skip to main content
article

The computer science debate: it's a matter of perspective

Published: 01 June 2005 Publication History

Abstract

This paper examines some of the ongoing identity challenges for the computer science community: definition, purpose, pedagogy, and curriculum drivers. This research contends that there are three primary social theories driving one's perspective of computer science: resource based theory, resource dependency theory, and social exchange theory. A conceptual framework is presented that examines the likely definition, purpose, pedagogy, and curriculum drivers for each perspective. The framework was evaluated in a qualitative study using the e-mails threads from a discussion on the SIGCSE listserv. The results of this study and the implications of future of computer science are discussed.

References

[1]
Abelson H., Sussman, G., Sussman, J. Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs. MIT Press, 1996.
[2]
Denning, P. J. et al. (1989) Computing as a discipline. Communications of the ACM, 32, 1 (Jan.), 9-23. Computer 22, 2 (Feb.), 63--70.
[3]
Denning, P. J. Great Principles of Computing, Communications of the ACM, Vol. 46, No. 11 (Nov. 2003) pp. 15--20.
[4]
Dijkstra, E. W. The End of Computing Science?, Communications of the ACM, March 2001. p. 92.
[5]
Domik, G. Glimspes into the Future of Computer Science Education. Journal of Universal Computer Science, vol. 7, no. 5, 2001.
[6]
Hamming, R. W. One Man's View of Computer Science, Journal of the ACM (JACM), v.16 n.1, p.3--12, Jan. 1969.
[7]
Kelley, H. H. Personal relationships. Their structures and processes. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum, 1979.
[8]
McGuffee, James W. Defining Computer Science, SIGCSE Bulletin -inroads, Volume 32, Number 2, June 2000.
[9]
Nahapetian, A. Computer science (subjectively) defined, ACM SIGCSE Bulletin, v. 11 n. 4, p. 11--14, December 1979.
[10]
Pugh, D. S. and D. J. Hickson. Writers on Organization (5th ed.). Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications, 1997.
[11]
Rynes, S L, J M Bartunek, R L Daft. Across the great divide: knowledge creation and transfer between practitioners and academics, Academy of Management Journal, 44, 2 (2001), 340--355.
[12]
Sharf, B. Beyond netiquette: The ethics of doing naturalistic research on the Internet. In S. Jones (ed.) Doing Internet Research. Thousand Oaks, CA, and London: Sage, 1999.
[13]
Strauss, A. L., & Corbin, J. Grounded Theory Methodology: An overview. In N. K. Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), Handbook of qualitative research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 1994.

Cited By

View all

Index Terms

  1. The computer science debate: it's a matter of perspective

      Recommendations

      Comments

      Information & Contributors

      Information

      Published In

      cover image ACM SIGCSE Bulletin
      ACM SIGCSE Bulletin  Volume 37, Issue 2
      June 2005
      120 pages
      ISSN:0097-8418
      DOI:10.1145/1083431
      Issue’s Table of Contents

      Publisher

      Association for Computing Machinery

      New York, NY, United States

      Publication History

      Published: 01 June 2005
      Published in SIGCSE Volume 37, Issue 2

      Check for updates

      Author Tags

      1. qualitative analysis
      2. resource based theory
      3. resource dependency theory
      4. social exchange theory

      Qualifiers

      • Article

      Contributors

      Other Metrics

      Bibliometrics & Citations

      Bibliometrics

      Article Metrics

      • Downloads (Last 12 months)3
      • Downloads (Last 6 weeks)1
      Reflects downloads up to 21 Jan 2025

      Other Metrics

      Citations

      Cited By

      View all
      • (2010)CS EDUCATION RESEARCHThe naughties in CSEd researchACM Inroads10.1145/1721933.17219421:1(22-24)Online publication date: 1-Mar-2010
      • (2008)After the gold rushProceedings of the tenth conference on Australasian computing education - Volume 7810.5555/1379249.1379269(3-17)Online publication date: 1-Jan-2008
      • (2008)A new, software design based, financially responsible computer science major at a small liberal arts collegeJournal of Computing Sciences in Colleges10.5555/1295109.129513823:3(128-134)Online publication date: 1-Jan-2008
      • (2007)Why teach unix?Proceedings of the ninth Australasian conference on Computing education - Volume 6610.5555/1273672.1273675(19-25)Online publication date: 30-Jan-2007
      • (2006)Research perspectives on the objects-early debateWorking group reports on ITiCSE on Innovation and technology in computer science education10.1145/1189215.1189183(146-165)Online publication date: 26-Jun-2006
      • (2006)Research perspectives on the objects-early debateACM SIGCSE Bulletin10.1145/1189136.118918338:4(146-165)Online publication date: 26-Jun-2006
      • (2006)Call me IshmaelACM SIGCSE Bulletin10.1145/1138403.113841338:2(11-13)Online publication date: 1-Jun-2006

      View Options

      Login options

      View options

      PDF

      View or Download as a PDF file.

      PDF

      eReader

      View online with eReader.

      eReader

      Media

      Figures

      Other

      Tables

      Share

      Share

      Share this Publication link

      Share on social media