Book Description

This book is designed both for introductory courses in computer problem solving, at the freshman and sophomore college level, and for individual self study. An earlier version of the book has been used seven times for teaching large introductory classes at University of California San Diego (UCSD). This preface is intended for the instructor, or for anyone sophisticated enough in contemporary computing practice to be able to advise the prospective student. The amount of material presented has been completed by about 55 percent of all students taking the course, where UCSD schedules 10 weeks of classes in a quarter. We have taught the course using Keller's Personalized System of Instruction (PSI), though the organization of the book does not require that plan to be used. PSI methods allow slightly more material to be absorbed by the students than is the case with the traditional lecture/recitation presentation. PSI allows grading according to the number of chapter units completed. Virtually all students who pass the course at UCSD do complete the first ten essential chapters and the Exercises associated with them. For a conventional presentation under the semester system, the 15 chapters should present an appropriate amount of material. For a conventional course under the quarter system, one might not expect to complete more than the first 12 chapters except on an extra credit basis.