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PECTOPAH: promoting education in computer technology using an open-ended pedagogically adaptable hierarchy

Published: 26 May 2002 Publication History

Abstract

An understanding of Computer Systems Architecture (CSA) is essential to an understanding of Computer Science. There is however a tendency, at all levels, in teaching Information and Communications Technology (ICT) to neglect CSA, but teaching ICT without teaching CSA is like teaching Russian without teaching the Cyrillic alphabet -- students may become reasonably fluent in the application of abstract high level skills (e.g. they know that the Russian for restaurant is restoran), but lack the basic skills needed to maintain and extend those skills (e.g. they cannot identify PECTOPAH as being the "real" Russian for restaurant). There are two major reasons for the neglect of CSA in teaching ICT. There is a misconception of the effect of technological change, and there is a tendency to use inappropriate didactic tools.

References

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WCAE '02: Proceedings of the 2002 workshop on Computer architecture education: Held in conjunction with the 29th International Symposium on Computer Architecture
May 2002
128 pages
ISBN:9781450347310
DOI:10.1145/1275462
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Association for Computing Machinery

New York, NY, United States

Publication History

Published: 26 May 2002

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