JCSE Online
February 2002
Good day.
In this, our third issue of JCSE Online, we depart from the planned norm and have three peer-reviewed articles. I learn from this kind of article, and I find these particular three quite useful. I would, however, also like to publish more of the less formal pieces, such as the favorite assignment articles, but we do not have very many of those submitted right now.
I expect you have determined by now that this is another pitch for submissions. Well, we do need to keep the pipeline full and start some of next year's crop of papers through the editing process. So, if you have a paper of some sort in the bud phase let me know. Maybe we can work together to make it bloom. Or, maybe these few words are enough fertilizer to bring forth some blossoms. Check out the submission guidelines!
Now for the contents in this issue! For those folks who are enthusiastic about visual learning, this issue should be very interesting. We have two articles that are graphics oriented—one for programming graphics and another addressing a graphical device for understanding variable scope and parameter passing. Our third article deals with the state of (some portion of) the world of high school computer science. Each article is described more fully below. I hope you enjoy these articles as much as I did.
FEATURES
Using Graphics in an Introductory Computer Science Course
A.T. Chamillard, Jason A. Moore, David S. Gibson
This piece from some of the folks at the Air Force Academy provides an excellent discussion of moving to or including graphics in introductory programming classes. The authors address every issue I could think of with respect to using graphics. They tell what they did, discuss some risks, and provide some data that strongly suggests the move is a good one. Of course, I already agree that we should move to a more GUI approach to programming. This article will help you make up your mind.
Read
A Robot Model of Function Behavior in C/C++
John C. Molluzzo
Professor Molluzzo addresses a topic that essentially all of us agree is hard for students to grasp—parameter passing and variable scope. He uses a graphical model for understanding these concepts that can provide students with both verbal and visual learning cues to pick up on. Additionally, the use of the robot seems to me to make the nebulous ideas here more concrete. We know that compilers create code that accomplishes these activities but, by using this robot agent, students can better understand the concepts. You, too, will get something useful from this article.
Read
High School Computer Science Education: A Five-State Study
Chris Stephenson
Chris has again done her usual fine job. She turned her attention from Canadian schools to some areas of the United States to see what is (or was in late 1999) happening in high schools with respect to computer science. Her survey addressed hardware, curriculum, programming language, plans for the future—the gamut. I have not yet decided whether I was surprised by what she found out. I know I am glad someone is asking these questions. Please read what she did and decide what you think.
Read
Keep in mind that we would consider publishing letters to the editor. So, if one of these articles stirred you a bit, let us know. If the stirring was more general, rather than restricted to a response about an article, we might turn it into an editorial. Wouldn't you like to see your name in (digital) print?
Take care.
Philip East
Interim Editor
east@cs.uni.edu
Note: All Web links in this issue were active as of the post date (February 8, 2002). However, the Web is volatile, and neither ISTE nor SIGCS have any control over external sites. Please contact the managing editor, Audrey Vanderford (avanderford@iste.org), if you have a fix for a broken link.
Copyright © 2002, ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education). All rights reserved.
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