TY  - JOUR
A1  - Lessner, Daniel
T1  - The role of algorithm in general secondary education revisited
JF  - Commentarii informaticae didacticae : (CID)
N2  - The traditional purpose of algorithm in education is to prepare students for programming. In our effort to introduce the practically missing computing science into Czech general secondary education, we have revisited this purpose.We propose an approach, which is in better accordance with the goals of general secondary education in Czechia. The importance of programming is diminishing, while recognition of algorithmic procedures and precise (yet concise) communication of algorithms is gaining importance. This includes expressing algorithms in natural language, which is more useful for most of the students than programming. We propose criteria to evaluate such descriptions. Finally, an idea about the limitations is required (inefficient algorithms, unsolvable problems, Turing’s test). We describe these adjusted educational goals and an outline of the resulting course. Our experience with carrying out the proposed intentions is satisfactory, although we did not accomplish all the defined goals.
KW  - computing science education
KW  - general secondary education
KW  - mandatory computer science foundations
KW  - concept of algorithm
Y1  - 2013
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-64534
SN  - 1868-0844
SN  - 2191-1940
IS  - 6
SP  - 99
EP  - 110
PB  - Universitätsverlag Potsdam
CY  - Potsdam
ER  -