Developing a digital library of computer science teaching resources

Abstract

We describe recommendations for how to plan and develop a web-based digital library to support computer science education, i.e., the online Computer Science Teaching Center (CSTC) <www.cstc.org/~cstc>. This report details three facets: the identification of appropriate resources for inclusion in the CSTC, the review process for submissions, and the development and promotion of CSTC. A taxonomy of teaching resources is provided, and includes informal feedback from ITiCSE '98 conference participants enumerating desirable materials. Categories recommended for inclusion are: Labware / Courseware, Presentation / Exposition, On-line Course, Small Assignment, and Large Assignment. A formal review process is defined and detailed in order to insure that high quality materials are contained in the CSTC. A core set of reviewer guidelines is presented, suitable for the resources identified. Finally, recommendations for the marketing and the mechanics of the site are presented. The CSTC initially will support materials of visualizations, laboratory projects, and NSF CISE Education Innovation projects. Strong association with professional organizations, such as ACM and IEEE, is recommended. The working group unanimously recommends that access to CSTC resources should remain free of charge, to serve the widest possible audience.