Summer computer institutes held for gifted high school students

IIT AlumniNews, Volume IV, Number 2, Fall 1985

by Staff

Web format and photo @ by Prof. P. Johnson

Summer computer institutes held for gifted high school students

Last summer, some 120 gifted, Chicago area high schoolers learned how to use the computer for more than just "hacking." In IIT's Computer Modeling in Science Program (CMIS), under the direction of Professors Peter Johnson and Earl Zwicker, they learned mathematical modeling and BASIC computer programming for the purpose of tackling fundamental science problems. The program was funded by the Illinois State Board of Education.

The problems themselves were drawn from five different areas and were presented as separate projects: "Acceleration," "Population," "Radioactivity," "Monte Carlo," and "Kinetics." The projects considered such questions as, how fast does a Chicago "L" train accelerate? What will the U.S. population be in the year 2010? And, how long does it take radioactive materials to decay?

Gains in math, science scores

The students were tested before the program began and at the conclusion of the three weeks in the subject areas of science, math, and computer programming. As a group,they made significant gains in all three subject areas.

Prof. Peter Johnson shows gifted high school students how to obtain experimentalata during a summer computer institute. The students had to perform science experiments and develop computer models.

As was to be expected, the students themselves were especially thrilled with the free computer time. They could use the terminals to explore their own interests, write their own programs, even just experiment. And a knowledgeable TA was there anytime a student came up against an uncooperative piece of hardware or a computer refused to accept a student's own Program.

One unexpected by-product of the program was pointed out by the students themselves. Both inner-city and suburban students said they appreciated the chance to meet others their own age from different social, economic, and cultural backgrounds.

In their opinion, the ability to get to know "different"students as individuals was one of the high points of the program.

While the classes concluded last August, students are still receiving free computer time and many are working on their own science projects. IIT is providing open-ended access for a period of one year to those students who participated in the 1985 CMIS.

If IIT receives funding, the institute will again be offered next summer. Interested students, parents, and teachers may call Professor Peter Johnson at: tel (312) 567-5216 to get on the mailing list

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