CS101 – Living with
Computers
ACTIVITIES &
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
Chapter 1 (Classes 1-3):
- Answer
student questions.
- Introduce
course (syllabus, format, etc.)
- Demo
what’s on the CD
- Demo
what’s on the website
- Give a
pretest (questions from CS testout)
- Questions
for discussion:
- Characterize
what a computer is and what it does.
- Describe
several ways computers play a critical role in modern life.
- Discuss
the circumstances and ideas that led to the development of the modern
computer.
- Describe
several trends in the evolution of modern computers.
- Comment
on the fundamental difference between computers and other machines.
- Explain
the relationship between hardware and software.
- Outline
the four major types of computers in use today and describe their
principal use.
- Discuss
the effects of the Internet on society
- Projects
- Break
class into small groups, have each group make a list of at least ten
“computers” they have used recently, select spokesperson from group to
report to class on list (discuss groups’ lists)
- Break
class into small groups, have each group make list of uses of computers,
select spokesperson from group to report to class on list (discuss
groups’ lists)
- Bring
in advertisements for personal computer systems from newspapers &
magazines. Distribute the ads to groups of students (3-4). Ask the
students to note the important features of each computer (speed, RAM,
etc.) and have a team spokesperson make a brief “sales pitch” for their
system to the class.
- Break
the class into small groups to discuss social and ethical issues of
computing. Have each group report on three specific ways in which
computers have made the world worse or reduced the quality of life.
- Chapter
1 Quiz: 3-5 short questions from the chapter review and 2-4 definitions
- Chapter
1 Assignment: page 27 - Project 4.
- Chapter
e-journal on Computers
- Student
should find material from chapter in newspapers, magazines, or online
- Student
should discuss the most difficult concept for them in this chapter
- Student
should list any terms they do not understand