As noted below, this site is under development!

Course Features:

• This course provides an extensive and down-to-earth overview of computing and computer science. The course weaves together three themes:

  • Background for citizens in today's technological society, providing thoughtful answers to many practical questions that students often express about computing and presenting insights about what computers can and cannot do.

  • Experience in algorithmic thinking, highlighting logical thinking and the use of computing to help solve problems that people care about.

  • Development/refinement of research and writing skills, connecting communication skills (commonly identified with non-science disciplines) to the exploration and presentation of [computing-related] science topics.

• This course satisfies a general-education requirement for one course in Learning Objective 5: Observing, Experimenting, and Modeling: The Scientific and Quantitative View. In meeting this requirement, this offering of the course includes several specific elements.

  • To sharpen and develop experience with logical thinking, the course will include about 15 in-class labs, during which students will conduct experiments, make observations, and write computer programs.

  • Programming will include labs and assignments utilizing the C programming language (widely used in quantitative analysis, in science, and in engineering).

  • Since a focus in computational problem solving requires problems to solve, the course will utilize Scribbler 2 robots as an application theme, and students will write a range of C programs that will direct these robots to play songs, move around a room, and [possibly] draw designs on paper.

Navigation on this Site

Since this site is under development, some quirks may be encountered in the short term. The following describes site navigation, which should be stable within the next couple weeks.

• Navigation on the left of this home page shows class-session information, based on today's date.

• To find data for a date other than today, add a query string with the desired date in the format yyyy-mm-dd. For example: to obtain course information, based on February 16, 2017, use the URL:
  http://www.walker.cs.grinnell.edu/courses/101.sp17/?date=2017-02-16

Status of Course Web Site

• The overall structure of the course seems stable.

  • Course themes, the textbook, and the basic Web infrastructure are well defined.
  • The course format is established as a combination of class discussion (including small groups) and collaborative labs.
  • Basic elements of coursework are identified (although opportunities for extra credit likely will evolve).

• Many course details will continue to evolve.

  • Specifics of the day-by-day semester schedule will evolve as the course progresses.
  • Online readings and labs will be updated and edited for the local environment at The University of the South.

created 15 November 2016 by Henry M. Walker revised 15 November 2016-13 January 2017 by Henry M. Walker
For more information, please contact Henry M. Walker at walker@cs.grinnell.edu.