CS0: A Project Based, Active Learning Course

The recruitment and retention of students in early computer programming classes has been the focus of many Computer Science and Informatics programs. This paper describes an initiative underway at Indiana University South Bend to improve the retention rate in computer science and informatics. The approach described in this work is inspired by the SCALE-UP project, and describes the design and implementation of an instructor-guided, active learning environment which allows students to gradually acquire the necessary critical thinking, problem solving, and programming skills required for success in computer science and informatics.