Computer Science is the foundational discipline of computing that studies the use of computers to systematically solve problems. Our vision for this curricular revision for Computer Science (CS2023) includes the following:
- The task force will attempt to incorporate an appropriate competency model for computer science in CS2023.
- Rationale: Computer Science is a professional discipline where skills and professional dispositions are just as important as the underlying knowledge. While the computing education community has accepted the importance of skills and incorporated various pedagogical techniques to promote the development of skills in computing education, it has not yet widely accepted the benefits of professional dispositions to the same extent. We hope to make the importance of Computer Science students developing professional dispositions more salient by attempting to build a competency model of the curriculum.As competency models are discipline-specific, the CS2023 task force will evaluate existing competency models, and select and adapt an appropriate model for computer science before using it and advocating for it.
- The task force will produce an updated knowledge model of the computer science curriculum in CS2023
- Rationale: The value of curricular guidelines is dependent on buy-in by the community. Since convincing the computing education community of the importance of professional dispositions is still a work in progress, we wish CS2023 to be a bridge between the tried and true knowledge model and the yet-to-be-designed competency model of the curriculum. Consequently, we will provide a knowledge model of the curriculum, updated from the CS2013 guidelines.
- The task force will make every attempt to maintain consistency between the knowledge model and competency model in CS2023.
- Rationale: The task force wants to provide a cohesive bridge between the two, in order to make it possible for adopters of either to be able to compare their curricula.
- The task force will produce both a hardcopy document and a live online version of the CS2023 curriculum.
- Rationale: Providing a live online version of the curriculum will facilitate easier navigation among knowledge areas, offer the opportunity to associate supplementary materials (e.g., exemplar assignments, courses) with each knowledge unit and facilitate ongoing improvement of the curriculum long after it has been initially published.
- The task force will produce richly-researched articles by experts on curricular practices.
- Rationale: Whereas Curricular Guidelines list what should be covered in the curriculum, Curricular Practices describe how and why they should be covered, including challenges, best practices, etc. Curricular guidelines and curricular practices will complement each other. Curricular practice articles will capture the state of the art, inform educators and attempt to advance Computer Science education.