Bruce H. Barnes

Curriculum '78: recommendations for the undergraduate program in computer science— a report of the ACM curriculum committee on computer science

Contained in this report are the recommendations for the undergraduate degree program in Computer Science of the Curriculum Committee on Computer Science (C3S) of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM).nThe core curriculum common to all computer science undergraduate programs is presented in terms of elementary level topics and courses, and intermediate level courses. Elective courses, used to round out an undergraduate program, are then discussed, and the entire program including the computer science component and other material is presented. Issues related to undergraduate computer science education, such as service courses, supporting areas, continuing education, facilities, staff, and articulation are presented.

A survey of the literature in computer science education since curriculum '68

A bibliography of approximately two hundred references in computer science education appearing in the literature since the publication of “Curriculum 68” is presented. The bibliography itself is preceded by brief descriptive materials organizing the references into the categories of survey reports, activities of professional organizations, philosophy of programs, description of programs, description of courses and other materials.

Flexible design: a summary of Computing Curricula 1991

A summary is given of Computing Curricula 1991, which provides curricular guidance for implementing undergraduate programs to faculties of all institutions that offer concentration in computing. Program goals and graduate profiles are discussed. Underlying principles for curriculum design are examined. The implementation of these principles is considered.<<ETX>>

National science foundation funding

The panel will describe the organization and current activities of the National Science Foundation. Brief descriptions of some past and currently funded activities in Computer Science and Computer Science Education will be presented. The areas in which proposals are currently being funded for which support is available will be discussed. 83

Theory in the Computer Science and Engineering Curriculum: Why, What, When, and Where

Theory plays several different roles in the undergraduate curriculum. In recognition of this, both the IEEE Computer Society1 and ACM,2,3 have recommended a substantial theoretical component in the computer science/engineering curriculum.

Computing Curricula 1991 - Its Implications for Software Engineering Education

The report Computing Curricula 1991 contains curricula recommendations for baccalaureate programs in the area of computing, which includes programs with the titles computer science, computer engineering, computer science and engineering, and other similar titles. Its recommendations provide a uniform basis for curriculum design across all segments of the educational community — schools and colleges of engineering, arts and science, and liberal arts. That report is also the first comprehensive undergraduate curriculum report to be jointly prepared and endorsed by the Association for Computing Machinery and the Computer Society of the IEEE.

Assessing computer technology in Europe

m here is a large pool of highly educated and motivated computer scientists and engineers conducting a broad set of research activities throughout Europe. This is especially true in software engineering where there has been heavy concentration on the use of formal methods in software design and analysis in European universities. These efforts are beginning to pay off as more European industries are beginning to form partnerships with universities and research centers to experiment and explore application of formal methods to industrial problems. Europeans are especially active in the use of special cameras, mirrors and other forms of alternative camera technology. Virtual reality research and development is booming throughout the continent, 0 with many projects backed by industry. And 4 although computer science and engineering educa: E tion varies from country to county, it is generally of % z high quality and frequently professionally oriented. Research One aspect of computer science and engineering research in Europe that impressed me is the considerable amount of interaction with industry, especially the amount of financial support provided by industry. Many companies that are frequently thought of as “American” provide substantial support for research in European universi_ ties. For example, the University of Bristol has very close ties with the Hewlett-Packard Laboratories in the U.K. The Czech Technical University in Prague works closely with the AllenBradley Corp. British Aerospace funds a major center in real-time computing at the University of York. Another special aspect is the set of government-funded research organizations specializing in computer science and mathematics. Each country has one. Some, such as INRIA in France, have several different sites. These research centers have organized a consortium in order to achieve better communications and to conduct activities of common interest. The European Research Consortium for Informatits and Mathematics (ERCIM) was created to promote computer science and mathematics within the EC. This consortium represents about 6,000 researchers and engineers involved in information technology (IT) and mathematics in Europe.

A history of software engineering at the National Science Foundation (a personal view)

The academic software engineering community can be justly proud of its accomplishment in the last twenty-five years. When I joint the National Science Foundation in 1974, Software Engineering as an academic discipline hardly existed. Structured programming and top-down design had permeated the curriculum, but that was the extent of software engineering in the curriculum. Curriculum 1978 did not use the term Software Engineering, but emphasized good software development practices. In the objectives for the curriculum it stated that Computer science majors should be able to write programs in a reasonable amoui~t of time that work correctly, axe well documented and arereadable. The report also notes that The topics [in structured design] are of such importance that they should be considered a common thread throughout the entire curriculum. By 1986 most Computer Science programs had introduced senior project courses involving a significant portion of quality software engineering practices. The 1989 ACM report on Computing as a Discipline included Software Methodology and Engineering as one of its elements. The Curriculum 1991 report of the ACM and the IEEE-Computer Society recommends a significant amount of software engineering for every computer science graduate and includes a sample curriculum with a Software Engineering emphasis. Currently there are Software Engineering programs, especially in Europe. There are even discussions concernLug the accreditation of undergraduate programs in Software Engineering. Over the last 25 years the Computer Science curriculum has evolved from one based on the paradigms and philosophy of Mathematics and the Sciences, to one with more of an engineering emphasis. I believe that NSFs early recognition of the role of Software Engineering in the academic environment contributed to the evolution.

Trends in National Science Foundation funded research and their impact on software engineering education

Trends in software engineering education are discussed from the point of view of the changing environment for both education and research in computer science and engineering. Programs of the National Science Foundation and other federal agencies along with substantial contributions from private industries and foundations have dramatically changed the research infrastructure. These changes have generated important consequences for both graduate and undergraduate education.

Employment decisions by computer science faculty: A summary of the 1980-81 NSF survey

Over the past several years a great deal has been written, and even more said, regarding the crisis in employment of faculty in computer science departments (1,2,3,4,5). In order to obtain data regarding the magnitude of the problem, and reasons for it, the National Science Foundation, in the 1980-81 academic year conducted a survey of Ph.D. granting departments of computer science in the United States. This paper will present a summary of the results of the survey. Data obtained regarding the departments were consistent with that reported earlier by Hamblen (6,7), and Taulbee and Conte (8). Results of the survey regarding motivation for professional mobility were consistent with those reported by Eisenberg and Galanti (9) regarding the engineering disciplines.