The Bay School takes a broad view of technology, defining it not only in terms of computer and information technology, but also in terms of the design and creation of tools to meet human needs. If technology is defined as the application of scientific knowledge to facilitate change, it is important to consider the appropriate uses of technology and the impact of its application. Media literacy is a core component of technology instruction, and use of technology is integrated throughout the curriculum.

Computer Science

Computer science, physics, and mathematics share common threads involving problem-solving. Computer science actually formalizes problem-solving strategies more explicitly than physics or mathematics. Being aware of specific problem-solving techniques and terminology enable students to reach a higher level of sophistication in all science and engineering pursuits. These techniques include: abstraction, generalization, recursion, scope, iteration, value vs. reference, accuracy and precision, specification vs. requirement, version control and debugging.

Bay School computer science courses are founded on the process called “Computational Thinking” pioneered at MIT. Bay students have the opportunity to learn a wide variety of programming languages including: Assembly, C, C++, C#, Java, Lisp, Fortran, Visual Basic, HTML sql, Ruby, XML, and many others.

Computer Science I. This course is aimed at students with little or no programming experience. It provides students with an understanding of the role computation can play in solving problems. It also aims to help students, regardless of their primary academic focus, to feel justifiably confident of their ability to write small programs that allow them to accomplish useful goals. The class will use the Python™ programming language and the Geogebra mathematics tool. Prerequisite: Computer Science l or instructor permission.

Computer Science ll. Computer Science II addresses software development and data structures. Students will learn to employ integrated development environments (IDEs) such as Eclipse, and IDLE. Students will use linked lists, queues, hash tables, and various tree structures to efficiently implement programs that they design. Prerequisite: Computer Science l or instructor permission.

Computer Science lll: 3D Geometry & Graphics. This course allows students to apply geometry to the natural and familiar problem of 3D computer graphics. It serves as both a mathematics course providing an in-depth application of geometry and linear algebra, and as a computer science course teaching students how to integrate domain knowledge from another discipline into code and finally into a fully functioning program.

 Computer Science: Project Management. Students who have completed Computer Science l, II or lll may sign up to work as a project manager for that course. This role is part teaching assistant, part academic advisor, part mentor, and part work group administrator, with the exact details to be determined by the teacher and student. Project managers will have some opportunities to work as programmers, but they should not expect this to be the primary focus of their duties. Prerequisites: must have successfully completed the course being managed; instructor permission required.

Engineering

The 21st century is the era of design. Design separates elegant from cumbersome, sustainable from wasteful, intuitive from confusing. Design is interwoven into every Bay School class, nowhere more so than in our Engineering Program. A truly interdisciplinary study, Engineering at Bay incorporates arts and science, requires collaboration and communication, and depends upon a reasoned understanding of the world in which we live. Whether they are 9th graders learning engineering in Bay’s Freshman Seminar or 12th graders in an advanced Engineering course, Bay’s young engineers learn the process of understanding a problem, testing possible responses, crafting a solution, and honing that solution through iterative testing and improvement. Working in Bay’s unique Project Center, students use industrial tools and processes as well as technological resources to build real devices, crafting real solutions to real problems. By empowering our students to dream, investigate, and literally engineer their way out of a problem, we prepare them to think about the world’s problems in a new way.

Engineering Design l. This one-trimester course provides an introduction to the various methods and skills involved in design and engineering, from methodology, basic modeling and drawing skills, to material shaping in metal, plastic, and wood using both machine and hand tools. This is a project-based class in which students learn the skills to transform the raw materials into sculpture, architecture, machinery, gizmos, etc. We will explore 3-4 projects during the course, increasing the complexity of the design and building methods along the way. No prerequisite.

Engineering Design II: Design Focus. Engineering is basic to human nature. From flint-napping to make hunting tools to particle accelerators, a methodology of design is the thread common to any man made object. In this course students will explore how to design. The process is an experience in problem solving, from defining what needs to be designed to finding and refining creative solutions to building working prototypes. This project-based one-trimester course will continue to explore design methodology to solve more complex problems. It will focus on finding elegant solutions using a language of engineering and aesthetics to accomplish this goal. Continued development of fabrication methods as well as more in-depth exploration of materials will be used on various assigned and student defined projects. Prerequisite: Engineering Design 1, or instructor permission.

Engineering Design II: Mechanical Focus. Making working mechanical objects is challenging. We take for granted that our cars or our computers work reliably and consistently. Experiencing just how much thought and effort goes into the simplest mechanical device is an exciting exploration. In this one-trimester course, students focus on mechanical devices, gaining a greater understanding of how design decisions made along the way inform the reliability and functionality of objects. Using the machine shop and fabrication tools as well as CAD and other visualization methods, students will work on several projects, both assigned and student-defined, to make functional and working devices. Prerequisites: Engineering Design l, or instructor permission.

Robotics. Robotics requires a working combination of several skill sets. Using design methodology to solve problems, students will learn to use the Vex Robotics System to construct working robots able to accomplish specific game-related tasks. Students will be asked to formulate mechanical solutions, fabrication methods and programming skills and integrate them into an automated human-controlled robot. This one-trimester course will be a fun, challenging and rewarding exploration of what it takes to make things that work. Prerequisites: none.