Beth Katz

updated August 26, 2008

I am an adjunct instructor in the Computer Science Department at Millersville University. Computer Science is part of the School of Science and Mathematics at MU. I have a web page at Comcast describing some of my other interests. My informal biography has more info about me.

I am currently president of the Lancaster County Apple Corps. This is the up-to-date LCAC web site.

I am involved with scouting (Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts), needlework, and astronomy groups. Look to my Comcast page for details and links for those activities.

• Computing Careers:
  • ACM has an updated careers in computing page and printable brochures for high school students.
  • Sloan Career Cornerstone Center from IEEE has a lot of information about job hunting and career resources.
  • The US Dept. of Labor has a Outlook for Computer Software Engineers describing CS job activities as well as predicting job openings.
  
  
• Women in Computing: Anita Borg Institute ... Girls Go Tech ... Center for Women and Information Technology

• Using the Internet Wisely:
  • Center for Safe and Responsible Internet Use
  • Internet Public Library where librarians organize the information
  
  
• Astronomy and Weather: My astronomy page ... My aurora links ... My aurora feed widgit ... Millersville Weather Center

• Fun Animations I didn't create: Store ... Animator vs. Animation ... Animator vs. Animation II

Teaching Computer Science

I'm a strong proponent of teaching functions and iterative enhancement early. But I'm not so sure about teaching writing of objects before students understand sequencing, functions, conditions, loops, and arrays. Understanding abstraction is key but also difficult.

Pair programming is a good way to work collaboratively. I usually offer it as an option in my courses.

• CS 161 at Millersville (Intro to Computer Science) fall 2004 or Professor Elzer's CS 161
• CS 162 at Millersville (Intro to Computer Science II) spring 2007 and spring 2008
• CS 330 at Millersville (Programming Languages and Software Engineering) fall 2004
• CS 362 at Millersville (Data Structures) fall 2006, fall 2007, fall 2008
• CS 420 at Millersville (Software Engineering) spring 2006
• My philosophy on learning including asking smart questions, using textbooks, and taking notes.
• Explore more about computer science
• Puzzler example from Apple modified for Career Day: download this
• my fabric size calculator is a commented Javascript example

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