Week 1

This is the first regular unit of material for CS160. We will explore our first algorithm of the week, indexing, and begin an ongoing exploration of programming. You have already read the first chapter of that programming material while getting started; now it is time to go back and finish the exercises you didn't polish off on first contact and do some additional activities to complete your work in that chapter. You will also read the next chapter to prepare for the programming in Unit 2. In the other half of the Welcome to CS book (the “Computation and Computer Science” chapters, as opposed to the “Exploring Programming” chapters), we will be exploring the history of computing and how people engage with it as a field of study and work.

Begin each unit by perusing all of the items in the module, including a look at the written assignment. You will need to do some reading and practice before you can answer all of the prompts in the written assignment, but you should start with the end in sight.

Upon finishing this learning module, you should be able to:

• Describe, compare and contrast various professions and careers in Computing
• Chart educational pathways for entrance into these professions
• Identify key developments in the evolution of computing hardware
• Explain how a computer makes use of an index to search for information
• Make simple modifications to existing Python programs to observe the effects

Computing Fields and History

What is CS? Why study it?

Why learn about CS? What kinds of things do people with CS degrees do? These videos offer an introduction to computing science as a field.

Computing Fields and Careers

Read Computing Related Fields in Welcome to CS.

Here at Chemeketa here is how you get started in the various computing fields:

• If you are interested in CS or SE, the CS program is your starting point.

• If you are interested in CE you should check out the Engineering program.

• If you are interested in a technical-focused IT or IS degree, you should look at the CIS program.

• If you are interested in cybersecurity, you probably want to check out the CIS program's cybersecurity degree, unless you are interested in a very code-oriented cybersecurity career (reverse engineering, malware analysis) in which case a CS degree may make sense.

Optionally, you might also want to browse through these sites for more information on various computing career opportunities and the associated educational requirements.

• US Department of Labor (Computer and Information Technology Occupations)

• US Department of Labor (Engineering Occupations)

History of Computers

Read History of Computers in Welcome to CS.

Algorithm of the Week: Indexing

In the Nine Algorithms that Changed the Future book, read chapters 1 and 2: the Introduction and our first Algorithm of the Week, indexing. This material will be valuable for working on the written assignment, which you should begin as soon as possible.

Optional Extras: The Birth of the Computer

This is an interesting “behind the scenes” stories about the birth of computing and where it may head in the future from famed inventor George Dyson.