Conceptual Models of a Program?

retsofaj queries: "Almost all of the introductory programming books I've looked at focus on syntax, with possible digressions into a bit of semantics. What I haven't found are any great discussions that go beyond syntax and semantics and make it all the way to conceptual models. My goal is to develop a set of resources that can be used in an introductory course that teaches students programming starting with conceptual models, as opposed to starting with syntax."

"What I mean by conceptual models are how you think about what a program is (if a program can be anything!). Examples would be (all prefaced by "a program is made up of..."):

• flowcharts (structured programming)
• arrangements of opaque things sending messages to each other (OO)
• transformations of data structures (Wirth's view)
• state machines
• a knowledgebase (Prolog, etc.)
• algebraic operations on sets (Functional languages)

Of course this is just the list I've come up with off the top of me head. My questions for the community are therefore:

1. Who/Where/How are the different models of a program being taught?
2. What conceptual models do you use when programming (and where would I go to find out about them)?

I acknowledge that some of these are covered by UML, but UML seems biased towards the object model of a program, which seems to exclude things like knowledgebases and functional approaches."

Comments

Design Patterns

[abroadst]

I think a good text for a course on conceptual models for software is Design Patterns by Gamma, Helm, Johnson, and Vlissides. When I first came upon this book it really opened my eyes. Now I can hardly imagine trying to be a software developer without the perspective offered in these pages.

A Famous One Is...

[the eric conspiracy]

Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs
by Harold Abelson, Gerald Jay Sussman, Julie Sussman.

How To Design Programs

[jrstewart]

You may be looking for the book How To Design Programs. I haven't read (all) of this book but I've learned a lot from the guys who wrote it. The complete text is online so take a look.

Design Patterns, The Book

[Bouncings]

What you are talking about is software design patterns. I suggest Eddison Wesley's book on the topic of object orientation. There's less information on structured programming out there becuase structured programming isn't very trendy right now. New materials on cutting edge (yes, cutting edge) structured programming methodology is really only available on usenet and in people's code. For that, you are on your own.

I also would advocate you not to follow the dogma that object orientation is the holy grail of software. Be open minded to structured programming too! :)

Re:Design Patterns, The Book

[alext]

Nonsense. This book has nothing to do with IT fundamentals, OO or otherwise. As many people have pointed out, at best it can be regarded as a roll-your-own appendage to cover the flaws of current mainstream languages. This situation does not apply in academia - they can use any language they like.

Structure And Interpretation of Computer Languages

[William Tanksley]

The granddaddy of this type has to be MIT Press' SICP. It's a programming intro, but it teaches you lambda calculus as well as the problems with lambda calculus.

Lambda isn't everything, and a good teacher should also cover some languages which use it lightly (J and K) as well as a language which doesn't use it at all (Forth, Postscript, Joy) -- but it's good to have as a starter. SICP doesn't teach 'conceptual models', though; I don't think that the authors even realised there were other conceptual models out there. Most people don't, since most people don't even know that lambda calculus has almost nothing to do with how computers work, but is rather just the way most programming languages have been designed, in imitation of Fortran.

But I can't slam SICP. It may not cover other conceptual models, but it does a BANG-up job of covering the one it acknowledges, and even points out the weaknesses.

-Billy

Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs

[The Pim]

It's a beautiful book, and takes basically the approach you outline. I don't have it in front of me, but I believe it treats most of the models you mention, and always focuses on the insights they give you into programs.

It's the standard MIT intro text. Philip Greenspun called it the "one great book on the subject of computer programming". It's even online!

The only caveat is that students reportedly find it hard to absorb on the first pass--even at MIT. (This is second hand information--I didn't read SICP in a class, nor did I go to MIT. I read it after programming professionally for a few years, and loved it.)

How to Think Like a Computer Scientist

[bcrowell]

Check out How to Think Like a Computer Scientist. It's an excellent introductory book, and the digital version is also free. It does at least some of the kind of stuff you're talking about.

However, I think it would be a mistake not to teach any syntax at the beginning. Students need concrete examples, and the only thing that makes it fun to learn how to program is that you get to build actual programs that really do things.

Another option

[jabbo]

I feel like Paul Graham's "ANSI Common Lisp" is more fun to work through (and makes my brain hurt somewhat less) than SICP. SICP is a really stiff book -- using that text for a class is a sure way to weed most people out. Graham's book, while very very intelligent and deep, is also a lot easier to grasp in many respects. Not a bad choice for 'SICP Lite' although that doesn't give it enough credit for what it teaches you about programming in the real world (vs. the computer-linguistics and mental gymnastics that SICP teaches you).

(Read the articles on Graham's site. They're friggin' amazing distillations of experience. If you've been programming (successfully) for long enough, you'll not only be pleasantly surprised, but will find yourself nodding in agreement whilst learning about new topics. Anyways, the book is an implementation of much of what he writes about, into his 'Mother Tongue' of Common Lisp. Hell, this is one of the few good writers who can correctly answer the question:

"If you're so damn smart, why aren't you rich?"

The answer, for anyone whose opinions you'd want to trust, is "I am", and it's BECAUSE of his opinions. :-))

mod parent up (link to full text of SICP online)!

[jabbo]

Or use this one, if you must

SICP online (my god that background is ugly)

Not to be confused with the Society for Invasive Cardiovascular Professionals, mind you.