AP Computer Science Principles is an introductory college-level computing course that introduces students to the breadth of the field of computer science. Students learn to design and evaluate solutions and to apply computer science to solve problems through the development of algorithms and programs. They incorporate abstraction into programs and use data to discover new knowledge. Students also explain how computing innovations and computing systems—including the internet—work, explore their potential impacts, and contribute to a computing culture that is collaborative and ethical. 

The big ideas serve as the foundation of the course and help students create meaningful connections among concepts. They are often overarching concepts or themes that become threads that run throughout the course. Revisiting the big ideas and applying them in a variety of contexts enables students to develop deeper conceptual understanding. Below are the big ideas of the course:

Big Idea 1 – Creative Development 

Big Idea 2 – Data 

Big Idea 3 – Algorithms and Programming

Big Idea 4 – Computer Systems and Networks

Big Idea 5 - Impact of Computing

AP CS Principles.pdf