Communications of the ACM
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How the “Frontier” Became the Slogan of Uncontrolled AI
Artificial intelligence (AI) has been billed as the next frontier of humanity: the newly available expanse whose exploration …
From Computer Science Teacher - Thoughts and Information From Alfred Thompson
Notes on Day Two of #CSTA2021
Today started, for me, with help desk duty. While I was there no one needed any help which I suppose says good thi8ngs about the HopIn platform CSTA is using. The...
From Computer Science Teacher - Thoughts and Information From Alfred Thompson
Day One–#CSTA2021
Today was the first day of the Computer Science Teachers Association conference. All online of course. It was a pretty cool day. I got myself set up with a twohttps...
From Computer Science Teacher - Thoughts and Information From Alfred Thompson
Learning My nth Programming Language
They say that the second programming language is the hardest to learn. That’s mostly because one learns how to program using their first language but each language...
From Computer Science Teacher - Thoughts and Information From Alfred Thompson
Avoiding Tour De Force Sample Code
Sample code is a wonderful way to teach and learn coding. The problem with a lot of sample code is that it is just too complicated and to fancy. I call it tour...
From Computer Science Teacher - Thoughts and Information From Alfred Thompson
Phun with Phidgets
Recently I requested a free (for educators) starter kit from Phidgets. Phidgets are small controllers and sensors that are easy to use and with a helpful API. The...
From Computer Science Teacher - Thoughts and Information From Alfred Thompson
Is Picking a First Programming Language the Hardest Problem in CS Education?
All of a sudden the subject of the first programming language is getting discussed everywhere. OK, maybe not every where but it is in Twitter, Blogs, and Facebook...
From Computer Science Teacher - Thoughts and Information From Alfred Thompson
Why Are Arrays So Hard For Beginners?
Beginner programmers often, dare I say usually, struggle with arrays. Sometimes it is hard for experienced programmers like myself to understand why but with years...
From Computer Science Teacher - Thoughts and Information From Alfred Thompson
Getting Excited for CSTA 2021
As a member of the CSTA Conference Committee, I attended the first of two presenter training sessions today. Wow! CSTA 2021 will be good. Now I have read most of...
From Computer Science Teacher - Thoughts and Information From Alfred Thompson
Exploring the Ternary Operator
I’ve never had a lot of use for the ternary operator. Until recently, I think I under appreciated it. I Don’t recall ever using it in professional development though...
From Computer Science Teacher - Thoughts and Information From Alfred Thompson
Trip Report: Teaching as a Long Term Sub
Well, this is not actually a trip report but its something like it. I spend the last couple of months teaching at Phillips Exeter Academy as a long term substitute...
From Computer Science Teacher - Thoughts and Information From Alfred Thompson
Othello/Reversi for After the APCS Exam
My good friend and former teaching partner, Tom Indelicato posted about his end of year project for his AP CS A student recently. With his permission I share it...
From Computer Science Teacher - Thoughts and Information From Alfred Thompson
Learning From My Students
Being back in the classroom has been a learning experience for me. For one thing I have had to learn a bit of Processing (the IDE) as students had been using it...
From Computer Science Teacher - Thoughts and Information From Alfred Thompson
Which Sort Do You Use?
My algorithms class is studying sorts this week. I felt like we needed a little hands on sorting to get an understanding of how some sorts related to the types...
From Computer Science Teacher - Thoughts and Information From Alfred Thompson
Back in the Classroom Again
“What would motivate you to come out of retirement to teach during a pandemic?” That was the question I was asked during an interview for a long term substitution...
From Computer Science Teacher - Thoughts and Information From Alfred Thompson
CSTA 2021 Scholarships
Are you looking to attend the CSTA 2021 Conference but funding is an issue? There are a great many scholarships available that can help. Visit the scholarship site...
From Computer Science Teacher - Thoughts and Information From Alfred Thompson
Learning To Teach To Learn
A blog post by Eugene Wallingford (TEACHING YOURSELF THE MATERIAL) reminded me of some things. As he says, “A common complaint from students is that the professor...
From Computer Science Teacher - Thoughts and Information From Alfred Thompson
To Many Ways to Add One
Someone posted a questions asking which sort of programmer one was from a list of ways to add one to a variable:X++++XX+=1X = X + 1Actually the initial question...
From Computer Science Teacher - Thoughts and Information From Alfred Thompson
Programming using Text or Blocks? Why not Both?
Continuing my look at papers from the SIGCSE 2021conference. The papers are available for free for a limited time. Get them while you can. In this post, I take...
From Computer Science Teacher - Thoughts and Information From Alfred Thompson
Zero Indexing Considered Harmful
As the old computer geek joke goes. the three hardest things in programming are naming things and off by one errors. Lately I have been thinking about off by one...
From Computer Science Teacher - Thoughts and Information From Alfred Thompson