Abstract: The rapid rate of change in the environment faced by CIS educators presents a challenge to maintain the currency and relevance of instructional methods and the CIS curriculum. Currently the way that computing power is utilized in organizations is undergoing a significant shift as a result of the end-user revolution and the advent of fourth generation languages (4GL). The focus of this analysis is on the use of fourth generation tools in the context of a CIS curriculum. Specifically, the application of a fourth generation language to the introductory programming course is examined. Fourth generation languages offer significant advantages over their third generation counterparts currently being used at the introductory programming level. These advantages include, but are not limited to, enhanced utilization of scarce instructional time and resources.

Keywords: Fourth generation languages, CIS curriculum, Programming languages, End-user computing

Download this article: JISEv2n2p2.pdf

Recommended Citation: Augustine, F. K., Jr. & Surynt, T. J. (1990). A Fourth Generation Approach to the Introductory Programming Course. Journal of Information Systems Education, 2(2), 2-6.