ACM, IEEE-CS and AAAI Release CS2023 Curricular Guidelines
CS2023 is the latest revision of computer science curricular guidelines.
It is a joint effort among the ACM, IEEE-CS, and, for the first time, the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI).
Since 2013, the focus of curricular design has moved from what is taught (a knowledge model) to what is learned (a competency model). All prior versions of computer science guidelines used a knowledge model where related topics were grouped into a knowledge unit, and related knowledge units were grouped into a knowledge area. Computer Science Curricula Guidelines 2013 contained 163 knowledge units grouped into 18 knowledge areas. Learning outcomes were identified for each knowledge unit. Distinction was made between core topics that every computer science graduate must know and elective topics that were considered optional. Core topics were further divided into Tier 1 topics that were to be covered completely and Tier 2 topics, at least 80% of which had to be covered.
Some early efforts to design a competency model of a curriculum were for Software Engineering and Information Technology. The broader Computing Curricula CC2020 report proposed a competency model for various computing disciplines, including Computer Science, Information Systems, and Data Science. Competency models followed for Information Systems, Associate-degree CyberSecurity and Data Science.
A knowledge model with its initial emphasis on content and a competency model with its primary emphasis on outcomes are complementary views of the same learning continuum. For computer science, neither model is a substitute for the other. The two models complement each other and work better together than apart. So, the CS2023 task force has both revised the earlier CS2013 knowledge model and proposed a framework for the competency model that maintains consistency with it.
Other recent model undergraduate curricula for computer science include that of the All India Council for Technical Education and the “101 plan” of the Ministry of Education in China. Similarly, professional bodies have drafted curricular guidelines on specific areas of computer science such as parallel and distributed computing.
This report limits itself to computer science curricula. But a holistic view requires consideration of the interrelatedness of computer science with other computing disciplines such as Software Engineering, Security, and Data Science. For an overview of the landscape of computing education, please see the section “Computing Interrelationships” in the CC 2020 report.
The vision for CS2023 curricular revision includes the following:
An updated knowledge model of the computer science curriculum—explained in the chapter Introduction to Knowledge Model in this section, (Section 1);
An appropriate competency model for computer science—explained in the chapter Introduction to Competency Framework in this section;
Consistency between the knowledge model and the competency model;
Well-researched articles by experts on curricular practices—included in Section 4;
CS 2023
CS2023 provides a comprehensive guide outlining the knowledge and competencies students should attain for degrees in computer science and related disciplines at the undergraduate level.
Establishing uniform curricular guidelines for computer science disciplines is essential to the ongoing vitality of the field and the future success of those who study it. CS2023 provides a shared global curriculum to help ensure students develop the knowledge and skills they need to succeed as they graduate to become industry practitioners, researchers, or educators. Additionally, by supporting consistency in the field across the world, the CS2023 curricular guidelines enable efficient global collaboration—whether among professionals working across borders for an international company, or among academics from different nations coming together for a research project.
The development of CS2023 was guided by a global Steering Committee of 17 computing professionals who were drawn from academia and industry through a selective application process. The project began in 2021 by analyzing the results of a purpose-built computing community survey that included 427 academic and 865 industry respondents from around the world.
A live online version of the curriculum in addition to a hardcopy version—presented at the csed.acm.org website.
https://dl.acm.org/doi/book/10.1145/3664191
