Educating the Next Generation of Spammers

Compelling experiences in introductory courses make a key difference in whether non-majors develop an interest in computer science, possibly even converting them into undergraduate majors or minors. In this paper we advocate integrated hands-on laboratory style activities to provide such pivotal experiences. In the lab activities we describe, students do not engage in programming, yet they learn to think computationally by engaging in computational activities. The course in which these labs are implemented is oriented around three aspects of the the internee's underside: its techno-scientific underpinnings, environmental and energy problems and promise brought on by its rapid growth, and security threats associated with its use. We describe the goals and content of the lab activities, as well as various challenges encountered through their implementation. We also discuss student responses and future directions.