CS2013-final-report

common“CS0” courses: precursor courses often focusing on computer fluency or computational
thinking. Such courses may include some introductory computer science concepts or material,
but are not part of this Body of Knowledge and are outside the scope of our consideration.
Pathways Through Introductory Courses
We recognize that introductory courses are not constructed in the abstract, but rather are
designed for specific target audiences and contexts. Departments know their institutional
contexts best and must be sensitive to their own students and their needs. Introductory courses
differ across institutions, especially with regard to the nature and length of an introductory
sequence (that is, the number of courses that a student must take before any branching is
allowed). A sequence of courses may also have different entry points to accommodate students
with significant differences in previous computing experience and/or who come from a wide
diversity of backgrounds. Having multiple pathways into and through the introductory course
sequence can help to better align students’ abilities with the appropriate level of coursework. It
can also help create more flexibility with articulation between two-year and four-year
institutions, and smooth the transition for students transferring from other colleges/programs.
Increasingly, computing in general and programming in particular are essential to students in
other fields. Courses for these non-majors may or may not be distinct from courses that lead to
years of computer science study. Additionally, having multiple pathways through introductory
courses may provide greater options to students who choose to start take courses in computing
late in their college programs.
Building courses for diverse audiences – not just students who are already sure of a major in
computer science – is essential for making computing accessible to a wide range of students.
Given the importance of computation across many disciplines, the appeal of introductory
programming courses has significantly broadened beyond the traditionally accommodated
engineering fields. For target audiences with different backgrounds, and different expectations,
the practice of having thematically-focused introductory courses (e.g., computational biology,
robotics, digital media manipulation, etc.) has become popular. In this way, material is made
relevant to the expectations and aspirations of students with a variety of disciplinary orientations.
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