CS1001.py: A topic-based introduction to computer science

We describe the curriculum, initial experience, and preliminary evaluation of an introductory CS course for students taking CS as their single or double major. The course is taught during the first or second semester of the first year of studies. It is centered around eleven to thirteen topics, offering a wide cover of major CS subjects. Many of these topics are not covered in "traditional" introductory CS courses, and some of them are not even covered through the standard undergraduate curricula. Examples: digital image representation and processing, error correction and detection codes, hashing (including Cuckoo hashing), and text compression. The programming language used in the course is Python. The students are exposed to all standard programming language constructs (commands, assignments, functions, conditionals, iterations, recursion, etc.) and basic data types (e.g. integers, floating-point numbers, lists, dictionaries, and sets), as well as less basic constructs, like higher order functions, lambda expressions, classes and methods, and iterators. We have set a dual learning outcome: the students are expected to acquire a good knowledge and proficiency of programming and understanding short programs. We also expect them to get a broad view of central subjects in Computer Science.