Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site brl-tgr.ARPA Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!mit-eddie!genrad!wjh12!talcott!harvard!seismo!brl-tgr!abc From: abc@brl-tgr.ARPA (Brint Cooper ) Newsgroups: net.college,net.cse Subject: Re: Should Computer Science be taught at the High School level? Message-ID: <6666@brl-tgr.ARPA> Date: Wed, 19-Dec-84 15:46:55 EST Article-I.D.: brl-tgr.6666 Posted: Wed Dec 19 15:46:55 1984 Date-Received: Fri, 21-Dec-84 01:37:33 EST References: <241@mss.UUCP> <705@ames.UUCP> <44@rti-sel.UUCP> Distribution: net Organization: Ballistic Research Lab Lines: 34 Xref: watmath net.college:553 net.cse:271 > Teaching CS in HS is fine and should be encouraged. But why stop there? > I personally learned how to program in BASIC in 7th grade. It was an > experimental program in teaching CS. I have not stopped since. Actually, > I see no reason not to teach children to use computers as soon as they > can read. Anybody vote for 2nd grade. That's a good reading level to start. > Teach something like LOGO. It is simple, it teaches logical thinking, and > it is fun to draw pictures and will hold a childs interest. > > Randy Buckland > Research Triangle Institute > ...!mcnc!rti-sel!rcb Just for the record, this isn't such a revolutionary idea. Here in archaic Harford County, Md., LOGO is being taught to primary children (grades 1-3, but I'm not sure where they start)t), and intermediate level (4-5) are learning BASIC, both on Apple IIe machines purchased by the PTAs. In high school, the kids can learn BASIC and FORTRAN in classroom settings. My son is learning PASCAL in an "independent study" course of 1 hour per day. It's independent study because noone on the faculty knows enough PASCAL to teach it! Brint ARPA: abc@brl.arpa UUCP: ...{decvax,cbosgd}!brl-bmd!abc Dr Brinton Cooper U.S. Army Ballistic Research Laboratory Attn: AMXBR-SECAD (Cooper) Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21005-5066 Offc: 301 278-6883 AV: 283-6883 FTS: 939-6883 Home: 301-879-8927