Principles

From CS2001 Wiki

Chapter 2 Principles

Based on the analysis of past curriculum reports prior to 2001 and the changes in the discipline outlined in the preceding chapters, the CS2008 Review Task Force articulated a set of principles to guide its work; many of these are similar to or an evolution of similar principles that appeared in CS2001.

Contents 1 On Computing 2 On Computer Science 3 Course Design and Implementation 4 The Review Process

On Computing

1. Computing is a broad field that extends well beyond the boundaries of computer science. A single report that covers only computer science cannot address the full range of issue that colleges and universities must consider as they seek to address their computing curricula. Additional reports in Computer Engineering, Software Engineering, and Information Systems have been produced in this series; a further report on Information Technology is at an advanced stage of preparation. These address major sub-disciplines, but additional possibilities still exist. Moreover an Overview volume has been produced in an attempt to characterise these sub-disciplines and also to characterise graduates from such degree programs, including specifically computer science.
2. Like CS2001, CS2008 should seek to identify the fundamental skills and knowledge that all computing students must possess. Despite the enormous breadth of computer science, there are nonetheless concepts and skills that are common to computing as a whole. CS2008 must attempt to identify and articulate the common themes of the discipline and make sure that all undergraduate programs include this material.
3. CC2008 must continue to strive to be international in scope. Despite the fact that curricular requirements differ from country to country, CC2001 was intended to be useful to computing educators throughout the world; CS2008 should further endorse that perspective. Although it will be strongly influenced by educational practice in the United States, every effort is made to ensure that the curriculum recommendations are sensitive to national and cultural differences so that they will be widely applicable throughout the world.
4. CC2008 must include updated professional practice as an integral component of the undergraduate curriculum. These practices encompass a wide range of activites including management, ethics and values, written and oral communication, working as part of a team, and remaining current in a rapidly changing discipline. In CS2008 cultural issues now merit inclusion. We further continue to endorse the position articulated in the CC1991 report that “mastery of the discipline includes not only an understanding of basic subject matter, but also an understanding of the applicability of the concepts to real-world problems.”
5. The Interim Review Task Force needs to recognise that, since around 2001, student enrolment numbers have been falling to the extent that a crisis now exists in the Computing discipline. The Interim Review needs to present the Computer Science discipline in as positive a light as possible, as seen by current applicants. Since around 2001 student numbers have fallen by around 50% in the US and in many other countries. Now there are not sufficient numbers of graduates to fill the many important positions that exist.

On Computer Science

6. Computer science continues to draw its foundations from a wide variety of disciplines. Undergraduate study of computer science requires students to utilize concepts from many different fields. All computer science students must learn to integrate theory and practice, to recognize the importance of abstraction, and to appreciate the value of good engineering design.
7. Development of a computer science curriculum must be sensitive to changes in technology, new developments in pedagogy, and the importance of lifelong learning. In a field that evolves as rapidly as computer science, educational institutions must continue to adopt explicit strategies for responding to change. Institutions, for example, must recognize the importance of remaining abreast of progress in both technology and pedagogy, subject to the constraints of available resources. Computer science education, moreover, must seek to prepare students for lifelong learning that will enable them to move beyond today’s technology to meet the challenges of the future.
8. The required body of knowledge, i.e. the core, should be updated from CS2001 to reflect changes in the discipline. Yet it should still be made as small as reasonably possible. As computer science has grown, the number of topics required in the undergraduate curriculum has also grown. Since 2001, there have been changes in key areas such as computer architecture, communications, human computer interaction and web technologies. But in addition topics such as security have gained a greater degree of prominence. These considerations have caused some adjustments to the core in CS2008. As before, coverage of the core is not limited to introductory courses, but extends throughout the curriculum. At the same time, it remains important to recognize that this core does not constitute a complete undergraduate curriculum, but must be supplemented by additional courses that may vary by institution, degree program, or individual student.
9. The development of CS2008 must remain broadly based. To be successful, the process of creating the CS2008 recommendations must include participation from many different constituencies including industry, government, and the full range of higher educational institutions involved in computer science education.
10. The Interim Review Task Force must take into account relevant feedback from industry and seek to address their current needs.

Course Design and Implementation

11. CS2008 should follow the style of CS2001 and go beyond knowledge units to offer significant guidance in terms of individual course design in particular areas. Articulating a set of well-defined models will make it easier for institutions to share pedagogical strategies and tools. It will also provide a framework for publishers who provide the textbooks and other materials for those courses.
12. CC2008 must include discussions of strategies and tactics for implementation along with high-level recommendations. Although it is important to articulate a broad vision of computing education, the success of any curriculum depends heavily on implementation details. CC2001 provided institutions with advice on the practical concerns of setting up a curriculum by including sections on strategy and tactics along with technical descriptions of the curricular material. CS2008 must do likewise in important areas.
13. In seeking to address the Computing crisis, the Interim Review Task Force has been mindful of the need to protect the discipline of Computer Science. It has taken the view that the crisis should be addressed mainly through pedagogical considerations.

The Review Process

14. The rapid evolution of computer science requires an ongoing review of the corresponding curriculum. Given the pace of change in this discipline, the process of updating the curriculum once a decade has become unworkable. The professional associations have now established an ongoing review process that allows individual components of the curriculum recommendations to be updated on a recurring basis. A joint group formed by representatives of ACM and the Computer Society has been formed for this purpose.

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