Linking language & thinking with code: Computing within a writing-intensive introduction to the liberal arts
Abstract
This paper describes the design, implementation and preliminary evaluation of a computing component for a three-week writing-intensive introductory program at a liberal arts college. Specific curricular recommendations are presented that could have a direct, positive impact if adopted in similar courses. A two-pronged approach involving a faculty-led HTML workshop, along with student-led contextualized coding studios, was employed. Computing Unplugged activities were used, including a novel Page Rank Unplugged networking activity. An analysis of attitude surveys shows the program positively changed students attitudes about enjoyment solving CS problems, but potentially reinforced the misconception that CS is just learning programming languages.
Publication Title
Annual Conference on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education, ITiCSE
Recommended Citation
O'Hara, K., Burke, K., Ruggiero, D., & Anderson, S. (2017). Linking language & thinking with code: Computing within a writing-intensive introduction to the liberal arts. Annual Conference on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education, ITiCSE, Part F128680, 269-274. https://doi.org/10.1145/3059009.3059018
