Re: Computer Skills

[dtmarx@siu.edu (David Marx)]

Computer skills are becoming increasingly important.  I recommend to all
students that they get as much experience as they can as an undergraduate.
When I was getting my BS (Physics) in the early 80s, I was required to take
two programming courses: BASIC and FORTRAN.  Today I am quite comfortable
in sitting down to write a program and willing to learn new languages.
Physicists are ideal computer programmers because of our problem solving
skills and knowledge of what the output from these programs ought to be.
In addition to programming, working with basic electronics and interfacing
is extremely useful for future technicians and experimental graduate
students.

As far as particular languages, PASCAL is history; and FORTRAN is nearly
retired as well.  Microsoft is no longer producing a FORTRAN programing
component in its programming suite that includes Visual BASIC, C++, J++,
etc.  C++ is currently extremely popular, but it is also limited when one
wishes to do advanced calculations.  The language and its tools were
designed for people handling a lot of graphics like game programmers.
FORTRAN and the new Visual BASIC are best for calculations and interfacing.

I've found that students using Mathematica or Maple really don't know what
is going on in the program and, thus, tend to accept the output without
question.  Students that write a program to perform the same calculation
spend a lot of time working through the mathematics and can build in
internal validations.   Yes, mathematics packages are useful, just as
calculators are, but as with calculators, they do not help anyone learn
mathematics.


> Our physics department is currently working on a statement describing the
> knowledge and skills we think a student should possess in the area of computer
> applications when he/she completes a B.S. degree in physics.
>
> I'd like to know what others think about this. Should we expect our
> students to
> know how to program in certain computer languages and, if so, which languages
> (C, C++, FORTRAN, BASIC, PASCAL, etc.)? Should they be expected to be familiar
> with mathematical processing programs such as MATHEMATICA and MAPLE?
> Should they
> be skilled in the use of spreadsheets and graphing programs? Should they be
> familiar with the use of computers in the laboratory?
>
> If some of these skills are not taught in our physics courses, do we
> expect our
> students to take courses in other departments? Or do we expect them to learn
> these skills on their own?
>
> Thanks for any input you can provide.
>
> Harold Hart
> Physics Department
> Western Illinois University
> 309-298-1596
> harold_hart@ccmail.wiu.edu