ABOUT THIS COURSE
AP Computer Science Principles is an introductory college-level computing course that introduces students to the breadth of the field of computer science. Students learn to design and evaluate solutions and to apply computer science to solve problems through the development of algorithms and programs. They incorporate abstraction into programs and use data to discover new knowledge. Students also explain how computing innovations and computing systems—including the internet—work, explore their potential impacts, and contribute to a computing culture that is collaborative and ethical.
Throughout the CS (Computer Science) Principles curriculum, there are many activities that have structured moments for students to give each other peer feedback. When lessons call for students to design a solution to a problem, for example, they typically will exchange early drafts with classmates to test ideas and identify potential improvements. Research and programming projects call on students to present their work to classmates in order to share what they have learned and collect ideas for approaching future projects. Many rubrics are written with the express intention that students use them to assess one another’s work. These and other peer feedback opportunities integrated throughout the curriculum allow students to get quick, authentic, and personalized feedback about their work and thinking.
PURPOSE
We believe that computing is fundamental to understanding and participating in society which makes it valuable for every student to learn as part of a modern education. We see computer science as a liberal art, a subject that provides students with a critical lens for interpreting the world around them. Computer science prepares all students to be active and informed contributors to our increasingly technological society whether they pursue careers in technology or not. Computer science can be life-changing, not just skill training.