Computing in Liberal Arts

SIGCSE Committee on Computing Education in Liberal Arts Colleges

Summary of Major Activities (2024-04-08)

Building Community in Liberal Arts Computer Science

  • Sponsored SIGCSE Technical Symposium full-day event on Wednesday, March 20th in Portland, OR
    • 40 attendees
    • Event was funded in part through an NSF IUSE workshop grant no 2342587
    • Morning presentation topics:
      • BA versus BS Degrees in Computer Science
      • A Minor in Artificial Intelligence Using Liberal Arts Courses
      • Reports from Students and Instructors on a New Synthesized Pedagogical Model for CS1 in Python
      • Challenges and Opportunities in Collaborating on Instructional Materials
    • Additional morning breakout sessions on hiring in CS at liberal arts colleges, valuing pedagogical research in tenure and promotion, and future ideas for committee work
    • Afternoon workshop on working with CS2023
      • Introduction to working with committee developed step-by-step process (see below for more detail)
    • Event page: https://computing-in-the-liberal-arts.github.io/SIGCSE2024-Affiliated-Event/
      • Presentation proposals and materials for this and previous affiliated events are all archived on our affiliated event webpages
  • Tutorial Sessions at CCSC Regional Conferences
    • The Committee has held tutorial sessions at many CCSC regional conferences themed around how liberal arts institutions and small programs can work with CS2023
      • 2022: CCSC-NE, CCSC-MW, CCSC-E, CCSC-NW
      • 2023: CCSC-NE, CCSC-SE, CCSC-RM, CCSC-MW, CCSC-E

Advocating for Liberal Arts Computer Science

  • Activities with ACM/IEEE Task Force for CS2023
  • Developing Process Workbook and Spreadsheet Tool
    • Supported curricular practices article advocating for on mission- and identity-driven curriculum development with a step-by-step workbook and spreadsheet tool
    • Current version of workbook published on our website: https://computing-in-the-liberal-arts.github.io/CS2023/
    • Developed training workshops to support usage of the workbook and spreadsheet tool (see above)
  • NSF IUSE proposals
    • NSF IUSE Workshop proposal “Workshops Supporting the Development of a Workbook for Distinctive Computing Programs Aligned with Liberal Arts Institutional and Departmental Identity”, funded January 2024, award number 2342587, PI James Teresco, Siena College
    • NSF IUSE Track Two, Level One proposal “Transforming Computer Science Curriculum Design at Liberal Arts Institutions”, submitted January 2024, Co-PIs Amanda Holland-Minkley, Washington & Jefferson College; James Teresco, Siena College; Karl Schmitt, Trinity Christian College