Frank H. Young

Resources for instructors of capstone courses in computing

Most computing programs now have some form of integrative or capstone course in which students undertake a significant project under supervision. There are many different models for such courses and conducting these courses is a complex task. This report is intended to assist instructors of capstone courses, particularly those new to the model of teaching and learning inherent in the capstone course.This paper discusses important issues that must be addressed when conducting capstone courses. These issues are addressed through a series of questions, with answers reflecting the way that different institutions have chosen to handle them, and commentary on the impact of these different choices. These questions include: Goals of the Course; Characteristics of Projects; Project Deliverables; Sponsors; Teams; Prerequisites and Preparation; Grading and Assessment; Administration and Supervision; and Reflection, Analysis and Review.Subsequently we present information about the companion Web site, intended as an active repository of best practice for instructors of capstone projects. The Web site will have examples of information about capstone courses and materials used by instructors. Readers are invited to contribute content to this site. The paper concludes with a bibliography of additional reference material and resources.

Shall we write

T he ability to express ideas well in written form is a recognized hallmark o f an educated person. Hardly an institution o f higher education exists in the United States that does not require either completion of a freshman English course or some demonstration on the part o f the student o f equivalent ability. In acknowledgment that such a requirement represents only a base level o f competency, many degree programs require one or more additional writing courses. Technical institutions and degree programs are no exception. In computer science, the latest draft o f the ACM/IEEE Computing Curriculum 2001 recommendations <http://www. acm.org/sigcse/cc2001 > states 12.4 Because of the importance of good communication skills in nearly all computing careers, computer science students must sharpen their oral and writing skills in a variety of contexts both inside and outside of computer science courses. In particular, students in computer science programs should be able to communicate ideas effectively in written form. The CSAB accreditation standards <http://www.csab.org> state: IV-t6. The written communications skills of the student must be developed and applied in the program.

Using information technology to integrate social and ethical issues into the computer science and information systems curriculum: report of the ITiCSE '97 working group on social and ethical issues in computing curricula

This report presents the results of a collaborative working group activity focusing on the use of information technology (IT) to integrate social and ethical issues within computer science or information systems courses. The report provides an organizational approach for classifying exercises, based on the issue each one addresses and the course or courses in which it may fit. The exercises in this report are classified by the information technology to be used and the course or courses addressed by the exercise. Ten sample exercises are provided, each given in a recommended standardized format.

Content + experiences = curriculum

The academic curriculum in computer science has been proposed, reviewed, and modified in an on-going process for years [I, 2, 3, 41. The resulting curricula have packaged the subject matter of computer science in many ways. The end result of these studies has been a carefully designed coverage of academic material in a fashion that requires students to master core material and guarantees student exposure to appropriate additional material that insures both breadth and depth of knowledge. We suggest that describing the “material that must be covered” is an inadequate approach to curriculum design, necessary but not sufficient. Whether one is teaching in a liberal arts environment or in a more preprofessional environment, there are more aspects to an education than the content that is covered in required and elective courses. In this paper we propose an experiential aspect of the computer science curriculum as a complement to the content aspect. We urge those who are designing new curricula or revising existing ones to consider this aspect and evaluate their curricula with regard to experiences as well as the more usual content evaluation.

The “Soft” topics in software engineering education

Engineering educators struggle with ldquosoftrdquo topics - topics which include a social element. Soft engineering topics are distinct from the scientific and mathematical underpinnings of engineering. Students frequently complain when these topics are integrated into engineering curricula. Engineering educators also express concerns that they lack both preparation and ability to teach these topics.

Experiences with ethical issues: part 2

one wonders whether students remembered anything six months later. We could question whether students could apply calculus to new problems, whether the course promoted problem solving of any kind, and whether the course reinforced the erroneous impression that mathematics consists of arbitrary rules without underlying ideas. Thus, the proposed manuscript seemed to contradict everything the Calculus Reform Movement represented.

Software engineering and software documentation: a unified long course

The author describes the development of a course at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology that integrates software engineering and software documentation. A brief evaluation is followed by a discussion of future plans. It is pointed out that the most significant benefit of the combined course is the improved software engineering abilities of the students. The students see the importance of presentation and writing skills in the software development process. They apply these skills in ways that improve their ability to develop large software systems.<<ETX>>

Paying Back and Paying Forward

This talk will discuss the value and benefits of volunteering - to ones career, to ones profession, and to ones life.

Treating our students as adults

inroads – The SIGCSE Bulletin 21 Volume 35, Number 2, 2003 June Curriculum Guide, Draft 3.2, January 28, 2003, http://www.maa.org/cupm/welcome.html. [3] ACM/IEEE-CS Task Force on the Curriculum, Computing Curricula 2001: Computer Science Volume, http://www.acm.org/sigcse/cc2001/, December 15, 2001. [4] MAA Curriculum Foundation Workshops Reports, http://academic.bowdoin.edu/faculty/B/barker/dissemi nation/Curriculum_Foundations/

CS 1 closed laboratories = multimedia materials + human interaction

First, students work in pairs, each with their own laptop computer. The “Alpha” partner locates the electronic lab document and opens it in her browser. Eventually, the lab document instructs the “Beta” partner to open the Microsoft Visual C++ development environment on her computer. Thus, the pair has two computers, with two screens. Both students read the lab document and discuss what to do. Both students design and implement the program. Both students solve the problem.