Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!wucs1!wucs2!posdamer
From: posdamer@wucs2.UUCP (Jeff Posdamer)
Newsgroups: comp.edu
Subject: Re: What is CS? (Was re First languages)
Message-ID: <827@wucs2.UUCP>
Date: 13 Apr 88 16:13:22 GMT
References: <3684@medusa.cs.purdue.edu> <568@abcom.ATT.COM> <3813@medusa.cs.purdue.edu>
Organization: Washington University, St. Louis
Lines: 31
Summary: Graphics in intro course

> >                      ...  As i said before, i think graphics would be
> > a good place to start as it does make things fun - of course it is
> > expensive as you need a good graphics system - but it is also quite
> > interesting and you can go a long way with it.  ...
> 
> What kind of graphics are you thinking about?  I doubt that a lot of departments

We have used simple PC graphics for this. The ability to see the program
run, see obvious errors and use what has become a standard IO methodology
is as important as file operations.

> would want to lay ot a lot of cash in equipment expenses to teach a service 
> course.  Also, how good of a graphics system are you thinking about?
>       .^.^.        Tom Hausmann 
>      . O O .       tlh@mordred.cs.purdue.edu    ( ARPA )

Our experience (for several years) is that including graphics output in
introductory (CS and service) courses is motivating to the students,
an appropriate use of the readily available PC technology and provides
the students with a useful and powerful tool.

Remember, CS students are students. They need as many computer based aids
as other students. An anti-professional bias in CS departments can put the
CS student in the bizarre situation of being LESS computer competent that
their peers in the physics/chemistry/calculus/composition...  classroom.

			Jeff Posdamer

-- 
Jeff Posdamer, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, (314) 889-6147
posdamer@syr.wustl.edu