Concepts in the classroom, programming in the lab

Abstract

Computing Curricula 1991 calls for breadth in the undergraduate computer science curriculum. Many authors have recommended structured laboratories for computer science. This is a report on a project to combine these goals in an introductory sequence of courses. We present two courses in which all programming is done in a laboratory environment, leaving the lectures for more conceptual material that ranges over a broad selection of topics. Student reactions to this project have been very positive—we have increased the number of students continuing with the major, as well as student satisfaction with the courses themselves.