Curriculum Overview

Tracks

The Quorum curriculum is maintained by a curriculum committee of professional teachers and computer scientists. It is placed into four different tracks: 1) core, 2) visual, 3) audio, and 4) robotics. Pedagogically, all of these tracks have similar goals, mainly to teach various concepts in computer science, but they provide them through particular modalities. In each case, there are a set of core lessons that teach a fundamental computer science concept, and how to tangibly accomplish it in Quorum. From there, the various tracks provide fun and engaging lessons according to each modality.

While we have sectioned off the curriculum into tracks, teachers can and should use it however they think is best. In all cases, core computer science concepts are at the center of the curriculum. Students learn about variables, control structures, actions, classes, and more. These concepts are similar in any programming language available and are highly applicable to programming in college or the real-world.

• Core Track: The core track is a no-frills traditional computer science course. It focuses on teaching core computer science concepts, but does not provide lessons that require the use of particular modalities.
• Visual Track: The visual track includes a selection of concept lessons designed to teach core computer science concepts, but adds visual manipulation of the screen using Quorum's game engine. This starts students with general game creation in 2D, but later adds advanced concepts in 3D.
• Audio Track: Like the visual track, the audio track includes a selection of computer science concept lessons, but adds on manipulation of audio using Quorum's game engine. This allows the student to write their own audio manipulation libraries. In the simplest case, this could be manipulation of 2D (stereo) audio, but can lead to advanced 3D audio or even to Digital Signal Processing.
• Robotics Track: The robotics libraries provide students a tactile experience while learning to program. We again provide core computing lessons, but this track also provides lessons for using LEGO robots with Quorum.

Standards

Quorum's curriculum has been mapped by a committee of professionals to standards in the field. Notably, the individual mapping for each lesson is listed on each page and the tracks provide an overview. We have mapped the lessons to two standards: 1) Computer Science Principles and 2) Common Core. You can read about these standards below:

• Computer Science Principles

  Computer Science Principles is a standard put out by the College Board for learning computer science in high school. To our knowledge, we are the only college board curriculum that is accessible to people with disabilities.

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• Common Core

  Common Core is a standard used in many states across the U.S. We map to this standard by popular request of teachers in our community.

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• Exploring Computer Science

  Exploring Computer Science is a program that aims to broaden participation in computing, especially in high schools. We provide an accessible version of ECS Unit 4 using Quorum.

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License

All curriculum is under the Creative Commons with Attribution License. This means that schools and working professionals can use it how they see fit, so long as they acknowledge the source. We encourage those that wish to use our materials to do so freely. Attribution should include a link online to the materials that were used.

For the Quorum programming language itself, it is under the 4-clause BSD license. This means that it can be used for any purpose, including commercial, so long as you acknowledge us in advertising materials that are related to or built with the tool.

• Creative Commons with Attribution

  You or your organization can use or modify the curriculum for any purpose including commercial. We ask for a link in return.

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• 4-Clause BSD License

  You or your organization can use or modify Quorum for any purpose, including commercial ones. We only ask to be acknowledged through links or in advertising materials related to programming.

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Accessibility

A significant majority programming languages and tools used across the United States are not accessible to people with disabilities. Quorum provides a wide variety of ways to learn, including online, offline, and through different modalities. We have gone to great lengths to make our curriculum and tools accessible and those with unique needs are welcome to get in touch and provide further feedback.