke); "Computerizing the Teacher at North Texas State University" (James L. Poirot and James J. Muro); "Computers in Education at the University of Colorado--Boulder" (Marc Swadener); "Computing and Education at Teachers College" (Robert P. Taylor); "Teacher-Education Curriculum for the 80's" (Barbara B. Wright and Richard C. Forcier); and "Computers for Teachers: Activities at the University of Michigan School of Education" (Karl L. Zinn and Carl F. Berger). (LMM)