Don Cassel
Don Cassel | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 4, 1942 |
| Occupation(s) | Computer science educator, textbook author |
| Years active | 1961–present |
| Known for | Authoring 60 textbooks on computer programming and application software; founding the Computer Programming curriculum at Humber College |
Don Cassel (born April 4, 1942) has authored or coauthored 60 textbooks used in colleges across the US and Canada. He was a professor at Humber College for three decades and was instrumental in creating the institution’s initial Computer Programming curriculum.
Career
From 1968 until 1998, Cassel held the position of Professor of Information Technology at Humber College in Toronto, Ontario. He transitioned to Humber after working at IBM and was responsible for establishing the college’s first-ever Computer Programming program, which continues to be offered today. His expertise lay in teaching courses on computer programming and application software. Additionally, he was a founding figure and led the Information Systems department for ten years.
Cassel played a significant role in shaping the academic programs within Humber’s School of Business and School of Information Technology. Notably, he developed one of the earliest online interactive courses for Microsoft Access utilizing WebCT, a crucial component of the college’s distance learning strategy.
Prior to his tenure at Humber, Cassel worked at IBM Canada as a computer programmer and systems analyst from 1961 to 1968. He completed his undergraduate studies in Computer Science at York University in 1975 and pursued a Master of Education degree at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education affiliated with the University of Toronto, completing one year before dedicating himself fully to writing textbooks.
His debut publication, Programming Language One, was released in 1972 by Reston Publishing Company, part of Prentice Hall Inc., marking the beginning of an extensive career producing educational materials for North American higher education institutions.
Publications
- Canadian Internet Handbook - Educational Edition, Prentice Hall Canada, 1999; coauthored with Jim Carroll and Rick Broadhead.
- Surfing for Success in Business and Economics, Prentice Hall Canada, 1999; coauthored with Andrew T. Stull.
- Internet Handbook - U.S. Edition, Prentice Hall Canada, 1997; coauthored with Jim Carroll and Rick Broadhead.
- The Computing Essentials series introducing Visual Basic 4, Microsoft Access, Excel, Word, and Windows 95; Prentice Hall Inc., 1996.
- Source 1 - Computing Essentials series covering Microsoft Excel, Word, QBASIC, DOS, dBASE IV/III Plus, Quattro Pro/Quattro, Lotus 1-2-3 versions, WordPerfect editions, PC DOS/MS-DOS; published by Prentice Hall Inc., between 1993 and 1995.
- Various instructional books on DOS, WordPerfect, and Lotus 1-2-3 from the early 1990s.
- Textbooks focused on COBOL programming and structured program design produced during the mid-1980s.
- Several guides related to computing on Commodore platforms and BASIC programming throughout the 1980s.
- Introductory computer science titles covering FORTRAN and PL/I published by Reston Publishing from the late 1970s through early 1980s.
Cassel’s comprehensive body of work demonstrates a commitment to practical computing education tailored to meet the technological demands of business environments throughout North America.