Summer Training 2007 on Computer Science

Catalogue description: A one-week special class training in summer 2007 introducing foundations of Computer Sciencefor middle school gift students, with the goal of prompting their interest.

Training description: The detailed class training content will vary from windows tools to programming software. The basic goal of this one-week class training is to provide middle school gifted students with a BROADand DEEP exposure to fundamental blocks ofComputer Science, from what they can see about computer in daily life to what they can do in computer programming.Such training will provide the students with the hand-on experience on some interesting features of computer products. Topics include, but not limited to: animation presentation in Powerpoint, formula and chart graph in Excel, visual programming in VB Express Edition, information search in INTERNET, advanced search techniques (map direction search) at Yahoo/Google, and etc. It will focus on the introduction to foundations of computer science, with the goal of promoting students’ interest in studying or working with computer.

Important Note: West ChesterUniversity has been recognized as a National Security Agency (NSA) Center for Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education. One of the objectives of the NSA and the federal government (including the Department of Homeland Security) is expose as many students as possible to fundamental issues in Computer Science. The purpose of this training is to provide middle school students in West Chester local area with a broad exposure to issues in Computer Science.

Prerequisites: None

Syllabus (The thing underlined is what the students is expected to do in class.)

  • Day 1, Introduction: Windows Tools
  • Browse Word, Internet Explorer(IE), Excel, PowerPoint.
  • Learn formula and chart graph of Excel, and animation of Powerpoint in an interactive way.
  • Day 2-3, How can “I” control the computer: Computer Programming
  • Use VB Express Edition.
  • Learn visual programming in an interactive way. Topics include the syntax, grammar, and logic of VB computer language.
  • Develop “my” own fancy tools, such as games.
  • Have the experience of solving problems with the computer.
  • Day 4, How can “I” improve my control skills:To Develop Efficient Programs
  • Learn program design, planning before programming.
  • Know a little about programming in industry.
  • Day 5, Where to apply “my” computer skills:To share and experience more advanced techniques in Computer Science
  • To share the knowledge and techniques learnt in class, via student presentation.
  • Have the experience of programming their own profiles.

Course objectives: The basic objective of this training is to provide a BROAD and DEEP exposure to foundations of Computer Science. Given the above introduction, our overall objective is to better understand computer programming and computer software, and specifically to better understand:

1. What is computer?

2. What can a computer do today?

3. What is programming, and why is it so important (How does it affect us)?

4. What are programming techniques and skills?

5. What can middle school students create in computer programming?

6. Will the development of computer, computer programming stop?

7. Is “computer” still a hot topic? Where are its market demands?

Evaluation: The students will be evaluated by their success in project and exercises in class.

Textbooks: No textbook

References:

CSC115 Introduction to Computer Programming

CSC530 Data Structures

David Schneider, An Introduction to Programming Using Visual Basic 2005, 6/E, Prentice Hall, 2006

Infrastructure requirements: The existing facilities in Anderson Hall 025 at WCU are adequate for this training.

Instructors: Zhen Jiang and Philip Reggio