This is a nice overview of 7 languages gaining use in specific areas. The article provides a nice example for students as to why it is important to be flexible and capable of moving between environments and languages.
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CS News – Smarter Systems Help Doctors
Many students want to see how Computer Science has a positive impact on the world. This article provides a nice example of how Computer Science can improve processes that are already in place, impacting many people in a positive way.
CS News – Google Wooing Interns
Grads with CS degrees are in high demand. The perks are great and the options are many.
CS News – Google Working to Retain Talent
Google Working Hard to Retain Talent
This is a great article that helps students understand the demand for talented CS professionals. One of my students sent it to me and I had all of my students read and discuss it. It really did open a few eyes.
SIGCSE in Dallas – Vol. I
Sign up an attend SIGCE in Dallas, Texas in March of 2011 if you have not already done so.
Dallas is a great city and SIGCSE will be packed with great presentations and discussions for teachers at the high school and university level. http://www.sigcse.org/sigcse2011/
Need a place to stay? The Embassy Suites at Market Square is nearby and a great place.
http://embassysuites1.hilton.com/en_US/es/hotel/DALFWES-Embassy-Suites-Dallas-Market-Center-Texas/index.do?brand_id=ES&brand_directory=/en/es/&xch=768816798,YAKFDSX51UQVYCSGBIUM22Q
Need a place to eat? Babe’s Chicken House if Awesome! The one in Roanoke is the Best! If I ever steer you wrong on food, I will pay for your meal!
Check my blog later for more SIGCSE inside information.
Now Hiring ALL Computer Scientists
Shortage of CS Professionals Getting Worse
Once again, here is another article stating that Computer Science grads are in high demand.
CS News – Robot Teachers
Apparently, robot teachers will be teaching students in the near future.
The robot teacher kinda looks like a Tele-Tubby which makes the article even more disturbing.
CS News – Fish Modeling and Robots
There are some great things going on with robotics these days.
Computer modeling is really cool as well and appears to be helping in many different areas.
CS News – Everyone Needs to Learn to “Crank Code”
This blog post has been flying around the SIGCSE and AP lists this past week, but I wanted to post a link to it again. This is a great post and one that we all need to read.
Everyone needs to understand how to write a bit of code. In order to truly create or innovate, everyone need the basic skill of code writing. If we are going to remain a nation of innovators, we need to teach kids how to “crank code” as these skills are often used to help cool ideas take root.
My sons are both in elementary school and are learning to write code in Scratch. They will transition to languages like Python and Java when they are ready, but they are already learning fundamental Computer Science concepts like decision-making, iteration, and list processing that will enable them to create and innovate later.
Java.writeMyCode() – Vol. I – BigInteger
Programming contests are very popular in Texas and most areas of the state host at least 1 each month. They are great vehicles through which to increase enrollment and to get students excited about “cranking code”.
It is very important to know what tools are available in your language before attending a contest. If the language being used provides a tool to help solve a problem, then teams should use that tool as part of the solution instead of writing every single line of code from scratch. I stress to my students to never re-invent the wheel. If the language already has a perfectly good wheel, put that sucker on your car and hit the road.
Java has lots of cool stuff built-in. BigInteger is a class that has many methods in it that can make solving certain math related contest problems much easier. BigInteger contains an isProbablePrime() method. This is quite useful at contests.
Using BigInteger in Java
It is equally important that student understand the algorithm being used to determine if a number is prime and how to create such an algorithm. Learning the fundamental algorithmic concepts is critical to being a well rounded CS student, but for contest purposes, it is all about speed and accuracy so using built-in methods where possible helps save time and prevent errors.