New course teaches basic ideas of computing

With a new course called “Computer Science for Everyone,” students will be able to learn coding, create apps and develop skills in computing to build their skillset for any field.

IDC 1000  is where students can learn the seven “big ideas” of computing. Professor Christy Charters is the instructor for this fully online class, and she shares that the purpose for the course is to introduce students to the field of computing.

The syllabus states that the class was created as an introductory undergraduate-level course that covers the many aspects of computing. It evaluates the social context of computing, various concepts, and its relevance to other disciplines. It’s designed to cater to students with little to no background knowledge in computer science.  

“The goal of the course is to get students to realize how important it is to learn computational thinking skills, including coding, since so many fields use computing on a daily basis to provide valuable information and services,” said Charters.  

The course covers readings from the free online eBook titled “Blown to Bits.” Students are then asked to post discussions on various topics from the book such as how the Internet works, privacy and data on the Internet, and innovations in the field of computing.

“Students are also presented with lessons on how to write a computer program,” said Charters.  “Students are first taught how to think about solving a problem by breaking it down into smaller pieces, and writing what is called ‘pseudo code’ to develop the steps needed for a solution.”  

The students are then required to learn how to use the same pseudo code to write the actual code in Python or MIT App Inventor, explains Charters. By the time the course is over, students will learn how to create simple apps for the Android phones or tablets.

The second half of the course introduces students to the world of programming. They go through five tutorials to learn how to design basic apps, and then create an app of their own design.

They are then able to incorporate one of their favorite chapters in the “Blown to Bits” book while designing the app. This is used to integrate what students have learned in the first half of the course into the second.

“Any student, at any time, can take this course.  However, students will benefit most from this course when they take it as soon as they enter FIU,” said Charters. “The knowledge and skills they acquire in this course can be applied to other courses, as they realize how technology can be applied to solve problems in so many fields of study.”

Charters hopes students might also discover that they enjoy computing, and want to take more classes in the School of Computing and Information Sciences, as the University offers minor and master’s programs in Computer Science.

“This course is a general elective for any major.  It is not required, but it is highly recommended for any student that has never taken a computing class at FIU, or in high school,” said Charters. “This course is offered in the spring and fall semesters, as well as the winter mini-term.”

For more information about this course, please visit http://www.cis.fiu.edu/idc1000/.