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Spreadsheets and databases—alternatives to programming for non-computer science majors

Published: 01 February 1987 Publication History

Abstract

Microcomputers have become easier and easier to use an emphasis is placed on software design for users with little or no experience. With a minimal amount of training, students or employees can become productive. Yet, academic programs still teach programming as a fundamental part of computer literacy. This paper proposes that the programming portion of the class be eliminated and replaced with a study of spreadsheets and databases. The paper discusses the manner in which spreadsheet and database design can be approached to maximize learning.
An important concept that is learned in any programming class is algorithm development. Students learn how to analyze the problem and to set up the step-by-step solution. This process must be done before any coding can begin. Spreadsheets offer the same type of learning and are much more appropriate for non-computer science majors. Students must formulate the problem, determine the equations and formulas necessary to solve it, and then set up the worksheet. Spreadsheet applications are found in every discipline and their design requires a minimal amount of computer knowledge and mathematics.
Learning to set up a database and design the queries necessary to obtain information from the database is a concept important to computer literacy. Once again, students learn to “program” by learning to construct their questions in a manner that is meaningful to the software package.

Cited By

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  • (2023)Engineering Student Perspectives of a New Required Programming Course2023 IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE)10.1109/FIE58773.2023.10343028(1-9)Online publication date: 18-Oct-2023
  • (2013)Do Non‐Computer Science Students Need to Program?*Journal of Engineering Education10.1002/j.2168-9830.2001.tb00636.x90:4(535-541)Online publication date: 2-Jan-2013

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Published In

cover image ACM SIGCSE Bulletin
ACM SIGCSE Bulletin  Volume 19, Issue 1
Feb. 1987
529 pages
ISSN:0097-8418
DOI:10.1145/31726
Issue’s Table of Contents
  • cover image ACM Conferences
    SIGCSE '87: Proceedings of the eighteenth SIGCSE technical symposium on Computer science education
    February 1987
    541 pages
    ISBN:0897912179
    DOI:10.1145/31820
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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Association for Computing Machinery

New York, NY, United States

Publication History

Published: 01 February 1987
Published in SIGCSE Volume 19, Issue 1

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Cited By

View all
  • (2023)Engineering Student Perspectives of a New Required Programming Course2023 IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE)10.1109/FIE58773.2023.10343028(1-9)Online publication date: 18-Oct-2023
  • (2013)Do Non‐Computer Science Students Need to Program?*Journal of Engineering Education10.1002/j.2168-9830.2001.tb00636.x90:4(535-541)Online publication date: 2-Jan-2013

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