NUS School of Computing
Introduction to Programming Workshop
 Synopsis

This is a workshop offered by the School of Computing (SoC) specially for freshmen. It is designed to help you develop confidence before you have to take your first programming module in SoC. It is targeted at students who have little/no programming or who have forgotten whatever they have learnt in programming. In short, no prior programming knowledge or experience is required.

The workshop will introduce you to the basic tenets of algorithmic thinking that provides a systematic way of solving problems. Thereafter, you will progress to learn basic constructs of the C programming language such as variables, operators, conditional statements and iterative statements so that you can design and write simple C programs.

The workshop adopts small group lectures and practical lab sessions as the primary teaching modes. You will have plenty of hands-on opportunities to write simple C codes.

The workshop is offered free-of-charge to all freshmen.

 Registration

Registration is now open. Please click here to register via the online registration system.

 Schedule

The workshop will be held over three days:

  • Day 1 - Wednesday, 11 July 2012
  • Day 2 - Friday, 13 July 2012
  • Day 3 - Saturday, 14 July 2012
Each day is split into two sessions with a lunch break in between:
  • Morning Session - 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM
  • Lunch Break - 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
  • Afternoon Session - 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM

Day Session Topics Practical Exercises
1 Morning 0 – A Warm Welcome
1 – Talking to the Computer? - Introduction to Computer Programming
2 – What has Cooking Got to Do with Computer Programming?
3 – Problem Solving with Algorithmic Thinking 		No practical exercises
Afternoon 4 – Writing Your Algorithms with Pseudocode
5 – The Chosen One - Introduction to C
 Writing pseudocode
2 Morning 6 – The Nuts, Bolts and Wrenches - Variables and Operators in C
7 – Give and Take - Basic Input/Output in C
8 – Choosing This or That? - Conditional Control Flow in C 		Writing simple C programs
Afternoon 9 – Going Round and Round - Iterative Control Flow in C
10 – Catching Your First Bug - Basic Debugging in C 		Writing simple C programs
3 Morning 11 – Borrowing Books from the C Standard Library
12 – Divide and Conquer - Procedural Programming in C 		Writing simple C programs
Afternoon No lecture Summary practical exercises

 Venue

All lectures and practical sessions will be conducted at Programming Lab 2 (#B-09), Basement, Building COM1, SoC, NUS.

Campus map:

Building COM1 basement floorplan:

Directions to the COM1 building:

  1. Alight at the shuttle bus stop marked as "A1,A2,B,D" and circled in red on the campus map.
  2. Facing the carpark, walk in your half-right or 2 o'clock direction towards the COM1 building.
  3. Walk through the outer glass door and proceed through the inner glass door.
  4. Keep to your left and walk straight forward until you see a flight of staircase.
  5. Walk down the staircase.
  6. Turn left and walk past Programming Lab 4.
  7. Turn right into the first small corridor that you see.
  8. Finally, the entrance to Programming Lab 2 is on your left.
 What Do I Need to Bring?

Nothing :) All notes, hardware and software will be provided.

 Download

The complete set of learning materials, including lecture notes, sample source codes and practical exercises will be made available for download on this webpage about 1 week before the workshop. Please check back here again.

 Contact Us

For any further enquiry, please email the instructor at tanwk@comp.nus.edu.sg.