Traditional introductory computer science (CS) courses have had little success engaging non-computer science majors. At the Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, where introductory CS courses are a requirement for CS majors and nonmajors alike, two tailored introductory courses were introduced as an alternative to the traditional course. The results were encouraging: more nonmajors succeeded (completed and passed) in tailored courses than in the traditional course, students expressed fewer negative reactions to the course content, and many reported that they would be interested in taking another tailored CS course. The authors present findings from a pilot study of the three courses and briefly discuss some of the issues surrounding the tailored courses for nonmajors: programming, context, choice of language, and classroom culture.

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Motivation and nonmajors in computer science: identifying discrete audiences for introductory courses

Despite the benefits offered by offsite construction, as a percentage, the offsite market is still relatively small. This phenomena is complex; but for brevity, includes a myriad of factors, not least: lack of awareness; supply chain challenges (capacity and knowledge); cultural perception; lack of viable business process models/solutions; and paucity of skills (design/manufacturing/construction). However, many governments are still promoting the offsite agenda through various conduits. Given this, a CIB Task Group (TG74) developed a research roadmap for new production and business models for the construction industry uptake. This paper summarises the work of TG74, where people, process and technology drivers were investigated for construction, manufacturing and design and mapped against three levels of priority and three timeframes. Results indicate that for people drivers, new skills are urgently needed in the design field within a 0–5 year timeframe (compared to a timeframe of 6–10 years for the manufacturing sector). Regarding process drivers, construction process was classed as high priority, followed by design process and manufacturing process. Finally, for technology drivers, construction technology was identified as being high priority, followed by design technology and manufacturing technology, all of which need to be addressed in the medium term. This study presents a roadmap for future uptake.

New offsite production and business models in construction: priorities for the future research agenda

2012 [AS13b, Wal12a]. 2013 [Alv13, Bar13, Cam13, Car13, CCS13, Cut13, Edi14, Swe13]. 2014 [CDS13, DN14, ND14, Rod14, Tym14a]. 2015 [DeL14a, DeL14b, She15b]. 2016 [AT16a, CCV16, CCV17, MR15, SDCT16a, SDCT16c, She16a]. 2017 [DG17, EC17, Fit18b, MJ18, TCSM17, TCM17]. 2018 [BG18b, DD17, Dec19b, Gol18, JI18, MKMP18, MMK18, PQH17, She18]. 2019 [Cut19, FI19, HPQ19, MP19a, MPRM19, MP19b, MS19, Rod18, She19a]. 2020 [DH19].

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A Complete Bibliography of Publications in SIGCSE Bulletin: 2000{2009

This article describes an action research for reducing the high students' dropout rate after an introductory programming course. As part of the action research, that was performed during four semesters several course structures and learning tactics were examined. The success was attributed to three main factors. (1) using Python as the first introductory programming language, which freed the students from detailed language syntax and allowed them to concentrate on algorithms and problem solving; (2) using a visualization environment (Micro-world) for the whole duration of the course, which helped in understanding the more complex and abstract issues; and (3) using individual assignments that enforced better learning habits. The article describes the various attempts, as well as the final structure that reduced the failing students by over 77%.

Reducing the dropout rate in an introductory programming course

This paper describes a new approach to automate the classification of solid models using machine learning techniques. Existing approaches, based on group technology, fixed matching algorithms or pre-defined feature sets, impose a priori categorization schemes on engineering data or require significant human labeling of design data. This paper describes a shape learning algorithm and a general technique for "teaching" the algorithm to identify new or hidden classifications that are relevant in many engineering applications. In this way, the core shape learning algorithm can be used to find a wide variety of model classifications based on user input and training data. This allows for great flexibility in search and data mining of engineering data.

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Automated learning of model classifications

Information security and assurance are new frontiers for collaborative design. In this context, information assurance (IA) refers to methodologies to protect engineering information by ensuring its availability, confidentiality, integrity, non-repudiation, authentication, access control, etc. In collaborative design, IA techniques are needed to protect intellectual property, establish security privileges and create “need to know” protections on critical features. Aside from 3D watermarking, research on how to provide IA to distributed collaborative engineering teams is largely non-existent. This paper provides a framework for information assurance within collaborative design, based on a technique we call role-based viewing, in which information security relationships are roles assigned to users based on their permissions and privileges. Role-based viewing is achieved through integration of multi-resolution geometry and with the security model. In this way, 3D models are geometrically partitioned, and the partitioning is used to create multi-resolution mesh hierarchies that obscure, obfuscate, or remove sensitive material from the view of users without appropriate permissions. This approach is the basis for our prototype system FACADE (the Framework for Access-control in Computer-Aided Design Environments), a synchronous, multi-user collaborative modeling environment. In FACADE, groups of users worked in a shared 3D modeling environment in which each user viewing and modeling privileges are managed by a central access control mechanism. In this manner, individual actors see only the data they are allowed to see, at the level of detailed they are permitted to see it.

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Role-Based Viewing Envelopes for Information Protection in Collaborative Modeling

This article presents an approach to collaborative authoring of design semantics within a multiuser 3D environment. Our research unites ideas from traditional engineering design with recent work from the Semantic Web and knowledge engineering community. The system we present, Multiuser Groups for Conceptual Understanding and Prototyping (MUG), serves as our research platform. it lets a team of designers-collaborating over the Internet in a shared, multimodal, 3D workspace-model a 3D layout and semantically grounded behavioral description of a product or device.

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A collaborative 3D environment for authoring design semantics

We report here on an extensive redesign and unification of the Introductory Computer Programming sequences offered to computer science, computer engineering, information science and digital media majors. The redesign is intended to improve student learning while reducing costs. The approach makes use of substantial Web-based course material and course management tools, including multi-level online modules that individualize instruction and enable students to self-schedule learning each week. Each module covers a particular aspect of computer programming at different levels of knowledge. Students are assigned work and reading from the module at a level appropriate to the objectives of the long-term goals of their major. This allows students in different majors to acquire the appropriate skill level for each technique and concept. Peer mentors and teaching assistants provide assistance online or in person. In the future, we plan to expand the self-scheduling aspect of the course to allow students to enter the course at different modules, depending on their previous knowledge.

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Redesigning introductory computer programming using multi-level online modules for a mixed audience

: Information security and assurance are new frontiers for collaborative design. In this context, information assurance (IA) refers to methodologies to protect engineering information by ensuring its availability, confidentiality, integrity, non-repudiation, authentication, and access control. In collaborative design, IA techniques are needed to protect intellectual property, establish security privileges, and create "need to know" protections on critical features. This paper provides a framework for information assurance within collaborative design based on a technique the authors call "Role-based Viewing." They extend upon prior work to present "Hierarchical Role-based Viewing" as a more flexible and practical approach since role hierarchies naturally reflect an organization's line of authority and responsibility. They establish a direct correspondence between multi-level security and multiresolution surfaces where a hierarchy is represented as a weighted directed acyclic graph. The permission discovery process is formalized as a graph reachability problem and the path cost is used as input to a multiresolution function. By incorporating security with collaborative design, the costs and risks incurred by multi-organizational collaboration can be reduced. The authors believe that this work is the first of its kind to unite multi-level security and information clouding with geometric data, including multiresolution surfaces, in the fields of computer-aided design and collaborative engineering.

https://www.cs.drexel.edu/files/ts467/DU-CS-04-01.pdf

Hierarchical Role-Based Viewing for Multilevel Information Security in Collaborative CAD

This paper provides a framework for information assurance within collaborative design based on a technique we call rolebased viewing. Role-based viewing enables role-based access control through geometric partitioning of 3D models. The partitioning is used to create variable level-of-detail (LOD) meshes, across both individual parts and assemblies, to provide a model suitable for access rights for individual actors within a collaborative design environment. We show how this technique can be used to implement a hierarchical set of security access privileges based on the BellLa Padula model. The partitioning is derived from a set of access specifications for an assembly model and its parts. The authors believe that this work is the first of its kind in the field of computer-aided design and collaborative engineering.

Christopher D. Cera

Papers

Role-Based Viewing Envelopes for Information Protection in Collaborative Modeling

A collaborative 3D environment for authoring design semantics

Redesigning introductory computer programming using multi-level online modules for a mixed audience

Hierarchical Role-Based Viewing for Multilevel Information Security in Collaborative CAD

Hierarchical Role-Based Viewing for Secure Collaborative CAD