Research Aspects on Computer Science

Welcome to the course in Research Aspects on Computer Science

Join the yahoo group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ResAspectsCSatTU

Aim

After the course the students should be capable to:

• use a reference system and other scholarly traditions in their writing
• discuss what computer science means and different ways the area could be understood
• describe theories of learning of computer science
• apply these concepts in a project in computer science education.

Content

Part 1:
Originality and plagiarism in research. Applications in scientific writing. Reference systems.

Part 2:
Teaching and learning of computer science. Learning theories. Research in computer science education. Current research topics in computer science education: gender research, critical theories, socio-cultural theories, qualitative research.

Part 3:
Individual or group project.

Teaching

Lectures, discussions, seminar.

Assesment

Projects, assignments and discussions. A small written exam.

Literature

Articles.

The aim of research within computing education is to study the learning, development, and improvement of undergraduate education in computing through the use of rigorous research methods.

The goals are pragmatic: The students' learning of computing should become enhanced, their interest in the area encouraged, their study habits improved, as well as the universities becoming better at teaching and composing educational programs.

What is the course about?

This course gives an overview and an introduction to the field. It puts a particular emphasis on how research into the field is performed, since the issue of researchability delimits what we, as students or teachers, can know about the learning of computer science. Many of the research perspectives used in Computing Education Research differ from the "objectivist" perspective that is well-known from the natural sciences. In the course we will investigate the nature of the insights that can be gained from these different research perspectives, and what a computer scientiest could learn from these ways of thinking.

We will also reason about teaching and learning of computer science, and will meet, use and develop ICT based tools intended for learning computer science. Some relevant and hot research topics are also discussed, first during lectures, and later at student led seminars.

Finally, the participants will do a project within the field, individually or in small groups. The topic for these projects are decided separately for each team of student, and are intended to mirror the interests of the particular team. Particularly good projects will be encouraged to further develop their reports and submit to international research conferences.

Good reasons to take the course

• The course offers a different perspective on research in computer science, since it focuses on how others (such as students) understand Computing and CS.

• It offers ways of thinking that could be useful for those who will teach, talk about, or discuss computer science with non-computer scientists.

• It discusses the latest learning technologies, useful inside, but also outside, the field of computer science.

• It presents cutting edge research in computer science education.

• It can be "customized", in that the projects can be tailored to meet individual interests or requests.

• It will be a fun and different learning experience.

Please contact me: Mail me, Anders Berglund, with questions concerning the course.

Anders