[comp.lang.ada] Ada in undergraduate courses: who knows where?

mfeldman@seas.gwu.edu (Michael Feldman) (12/30/90)

I am becoming aware of a number of universities where Ada is being taught
in "mainstream" undergrad C.S. courses like CS1, CS2, data structures, etc.
If you are a student or a teacher in such a place, I'd like very much to
hear from you and try to do a bit of "human networking" to trade experiences.

Schools I know about include:
  George Washington (my own) - data structures
  Univ. of Washington - CS1
  Univ. of New Orleans - CS1
  Florida Inst. of Technology - will start CS1
  Embry-Riddle (CS1, I think)
  Cal Poly San Luis Obispo - (CS1, I think)
  Georgia State - data structures (at least)
  Lemoyne - data structures (at least)
  Univ. of South Florida (CS1, I think)
  West Virginia Univ. (CS1, I think)

Schools I'd like to find out about, in particular:
  other Florida schools
  other California schools, especially
    UCSD
    UC Irvine
    Cal State Fullerton
    Cal State Long Beach

If you are at any of these places and/or know of others, please respond
by e-mail. I will summarize back to the net. Please try to give me
firsthand info, not hearsay (of which I have a lot).

Canadians, Europeans, Australians are certainly also welcome!

Thanks a lot!

Mike Feldman

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Prof. Michael Feldman
Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
The George Washington University
Washington, DC 20052
202-994-5253
mfeldman@seas.gwu.edu
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jncs@uno.edu (01/09/91)

In article <2491@sparko.gwu.edu>, mfeldman@seas.gwu.edu (Michael Feldman) writes:
>I am becoming aware of a number of universities where Ada is being taught
>in "mainstream" undergrad C.S. courses like CS1, CS2, data structures, etc.
>
>Schools I know about include:
>  Univ. of New Orleans - CS1

 the University of New Orleans  chose Ada as the department's  main teaching
language since 1984. All programming courses for majors are taught using Ada 
(CS1, CS2, Data Structures, File management)

Jaime Nino
Associate Professor
Computer Science Department
Univ. Of New Orleans

rcs00455@zach.fit.edu (Kevin Anderson /ADVISOR Engle) (01/09/91)

    I am a freshman at Florida Institute of Technology in (sunny)
Melboure, Florida.  This year FIT started a new program in it's Computer
Science department called "software development".  The program, in which
I am enrolled, is basically a degree in Software Engineering.  It can't
be called that until it's been accredited, and first they need to have
a standardized program, but maybe some day...  Anyway I'm also told, but
am not sure, that this is the first undergraduate program in Software
Engineering.  Well?   I've done Pascal, C, FORTRAN, Lisp and Assembly
programming in high school (Thomas Jefferson Hihg School for Science and
Technology.  How many other high schools have a Supercomputer?), but were
using Ada for all our courses at least until Junior Year.  The choice of
language seems obvious given the program I think.  I choose to enter this
program because I think that the process of software development needs to
have a stronger foundation in mathematics and engineering techniques,
just like Civil or Mechanical Engineering.  Software today needs to be
engineered, with engineering checks and balances, defined by an engineering
discipline.  We need to get to the point where a Software Engineer writes
a program almost the same way a Civil Engineer builds a bridge.
    Anyway, the program is being taught by Dr. Harlan Mills (IEEE and
IBM Fellow).  From what I've heard, you should of heard of him.  Actually,
three other professors are helping him teach the courses (one lab instuctor
and two other professors) and together they also wrote the book for the
first quarter.  I thought that some people out there might be interested
in knowing about this, and since you were talking about using Ada at
colleges....  Besides, I think we need to start seeing some support for
this program and maybe others like it.

					
					Kevin Anderson  
					rcs00455@zach.fit.edu