Computer Science | Grinnell College

On Thursday, February 21, 2019, Professor Samuel A. Rebelsky will present a talk discussion the design rationale for CSC 321/322 (now CSC 324/326), in preparation for a talk that he and Dr. Janet Davis will present at the 50th SIGSCE Technical Symposium in Computer Science Education:

For the past four years, we have taught a reimagined software design course with typical and atypical components. Projects form the core of the course: Students work in teams of 4–6 people to develop non-mission-critical software for local non-profits, building their engagement with the community and helping them understand the broader impact of their work. These projects require multiple semesters to complete. Since students typically enroll for the course for one semester, this model gives students the novel experience of legacy software. We also provide each team with an alumni mentor who helps them navigate not only technical problems but also the challenges of working with a real-world, non-technical client.

These aspects of the course also develop our students' soft skills. They learn to work with a team, to communicate with non-technical clients, to work with remote collaborators (or mentors), and to think ahead to those who will take on the project in the next semester. As we tell our students, these skills are often as crucial as their technical skills.

In this talk, we report on the design of the course and describe some of the challenges associated with this model (e.g., projects that inadvertently reveal information, clients who switch management or expectations, and projects that become obsolete) and provide suggestions for those who might want to adopt a similar approach.

Refreshments will be served at 4 p.m. in the Computer Science Commons (Noyce 3817). Professor Rebelsky's talk, Developing Soft and Technical Skills Through Multi-Semester, Remotely Mentored Community-Service Projects, will begin at 4:15, in Noyce 3821. Everyone is welcome to attend!

This CS Table will focus on two computer science education initiatives: CS Unplugged and code.org. These are interesting new approaches to getting computer science education into high school and grade school with some interesting goals. We'll start with a CS Unplugged exercise before the discussion!

There are three short readings suggested for the discussion on November 22:

• About CS Unplugged
• CS Unplugged Principles
• What do kids really need to know about computer science? New roadmap wins widespread support. Lisa Stiffler, GeekWire.
• Printed readings are available at Noyce 3827.

Computer science table (CS Table) is a weekly meeting of Grinnell College community members (students, faculty, staff, etc.) interested in discussing topics related to computing and computer science. CS Table meets Tuesdays from 12:00-1:00pm in JRC 224B. Contact the CS faculty for the weekly reading. Students on meal plans, faculty, and staff are expected to cover the cost of their meals. Visitors to the College and students not on meal plans can charge their meals to the department.

A variety of resources created by Grinnell CS faculty and students in support of SIGCSE.

At this Friday's session of Women in Computing / CS Table, we'll discuss elementary and secondary education in computer science. The readings are

• “Why Estonia has started teaching its first-graders to code”
  Parmy Olson, Forbes, September 6, 2012
  http://www.forbes.com/sites/parmyolson/2012/09/06/why-estonia-has-started-teaching-its-first-graders-to-code/
• “Why your 8-year-old should be coding”
  Jolie O'Dell, Venture beat, April 12, 2013
  http://venturebeat.com/2013/04/12/why-your-8-year-old-should-be-coding/
• “Can Obama convince high schools to each kids to code?”
  Anthony Wing Kosner, Forbes, February 14, 2013
  http://www.forbes.com/sites/anthonykosner/2013/02/14/can-obama-convince-high-schools-to-teach-kids-to-code/

Computer Science Table is a weekly meeting of Grinnell College community members (students, faculty, staff, etc.) interested in discussing topics related to computing and computer science. CS Table meets Fridays at noon in the Day PDR (the first PDR at the top of the stairs in the Marketplace/Cafeteria, also known as Rosenfield 224A). Faculty, staff, and students on meal plans are expected to pay the cost of their meals. Students not on meal plans can charge their meals to the department.

On Thursday, April 11, Professor Henry Walker will describe the distinctive features of Grinnell's program in computer science:

Prospective students often ask why they should come to Grinnell to study computer science. Seniors and graduates ask what they can or should say to employers or graduate schools regarding how Grinnell's CS program is distinctive. This talk is designed to answer such questions by reviewing several characteristics of Grinnell's CS program:

• The advantages of B.A. degrees in computer science over more technical degrees
• Our introductory CS courses as “exemplars” in national curricular recommendations
• Comparing Grinnell's core CS courses with national recommendations
• The success rates in Grinnell's CS courses (by measures defined by national standards)
• The contribution of the activities of Grinnell's CS faculty to Grinnell's success
• How student-faculty interactions in CS lead to regional and national visibility
• Grinnell's track record in CS for graduate school, internships, careers in business/industry, etc.

Overall, this talk will highlight numerous ways in which Grinnell's CS program enjoys substantial success by many objective measures.

Refreshments will be served at 4:15 p.m. in the Computer Science Commons (Noyce 3817). The talk, “Grinnell's competitive advantages in computer science,” will follow at 4:30 p.m. in Noyce 3821. Everyone is welcome to attend!

At this Friday's session of Women in Computing / CS Table, we'll discuss perceptions of the underrepresentation of women in computer science. The readings are

• Lori Carter. 2006. Why students with an apparent aptitude for computer science don't choose to major in computer science. SIGCSE Bull. 38, 1 (March 2006), 27-31.
• Roli Varma. 2010. Why so few women enroll in computing? Gender and ethnic differences in students' perception. Computer Science Education 20, 4 (December 2010), 301-316.

Computer Science Table is a weekly meeting of Grinnell College community members (students, faculty, staff, etc.) interested in discussing topics related to computing and computer science. CS Table meets Fridays at noon in the Day PDR (the first PDR at the top of the stairs in the Marketplace/Cafeteria, also known as Rosenfield 224A). Faculty, staff, and students on meal plans are expected to pay the cost of their meals. Students not on meal plans can charge their meals to the department.

On Thursday, September 8, Terian Koscik 2012 will give a talk in the "Thursday Extra" series:

For many children, computer science is seen as mysterious, difficult and inaccessible. Even for those who want to study computer science, there are very few resources for learning available until college. Without a program that kids can use to learn on their own, all but the most privileged are prevented from getting started on computer science before they are scared away. The goal of the Looking Glass IDE is to provide a fun, self-directed environment for 8-16 year olds without access to formal computer science classes to learn basic programming concepts by creating movies and games. This summer, I helped to design and implement an online community for users of Looking Glass to share projects, collaborate, compete, and support one another's programming efforts.

Refreshments will be served at 4:15 p.m. in the Computer Science Commons (Noyce 3817). Ms. Koscik's talk, "An online community for peer-supported learning of computer science," will follow at 4:30 p.m. in Noyce 3821. Everyone is welcome to attend!