Talk:Introduction to Computer Science

First of all, maybe add "History of computing" as first few lessons. As this is first CS course, student should get foundation concepts of Computer Science. And they are not too large to make a separate course. Second, lab practice should be added. And some way to verify the student's work. They probably can submit compiled executables, but we need some server-side software to do this. All this in future... DarkFighter 22:08, 8 September 2006 (UTC)

Until such a time as we have server side software to allow for this, the best possible solution is probably to provide expected output for the compiled lab example. Mark Roberts 03:41, 13 September 2006 (UTC)

I do think the client side could use some software as well. I don't like the way exercises are hard-code into wiki templates for several reasons:

• A student might want to compile his or her own tests with random questions from different pools.
• A teacher might want to compile his or her own tests but be able to conveniently select from a larger pool of questions.
• A teacher might want to automatically compile a tests with random questions from a larger pool of questions.

A possibility would be to put exercises into sub-pages and to make it possible to translate the sub-pages into XML forms for client software capable to generate more dynamic tests. The default option would still allows to treat the sub-pages as a pool of exercises and to assemble these questions into different test pages. --Fasten 13:17, 14 February 2007 (UTC)

An alternative idea for longer text in a lesson could be to use iframes to display the longer text but to leave context and navigation information visible on the screen. The iframe could also use paging instead of scrolling to go through a text. That would be my personal preference, one could offer that as an option. --Fasten 13:13, 14 February 2007 (UTC)

Is there a plan for the server side software? Is somebody working on this? --Fasten 13:13, 14 February 2007 (UTC)

see also: BeanShell IDE --Fasten 15:02, 8 March 2007 (UTC)

Well, I decide to merge "intro to hardware" "with intro to programming", should be better organized. DarkFighter 04:35, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

May I humbly propose a paradigm shift for what is included in the introduction course?

I teach an introductory computer science course at Mount Royal College in Calgary Canada. Computer Science majors are not allowed to take this course, it is expressly for non-computer science majors. It does not go into detail about programming. It does not really go into detail about anything. It is just designed to familiarize people with the terms and purposes of different aspects of computer science. For instance, with respect to programming we mention control structures, but not how to write them.

I propose we do the same thing here in wikiversity, have an introductory programming course for the code behind control structures, but reserve the introductory computer science course for a survey course.

I propose the following syllabus:

• Introduction
• Hardware
• Software
• Personal technology
• Networks
• Challenges (bugs and crime)
• Internet and www
• Programming
• Databases
• Artificial Intelligence

Reposted Andrew 18:36, 4 May 2007 (UTC)

I really do like the idea of a "CS for non CSers". I do think it should be a seperate course, possibly with another name. It's probably good to have some of these "not for expert" courses in all areas -- ones that come to my mind are Music and Astronomy, but there are others.

I like your topics as a guideline. Would you be willing to contribute to the content development? Historybuff 04:09, 15 March 2007 (UTC)

Perhaps I overstressed my point about "not-for-CS majors". What I was really trying to say is that there should be a true intro course that doesn't go into detail that should be reserved for courses devoted to that sub-topic (i.e. programming).

Yes I would be very interested in creating the content with my students. I have been making a wiki book [1]with them last semester and the current one, and I think what I should really be doing is making a course in wikiversity. I am investigating whether or not I should and what etiquette should be employed within this new sphere. Areil123 15:36, 15 March 2007 (UTC)

Added heading for computer science unofficial degree

I added a header and category on this page for thethe Unofficial Computer Science Degree.-- Azotochtli (talk) 19:11, 11 August 2012 (UTC)

Base the later parts of the course on MIT's intro to CS

I suggest that the later sections in the course outline be based on the one at MIT. The MIT course is for people with some background knowledge but I think the later course sections need to match it. I like the use of pseudocode but we need a course section explaining the pseudocode language and the other sections need more examples. There's no reason to shy away from some of the more advanced sections in the MIT course either, we can actually link out to Wikipedia or other Wikibooks that have more in-depth explanations of particular algorithms, data structrues and languages. --OMouse (discuss • contribs) 06:06, 17 January 2014 (UTC)

These sound like good ideas. There hasn't been much activity here recently. Be bold! -- Dave Braunschweig (discuss • contribs) 16:33, 17 January 2014 (UTC)

Just one general suggestion: until and unless there’s an intent to seriously rework the course’s material, — link, not copy.

The general issues with the material being copied all over the place are the “proper attribution” one, and also that the maintainer of one of the copies may eventually lose his or her interest, and cease to propagate updates made to the other copy through.

— Ivan Shmakov (d ▞ c) 20:11, 23 January 2014 (UTC)