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The role of algorithm in general secondary education revisited

The traditional purpose of algorithm in education is to prepare students for programming. In our effort to introduce the practically missing computing science into Czech general secondary education, we have revisited this purpose.We propose an approach, which is in better accordance with the goals of general secondary education in Czechia. The importance of programming is diminishing, while recognition of algorithmic procedures and precise (yet concise) communication of algorithms is gaining importance. This includes expressing algorithms in natural language, which is more useful for most of the students than programming. We propose criteria to evaluate such descriptions. Finally, an idea about the limitations is required (inefficient algorithms, unsolvable problems, Turing’s test). We describe these adjusted educational goals and an outline of the resulting course. Our experience with carrying out the proposed intentions is satisfactory, although we did not accomplish all the defined goals.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:Potsdam/oai:kobv.de-opus-ubp:6453
Date January 2013
CreatorsLessner, Daniel
PublisherUniversität Potsdam, Extern. Extern
Source SetsPotsdam University
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeArticle
Formatapplication/pdf
SourceInformatics in schools : local proceedings of the 6th International Conference ISSEP 2013 ; selected papers ; Oldenburg, Germany, February 26–March 2, 2013/Diethelm et al. (Eds.)/ Potsdam: Universitätsverlag Potsdam, 2013/ S.99-110
Rightshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/de/

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