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Applying abstraction to master complexity

Published: 11 May 2008 Publication History

Abstract

Aptitude for managing abstraction may be a distinguishing characteristic of computer science majors. If this is so, and if this aptitude can be recognized among potential majors, those who are well suited for computer science but have not considered it as a major can be made aware of the possibility. Abstraction, as a human ability, is comprised of two complementary aspects: clearing away details to build simplifications and deriving generalizations that illuminate essentials. Agreement exists that this ability may be nurtured through instruction and experience, but that it rests upon a natural aptitude that is possessed by few. Agreement exists that this natural aptitude is assessable, although no instrument yet exists for measuring it efficiently among prospective computer science majors who have not begun computer science coursework. This paper deals with a study done at New York's Pace University to test undergraduate students across a range of majors for abstraction ability

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  • (2024)Utilization of Information Entropy in Training and Evaluation of Students’ Abstraction Performance and Algorithm Efficiency in ProgrammingIEEE Transactions on Education10.1109/TE.2024.335429767:2(266-281)Online publication date: Apr-2024
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cover image ACM Conferences
ROA '08: Proceedings of the 2nd international workshop on The role of abstraction in software engineering
May 2008
56 pages
ISBN:9781605580289
DOI:10.1145/1370164
Permission to make digital or hard copies of all or part of this work for personal or classroom use is granted without fee provided that copies are not made or distributed for profit or commercial advantage and that copies bear this notice and the full citation on the first page. Copyrights for components of this work owned by others than ACM must be honored. Abstracting with credit is permitted. To copy otherwise, or republish, to post on servers or to redistribute to lists, requires prior specific permission and/or a fee. Request permissions from [email protected]

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Published: 11 May 2008

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Author Tags

  1. abstraction
  2. cognition
  3. computer science education
  4. discipline
  5. testing

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  • (2025)A Pedagogical Framework for Developing Abstraction Skills2024 Working Group Reports on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education10.1145/3689187.3709613(258-299)Online publication date: 22-Jan-2025
  • (2024)A framework for the development and improvement of computational thinking for high school learners using a programming language and learner management systemThe Independent Journal of Teaching and Learning10.17159/h1a6ee1315:2(121-140)Online publication date: 7-Nov-2024
  • (2024)Utilization of Information Entropy in Training and Evaluation of Students’ Abstraction Performance and Algorithm Efficiency in ProgrammingIEEE Transactions on Education10.1109/TE.2024.335429767:2(266-281)Online publication date: Apr-2024
  • (2024)Computer Science on Philosophy PerspectiveArtificial Intelligence Algorithm Design for Systems10.1007/978-3-031-70518-2_11(119-131)Online publication date: 26-Nov-2024
  • (2023)Processes of Abstraction and Representation: An Initial Exploration.Proceedings of the 2023 Conference on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education V. 210.1145/3587103.3594148(617-618)Online publication date: 29-Jun-2023
  • (2023)How do Students Conceptualize and Represent Abstract Ideas?Proceedings of the 2023 ACM Conference on International Computing Education Research - Volume 210.1145/3568812.3603455(82-86)Online publication date: 7-Aug-2023
  • (2022)Modelling the Use of Abstraction in Algorithmic Problem SolvingProceedings of the 27th ACM Conference on on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education Vol. 110.1145/3502718.3524758(193-199)Online publication date: 7-Jul-2022
  • (2022)A framework for measuring abstraction as a sub-skill of computational thinking in block-based programming environmentsEducation and Information Technologies10.1007/s10639-022-11019-227:7(9455-9484)Online publication date: 31-Mar-2022
  • (2021)Unleashing the Potential of Abstraction From Cloud of Computational Thinking: A Systematic Review of LiteratureJournal of Educational Computing Research10.1177/0735633121105537960:4(877-905)Online publication date: 9-Dec-2021
  • (2020) Comparison of object‐oriented and robot programming activities: The effects of programming modality on student achievement, abstraction, problem solving, and motivation Journal of Computer Assisted Learning10.1111/jcal.1249537:2(370-386)Online publication date: 21-Sep-2020

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