Retraining computing faculty: a perspective

Abstract

The author has been actively involved in the retraining of college faculty to teach computing science for six years. He is presently recruiting a fifth class for a two-summer masters degree program which addresses this goal, and is preparing for a seventh offering of a week-long, non-credit summer institute. This paper reflects upon the experience of having worked first-hand with nearly 200 faculty members from a great variety of disciplines. It also incorporates interchanges with directors of other formal retraining efforts around the country, and the comments made by some of the nearly 500 faculty who have participated in formal summer retraining programs. From these sources the author tries to clarify the phenomena of retraining and suggests some areas which merit further study.