Xref: utzoo comp.edu:2246 comp.lang.pascal:1791
Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ncar!ames!lll-winken!uunet!psgdc!rg
From: rg@psgdc (Dick Gill)
Newsgroups: comp.edu,comp.lang.pascal
Subject: Re: CS-1
Keywords: beginning computer science course
Message-ID: <206@psgdc>
Date: 5 May 89 20:52:21 GMT
References: <2130@iitmax.IIT.EDU> <2394@brahma.cs.hw.ac.uk>
Reply-To: rg@psgdc.UUCP (Dick Gill)
Organization: Professional Solutions Group, Vienna VA
Lines: 30

In article <2394@brahma.cs.hw.ac.uk> nick@cs.hw.ac.uk (Nick Taylor) writes:
>In article <2130@iitmax.IIT.EDU> thssccb@iitmax.IIT.EDU (catherine c bareiss) writes:
>>I am designing a beginning programming course.
>>
>>The structure is to be as follows:
>>       One day a week, a lecture on a topic (using psuedo code).
>                                              ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>
>Is this a good idea? I know it is becoming more and more common to do this
>but I harbour deep suspicions that it might actually make the learning task
>more confusing....

I started programming in the 60's when it was a good deal more
*art* than *science* !:-) and have a couple of thoughts on
the topic.  

It is important that the begining programmer understand  that
the first step in writing software is to structure a clear and
logical solution to the problem begin solved.  This exercise
involve primarily logic and imagination, and is largely
independent of the language used to write the program.  A pseudo
code that stresses the logical steps being performed could be
very useful here, particularly if it keeps the students from
rushing to write *real* programs before they have figured out
how to solve the problem!

-- 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Dick Gill     Professional Solutions Group   (703)761-1163   ..uunet!psgdc!rg
The quality of the circus here in Washington depends on the clowns you elect.