In describing two examples of students asked to write programs to solve problems, a serious defect in training is illustrated with potentially important consequences for students and employers. (Author)

Human resource managers must determine which computer skills and systems will be important to the future success of the department and develop expertise in those areas. (JOW)

Discussed is the nature of and the importance of effective documentation in computer programing. (TG)

This interview reviews Don Knuth's life and contributions and his views on a variety of mathematical and computer-related topics. He is viewed as the pre-eminent scholar of computer science in the world, and is probably best known for a series of books titled, "The Art of Computer Programing." (MP)

Discussed is the need to improve computer literacy, primarily by the education community, throughout every segment of the population in order to take advantage of technological advancements, ultimately so that worker productivity can be increased. (TG)

Recent technological developments in interfaces, programing philosophy, and artificial intelligence may invite the participation of women programers, who find a concrete, intuitive, and informal style of programing more congenial than the hierarchical, rule-driven style heretofore pervasive in computer culture. (DM)

This paper discusses five points related to developmental research on children learning to do Logo programming: (1) systematic developmental research documenting what children are learning as they learn to program is necessary; (2) Logo is cognitively complex beyond its early steps and difficult to learn without instructional guidance; (3) the…

Persistent conceptual bugs exist in how novices, from primary school to college age, program and understand programs. These bugs are not specific to a given programming language but appear to be language-independent. The three different classes of bugs are: (1) parallelism, the assumption that different lines in a program can be active at the same…

Presents a rationale for changing from the current emphasis of precollege computer courses on BASIC programming skills to a focus on teaching applications software skills. Reviews research regarding the quality of computer literacy courses. Discusses parallel cognitive and affective consequences of programming and applications software. Promotes…

Pocket computers are promoted as an inexpensive means of teaching computer programing, particularly in today's world where there are increasing difficulties of obtaining funds for new curriculum materials. Samples of programs written in BASIC that can be run on pocket computers are presented, and instruction in elementary grades is promoted. (MP)

Features of two versions of the BASIC programing language are compared with the features of the PASCAL programing language. The application chosen for comparison was a word processor. The conclusion was that PASCAL had the best language features, but BASIC had better systems capabilities. (MP)

Discusses a variety of issues concerning the introductory course in computer methods in the business curriculum. Among the topics discussed are the nature of the students, the choice of programming language, the choice of online or batch environments, and the approach to instruction taken. (Author/IRT)

Learning to program involves developing an understanding of two hierarchies of concepts. One hierarchy consists of data and extends from very literal data (which represents only itself) to very abstract data incorporating variable values in complex interrelationships. The other hierarchy consists of the operations performed on the data and extends…

The educational value of courses in computer programing must be judged by sound curriculum criteria: they should fit a logical sequence of K-12 learning objectives, expose students to future career opportunities, and teach students reasoning skills. (TE)

Provides answers to nine myths about computers, including computers are invaluable for school and home use; programing experience means job security; teachers will develop their own software; computers make good teachers; computer experts will form an elite social class; and computers increase student achievement. (JN)