Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!wuarchive!emory!gatech!mcnc!uvaarpa!vger.nsu.edu!g_harrison From: g_harrison@vger.nsu.edu Newsgroups: comp.edu Subject: Re: programming for math credit - rational Message-ID: <337.2759f49b@vger.nsu.edu> Date: 3 Dec 90 10:45:47 GMT References: Lines: 47 In article , freewill@nstar.UUCP (Bill Williston) writes: > Hello folks, > Computer programming (pascal) is offered as an elective at the high > school where I teach it. Required courses are in english, math, science, > physical education and government. My department (business) is reviewing > curriculum and would like to offer courses for required credit like > Word processing, desktop publishing for english credit and programming > for math credit. > The english dept. head was not against the idea of word processing, etc > for english credit. The math dept. head was immediately and adamantly > against computer programming for math credit. > Can you suggest rationals for or against the idea of programming > for high school math credit? Let me know if you wnt a response summary. > My B.S. in math required some programming so the idea is not foreign to > higher education. Some high schools in my area offer word processing for > ehglish credit. Thanks in advance. Others who have responded to this thus far haven't really answered the original question about programming for high school math credit. There is an intellectual fact (I believe) that programming [using a fixed set of rules to solve a problem] is very similar to a classical geometry course [using a fixed set of axioms to build other truths]. This is a very strong arguement for making programming courses serve as mathematics courses. All other arguements fail IMHO. Programming is an intellectual science (like mathematics) and uses mathematics as a its base, but the justification for using programming as a math course is a lot weaker that using high school physics for math credit. Fit a solid programming course in the curriculum as an option. Require only algebra I, but also require a semester of typing!!!!!!! Typing is a MUST. My experience with my students is that those who can type well will spend more quality time working on programming than those who "hunt and peck." Don't require all students (even those going with "academic" deplomas) to take programming. ------------------------------------------------------*------------------- -- George C. Harrison ------------------------------ * * ----------------- ----- Professor of Computer Science -------------- * * * ---------------- ----- Norfolk State University, ----------------- *Merry* --------------- -------- Norfolk, Virginia 23504 --------------- * * * * * -------------- ----- INTERNET: g_harrison@vger.nsu.edu ------ *Christmas* ------------- ----------These are MY views.... you may share them..*** ----------------- Brought to you by Super Global Mega Corp .com