In this paper, we introduce a new procedure for under-represented students to quickly learn the use of the decision structure in computer programming. The challenge here is to help students, who lack sufficient background of mathematics and computer programming, to use this structure correctly without too much doubt and uncertainty. The traditional CS0 program elapses several semesters and requires many foundation courses to be taken before the students have knowledge of the program correctness. Our one-semester course CSC115 allows students to build up programming skills gradually case by case and program by program. Such a guideline is proven to be effective for those inexperienced students to write correct If-else/If statements without the need for learning formal methods in classroom.
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/zhen_jiang/27/