The research and practice of case teaching method in computer curricula for undergraduates

In the computer curricula teaching process for the four-year students of our high education, there is an evident problem, which exits so long a time, that too often the theory is focused on while the practise is marginalized, consequently, posing another protruding matter that the education goals could not meet the practical needs of the society development and enterprise manufacture. Given the characters of case teaching method and the reality of undergraduate computer curricula teaching, this paper presents the principle of case choosing in the case teaching process, along with the basic methods of case design and teaching procedure scheduling. It also raises one practical case in the multimedia technology course. It is proved by the teaching practice that the case study and practise method taken in the process of the undergraduate computer curricula teaching benefits a lot to the students: they could comprehend and master the theories better; their practical ability could be enhanced; the competitiveness of employment would be promoted.

I. Introduction

So far, in the computer curricula teaching process for the four-year students of our high education, the study and guidance of basic theories and methods have been emphasized while the practical ability cultivation has always been the weakest point in many colleges. Such a problem is not only related to the matter of our national computer undergraduate cultivation locating, but also concerning the scheduling of the exact teaching contents. Recently, with the international research about the cultivation goal for the computer-related undergraduate deepening (i.e. IEEE-ACM, Computer Curricula 2001/2005, or CC2001/2005, for short.), the High Education Computer Science and Technology Teaching Guidance Committee was conducted by the Ministry of Education. In December, 2006 came out the book The High Education Computer Science and Technology Academics Development Strategy Research Report and Academic Regulation (proposed), which presents the conception of classification cultivation, posing one relative authentic proposal to the computer undergraduate cultivation. In October, 2008, the committee published The High Education Computer and Technology Academics Practice Teaching System and Regulation, and definitely pointed out that the practical ability cultivation is one indispensable section of great significance [1]. It also integrated the practice link system, regulations, conditions and requirements of practice environment construction. This indicates the great change in our national computer undergraduate education concept.