Work in progress - the synergistic integration of an entering students program with an engaging introductory course in programming

Abstract

We report on the synergistic integration of a required entering students' program with an introductory course in programming. The course is evenly divided among Python-based algorithmic-centric media programming modules and content specified for ESP students at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). UTEP is an urban university serving a largely Hispanic student population principally drawn from the sister cities of El Paso, TX, USA, and Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, MX. ESP course content includes modules such as reading, studying, and note-taking skills. The unifying theme and approach used for both the ESP and programming modules of the course is provided by the concept of Robert Sternberg's ¿Successful Intelligence,¿ an accessible refactoring of Bloom's Taxonomy into the general categories of analytical, creative, and practical thinking skills. The unifying theme and approach used for both the ESP and programming modules of the course is provided by the concept of Robert Sternberg's ¿Successful Intelligence,¿ an accessible refactoring of Bloom's Taxonomy into the general categories of analytical, creative, and practical thinking skills.