Readings

The readings for this week are:

Computer Science 4 All

1. Giving Every Student an Opportunity to Learn Through Computer Science For All

   • The President Wants Every Student To Learn Computer Science. How Would That Work?

   • Adding 'Beauty And Joy' To Obama's Push For Computer Science Teaching

   • What happened to Obama’s $4 billion in computer science funding?

2. Is Coding the New Literacy?

   • Should Computer Education Cover More Than Just Coding?

   • In Finland, Kids Learn Computer Science Without Computers

   • Learning to Think Like a Computer

3. De Blasio to Announce 10-Year Deadline to Offer Computer Science to All Students

   • Computer science is space race of today

   • CPS to roll out computer science requirement

   • French, Spanish, German ... Java? Making Coding Count As A Foreign Language

4. Computing for all #2: Can we get off the pendulum?

   • The folly of teaching computer science to high school kids

   • Jason Bradbury: Coding lessons in schools are a waste of time

   • In the future, everyone will be a software engineer and barely any will know how to code

   • Please don’t learn to code

5. A Plan to Teach Every Child Computer Science

   • The difficult realities of implementing #CSforAll

   • Qualify Your Quantifiers...Or, Exactly Who All Is CS4?

   • What’s the impact of the Hour of Code?

6. Apple launches coding camps for kids in its retail stores

   • GE CEO Jeff Immelt says all new hires will learn to code

   • G.E., the 124-Year-Old Software Start-Up

   • Top business leaders, 27 governors, urge Congress to boost computer science education

7. The Camel Has Two Humps

   • Separating Programming Sheep from Non-Programming Goats

   • Please Don't Learn to Code

   • Anyone Can Learn Programming: Teaching > Genetics

Computer Science Education

1. CS2013: Computer Science Curricula 2013

   • Computer Science 2013: Curriculum Guidelines for Undergraduate Programs in Computer Science

   • Criteria for Accrediting Computing Programs, 2016-2017

   • What every computer science major should know

   • The Perils of Java Schools

   • Why I'm Not Looking to Hire Computer-Science Majors

2. Turn On, Code In, Drop Out: Tech Programmers Don't Need College Diplomas

   • Do programmers need a degree in Computer Science?

   • The limited value of a computer science education

   • Warning: A computer science degree may be a waste of your time and money

   • Math Nerds vs. Code Monkeys: Should Computer Science Classes Be More Practical?

   • More Universities Should Shut Down Their Computer Science Programs

   • Dropouts Need Not Apply: Silicon Valley Asks Mostly for Developers With Degrees

3. Bootcamps vs. College

   • Comparing Salaries for Coding Bootcamps vs. Computer Science Degrees

   • I spent 3 months applying to jobs after a coding bootcamp. Here’s what I learned.

   • So that whole coding bootcamp thing is a scam, right?

   • Why free university 42 breaks all the rules for educating engineers, and is coming to the US

   • Why More Tech Companies Are Hiring People Without Degrees

4. Generation CS

   • Generation CS: When Undergraduates Realized They Needed Computing

   • University computer science finally surpasses its 2003 peak!

   • A History of Capacity Challenges in Computer Science

   • Analysis: The exploding demand for computer science education, and why America needs to keep up

Questions

Please write a response to one of the following questions:

1. After reading the articles, do you believe that coding is the new literacy? Should everyone be exposed or required to take a computer science or coding class?

   • What are the arguments for and against introducing everyone to computing or programming? What challenges will schools face as this CS4All push moves forward?

   • How should computer science fit into a typical K-12 curriculum? Is it an elective or a requirement? Does it replace existing subjects or is it an addition? What exactly should be taught in this CS4All curriculum? Is this computational thinking? programming? logic? computer literacy?

   • Can anyone learn to program? Should everyone learn to program? Explain why or why not to both.

2. Review the Computer Science and Engineering course catalog, and compare it to the Computer Science 2013: Curriculum Guidelines and ABET Criteria.

   • How does Notre Dame's computer science curriculum match up with the the ACM guidelines and the ABET criteria? Does it mostly meet these learning goals or does it fall short?

   • What do you think of the ACM or ABET guidelines for a computer science program? What areas or topics need more exposure? Conversely, what areas or topics require less coverage?

   • What do you think of coding bootcamps? Would it have been better if you just went to a bootcamp out of high school or perhaps gotten a degree in another major and then done a bootcamp program? Do bootcamps replace a college degree?

   • Do you need to go to college to be a good computer scientist, computer engineer, software developer, or programmer? Do you feel Notre Dame has prepared you adequately for your future career? Do you know everything you should know (or want to know)? Explain.

Feedback

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns regarding the course, please provide your feedback at the end of your response.