Course Development in Computer Science Design

This paper concerns new procedures devised for a stimulating creative accomplishment by undergraduate students. The methods employed involve a wide range of educational technologies, and include flexibility for participant choices. The individuals in the eleven offerings to date (as many as thirty-five in a single term) have mainly been seniors in computer science.

The course has objectives of furthering participant ability to communicate. Students gain experience with presentations, composing visuals, dealing with questions, taking part in group discussions, and in developing technical report writing skills. They also are lead to inquire and reach out by library, internet, and personal interaction with potential users of the products they design.

The methods discussed in the talk include ways to further group interaction. Students are subtly encouraged to regard the class as an entity. This is done by the instructor adopting a 'guide on the side' stance, no grade being assigned to oral exposition, and giving only feedback-grades to written work prior to the submission of the team project.

Electronic mail, complex use of the world wide web, availability in the university library of volumes compiled from professional and student work by the instructor, and multiple surveys of class participants generate a sustainable cooperation-dynamic. Forms and methods will be presented to illustrate what has been done over the past four years at UCLA.