🧑‍🏫 Teaching Assistant - CSCI 1170-006

CSCI 1170-006: Computer Science I (4 Credit Hours)
Middle Tennessee State University — Spring 2025

Course Description:
This foundational course introduces students to computer programming using a high-level language. Emphasis is placed on problem-solving through structured software development techniques and simple data structures such as strings and lists. The course uses the Python programming language in conjunction with UNIX tools for hands-on programming experience.

Objectives:

• Develop students’ skills in program design and construction.
• Equip students with tools for algorithm development and debugging.
• Teach structured programming principles through hands-on practice in Python.

Topics Covered:

• Functional decomposition and structured programming
• Algorithm design and procedural abstraction
• Data structures such as strings, lists, and arrays
• Python syntax and semantics
• Use of UNIX tools for editing, compiling, and executing programs

Learning Outcomes:
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Apply functional decomposition in the design of a program.
• Solve problems using algorithmic thinking with sequence, selection, and iteration.
• Use simple data structures like arrays and strings within Python.
• Write clean, readable, and syntactically correct Python programs.
• Understand the syntax and semantics of core Python elements.
• Use UNIX-based tools for compiling and debugging code.
• Predict and trace state changes in a running program.

Prerequisites:
A sufficient background in algebra and trigonometry (e.g., MATH 1730)