jwr@vax135.UUCP (John Ressner) (01/04/85)
As I have read through this discussion, I find myself nodding at the
familiarity of the experiences shared. I, too, learned BASIC in Jr.
High School, then FORTRAN on my own, and arrived at college with little
idea of structured programming or other "computer science" concepts.
I should state that I object somewhat (I know some would consider
it rather nitpicky) to the implicit equivalence given to computer
science and "programming". I look at programming as a subset of
CS. Computer Science implies other things such as theory of algorithms,
automata, operating systems, and compilers, etc.
(With that out of the way...) Programming courses should certainly be
offered in any high school that can afford it. Certainly, priority
should be given to ensuring other basic educational needs are met.
Some may argue that programming/computer literacy is a basic educational
need. But how much does a janitor, a chimney sweep or a game show host
need to know about FOR-NEXT loops ? However, for the group of high school
students intending to enter college, computer education is rapidly becoming
a necessity. Certainly any high school with a good AP program should offer
computer courses (yes, more than one). And any student taking Calculus and
Physics should definitely have some exposure to computers. Even some
interaction among the three. (A physics lab simulation, for instance,
on a computer, would be interesting).
For those students who are advanced, exposure to computers should come
as soon as possible. Some of you objected to the substitution of
computers for basic mathematics, English, etc. I agree, somewhat.
But I think that computers can be used at many levels: as a drill &
practice aid, as an end in themselves, and as a catalyst for further
learning. Why not tell elementary school children about variables ?
Why not let junior high school students learn about matrix theory
while they are trying to figure out what certain matrix operators
in BASIC do ? Perhaps not require the education but, just as there
are many remedial programs for slower students, there should be
more special programs for kids wishing to learn more.
Finally (didn't intend this long a response), for students entering
college (NON-CS majors), whether they are exposed to structured/unstructured
languages, etc. doesn't matter. They have had experience with computers,
have (hopefully) some idea of how problems are solved, as have
(undoubtedly) experienced frustrations in dealing with the machines.
Let them then go on and take some technology & society course, or
another course dealing with computers. The secondary school experience
can only serve to broaden their experience base a bit. As for the CS
majors, I admit I too, had some difficulty at first adapting to C
after using BASIC & FORTRAN for 6 years. But I'm glad I had that
experience. Many CS students never get a feel for how many industrial/
business/scientific institutions still use things like FORTRAN, COBOL
and the rest of the IBM alphabet soup of names.
I'll stop now and let the vultures have at me.
John Ressner (a graduate of the Princeton University
Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science)
AT&T Bell Laboratories, Holmdel, NJ
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