There has been a lot of misinformation about the upcoming (unannounced) curriculum changes, so I would like to list everything I know so far. This information has come from various sources, many of whom wish to remain anonymous. While I've heard additional details, I've chosen to omit anything that isn't corroborated by multiple sources.
Motivations
Very little has been put into writing in this regard but the following is what I have been able to piece together:
- Currently, satellite campuses have vastly different implementations of the core curriculum
- Both with different languages and not following the HtDP curriculum, etc.
- Admin believes students don't have the skills which co-op employers desire
- There is a desire to unify the Data Science and Computer Science first-semester course
- Currently, data science students must retake intro CS classes if they would like to take higher-level CS electives.
- Certain later courses feel they need to introduce students to Python and imperative programming.
Potential Changes
The core fundies sequence (Fundies 1, Fundies 2, Object Oriented Design, Software Development) will be replaced. The replacement courses are not currently named, but have been internally discussed as CS0, CS1, CS2/OOP. Additionally, there have been talks about integrating more of a "LeetCode prep" like class (no concrete info on this).
Software Dev will no longer be a requirement and Software Engineering will be intended to be taken before co-op.
CS0 and CS1 will likely be taught in a Python(like) language. CS0 will likely be taught with Pyret for the first three-quarters of the semester, and will likely transition to Python. CS1 will then likely be taught in Python as well, and will introduce some Object Oriented topics. CS2 might be in Java (but Python has also been discussed as a possibility), and teach some sort of OOP. Note that none of these curriculum changes are finalized, nor do they have concrete syllabuses.
There has been pressure from higher-ups to allow for more courses to be skippable, and to allow CS0 to have credit granted for students coming in with AP Computer science credit. Speculatively to allow going on co-op sooner?
The design aspect of the curriculum will not necessarily be going away; however, there is definitely a possibility of losing depth in these courses.
Downstream Courses
There have been some assertions about how these changes will affect downstream courses, these assertions are not necessarily happening and are speculative. While there is a distinct possibility that some adjustments may be needed—since Racket Student Languages can't be assumed prior knowledge—I believe the claims of significant impacts on downstream courses are exaggerated.