This two-year Ontario College Diploma program prepares students for a career in software development.

The program also specializes in program development strategies (using objectoriented modelling), database design and database administration. Students work with leading industry software products, such as Oracle; programming languages (Java, C#, SQL, PHP, JavaScript), operating systems (Windows and Unix/Linux) in a networked environment and CASE tools. Approximately 75 per cent of the curriculum consists of courses in applications programming; programming languages; object-oriented analysis and design; operating systems; coding in integrated development environments; debugging, testing, and maintenance of code; database design, implementation, and administration. The balance of the curriculum consists of courses in oral and written communications, mathematics and others useful in the life-long learning required by software developers. In the final year, students participate in a program-culminating real-world team project and an individual project exploring emerging technologies. Because of the constantly evolving nature of the information technology (IT) environment, the program places emphasis on preparing students to become independent learners. Students have access to modern computing facilities in the School of Advanced Technology, such as Windows and Linux-based workstations, linked in an internal wireless network with access to the Internet. An extensive repository of software is available on the network. Additional software is available through the department-sponsored Microsoft Developer's Network Academic Alliance (MSDNAA), other vendor agreements and from software supplied under the mobile technology fee. Students who maintain a College-prescribed academic standing and who possess the appropriate level of business communication skills may take part in a cooperative placement at the end of Level 03. Co-op students work in two back-to-back 15-week paid work terms before returning for their final level. The two program start dates each year are at the beginning of the Fall and Winter Terms. This program is part of Algonquin's mobile learning initiative. All students entering into the program are expected to have and use a laptop or mobile computing device that meets or exceeds the recommended hardware requirements as designated by the program. Students in mobile learning programs will use their devices to enhance their learning experience, obtain and work with course materials, participate in collaborative and mlearning environments and become skilled, confident users of the technologies used within an educational environment and workplace. Hardware and software specifications are outlined at http://mlearning.algonquincollege.com. Computers and supplies can be purchased directly from Algonquin's New Technology Store at educational rates.

Advice for Computer Science College Students by Joel Spolsky Sunday, January 02, 2005 Despite the fact that it was only a year or two ago that I was blubbering about how rich Windows GUI clients were the wave of the future, college students nonetheless do occasionally email me asking for career advice, and since it's recruiting season, I thought I'd write up my standard advice which they can read, laugh at, and ignore. Most college students, fortunately, are brash enough never to bother asking their elders for advice, which, in the field of computer science, is a good thing, because their elders are apt to say goofy, antediluvian things like "the demand for keypunch operators will exceed 100,000,000 by the year 2010" and "lisp careers are really very hot right now." I, too, have no idea what I'm talking about when I give advice to college students. I'm so hopelessly out of date that I can't really figure out AIM and still use (horrors!) this quaint old thing called "email" which was popular in the days when music came on flat round plates called "CDs." So you'd be better off ignoring what I'm saying here and instead building some kind of online software thing that lets other students find people to go out on dates with. Nevertheless. If you enjoy programming computers, count your blessings: you are in a very fortunate minority of people who can make a great living doing work they enjoy. Most people aren't so lucky. The very idea that you can "love your job" is a modern concept. Work is supposed to be something unpleasant you do to get money to do the things you actually like doing, when you're 65 and can finally retire, if you can afford it, and if you're not too old and infirm to do those things, and if those things don't require reliable knees, good eyes, and the ability to walk twenty feet without being out of breath, etc. What was I talking about? Oh yeah. Advice. Without further ado, then, here are Joel's Seven Pieces of Free Advice for Computer Science College Students (worth what you paid for them): 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Learn how to write before graduating. Learn C before graduating. Learn microeconomics before graduating. Don't blow off non-CS classes just because they're boring. Take programming-intensive courses. Stop worrying about all the jobs going to India.

7. No matter what you do, get a good summer internship. Now for the explanations, unless you're gullible enough to do all that stuff just because I tell you to, in which case add: 8. Seek professional help for that self-esteem thing.

Only 2% of students study computer programming. If we triple that, we'd close the gap between students and jobs.

Story Highlights

Starting today, dozens of leaders will say that more students need to learn computer programming. Children who learn to code learn creative empowerment and an ability to break down problems. If you want to help solve this problem, share this film with your children, your colleagues and your friends

SHARECONNECT 164 TWEETCOMMENTEMAILMORE We all know the U.S. is falling behind China and India in math and science, and we worry whether this will hurt our future. But the hundreds of millions of dollars spent on fixing this problem ignore the fastest-growing sector of innovation and job growth: computer science. In 41 states, computer science doesn't even count toward high school graduation requirements. Although programming jobs are growing at double the pace of other jobs, computer programming is declining in our education system. This is a skill that can be taught as early as fifth grade, yet it's not even offered in 90% of U.S. schools. Why isn't today's curriculum preparing our students for the 21st century? Job readiness President Obama said in his State of the Union Address, "To grow our middle class, our citizens must have access to the education and training that today's jobs require." The first step in solving a problem is to recognize it needs to be solved. Today, only 2% of students study computer programming. If we triple that to 6%, we'd close the gap between students and jobs, driving $500 billion in economic value to our country. This is a giant opportunity, impacting every industry (67% of these jobs are outside the tech sector). Starting today, dozens of leaders from all walks of life will say in a united voice that more students need to learn computer programming.

The list includes business leaders such as Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Sheryl Sandberg and Richard Branson; politicians such as Al Gore and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg; educators such as the presidents or deans of Stanford, Harvard, University of Washington, and the superintendent of Los Angeles Unified Schools; celebrities such as Bono, Ashton Kutcher and will.i.am; athletes such as Chris Bosh; and even leading scientists, doctors and astronauts. Consider the words of Larry Corey, president of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center: "Knowledge of computer programming is almost as important as knowledge of anatomy when it comes to medical research or clinical care." These leaders endorse an idea that whether you want to become a doctor, an astronaut, or a rock star, you should learn basic computer programming. Children who learn to code learn creative empowerment and an ability to break down problems. It provides an indispensable foundation for the 21st century. Anyone can learn Most adults can't wrap their heads around this because most of us never learned this stuff, either. We're scared of it. We think it's only for geniuses (typically portrayed as nerdy white boys) sitting in a dark basement coding all night. Most moms don't know that 10-year-old girls are learning to code in low-income public schools, but only in a few states. Most dads don't know that an 8-year-old can learn to code via educational games on the iPad,iPhone or xBox. And most accountants, doctors and bankers don't know that when they enter a formula into a spreadsheet, they're writing a computer program. A motivated student who knows basic algebra needs only a few weeks to learn how to build a smartphone app or game and could even earn her allowance from it. But the vast majority of us have absolutely no idea how to do this ourselves nor how to expose our kids to it. To remove this shroud, today Code.org has released a short film, starring Gates, Zuckerberg, will.i.am, Bosh, and the founders of Twitter, Dropbox, Zappos, and others, to motivate students to learn to code. The short film is directed by Lesley Chilcott, producer for An Inconvenient Truth and Waiting for 'Superman.' The message of the film is simple: Coding is easier than you might think and more fun than you might think. It can change your life and help you change the world. Check it out at www.Code.org. If you want to help solve this problem, share this film with your children, your colleagues and your friends. Surveys show that most students who watch this film are inspired to learn. We can help our nation's children find free courses on the Web, free iPad apps and nearby summer camps and after-school programs that teach this essential skill. But first, we need them to know that it's important to their future. That's where you can help.

The Effect of Problem-Solving Instruction on the Programming Self-efficacy and Achievement of Introductory Computer Science Students
Author: Elizabeth Maddrey Research in academia and industry continues to identify a decline in enrollment in computer science. One major component of this decline in enrollment is a shortage of female students. The primary reasons for the gender gap presented in the research include lack of computer experience prior to their first year in college, misconceptions about the field, negative cultural stereotypes, lack of female mentors and role models, subtle discriminations in the classroom, and lack of self-confidence (Pollock, McCoy, Carberry, Hundigopal, & You, 2004). Male students are also leaving the field due to misconceptions about the field, negative cultural stereotypes, and a lack of self-confidence. Analysis of first year attrition revealed that one of the major challenges faced by students of both genders is a lack of problem-solving skills (Beaubouef, Lucas & Howatt, 2001; Olsen, 2005; Paxton & Mumey, 2001). The purpose of this study was to investigate whether specific, non-mathematical problem-solving instruction as part of introductory programming courses significantly increased computer programming self-efficacy and achievement of students. The results of this study showed that students in the experimental group had significantly higher achievement than students in the control group. While this shows statistical significance, due to the effect size and disordinal nature of the data between groups, care has to be taken in its interpretation. The study did not show significantly higher programming self-efficacy among the experimental students. There was not enough data collected to statistically analyze the effect of the treatment on self-efficacy and achievement by gender. However, differences in means were observed between the gender groups, with females in the experimental group demonstrating a higher than average degree of self-efficacy when compared with males in the experimental group and both genders in the control group. These results suggest that the treatment from this study may provide a genderbased increase in self-efficacy and future research should focus on exploring this possibility.

Computer June 2013 (Vol. 46, No. 6) pp. 22-24 0018-9162/13/$31.00 2013 IEEE Published by the IEEE Computer Society Keith W. Miller , University of MissouriSt. Louis Article Contents NEW OPPORTUNITIES NEW CHALLENGES

We can live with many of the uncertainties of big data for now, with the hope that its benefits will outweigh its harms, but we shouldn't blind ourselves to the possible irreversibility of changeswhether good or badto society. It's no secret that both private enterprise and government seek greater insights into people's behaviors and sentiments. Organizations use various analytical techniquesfrom crowdsourcing to genetic algorithms to neural networks to sentiment analysisto study both structured and unstructured forms of data that can aid product and process discovery, productivity, and policymaking. This data is collected from numerous sources including sensor networks, government data holdings, company market lead databases, and public profiles on social networking sites. Although data mining in one form or another has occurred since people started to maintain records in the modern era, so-called big data brings together not only large amounts of data but also various data types that previously never would have been considered together. These data streams require ever-increasing processing speeds, yet must be stored economically and fed back into business-process life cycles in a timely manner.

NEW OPPORTUNITIES Since the Internet's introduction, we've been steadily moving from text-based communications to richer data that include images, videos, and interactive maps as well as associated metadata such as geolocation information and time and date stamps. Twenty years ago, ISDN lines couldn't handle much more than basic graphics, but today's high-speed communication networks enable the transmission of storage-intensive data types. For instance, smartphone users can take high-quality photographs and videos and upload them directly to social networking sites via Wi-Fi and 3G or 4G cellular networks. We've also been steadily increasing the amount of data captured in bidirectional interactions, both people-tomachine and machine-to-machine, by using telematics and telemetry devices in systems of systems. Of even greater importance are e-health networks that allow for data merging and sharing of high-resolution images in the form of patient x-rays, CT scans, and MRIs between stakeholders. Advances in data storage and mining technologies make it possible to preserve increasing amounts of data generated directly or indirectly by users and analyze it to yield valuable new insights. For example, companies can study consumer purchasing trends to better target

marketing. In addition, near-real-time data from mobile phones could provide detailed characteristics about shoppers that help reveal their complex decision-making processes as they walk through malls. 1 Big data can expose people's hidden behavioral patterns and even shed light on their intentions. 2 More precisely, it can bridge the gap between what people want to do and what they actually do as well as how they interact with others and their environment. 3 This information is useful to government agencies as well as private companies to support decision making in areas ranging from law enforcement to social services to homeland security. It's particularly of interest to applied areas of situational awareness and the anticipatory approaches required for near-real-time discovery. In the scientific domain, secondary uses of patient data could lead to the discovery of cures for a wide range of devastating diseases and the prevention of others. 4 By revealing the genetic origin of illnesses, such as mutations related to cancer, the Human Genome Project, completed in 2003, is one project that's a testament to the promises of big data. Consequently, researchers are now embarking on two major efforts, the Human Brain Project (EU; www.humanbrainproject.eu/vision.html) and the US BRAIN Initiative ( www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/04/02/fact-sheet-brain-initiative), in a quest to construct a supercomputer simulation of the brain's inner workings, in addition to mapping the activity of about 100 billion neurons in the hope of unlocking answers to Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Other types of big data can be studied to help solve scientific problems in areas ranging from climatology to geophysics to nanotechnology.

NEW CHALLENGES While big data can yield extremely useful information, it also presents new challenges with respect to how much data to store, how much this will cost, whether the data will be secure, and how long it must be maintained. For example, both companies and law enforcement agencies increasingly rely on video data for surveillance and criminal investigation. Closed-circuit television (CCTV) is ubiquitous in many commercial buildings and public spaces. Police cars have cameras to record pursuits and traffic stops, as well as dash-cams for complaint handling. Many agencies are now experimenting with body-worn video cameras to record incidents and gather direct evidence from a crime scene for use in court, obviating the need for eyewitness versions of events. 5 Taser guns also now come equipped with tiny cameras. Because all of these devices can quickly generate a large amount of data, which can be expensive to store and time-consuming to process, operators must decide whether it is more cost-effective to let them run continuously or only capture selective images or scenes. Big data also presents new ethical challenges. Corporations are using big data to learn more about their workforce, increase productivity, and introduce revolutionary business processes. However, these improvements come at a cost: tracking employees' every move and continuously measuring their performance against industry benchmarks introduces a level of oversight that can quash the human spirit. Such monitoring might be in the best interest of a corporation but is not always in the best interest of the people who make up that corporation. In addition, as big multimedia datasets become commonplace, the boundaries between public and private space will blur. Emerging online apps will not only enable users to upload video via

mobile social networking but will soon incorporate wearable devices in the form of a digital watch or glasses to allow for continuous audiovisual capture. People will essentially become a camera. 6 This publicly available data will dwarf that generated by today's CCTV cameras. However, unlike surveillance cameras, smartphones and wearable devices afford no privacy protection to innocent bystanders who are captured in a video at the right place at the wrong time. For example, in the wake of the recent Boston bombings, images of several people photographed at the scene were mistakenly identified as suspects on social media sites. In fact, one of the major challenges of big data is preserving individual privacy. As we go about our everyday lives, we leave behind digital footprints that, when combined, could denote unique aspects about ourselves that would otherwise go unnoticed, akin to digital DNA. 7 Examples include our use of language and punctuation in blog and forum posts, the clothes we wear in different contexts, and the places we frequentdo we spend our Sunday mornings outdoors playing sports, indoors online, visiting friends, attending religious services, or cruising a bad part of town? Something as innocuous as when and how we use energy in our homes reveals many details about us. 8 Outside our homes, drones could well be used for ad hoc monitoring, spotting unusual changes in land use patterns and feeding data back to operation centers about emergencies. Big data analytics will draw on aspects of our home, work, and social lives to make assumptions beyond typical "market segmentations" and delve deep into ontological questions such as, "Who are you?" This has metaphysical implications. For example, people will consciously alter their online activity, and will modify their behavior in surveilled spaces, to protect their privacy. Big data will change how we live in both small and large ways. Are we on a trajectory toward an uberveillance society? Will pervasive and ubiquitous computing converge with underlying network infrastructure providing uber-views using advanced data analytics for convenience, care, and control purposes? 9 Finally, many big data applications will have unintended and unpredictable results as the data scientist seeks to reveal new trends and patterns that were previously hidden. For example, genetic screening could reveal the likelihood of being predisposed to an incurable disease like Alzheimer's that leads to long-term anxiety about the future, such as being ineligible for life insurance. Likewise, techno therapeutics could assist elderly patients in one way but assert unhealthy controls on others. 10 We can live with many of these uncertainties for now with the hope that the benefits of big data will outweigh the harms, but we shouldn't blind ourselves to the possible irreversibility of changeswhether good or badto society.