Effective: 2022-03-31

Course Description

The course outline below was developed as part of a statewide standardization process.

General Course Purpose

CSC 110 is designed as an introductory computing course for general education. This course may meet the computing competency requirement for non-CS majors as determined by the institution. It is not meant as part of a sequence and is a terminal course.

Course Objectives

• Civic Engagement
• Identify and discuss ideas about the civic impact of computing. Explore potential contributions to existing societal problems
• Critical Thinking
• Retrieve relevant information from the perspective of other disciplines to develop solutions using computing principles.
• Written Communication
• Communicate technical information through the use of appropriate language and computing-specific design representations or diagrams.
• Quantitative Literacy
• Perform basic numerical conversion relevant to computing.
• Develop solutions which require the use of arithmetic and logical operators and interpret quantitative results.
• Scientific Literacy
• Assess how current and emerging technologies contribute to technological development and dissemination
• Professional Readiness
• Work well with others and display situationally and culturally appropriate demeanor and behavior
• Creative Development
• Collaborate in the development of solutions to problems
• Identify the purpose of the program and develop potential inputs
• Design an appropriate method or approach to solve the problem.
• Correct errors in the algorithm, including error discovery through desk checking.
• Data
• Explain how computers represent text, images, and sounds using digital data.
• Explain the consequences of using bits to represent data
• Convert from decimal to binary and vice versa for positive integers to develop an understanding of how the computer represents data.
• Algorithm and Programming
• Develop algorithmic solutions using logical design tools such as flowchart or pseudocode
• Identify program inputs and outputs
• Use arithmetical and logical operators as part of expressions
• Apply conditional and iterative structures
• Describe basic concepts used in computing such as lists, binary search, modules, random values and libraries
• Compare the efficiency of different algorithms for solving a problem.
• Computer Systems and Networks
• Explain how computing devices work together in a network.
• Explain the basic structure and data transmission across the Internet.
• Explain how the Internet is different from the World Wide Web.
• Describe the concept and benefits of fault tolerance.
• Recognize sequential, parallel, and distributed computing.
• Define cybersecurity.
• Explain why cybersecurity is important, on an individual level, when using computers and mobile devices.
• Explain the relationship between the hardware, system software, and application software
• Social, Legal and Ethical Impact of Computing
• Explain how an effect of a computing innovation can be both beneficial and harmful
• Describe issues that contribute to the digital divide.
• Explain how bias exists in computing innovations.
• Explain how people participate in problem-solving processes at scale.
• Explain the concepts of intellectual property in computing.
• Identify behaviors that support a secure cyber presence

Major Topics to be Included

• Creative Development
• Data
• Algorithm and Programming
• Computer Systems and Networks
• Social, Legal and Ethical Impact of Computing