User:Fcarmody/Computer Science Principles

Advanced Placement Computer Science Principles (also called AP CSP) is an Advanced Placement course and examination offered by the College Board to high school students as an opportunity to earn college credit for a college-level computer science course. AP Computer Science Principles is meant to be the equivalent of a first-semester course in computer science. Assessment for AP Computer Science Principles is divided into two parts, both and end of course exam as well as the creation of artifacts through out the course.

AP Computer Science Principles
Advanced Placement Computer Science Principles encourages the application of creative processes while developing artifacts to solve problems. The course focuses on learning to create computational artifacts. Students enrolled in the course learn the role and impact of technology and programming in society. Students also develop an appreciation of programming and technology as a way to personally significant artifacts and an understanding of programming and technology as a way to to create solutions to computational problems. The courses focuses on an iterative approach to creation of programmatic and digital artifacts similar to the processes used by professional engineers and computer scientists. AP Computer Science Principles is expressly designed to encourage participation in computer science by under represented student communities by allowing flexibility in instruction for the use of a variety of computing tools and languages. The course introduces students to a survey of computing topics and provides a comprehension of fundamental programming, the wide variety of applications of programming and programmings trans-formative potential for our global society.

AP Computer Science Principles Topic outline
Curriculum Overview The framework focuses on computational thinking practices which are applied throughout the curriculum. The concept outline included in the curriculum is divided into seven units called "Big Ideas". Each unit contains a series of "Learning Objectives". Each "Learning Objective" is a general benchmark of student performance or understanding which has a an associated "Enduring Understanding". An "Enduring Understanding" is a core comprehension which students should retain well after completing the course. Each "Learning Objective" is split into multiple "Essential Knowledge" standards, which are specific facts or content which the student must know to demonstrate mastery of the learning objective when assessed.

Computational Thinking Practices
 * P1: Connecting Computing
 * P2: Creating Computational Artifacts
 * P3: Abstracting
 * P4: Analyzing Problems and Artifacts
 * P5: Communicating
 * P6: Collaborating

Concept Outline
 * Big Idea 1: Creativity
 * Big Idea 2: Abstraction
 * Big Idea 3: Data and Information
 * Big Idea 4: Algorithms
 * Big Idea 5: Programming
 * Big Idea 6: The Internet
 * Big Idea 7: Global Impact

AP Computer Science Principles Assessment
Through-Course Assessment
 * Task 1: Explore – Implications of Computing Innovations
 * Task Description: In the classroom, students explore the impacts of computing on social, economic, and cultural areas of our lives
 * Task Time Limit: 8 hours in Class Time
 * Task Response Format
 * Written Response: Innovation : 400 word Max
 * Written Response: Population and Impact : 300 Word Max
 * Visual Artifact : Visualization or Graphic
 * Visual Artifact Summary: 50 Words
 * Evaluate, Archive and Present Task
 * Task 2- Create – Applications from Ideas
 * Task Description: Students create computational artifacts through the design and development of programs.
 * Task Time Limit: 12 hours in Class Time
 * Task Response Format
 * Collaborative Program: Source Code PDF and Video
 * Individual Program: Source Code PDF and Video
 * Collaborative Reflection : 300 words
 * Individual Reflection : 300 words
 * Evaluate, Archive and Present Task

End-of-Course AP Exam
 * The exam will use paper and pencil.
 * It will last 120 minutes and will include approximately 74 items.
 * The exam is composed of two sections:
 * Single Select Multiple-Choice: Select 1 answer from among 4 options.
 * Multiple Select Multiple-Choice: you select 2 answers from among 4 options

Grade distributions for AP Computer Science Principles
The AP Computer Science Principles Exam will be administered for the first time in spring of 2016. As a result there is currently no grade distribution.