Welcome

The ISU Computer Science faculty feel that a high-school math, physics, or similar teacher who has done well in several specific CS courses should be able to teach CS 1181 Introduction to Computer Science Programming I as a dual enrollment course. CS 1181 is a 3-credit hour course similar to AP Computer Science A. It is the first course in the CS major and satisfies the ISU General Education Objective 7. CS 1181 typically is taught as a one-semester course but can be offered as a high school one-semester, two-trimester, or year-long course. We currently teach CS 1181 in Python.

Computer Science Early College Teacher Requirements

We believe high school students who have completed high-school algebra and trigonometry, or Math 1143 College Algebra, should be prepared to take this course. We will provide a complete course package for the high school teacher including a free online book, syllabus, lecture notes, example code, exercises, assignments, and tests.

In order to be able to teach an early college ISU CS 1181, a SE Idaho high-school teacher must satisfy the following requirements:

1. They must meet the initial ISU Computer-Science early college teacher standards. This typically requires a bachelor's or higher advanced degree, focusing on math, physics, or a similar field. Teachers also must have done well in several specific CS programming courses detailed below.
2. They must complete the ISU early college early college forms and procedures.
3. They must be authorized to teach this course as an Idaho high school course.
4. ISU Computer Science also has an on-going assessment and approval process to ensure early college courses continue to meet college standards. Continual assessment will include review of course grades, graded assignments, and test. It may also include periodic classroom observation by ISU Computer Science faculty.

Initial ISU Computer-Science Early College Teacher Requirements

A high-school teacher with a bachelor’s or more advanced degree, focusing on math, physics, or a similar field, can satisfy the ISU CS dual-enrollment standards by taking CS 5102 Teaching and Learning Computer Science I and CS 5103 Teaching and Learning Computer Science II. CS 5102 and CS 5103 are on-line graduate courses that contain the material in the CS 1181 and CS 2235 well as additional material on teaching Computer Science. Teachers either will need to have been admitted to an ISU graduate program or will need to apply as a non-degree-seeking student, which requires an unofficial transcript (https://isu.edu/graduate/future-students/).

ISU Early College Forms and Procedures

The ISU early college web site contains the needed forms and procedures for establishing an ISU CS 1181 Dual Enrollment course. The teacher must submit an Early College Program High School Adjunct and Course Request Form to the Early College Program Office. A course request application is considered complete when accompanied by the following documents:

• Course Request Form (with signature from building principal)
• Current Curriculum Vitae
• Personal Teaching Philosophy Statement (College Level Instruction)
• Letter of Recommendation from ISU Computer Science
• Transcripts (unofficial are OK until approved, then official needed)

There is an ISU Early College office new course orientation workshop held in August. ISU Computer Science must annually approve all Idaho State University Computer Science dual enrollment courses.

ISU Early College Office Application Checklist

Submission Deadlines