This project provides the Computer Science Department with the funds to equip laboratory rooms with modern computing equipment essential for carrying out experiments and exercises in computer science. The Department has implemented an innovative set of laboratory courses that span the undergraduate curriculum. The cornerstone of this set of laboratory courses is a unique, breadth-first sequence of four courses required of all majors, minors, and preservice teachers of computer science, entitled CS I-IV. This sequence incorporateq all of the traditional lower- division topics in advanced programming, data structures, algorithms, and discrete math--along with a strong ethics component and introductions to the major subject areas of computer science (artificial intelligence, compilers, networks, operating systems, and so forth)--into a seamless presentation. The laboratory sections accompanying CS I-IV allow students to explore and experiment with these topics in weekly 2-hour meetings. An innovative program animation system (DYNALAB) has been developed locally with NSF funds in support of these labs; algorithm and concept animators from other sources are also being incorporated. Students in upper-division undergraduate laboratory courses use professional software and hardware tools for their experiments.
