Computer Science Technology teaches information age technologies and critical thinking skills to solve problems using those technologies. It provides students with a foundation for college study, not only in computer science or engineering, but in a wide variety of disciplines.

The course consists of brief presentations of new material by the instructor, followed by students solving problems using that information. Students work individually and as groups to construct solutions. Both individuals and classes often select a topic or a project that appeals to them and the course is restructured to enable them to complete that project. Group projects have included a “cash register” program used by the student council for concessions at school basketball games, a ticketing program for an amusement park and a web-based, bar code enabled program to keep track of computer equipment. Individual projects have included a simulated ‘21’ game (successfully submitted as a science fair project) and a role playing game.

First year students explore the structure and operation of the personal computer, learning basic design and troubleshooting. They are introduced to the basics of HTML and JavaScript and begin to learn programming in the C language.
Second year students learn the structure and dynamics of networking, creating and operating several kinds of networks in the classroom. They continue to learn programming in PHP as a basis for developing web based applications. And they are introduced to using relational databases.

Third year students follow the AP curriculum for programming in the Java language. They also construct an intranet on which they run a web server whose websites access a backend MySQL that may be implemented using Java or PHP and they explore the issues of security in running a website.