Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 (Tek) 9/28/84 based on 9/17/84; site azure.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!mit-eddie!genrad!decvax!tektronix!teklds!azure!annab From: annab@azure.UUCP (Anna Beaver) Newsgroups: net.college,net.cse Subject: Re: Should Computer Science be taught at the High School level? Message-ID: <25@azure.UUCP> Date: Wed, 19-Dec-84 12:01:02 EST Article-I.D.: azure.25 Posted: Wed Dec 19 12:01:02 1984 Date-Received: Fri, 21-Dec-84 07:39:11 EST References: <241@mss.UUCP> <705@ames.UUCP> <82@uwvax.UUCP> Distribution: net Organization: Tektronix, Beaverton OR Lines: 27 Xref: watmath net.college:560 net.cse:274 > > I would suggest that students take a class in some sort of analysis, > where they don't have to know much about a specific topic to learn the > methods of problem description and solution. If you throw this plus > learning a programming language into the same course, are your students > going to learn what you want them to? > > brian > -- I came in on the tail end of this discussion so I'm not sure if this point has been brought up. People are born with pretty remarkable reasoning abillities. If they are taught good problem solving methods EARLY they have a better chance of grasping new concepts more quickly. However, it is also true that most of what we have learned comes from example and exposure to the concepts and/or the equipment involved. My 14 yr. old son has been exposed to and using computers for about 5 yrs. now and has a good understanding of how a lot of it functions. The Junior High School which he attends has several computers and they have used him as a resourse to tutor teachers as well as other students. If the propper problem analysis techniques are taught from EARLY on and the children are allowed to use computers more in school, as well as at home they could learn basic programming concepts BEFORE high school, as some are now doing. Annadiana Beaver A Beaver@Tektronix