New models for computing education

The motivation for this work stems from the falling enrollments in the computing discipline and the subsequent challenge to present the study of computing in a manner that is attractive to a wider range of potential students. This paper seeks to capture a new notion of "curriculum models" and to draw attention to the range of possible approaches programs might adopt. This paper addresses issues that may underpin some of this transformational process. It mentions some of the underlying assumptions regarding the situation and explores the affect of curricula reports in computer science, computer engineering, information systems, information technology, and software engineering as published by ACM and the computer society of IEEE. (Both authors have co-authored some of these documents.) From these reports, the paper explores the framework of new curricula models based on broad strategies for creating or developing a curriculum from organization and orientation points of view. Considerations for these new models would include not only topic areas, but also contrasts between traditional and novel approaches. While the paper addresses some structural models, it also explores integrative approaches such as absorption and separatist models as well as modular frameworks and negotiated programs. This topic is very timely and appropriate given the current crisis facing computing education today.