The goal of this proposal is to restructure how parallel programming is taught at universities. Parallel programming has been taught as a specialized topic at the senior and graduate levels in research universities. However with the growing importance of multiprocessor systems, it is now both feasible and necessary to introduce parallel programming at a much earlier stage and to a wider audience. This proposal will investigate introducing parallel programming techniques at the freshman year, integrating the material with existing sequential programming classes. The introduction of parallel programming techniques and their application will be continued in a similar fashion throughout the undergraduate curriculum wherever appropriate, in a gradual and constructive way. Introducing parallel programming at an earlier stage has two major problems which will be addressed in his proposal. First it requires special attention to dissemination and integration of the material. Second it requires a suitable computing platform. A major hindrance to teaching parallel programming with large classes has been unavailability of suitable computing platforms. Recent advances will be used in networked workstations and parallel programming tools which enable the workstations to be used collectively. How such networks can be used effectively in a parallel programming educational setting will be explored. New educational material will be created, which will be made freely available to other institutions. This proposal is intended to influence not only computer science and engineering curricula but also many aspects of other disciplines, as programming and its application are widely dispersed among many disciplines, including the physical sciences, natural sciences, business, and commerce.
