Programming Languages Curriculum Workshop 2008 Schedule

Workshop Schedule (Draft)

Welcome and Introductions [30 minutes, 30 seconds/person]
Chair: Kathleen & Chandra.
Name, affiliation, one sentence about your connection with curriculum design.
Sol Greenspan welcomes participants [5 minutes]
Purpose of Workshop [15-30 minutes]
Chair: Kathleen & Chandra
Radical evolution of CS in past decade has led to need to reexamine curriculum, including how to
- respond to new environment (internet, multicore, etc.),
- incorporate new ideas in programming languages and teaching, and
- cope with intense unit pressure.
Develop an understanding of
- [What] Partial order of core PL concepts every undergraduate CS major should know, ordered by importance, with brief justifications.
- [Why] Explanation of importance of undergraduate PL education for outside audience.
- [How] Initial brainstorming about innovative strategies for teaching core concepts.
Prep: Discuss draft "mission statement" in email.
Review structure of workshop. [10 minutes]
Chair: Kathleen & Chandra
Will be open to re-jiggering as necessary as we proceed.
Setting the Context. [10-15 minutes]
Chair: Kim Bruce.
Prior curricula including Curriculum 1991 & 2001.
Liberal arts curricula.
Status of new curriculum review process
Previous Draft Proposal & Critique. [25 minutes]
Chair: Gary Leavens.
Summarize and critique.
Discuss: What has changed in last decade?
Prep: Read 2001 draft in advance of workshop.

Brainstorming. [1.5 hours]
Chair: Kathleen & Chandra
Throw out ideas, no criticism or evaluative discussion.
Everyone participates in both topics:
- What should every CS undergraduate know about PL upon graduation?
- Why should we teach programming languages: convincing the skeptics.

In room, so we can continue to work on brainstorming if desired.

Focus Groups: Round 1. [3 hours]
Group leads and scribes to be determined.
Groups a & b: "What" (2 groups of 7 each work in parallel)
Groups c & d: "Why" (2 groups of 7 each work in parallel)
Prep: Identify group leaders, scribes, and group members in advance.
Each group schedules its own break at some point.
Group reports. [1 hour, 10 minutes/per group]
Chair: Kathleen & Chandra
Each group appoints speaker.
Each group produce one slide summarizing main discussion points.
Send out materials in email over night.
Give charge for next day.

Critique of Group Proposals. [1 hour]
Chair: Kathleen and Chandra.
One slide per group (a,b,c,d) to overview points.
First discuss a&b, then discuss c&d.
Focus groups: Round 2. [2.75 hours]
Group ab (~7 members): Subset of groups a and b. Integrate proposals from a and b, with input from discussions.
Group cd (~7 members): Subset of groups c and d. Integrate proposals from c and d, with input from discussions.
Groups e & f & ... : Brainstorming "How": Innovative Ideas for Teaching PL.
Each group schedules its own break.

Group Discussion: Innovative Ideas for Teaching PL (How). [1 hour]
Chair: To be determined.
Presentation by delegate from each focus group. [5 minutes each]
Moderated group discussion.
Scribe records conversation.
Discussion of next steps.
Group Discussion: Core concepts (What). [1 hour]
Chair: To be determined.
Presentation by delegate of Group ab.
Moderated group discussion.
Scribe records conversation.
Discussion of next steps.

Group Discussion: Justifying PL (Why). [1 hour]
Chair: To be determined.
Presentation by delegate of Group cd.
Moderated group discussion.
Scribes record conversation.
Discussion of next steps.
Wrap up discussion. [1 hour]
Chair: Kathleen & Chandra.
Plans for final report.
Scribe records conversation.