Re-inventing the introductory computer graphics course: providing tools for a wider audience

Traditionally, the introductory computer graphics course in computer scienc e has focused on fundamental algorithms and techniques for creating images and animations. This was reflected in ACM/IEEE Curriculum 91 (Tucker AB, Ba rnes BH. Computing curricula 1991: Report of the ACM/IEEE/CS Curriculum Tas k Force. New York: Silver Spring, MD: ACM Press/IEEE Computer Society Press , 1991). Computer graphics and similar subjects are expected to play a larg er role in undergraduate computer science in the future (Cunningham S. SIGC SE Bulletin 1998;30(4):4a-7a), and this is being discussed in the ACM/IEEE Curriculum 2001 project. In the last few years the approach to teaching thi s course has changed to take advantage of more powerful graphics tools. Thi s paper describes an approach to the introductory computer graphics course that increases its value as a tool for the student in the sciences, mathema tics, or engineering as well as providing a sound introduction to the subje ct for the computer science student. This approach is compatible with the r ecommendations of the recent Graphics and Visualization Education Workshop (Reports of the Graphics and Visualization Education 99 workshop are publis hed online at www.eg.org/WorkingGroups/GVE/GVE99 and www.education.siggraph .org/conferences/GVE99 and will appear in Computer Graphics and Computer Gr aphics Forum) while focusing on serving an expanded audience. (C) 2000 Else vier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.