Teaching empirical skills and concepts in computer science using random walks

  • Authors:

  • Grant Braught

  • Affiliations:

  • Dickinson College, Carlisle, PA

  • Venue:
  • Proceedings of the 36th SIGCSE technical symposium on Computer science education
  • Year:
  • 2005

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Abstract

An argument is made for integrating the study of empirical skills and concepts into the computer science curriculum. With reference to past work an incremental approach is advocated for the study of these skills and concepts. A unique assignment that exemplifies the advocated approach is presented. This assignment, based on the study of random walks, is intended to introduce empirical investigation as early as is possible, during the first week of the first course. Two extensions to this assignment, one for the first course and one for a programming languages course, are discussed and used to illustrate the advocated incremental approach.