ANU Computer Science Technical Reports
TR-CS-07-05
Peter Strazdins.
Research-Based Education in Computer Science at the ANU:
Challenges and Opportunities.
August 2007.
[POSTSCRIPT (201710 bytes)] [PDF (248823 bytes)]
Abstract: This project examines research-based
education, which includes research-led education, in the discipline of
computer science at the Australian National University. It traces the
University's position on the issue over recent years, and it explores and
evaluates current practices of research-based education. Of particular
interest is the newly-introduced Bachelor of Computer Science program, which
is found to have many issues in common with the University's flagship
research-oriented degree, the Bachelor in Philosophy (PhB) program. From the
analysis of data from semi-structured interviews with both BCS students and
academics either involved in the BCS and/or whose teaching practices relate
to research-based education, this project explores the range of staff and
student attitudes and experiences in this area. It then identifies challenges
and opportunities in creating an expanded and more coherent use of
research-based education through the computer science curriculum. This
project makes the following main conclusions. Firstly, that the range of
staff and student attitudes and experiences concur with what is found in
recent literature. Secondly, there are several important lessons for the BCS
program and research-based education in general that can be gleaned from the
PhB experience. Thirdly, that there are in fact already a large range of
practices of research-based education in computer science (but there has
previously been little overall awareness of this). Finally, that if applied
judiciously, the potential benefits of research-based education are
considerable, in terms of higher quality pedagogical outcomes, enhanced
student and academic experience and a positive future impact in
computing-related industry.
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Last modified: Tue May 31 12:56:01 EST 2011