Programming contests for assessing problem-solving ability
Drue Coles, Curt Allen Jones, Erik Wynters · Journal of computing sciences in colleges · 2011
Computer science is one of the largest curricular areas among college and university programs seeking accreditation, a peer-review process designed to certify that a program meets professional standards of quality. Our program is accredited by ABET, the largest accrediting body in the U.S. for computer science. One of the ABET requirements (following ACM curriculum standards) is that a program teaches students how to analyze a problem, and identify and define the computing requirements appropriate to its solution; moreover, one of our own stated program objectives is to develop students' general problem-solving ability. Much of the work in sustaining accreditation involves identifying and collecting data for measuring the extent to which educational goals are being realized, but we find that quantifying problem-solving ability, or even simply defining it, is a significant challenge. This article describes one of the assessment mechanisms that we have developed to meet this challenge.