waashk/acm huggingface dataset:
the university in the inner city the traditional university often has a world class reputation for teaching and research. equally often it is centrally sited in established cities through which the winds of economic change have blown viciously, leaving ivory towers surrounded by neighbourhoods of underprivileged communities. within these communities, junior and high schools do their best to battle against under-motivation and lack of expectation in the literal shadow of elaborately resourced institutions populated by secure and highly educated staff, teaching students from more affluent backgrounds who look forward on graduation to similar levels of security in employment.for modest investment, we demonstrate that it is possible to bridge the gap between these two communities. an exercise which commenced as a tightly funded service to a small number of inner-city schools has grown to serve a larger number. of more interest, it has demonstrated the potential to be of direct benefit to a range of students of the university in a way that could not otherwise be provided. roger boyle ann roberts
pedagogical implications of students' attitudes regarding computers  a survey was completed by 260 undergraduate students in freshman level computer- related courses at a university in the midwest. the survey included questions about students' attitudes regarding automobiles, home entertainment systems, and computers. there was evidence of more frustration with computers than with automobiles or home entertainment systems. students apparently found computers more difficult to operate, but were more likely to think themselves responsible for problems with computers than for problems with home entertainment systems or automobiles. the major unanticipated conclusion is that perhaps as persons teaching computer literacy we should be more concerned about how computer frustration effects students' self perception than about the possibility that frustration will lead to a dislike of computers. by emphasizing the connection between employment and computer literacy computer literacy, teachers may be unintentionally contributing to low self-esteem, anxiety and other psychological problems. suggestions for avoiding these outcomes are included.  dwight d. strong bruce j. neubauer
cyberspace across the sahara: computing in north africa  spanning 7.2 million square kilometers from the atlantic ocean to the red sea, and encompassing the great saharan desert and nile river valley, north africa embraces mauritania, western sahara, morocco, algeria, tunisia, libya, and egypt. charting the development of information technology (it) is as challenging as traversing the souks, the labyrinthine ancient marketplaces.  a. k. danowitz y. nassef s. e. goodman
systems analysis with attitude! have you ever been overruled by your students in critical decisions relating to their learning? have you ever attended your own classes as a guest consultant with pre-defined scope of input? have you ever suffered from the fact that each student is different, and you have a standard program for all? have you ever empowered your students, and watch them exceed your expectation? the only important question is whether you have the courage to throw out your safety nets and do it. for those who are looking to be involved in an exciting, challenging, stimulating and rewarding teaching exercise, systems analysis with attitude is definitely it. interested! we were too when we attempted this experiment that we do recommend to collegues in this always-evolving analysis discipline. maurice abi-raad
the changing face of software support: the impact of the internet on customer support and support personnel  the site used to collect the data for this study (beta inc.) is a u.s.-based, international computing company with over 3000 support personnel employed world-wide. during the 12 month period from august 1999 to july 2000, the company moved the customer support operation from a telephone-based system to a mix of telephone and internet- based support. the data presented in this paper was collected between january and july 2000 and shows the impact of this change on customer support and support personnel.  prior to the implementation of the internet-based, inet customer support system, the quantity of customer support, as a measure of operational performance for beta inc., was based on telephone support request (sr) volume. between january and july, 2000, there was a 52% decrease in telephone srs across the company. this followed a three- year trend of increasing telephone srs. this study shows that the decrease in telephone srs has been made up through customer self-service using the inet customer support system. as a result of this trend toward customer self- service using the internet, 15% of the beta inc. customer support personnel were rifed in june 2000.  the change in the customer support service model at beta inc. impacts the required number of support personnel, the level of expertise required of customer support personnel, and the type of support which customers may expect in the future.  several conclusions are presented:    * the effort to move beta inc. customers to a self-service mode was very successful.    * average resolution time of internet-based srs exceeded average resolution time of telephone srs, suggesting that inet provides customer solutions to simpler problems with the submission of more difficult support problems to support personnel.    * a measure of the quality of customer support self-service is needed.    * as more support questions are answered through customer searches of the inet system, the number of support personnel required to answer support questions will continue to decrease. at the same time, since only the more difficult support questions are left unanswered by the inet system the level of support personnel expertise required to answer customer questions will increase.  john m. borton
factors of success for end-user computing  a two-phase study concerned with the factors of success associated with the development of computer applications by end users was conducted in 10 large organizations. during the first phase, in-depth interviews were used to refine a preliminary model of the factors of success for user development of computer applications (uda). in the second phase, a questionnaire was administered to 272 end users experienced in developing applications. statistical tests of the relationships in the model indicated that all but one of the derived hypotheses were substantiated. the result of this study is a field-verified model of the factors of success of uda that provides a basis for implementation of uda practices and policies in organizations, as well as for further research in end-user computing.  suzanne rivard sid l. huff
the new generation of computer literacy  a tremendous mismatch is developing between two of the most critical components of any computer literacy course: the textbooks and the students. we are encountering a "new generation" of students (literally as well as figuratively!) who are much better acquainted with computer usage than their earlier counterparts. yet many textbooks with increasing emphasis in those same computer tools continue to appear. there are signs of a coming change in that a few authors and publishers apparently are becoming aware of the need for innovations in texts for non-scientists. these textbooks open the door for a new orientation to principles in the teaching of computer literacy.  j. paul myers
regulation of electronic funds transfer: impact and legal issues  this paper investigates the implications and impact of current legislation on the future of the electronic funds transfer systems (eft). the relevant statutes are introduced and analyzed. problem areas are discussed together with examples of court rulings. the investigation reveals that the regulations do not provide enough safeguards for the consumer and do not clear up the ambiguities from a combination of competing laws, regulations, and conflicting jurisdictions. legislators, on both the national and state level, and federal and state governments need to cooperate more closely to produce uniform legislation that specifically addresses the current problems in an eft environment. courts need to realize the legislature's intent and the benefits that can be gained before ruling on the current issues.  ahmed s. zaki
truth in advertising in present and future generation computing  the capabilities of advanced computing technologies are best understood by computer scientists and substantially less so by non-specialists. there is a strong bias toward oversimplifying the capabilities and limitations of new technologies when they are presented to a larger public: through presentations to policymakers, advertisements for specific products and through media exposure of enthusiasts or demoters of new technologies. overall, the capabilities of new technologies seem often exaggerated, even when the artifacts are usable and useful. in the case of new technologies, reliance on market forces is problematic since the public does not have much information on which to wisely evaluate their possible choices. does the computer science community have any role to play in helping assure that policymakers and the public receive relatively accurate representations about the character, values, problems, and costs of new classes of computing technologies?  rob kling
industry perceptions of the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed by computer programmers  in a day and age where computer information systems permeate virtually every facet of society, organizations find it difficult to hire adequate numbers of computer personnel. judging by the number of `quick-fix' organizations that offer training in "weeks rather than years" and the number of individuals that each claims to train per year, the shortage would seem to come from a lack of adequate skills rather than a lack of applicants. this paper reports the findings of an study designed to identify the knowledge, skills, and abilities (ksas) needed by one group of information technology (it) personnel --- the computer programmer.  janet l. bailey greg stefaniak
a domain centered curriculum: an alternative approach to computing education  this paper presents a new approach to computer science education by proposing a model curriculum that presents computer science fundamentals and software engineering concepts in the context of an application domain. this domain- centered model is discussed in terms of its philosophy and structure, and emphasizes curriculum features that enhance the ability of a graduate to be part of a team that develops software in the application domain. in particular, the curriculum model proposes integration of software engineering education with the application domain. the undergraduate computer science curriculum at embry-riddle aeronautical university is used to illustrate the principle features of the model and to advance arguments about the model's viability.  iraj hirmanpour thomas b. hilburn andrew kornecki
edp auditors' role in evaluating computerized accounting information systems efficiency by queuing, simulation and statistical models  this study is a summary of the various relevant aspects related to evaluating system efficiency in computerized accounting information systems. during recent years a vast body of knowledge central to the problem of computer performance evaluation has accumulated. unfortunately, however, the work on the subject demonstrates enormous disparity. on the one hand, one finds numerous reports and documents that present masses of empirical data obtained from measurement or simulation. on the other hand, theoretical papers are, more often than not, couched in advanced mathematics, not easily accessible to engineers and/or electronic data processing (edp) auditors.  among a number of mathematical disciplines related to system modeling,"queuing model,""simulation method," and "statistical analysis" are the most important quantitative techniques. this paper provides a cohesive introduction to the modeling and analysis techniques for evaluating system efficiency. these techniques will certainly be applicable to modeling activities of complex systems in general, and not merely computer systems.  sara f. rushinek avi rushinek
improving on-line assessment: an investigation of existing marking methodologies we are in the process of developing an on-line marking system for use in our large-scale cs1 and cs2 courses. to better accommodate the needs of our numerous raters, we investigated their current methodologies in marking students' work; this paper presents our findings from recording "think out loud" marking sessions and surveys. a prototype for an on-line assessment software tool is described; this tool allows markers to view students' work at various degrees of detail ranging from complete, low-level to "meta-level." we believe such a system is beneficial for improving the marking process in large-scale and distance classes. jon a. preston russell shackelford
the use of personal computers in teaching english composition  it is clear that computers are essential to a course in programming, are easily used for practice in arithmetic, and are useful for simulations in an economics or sociology course, but it is not clear how, if at all, they can be used to teach the writing of english. to be sure, you could use a computer to administer a spelling drill, or a multiple choice test in punctuation---but none of this is composition. while most proposed applications in the teaching of english run to such computer assisted instruction, my experiences over the last four years have shown me that a personal computer can be a powerful aid in learning to write.  jef raskin
is computer technology taught upside down? there has been a continuing fragmentation of traditional computer science into other disciplines such as multimedia, e-commerce, software engineering etc. in this context the standard computer technology curriculum designed for computer science students is in danger of becoming perceived as increasingly irrelevant --- both by students and employers. the authors review expectations of both students and employers, as determined by market analysis, and present the results of implementing one possible solution to providing an introductory computer technology curriculum suitable not only for students from other disciplines but also as a basis for computer science majors. s. p. maj d. veal p. charlesworth
a paged - operating - system project  this paper describes a student project which is a major part of a senior level operating systems course at the federal institute of technology in lausanne.  the project consists in conceiving and implementing an entire operating system, where user jobs benefit from a simulated paged virtual memory on a dec-lsi/11 based microprocessor. students program in portal, a modular high level language similar to modula.  the positive reactions we have obtained from our students center on satisfaction in having participated in defining specifications and having implemented an entire system themselves.  andre schiper gerard dalang jorge eggli imad mattini roland simon
changing attitudes for future growth  everyone's attitude about computers is changing rapidly. it has to. computers are an everyday part of life that can not be avoided. telephone bills, electric companies, credit card companies, hospitals, and even grocery store check outs are now computerized in some way.  university students at every level of education are also experiencing computer attitude changes. almost every department in a university system now requires some computer interaction for their students.  several questions come to mind when planning how to best introduce students to the computer. are formal computer science classes too technical for non- computer science majors? will specialized short courses be enough? where do students go for personal help outside the classroom? are computer professionals able to assist those with little or no computer knowledge? are departments asking too much of their students? many universities have promoted satellite computer labs staffed with professionals to meet the needs of the students and faculty in a particular department or college. these satellite labs should be able to provide a user friendly environment and some one-to-one attention to the problem at hand.  this paper will discuss some of the problems, we, as a satellite computer lab, have encountered during our existence. since we deal primarily with graduate students and faculty in public health working with statistical packages, our problems are not as numerous as they could be. i plan to present just some of the problems we face and solutions we have tried for changing people's attitudes about the computer.  diana l. williams
learning from users (pane presentation): testing web design  the panel will actively model methods of collecting input from users about the effectiveness of web pages. during the fall of 2000, owens library, northwest missouri state university, conducted a web usability study of six of the library's high-use web pages. these pages were created by librarians without the benefit of formal and systematic user input regarding the design and intuitiveness of the library site's architecture. the study consisted of one- on-one observations [1], focus groups [2], and user dialogues [3]. by consulting a representative, cross-section of student, staff, and faculty populations, librarians gained valuable assessment of how the library's web pages are perceived and used. the study was funded by culture of quality monies awarded by northwest missouri state university.  panel members and volunteers from the audience will provide mini- demonstrations of one-on-one observations where the "user" will be asked to complete tasks using a specified web page. during the presentation, volunteers will also be recruited for participation in a mini focus group, followed by a demonstration of a user dialogue.  in addition to modeling methods of collecting input, the librarians will share the process they developed to undertake the study. a timetable was developed to ensure that tasks were assigned to the appropriate persons; questions were developed for each of the pages to be tested; participants were recruited; and the data was analyzed. the panel members will also share the method used to assess the qualitative data gathered in this type of study. [4]  the session will end with concrete examples of what librarians learned during the fall 2000 study and how the data collected was used to improve the intuitive functionality and appeal of owens library web pages.  carolyn johnson joyce meldrem
using scientific experiments in early computer science laboratories  computer science is an experimental science, in the same sense that biology or physics are experimental sciences. nonetheless, lab exercises for cs1 and cs2 courses are almost never formal "experiments" as the term would be understood in any other science. this paper describes our experiences using formal experiments in cs1 and 2 laboratories. such exercises are extremely valuable, in part because they help students relate abstract concepts to concrete programs, but more importantly because they lead students into new areas of computing, and even new forms of learning.  doug baldwin johannes a. g. m. koomen
modern software development concepts: a new philosophy for cs2 in this paper we propose a significantly different approach to cs2, the second course in the undergraduate computer science curriculum. rather than a central focus on the design and implementation of data structures, we propose that the central focus be on modern software development concepts such as object-oriented design, exceptions, guis, graphics, collection classes, threads, and networking. we believe that these are the important concepts that students should be exposed to and should use in the second computer science course. paul t. tymann g. michael schneider
a review and applications of information ecologies  this review of information ecologies notes how well nardi and o'day's biological approach fits with articulation theory (in rhetoric), since both encourage spelling out alternatives and consequences so as to avoid oversimplified technology choices. a closer look at the relevance of theircase studies to promoting suitable technological improvements in k-12 education, however, finds concerns (about adequate social rewards andsustainability) along with promising parallels.  dickie selfe dawn hayden
self-assessment as a precursor to professional development  this paper discusses the association for computing machinery (acm) self- assessment procedures and their use for professional development. a background and history of the procedures is presented, including a statement of intention and philosophy along with a list of currently available procedures. the use of the self- assessment procedures by individuals is described, along with ideas for use in acm chapter professional development programs. three group uses of the procedures are presented: the distribution of the procedures in packets (particularly to new members); the formation of self-assessment workshops; and, the use of the procedures in a cdp review course. the authors advocate the use of self-assessment as a precursor to any professional development program.  james s. ketchel james r. douglass
has our curriculum become math-phobic? (an american perspective) we are concerned about a view in undergraduate computer science education, especially in the early courses, that it's okay to be math-phobic and still prepare oneself to become a computer scientist. our view is the contrary: that any serious study of computer science requires students to achieve mathematical maturity (especially in discrete mathematics) early in their undergraduate studies, thus becoming well-prepared to integrate mathematical ideas, notations, and methodologies throughout their study of computer science. a major curricular implication of this theme is that the prerequisite expectations and conceptual level of the first discrete mathematics course should be the same as it is for the first calculus course --- secondary school pre-calculus and trigonometry. ultimately, calculus, linear algebra, and statistics are also essential for computer science majors, but none should occur earlier than discrete mathematics. this paper explains our concerns and outlines our response as a series of examples and recommendations for future action. charles kelemen allen tucker peter henderson owen astrachan kim bruce
faculty computer literacy at the university of wisconsin-milwaukee  the csd faculty loan program focuses on the computer-phobic, or at least computer-anxious, faculty member, rather than those faculty who have already come to grips with computer technology. we started the program in june, 1985.  objectives:  to provide faculty with sufficient computing experience to enable them to evaluate the use of computers in their instructional and research activities.  to expose participants to several computing tools that could enhance their personal productivity.  neil a. trilling
event-driven programming is simple enough for cs1  we have recently designed a cs 1 course that integrates event-driven programming from the very start. our experience teaching this course runs counter to the prevailing sense that these techniques would add complexity to the content of cs 1. instead, we found that they were simple to present and that they also simplified that presentation of other material in the course. in this paper, we explain the approach we used to introduce event-driven methods and discuss the factors underlying our success.  kim b. bruce andrea p. danyluk thomas p. murtagh