Wednesday, April 1, 2020

Computing Science Education 2020 (Part 2 of 3)

Computing Science Education 2020 
(Part 2 of 3)



Many high schools don't have the enrollment to populate a CS0 and CS1 course. I ran a course called Computer Math for decades using different versions of BASIC, of all languages, as our CS0 course prereq to AP CSA aka our CS1 course at my high school (1984-2010). Then we switched to Python. We call the intro class Computer Science Honors (CSH) now.



This approach worked well until about 5 years ago when guidance stopped populating our CS0 class and put everyone into the CS1 class. I managed to bring back CS0 this year but competition with AP CSP killed it again for next year. Sorry to say, CSP is not the CS0 our kids are looking for in preparation to take CSA, so CSP and CSH are perforce at loggerheads. 

CSP is not enough about syntax, semantics or algorithms to be a good CS0 at the high school level. Look at Harvard's CS50! This college level CS0 course for non-majors uses a ton of different languages. Said approach would be better suited as a CS0 before CSA. BTW, I tend to cover some CSP content in CSH/CSA anyway (2 year sequence before the AP exam). But not enough to replace my CSH with CSP. I'm afraid that I cannot ascribe to the CSP design philosophy.

BTW, I've been teaching AP CSA since the 1987-1988 school year and have gone through all the syllabus changes and language changes (Pascal to C++ to Java). As much as I'd love a switch of languages to something like Python, I don't really see the need for it yet. Here's the curriculum I've been working on all these decades:

CSH - Intro class with Python
CSA - AP class with Java
CSI - Independent study class with openMPI
CSL - Calculus class using CAS (SAGE)

Finally, CS is a very broad subject. It's not just about IT and industry nor is it just about software and app development. I come from a background of Computing Science or Scientific Computing concerned mostly with using Math, Science and computing environments of various types on various platforms to run simulations as an aid to research and solve real world problems. 

For example, please see recent lessons for my CS0 class (above) that I screencast from home since our high school campus has been closed for several weeks now due the COVID19 outbreak, but the show... err, elearning online must go on! Here's the SAGE code, which is mostly pythonic, that goes with the first screencast shown above. Here's SAGE code for the second screencast.

Well, that's all folks.

Generally Speaking,
A. Jorge Garcia

 
Applied Math, Physics and CS
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calcpage.redbubble.com

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2015 NYS Secondary Math PAEMST Nominee


Teaching with Technology, 
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mathforum apcommunity sage

(IDEs & Code)
MATH 4H, AP CALC, CSH: SAGECELL
(Curriculae)
CSH: CodeHS
APCSA: Big Java
APCSA: CSAwesome

RECOMMENDED AP COMPSCI REVIEW:
CRIB SHEET (given during exam)
REVIEW BARRONS BOOK (see me)
REVIEW BARRONS ONLINE 
REVIEW APCENTRAL (past FRQs)
REVIEW EDX REVIEW MOOC01 
REVIEW UDEMY REVIEW MOOC02 
REVIEW CODING_BAT 
REVIEW PRACTICE_IT 
REVIEW RUNESTONE 
AUDIT CS50

RECOMMENDED AP CALCULUS REVIEW:
CRIB SHEET (not given during exam) 
REVIEW BARRONS BOOK (see me)
REVIEW BARRONS ONLINE 
REVIEW APCENTRAL (latest AB FRQs)
REVIEW APCENTRAL (latest BC FRQs)
REVIEW APCENTRAL (older AB FRQs)
REVIEW APCENTRAL (older BC FRQs)
REVIEW EDX MOOC01 
REVIEW COURSERA MOOC02

XTRA CREDIT FILKS RUBRIC 
(1 video = up to 5 bonus points):
1) Use a recognizable tune.
2) Karaoke entire song changing up the words (about STEAM).
3) You are Singing, Dancing or Playing an instrument.
4) You upload your video to YouTube and provide the url.
5) YouTube Description includes the lyrics.

XTRA CREDIT ARTICLES RUBRIC
(up to 5 articles = 1 bonus point each):
1) Cover Sheet is a Summary of the article.
2) FullPage, 12 pt, DoubleSpaced, 1" Margin.
3) Article has to be STEAM related
4) Article has to be a current event.
5) Copy of entire article is attached.