AP-CSP Curriculum Guides
8. To Do

Several learning objectives are not currently covered by the CS Field Guide. This "to-do" list includes general computer science topics and suggestions for how we can update the field guide to cover the learning objectives. Different levels of changes are suggested:

  • new chapter: some topics are best put into stand-alone new field guide chapters
    • Hardware Abstractions [Phase+]
    • Software Abstractions [Phase4]
    • Models and Simulation [Phase3]
    • Network Systems [Phase+]
    • Logic [Phase+]
  • new section: add a new X.Y major section to chapter X
  • new sub-section: add a new X.Y.Z minor section to section Y of chapter X
  • edits to existing text content to use specific terminology

Abstraction

  • floating point representation
    • new section in data-representation [Phase+]
  • bit representation of program instructions (not just data)
    • new section in data-representation OR part of new chapter on hardware abstractions [Phase2][draft]
  • abstraction process: removing irrelevant details, extracting common features
    • part of new chapter on hardware abstractions
  • explicit section on functions/functional abstraction
    • new section in programming-languages OR part of new chapter on software abstractions
  • re-work a unit / activity on hardware and software abstraction layers below high level language (from the software engineering one)
    • new chapter on hardware OR software abstractions
  • equate level of language with concept of abstraction
    • additional wording in end of 3.1 intro to programming-languages [Phase1][draft]
  • models and simulations (there are some CS unplugged ones)
    • new chapter on models-simulations

Algorithms

  • sequencing, selection, iteration as building blocks for algorithms
    • new sub-section with specific terms in section 2.4 [Phase1][draft]
  • algorithm correctness
    • new sub-section in 2.1 [Phase1][draft]
  • decidability
    • new section in 11.? [Phase2][draft]
  • combining algorithms
    • add terms to 2.1 [Phase1][draft]
  • language choice for algorithms
    • better description at end of section 2.1.1 [Phase1][draft]
  • theoretical vs empirical analysis
    • additional paragraph in 2.1.2 [Phase2][draft]
  • efficiency of memory usage
    • additional paragraph in 2.1.2 [Phase2][draft]

Creativity

  • collaborative tools (open source, github/google doc)
    • new chapter on data analysis, visualization, processing, etc.
  • computational artifacts as more than programs
    • new chapter on data analysis, visualization, processing, etc.
  • computational tools to transform digital media industries such as photoshop, virtual synthesizers, etc
    • new chapter on data analysis, visualization, processing, etc.

Data

  • large data sets (databases), queries, filtering
    • new chapter on data analysis, visualization, processing, etc.
  • data patterns (sequence analysis / cryptography?)
    • new chapter on data analysis, visualization, processing, etc.
  • collaboration over data (forms, spreadsheets, online multi-edit)
    • new chapter on data analysis, visualization, processing, etc.
  • data visualization (tables, diagrams)
    • new chapter on data analysis, visualization, processing, etc.
  • metadata
    • new chapter on data analysis, visualization, processing, etc.

Impact

Most AP curriculum include specific lesson plans to cover these topics by requiring the students to research online after/during reading of the Blown to Bits book (freely available online). A teaching guide on how to use Blown to Bits in the classroom along with discussion questions and essay/project ideas should be sufficient. Therefore no new CS Field Guide content is suggested for these.

  • computer ethics
  • social computing

Programming

  • program components (modularity)
    • additional sub-section in software-engineering [Phase2]
  • program documentation
    • re-wording or new sub-section in software-engineering; include self-documenting approaches [Phase2]
  • collaboration and communication within programming teams
    • add sub-section on Scrum, issue tracking and/or other communication mechanisms to 16.6 [Phase2]
  • program execution / implementation of algorithm
    • new chapter on software/hardware abstraction
  • solving larger classes of problems with hardware and algorithm improvements over time
    • add sub-section to 11.2 about some simple algorithms that now scale to millions of CPU cores that are solving real problems - possibly genomics, image processing for medical purposes, etc. [Phase2]
  • procedures, functions, strings, lists, common programming library functions, APIs
    • new chapter on software abstraction
  • software quality, code metrics
    • new section in software-engineering
  • debugging
    • new chapter on software abstraction
  • functionality vs unit testing, program correctness, justification
    • new subsection in software-engineering 16.4 [Phase2]
  • operators
    • new chapter on software abstraction
  • boolean logic, algebra
    • new chapter on logic

Internet

New chapter on Network Systems with sections for the below

  • internet system model: hierarchy, redundancy, fault tolerance (addresses, protocols, services)
  • bandwidth, latency
  • cybersecurity (DDoS, phishing, viruses, firewalls)
  • trust model, DNS, CAs
  • open standards for routing, cryptography, protocols
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