Teaching computing service courses for fun and profit

Historically, the Computer Science Department taught a series of service courses for non-majors. These courses were intended primarily for students in the humanities and social sciences, business, natural sciences, and engineering. In 1993, computer science was merged into the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, immediately raising the question of whether or not the School of Engineering should be in the business of offering service courses to nonengineering students. It was finally decided to allow the new Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department to offer the service courses with the promise of a major overhaul of the content, organization, and laboratory facilities. A faculty member was asked to be responsible for the courses. The graduate teaching assistants who teach the courses were organized, trained, and ones with poor teaching records were dismissed. New computing equipment was purchased with engineering equipment fee money. Course curricula were completely revamped. The results of the experiment have been most gratifying. Enrollment demand has increased even though the courses are now “engineering” courses. Feedback from the approximately 1800 students who take the courses annually borders on rave reviews, a considerable change from the past. This paper discusses our experience in more detail