Introducing computer science in a liberal arts college (abstract only)
Brian Laird Crissey, Dean Sanders · 1985
The introductory computer science course often plays a dual role in the resource limited environment of a small liberal arts college. It must provide a firm foundation for the computer science major while providing a service function to the rest of the college. This paper describes such a course that is being developed at Linfield College. By emphasizing personal computers and introducing general purpose tools such as word processors, spreadsheets, database managers, and communications packages, the computer is shown to be a tool that can be used without learning the intricacies of programming. Hands-on experience with these packages provides a good basis for discussions of the breadth of computer science, of current trends, and of related social concerns. Program design and construction can be introduced with tools such as Warnier/Orr diagrams and Karel the Robot. Customized software can be constructed with an application generator.