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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
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Posted: Wed Dec 19 15:46:55 1984
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> 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
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		  Dr Brinton Cooper
		  U.S. Army Ballistic Research Laboratory
		  Attn: AMXBR-SECAD (Cooper)
		  Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD  21005-5066

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