by Iain Ferguson with Edward Martin and Burt Kaufman
With a proven track
record of several years' use in teaching the art of Scheme programming to
secondary school students and college undergraduates, "The Schemer's
Guide" describes the elements of modern computer programming in an
exceptionally easy-to-follow and entertaining way.
This 330-page guide was written by experienced curriculum developers and practicing teachers. Iain Ferguson contributes his considerable expertise in computer science. Edward Martin supplies his skills as a textbook writer and technical editor. And, Burt Kaufman injects the hard-won lessons of decades of teaching experience and curriculum development.
Despite covering so many current issues in computer science, "The Schemer's Guide" assumes no previous computing experience.
It excels as a teaching tool, clearly imparts the precedence of thinking over computing, and shows that good ideas are the foundation of good computer programs. In fact, for the first half of the book, a computer isn't even necessary for following the discussion just a red and a black pen and plenty of paper.
While it nurtures good programming practices, "The Schemer's Guide" strikes just the right balance between theory and practice as it introduces the Scheme programming language, guiding readers through such concepts as functional programming, recursion, data structures, higher order functions, delayed evaluation, and object-oriented programming. It introduces the reader to the algorithmic process by first diagramming operations in an organized manner before tackling the code syntax no mindless typing programs into the computer, enforcing ritual before reason. The exercises in the guide are plentiful. Although geared for the classroom, the guide has proven to be a successful self-teaching tool for hobbyists and professionals.
The eight chapters of "The Schemer's Guide" go from the essentials all the way to game-playing programs. Its easy-to-follow examples and increasingly challenging exercises can smoothly turn any interested reader into a Scheme programmer. More importantly, this package goes a long way toward building effective problem-solving skills in readers who work their way through the book from beginning to end. The book reaches its climax with a significant game-playing project involving object-oriented programming and artificial intelligence.
A comprehensive teacher's guide and an additional set of resource materials including worksheets, quizzes, projects, and exams are available to instructors using this text.
By Iain Ferguson with Edward Martin and Burt Kaufman.
Foreword by Daniel Friedman. (330 pp. 7" x 9".)
ISBN: 0-9628745-2-3.
$59.95 (paper)
A Spanish translation is also available (La Guia de Schemer).
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