COQUITLAM COLLEGE
 
COURSE NUMBER: CSCI 120-3
 
 
TITLE: INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER SCIENCE AND PROGRAMMING I
 
 
DESCRIPTION:
 
This course is an elementary introduction to computers, computer science
and computer programming. Students will study the history of computers and computing.
Students will learn the fundamental concepts and terminology of computer science,
and acquire elementary programming skills in the Python 3 programming language.
No prior programming background is required.
 
 
PREREQUISITES/COREQUISITES:
 
Math 12, Math 100 or equivalent.
Students who have obtained credit for CSCI 101, 102, 103, 110 or 165
may not take this course for further credit.
 
 
TEXTBOOK:
 
How to Think Like a Computer Scientist - Learning with Python,
by Jeffrey Elkner, Allen B. Downey and Chris Meyers, Second Edition, 2009
 
This text can be freely downloaded:
http://openbookproject.net//thinkCSpy/index.html
 
 
DURATION:   13 weeks, 3 hours/week.
 
 
TOPICS:
 
History of Computing
Computer Architecture
Problem Solving
Fundamental Algorithms
Pseudocode
Imperative Programming
Data Types and Control Structures
Computability and Complexity
 


LEARNING OUTCOMES:

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:

Cite some historical facts of computer science.
Describe fundamental concepts behind computer science. 
Analyze problem specifications.
Define simple algorithms using pseudocode.
Construct Python programs from algorithms using standard programming methodologies.
Describe and apply techniques to debug programs.
Define functions that take appropriate arguments and either perform output or return results.
Use objects that are built-in or defined in modules (creating new classes is not required).
Trace the execution of Python programs.
Use elementary data structures such as strings and lists.
Implement fundamental algorithms such as the linear search and selection sort.
Analyze the running time of simple iterative algorithms.
Document a project.




                                   
EVALUATION:
 
Participation 10%
Quizzes       20%
Midterm Exam  30%
Final Exam    40%
 
Students must attain an overall passing grade on the weighted average of exams
in the course in order to obtain a clear pass (C or better).
 
 
 


Outline120.txt 

Current at: Friday 30th July 2010, 16:28 PT, AD