Goals and Format

Goals & Format of Workshop

Manuel A. Pérez-QuiñonesComputer Science

Virginia Tech

1Thursday, November 1, 2007

NSF/CISE - CPATH

Computing has permeated and in many cases transformed almost all aspects of our everyday lives. As computing becomes more important in all sectors of society, so does the preparation of a globally competitive U.S. workforce with knowledge and understanding of critical computing concepts, methodologies, and techniques. Unfortunately, despite the deep and pervasive impact of computing and the creative efforts of individuals in a small number of institutions, undergraduate computing education today often looks much as it did several decades ago.


NSF/CISE - CPATH

CISE is calling for colleges and universities to work together, and with other stakeholders in undergraduate computing education including industry, professional societies and other types of organizations, to formulate and implement plans to revitalize undergraduate computing education in the United States.


Goals of Workshop 1

• How can we describe the computing discipline to students in a way that conveys more than the mere computational aspects of the discipline?

• Ideally, we want to think of the computing discipline as a way to study and build computational devices that support creativity and expression...


Goals of Workshop 1

• How is computing studied in the context of another discipline (e.g., architecture, art, writing, theater, music) and what can we learn from them?

• What do the other disciplines need from computing to make the most of the knowledge exchange?


Employment Patterns by Discipline*

* based on presentation given by Eric Roberts at SIGCSE 2003

Life Sciences Chemical and Physical Sciences

Mathematics Engineering Computer andInfo Sciences

Fraction of professionals with degrees in that discipline:

Life Sciences Chemical and Physical Sciences

Mathematics Engineering Computer andInfo Sciences

Fraction of disciplinary graduates employed in that profession:

SOURCE: National Science Foundation/Division of Science Resources Statistics, SESTAT (Scientists and Engineers Statistical Data System), 1999, as

presented by Caroline Wardle at Snowbird 2002


Some of the problems we face...

• Lack of diversity, problems attracting women and minorities

• Low enrollments yet high demand for graduates

• Few opportunities in high school to take appropriate courses

• Myth: dot-com bust or outsourcing meant no more jobs


Things to consider...

• To our colleagues from other disciplines:

• How is computing taught in your disciplines?

• What sort of knowledge “prerequisites” do you find work best?

• Do you face some of the same problems we face?


Format of Workshop

• 5 presentations followed by discussions

• End of the day “recap”

• Ask lots of questions

• Focus on goals presented above

• Survey at end of workshop

• Use online resources for discussion:http://groups.google.com/group/rethinking-csed/


Workshop Participants

• Many backgrounds among us

• Music, English (2), Education, Arts, Engineering Education, Information Technology, CSE, Computing Sciences, Computer Science (8)


Goals and Format

Technology

Transcript of Goals and Format