Floating point arithmetic teaching for computational science

Computational science is based upon numerical computing and, consequently, requires excellent knowledge of floating point computer arithmetic. In general, the average computational science student has a relatively limited understanding of the implications of floating point computation. This paper presents an initiative to teach floating point number representation and arithmetic in undergraduate courses in computational science. The approach is based on carefully designed practical exercises which highlight the main properties and computational issues of finite length number representation and arithmetic. In conjunction to the exercises, an auxiliary educational tool constitutes a valuable support for students to learn and understand the concepts involved. Simpler formats are used as an introduction to the IEEE 754 standard, with the aim of presenting the fundamentals of the floating point computation and emphasizing its limitations. This approach could be included in courses related to computer organization, programming, discrete mathematics, numerical methods or scientific computing in computational science curricula.     

Predicting performance in computer programming courses

Currently available methods for selecting computer programmers are reviewed. The academic achievement, in high school and in the university, of over 3000 students is reviewed and correlated with their performance in the different computer programming courses. The results revealed that performance in high school and college mathematics and science courses account for up to 50 per cent of the variance in computer programming course performance. The implications of these results for training and selection are discussed.     

论函数编程技术在计算机数学教学中的应用

计算机数学作为计算机学科一门重要专业基础课程在计算机的教授与学习中起到承上启下的作用.随着网络时代的到来,企业、政府、个人都看到了计算机在生产生活中必不可少的作用,计算机成为生活中必不可少的东西.网络时代的发展也带动了计算机学科的发展,成为热门学科.计算机学科和数学是分不开的,因此也称为最有难度的一个学科.虽然很多学生选择计算机学科,但是在实际课堂教育中,学生的听课效率却不如预期,主要因为计算机数学内容理论性很强,而且一些概念知识很抽象,让学生很难理解,从而对学科内容不感兴趣.函数编程技术在教学中应用,对计算机数学的学习起到了辅助作用,让学生可以利用这种编程语言了解计算机数学的一些抽象性概念,更好的在实践中运用计算机数学.函数编程技术在计算机数学中应用,使得死板的理论学科变得稍显活泼,这回让学生对该学科更感兴趣,带动学生积极主动地学习.     

FinalReferencing within Code in Software Engineering Education!

Traditionally computer sciences courses will assess software code.It is common and accepted good practice(as in written reports) to reference other sources of appropriate material.However there appears to be no explicit method,recommendation or advice available to computer science tutors and students on a referencing approach! This paper aims to stimulate discussion from peers involved in software engineering education.By discussing the apparent lack of "referencing within code" advice to students and proposing suggestions for appropriate solutions.This will be based on the authors' experience of assessing code and the current advice given to their students.     

Student trajectories in high school mathematics: Issues of choice,support, and identity‐making

Abstract

This study explores the range of experiences students have when making two kinds of decisions in relation to high school mathematics courses: what course to take, and how to and how much to apply themselves. Looking at the choices of students about to enter Grade 10, the first decision is their choice of courses. In mathematics, students leaving Grade 9 selected one course (usually), from five possibilities, for their Grade 10 year: an advanced‐placement Honours stream, an academic course with a traditional symbol‐manipulation approach, an academic course with a technology‐based applications approach, a non‐academic mathematics‐for‐citizenship course, and (as an imposed choice) repeating the Grade 9 mathematics course. The second point of decision‐making occurred within their mathematics and science courses—students constantly made choices about how, and how much, to apply themselves to the challenges of succeeding in the courses they had chosen. These students’ course choices, to a considerable extent, conformed to expectations based on the influence of socioeconomic status and prior achievement. Overwhelmingly, students were concerned more in the credentialing value of courses than their educational value or structural nature. Within their courses, most students focused their attention on doing the work rather than the content or the learning process. Students reported being encouraged to do their work by teachers, but could not provide any indication of tactical support with becoming effective learners. The final outcomes of the students’ marks suggest that, in the context of the study, Grade 10 mathematics courses are much more effective as gate‐keeping mechanisms than as opportunities for students to improve and succeed.     

程序设计类课程的抛锚式教学模式

文章探讨在程序设计类课程的教学中引入抛锚式教学模式。通过围绕真实案例创设学习环境,布置不同难度的学习任务进行引导,重视培养学生的知识迁移能力等学习环节,调动学生的学习兴趣与积极性,降低课程入门难度,激发学习动机,引导自主学习。该教学模式能较快地提高学生使用计算机的实际编程能力,教学效果显著。     

Engineering an education for the future

Faced with rapid and unremitting change in the disciplines of electrical and computer engineering (ECE), some educators argue that they should deliberately not respond aggressively. Rather, educators should focus on fundamentals that will serve the students well for an entire career. Although the authors agree, they go on to explain that this approach largely begs the question of what those fundamentals are. Of course, it is desirable to impart all feasible fundamentals, but that seems impossible given the expanding breadth of knowledge required in the ECE field. Thus, the question this article addresses is: What are the fundamental skills and knowledge that are important for a future career in ECE? What should be the educational priorities? The authors believe that the center of gravity of most undergraduate curricula today is too far on the side of attempting to train the small cadre of technical experts, a hopeless task within a four- or five-year program. The authors advocate an alternative vision in which the undergraduate program focuses on a limited and carefully chosen set of core ideas, supplemented by real-world examples and importantly by student self-exploration and learning. Such an undergraduate program also emphasizes breadth, an exposure to a range of technical issues, as well as mathematics, science, humanities and social sciences. After the undergraduate experience, the students divide themselves into several groups: one group chooses to leave with an undergraduate degree; a second group stays for a master's degree; while the third group stays for a doctorate     

离散数学课程建设(英文)

Many students find great difficulty in the formal programming modules taught in almost every computing science degree.These modules,often taught in later years,rely on some mathematical abilities that seem beyond many students.This paper describes two new modules in years I and II of the curriculum that are helping students to prepare for the formal programming courses.These modules are algorithmic problem solving and discrete mathematics for computing science and are now running in two third-level institutions in Ireland.This paper also shows the impact that these new modules have had on the students in question.     

《离散数学》教学改革探讨

<离散数学>是计算机学科的一门重要的基础课程,该课程理论性强.非常抽象.为完"成该课程的培养学生抽象思维能力以及提高学生动手能力的基本要求.为后续课程打好坚实的基础,教师有必要改善教学方法,例如让学生认识离散数学的重要性.在教学过程中进行实例教学和实验教学.     

Metascientific and philosophical reasons to define the status of computer science

The basic terms of metascience and philosophy of science are considered. In their context, we give the definitions of science, a field of science, and two adjacent sciences in relation to computer science: mathematics and technology. We determine the status of computer science as a formal field of science, which consists of theories, in each of which the following constructive conceptual transition is accomplished: the principles of algorithmic computations–programming paradigms–programs–running programs on computers.     

Robot soccer in education

The educational experiences from using robot soccer in computer science courses are outlined. The educational approach can be termed guided constructionism and it differs from traditional (pure) constructionism, which can be termed unguided constructionism, by combining hands-on experience with lecturing and guidance. We believe that some essential arguments need to be taught through lecturing and guidance, but also find it essential for the students to actively participate in our robot soccer competitions when the aim is to educate the students to be able to produce real-world applications when graduating from the university. In the computer science courses, the students were taught to work with robot soccer players with pre-defined robot morphology, with modifiable robot morphology and with robot team play. This should allow the students to learn (i) to manage the non-deterministic characteristics of the real environment, (ii) to integrate hardware and software solutions, and (iii) to manage collective and distributed systems. Indeed, with this knowledge, the students were able to win a number of international robot soccer tournaments.     

Ubiquitous Computational Thinking

The computational thinking view recognizes that underlying computing concepts are integral to our everyday lives and pervasive in many disciplines of study. Computer science, information systems, computer engineering, informatics, software engineering-these are among the smorgasbord of choices available to college students interested in a computing career. The choices for noncomputing-oriented students who want to learn about the field are even more confounding. Indeed, the established term "computer science" is not well-defined or well understood, leading to further confusion for students and their parents as well as the general public. These are some factors I view as contributing to the drop in interest in the study of computer science. The student should learn the fundamental concept of computer sciences. Computing education has been too slow moving from the computing = programming model to a more general and understandable model that captures the essence of the discipline for everyone.     

程序设计教学中学生程序设计风格的养成

计算机程序设计课程已成为普通高校本科教学中的公共基础课程之一。目前,关于该课程的一个较普遍的问题是课程结束后学生的实际程序设计能力依然比较差,所编写出来的程序的代码质量不高。原因之一是学生没有养成良好的程序设计风格。着重探讨程序设计风格养成的重要性,以及如何在课程教学中引导学生重视并养成良好的程序设计风格。     

Mathematical modelling in science and mathematics education

Scientific research involves mathematical modelling in the context of an interactive balance between theory, experiment and computation. However, computational methods and tools are still far from being appropriately integrated in the high school and university curricula in science and mathematics. In this paper, it is discussed the relevance of mathematical modelling and illustrated how a computer modelling tool (Modellus, a free tool available on the Internet and developed at FCTUNL) can be used to embed modelling in high school and undergraduate courses. Modellus allows students to create and explore mathematical models using functions, differential and iterative equations, and visualize the behaviour of mathematical objects.     

独立学院计算机课程改革及软件人才培养

本文分析了目前独立学院计算机程序设计基础教育中存在的问题,结合四川大学锦江学院计算机程序设计基础课程的教学改革实践,讨论新形势下计算机程序设计课程的教学目标、教学方法与教学手段的改革思路,使课程改革和当前社会的需求、市场的需要有效地结合起来,培养出真正的应用型软件人才,让学生在进入社会以后能做到学有所用,学以致用。     

《离散数学》教学方法探讨

离散数学是计算机科学与技术专业的一门重要的专业基础课,它不仅是许多计算机专业课的必备基础,而且对于培养学生的抽象思维能力和逻辑推理能力也有着重要的作用。结合该课程具有概念多、方法性强、高难度、高度抽象等学科特点,作者提出了一系列教学方法,在实践中取得了良好的效果。这对于提高离散数学课程的教学水平和教育质量,改进学生的学习方法乃至对今后的教学实践均有着一定指导意义。     

对计算机程序设计课程设计的探讨与分析

对于计算机专业的学生来说,程序设计语言课程是技工学校计算机专业开设的核心课程,相关课程的课程设计则显示了其在实践教学中的重要性。如何有效合理地进行计算机课程设计,笔者结合教学与实践从教师、学生、题目设定等几方面进行探讨。     

《离散数学》教学方法探讨

离散数学是计算机科学与技术专业的一门重要的专业基础课,它不仅是许多计算机专业课的必备基础,而且对于培养学生的抽象思维能力和逻辑推理能力也有着重要的作用。结合该课程具有概念多、方法性强、高难度、高度抽象等学科特点,作者提出了一系列教学方法,在实践中取得了良好的效果。这对于提高离散数学课程的教学水平和教育质量,改进学生的学习方法乃至对今后的教学实践均有着一定指导意义。     

计算思维和翻转课堂在Java 教学中的研究和应用

《Java 程序设计》作为高校计算机专业程序设计课程中的一门核心专业课,具有概念多、知识点抽象、难理解的 特点,许多学生学完此门课程后,不具备真正的编程思想。因此,本文以六盘水师范学院计算机科学与技术系的学生为研究对 象,分别采用普通的课堂教学模式和基于计算思维和翻转课堂的教学模式进行比较。研究表明:在《Java 程序设计》教学中融入 计算思维和翻转课堂,可以帮助学生理解抽象的知识点,充分调动学生学习的积极性,提高学生的动手实践能力,并逐步培养 学生利用算法求解问题的思路和编程思想,为今后从事编程工作打下夯实的基础。     

Gender differences and similarities in attitudes toward computers

Gender differences among university students in attitudes toward and involvement with computers were examined. Males were found to have taken more computer science courses, to be more knowledgeable about computer languages, to be more likely to want to major in computer science, and to have played video games more than females. There were no gender differences in reported nonvideo-game computer use or in exposure to computers in noncomputer science courses. Males and females did not differ on their reported personal interest in and enjoyment of computers. Consistent with previous research, however, males reported more comfort and confidence with computers and more positive attitudes toward mathematics than did females. Women believed more strongly than men that females should learn and are as capable of learning about computers and science as are males. It appears that these university women were as intrigued by computers as the men were. However, they were apparently somewhat inhibited from the pursuit of specialized training and careers in computer science. This inhibition may be linked to their anxiety about their own skills and to the communication, by male peers, of the attitude that women are less capable than men of learning about computers.