Exactas Programa: Bringing programming to every corner of science

Abstract

To address this skill gap, it is necessary to incorporate the great potential of computing into the different curricula. Knowing how to write a program to solve a problem is far more than learning to write a piece of code; it is an active learning approach that helps students organize the logical reasoning steps and fosters a solid understanding of the subject matter, regardless of the discipline. Our objective in creating Exactas Programs was to provide the essential elements of programming- without introducing another stumbling block in their already challenging degree programs- so that students of any major can incorporate the computer as a practical problem solving tool. With this objective in mind, we formed a working group of professors, teaching assistants, and doctoral students of different scientific backgrounds to ensure a multidisciplinary initiative that combines different motivations and contexts for the use of the computer in addressing challenges that traverse all majors. The result, Exactas Programs, is not a programming course; it is a short problem-solving workshop in which the computer is the central tool. In this work, we share our proposal's structure, the details of some of the activities that comprise it, and the lessons learned after five editions of the workshop.