Robert Rayer
Carla Pethke
English 2000
7 May 2014
Computer Science Education in the Modern World
In today's world children are introduced to computers and technology at a very early age.
People are surrounded by technology in every aspect of their lives today. They're either checking
their cellphone, watching TV, browsing the internet or using some form of technology at nearly
every moment of the day at an increasing rate and it there is no sign that it might slow down.
With advances in technology happening every day the future for computer and information
science jobs is encouraging. The involvement with technology in our daily lives is almost
inescapable and that's why children need to be educated in computer science. In addition to being
part of our daily lives, technology is a crucial part of almost every business in the United States
and around the world. Technology and computers are also an important part of the world
economy. With banks and governments becoming more reliant on computers it is absolutely
essential that children become familiar with them starting at an early age. This dependence on
technology in every aspect of our lives has led some people to push for better computer science
education in public schools in the United States. With this push for better computer science
education the question of whether or not computer science should be mandatory has also come
up. Considering the continuous growth of technology, the answer to that question is yes.
Computer science education has been in decline in the United States recently due to lack
of interest by students and a lack of qualified teachers. The combination of students simply not
showing interest in computer science and teachers not being qualified to teach it has been
devastating for computer science education in public schools in the United States. This problem
becomes very obvious when the number of students taking the advanced placement test for
computer science is examined. In the United States there is an exam for students in high school
called the Advanced Placement Computer Science exam that is used as an opportunity for
students to earn college credit in computer science classes. According to an article written by
Adam Yadav, a professor of Educational Psychology at Purdue, and John T. Korb, assistant head
of the Department of Computer Science at Purdue, the number of students taking this test is very
low. Yadav and Korb say, “Only 15,000 high school students take the Advanced Placement
Computer Science (APCS) exam annually, less than 10% of U.S. high schools offer an APCS
course, and nationally there are only 2,000 teachers qualified to teach the APCS course.” The
reason these numbers are so low is due to the fact that computer science is still an elective in
most schools in the United States. Another study presented in the article “The Need For
Computer Science” conducted by the Association of Computing Technology says that, “the
percentage of high schools with rigorous computer science courses fell from 40 percent in 2005
to 27 percent in 2009” (Margolis). Computer science is just as important as any other math or
science today and should be taught in schools as a mandatory part of the curriculum instead of
just an elective. Vinton G. Cerf, president of the Association of Computing Machinery (ACM),
says that the ACM has been trying to make computer science a core science to be taught in
schools with the same level of importance as math, physics, biology and chemistry (Cerf). The
ACM wants to teach students about programming and computers to help them understand how
computers work to prepare them for the future.
Computers are also becoming increasingly important in businesses across the United
States and students need to be prepared to work with computers after they graduate. Esther
Shein, a writer for the Association of Computing Machinery, said that “The demand for
computer scientists and technical professionals in the U.S. is projected to grow 34% through
2018.” The growth rate for computer related jobs is so high that it doesn't make sense to treat
computer science classes as an elective any more. If the purpose of school is to educate children
and prepare them for life after college then they need to have some form of education in
computer science. The article by Shein also mentions a study conducted by Carnegie Mellon
University in 2005 that says, “In 2012 there would be 90 million workers in the U.S., more than
55 million of whom would use spreadsheets and databases, which can be deemed programming.”
With over sixty percent of the workforce performing some sort of programming it is crucial that
students learn how to program in school. Programming isn't just writing code to make a program
it can also be defined as writing queries and macros for databases (Shein). Shein also says that
people that have already graduated but didn't take any courses involving programming are
having a hard time learning to program (Shein). If schools were required to teach students some
form of programming in high school we wouldn't have nearly as many adults struggling to learn
it on their own in order to be successful in their career. According to Martin E. Bush, a lecturer
in the Faculty of Business, Computing, and Information Management at London South Bank
University, Japan has recently added computer science to their “center test” that every Japanese
student must take to enter a university. This means that Japanese high schools now teach
computer science in order for students to pass that section of the center test. This is an advantage
if they look for a job in the United States. The United States needs to get on the same level as
other countries so US students can compete with foreign students in the job market.
Computer science education is not only important for students because it teaches them
how to use computers; it also teaches students analytical and critical thinking skills. The
definition of computer science provided by the Association of Computing Machinery is, “the
study of computers and algorithmic processes, including their principles, their hardware and
software designs, their applications, and their impact on society.” The article written by Jane
Margolis, senior researcher at UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies,
Joanna Goode, a professor at the University of Oregon, and David Bernier, director of the
Computer Science Project at Center X in the UCLA Graduate School of Education, illustrates
why we need computer science. They say that the definition of computer science provided by the
ACM does not just include learning about computers but also means that computer science helps
promote critical thinking and logical thinking skills (Margolis). They promote the idea that
computer science education can be beneficial to all subjects (Margolis). According to the authors
the high schools that do have computer science classes do not address problem solving and
critical thinking, they only teach the students basic computer skills like typing and work
processing (Margolis). If we want to teach students how to develop their critical thinking and
logical thinking skills through computer science then the classes offered at high schools need to
encourage students to use those skills. The classes taught at high schools need to teach more than
basic word processing and searching the internet, they need to teach students how to apply
critical thinking skills to solve computer programming problems. Teaching students these skills
will help them in other subjects like math, science and even writing as critical thinking skills
carry over to help them in the rest of their school work.
Due to the lack of computer science education in the United States, businesses are turning
to foreign students to fill computer science related jobs. In an article written by the National
Science Foundation titled “Washington: Increasing accessibility to computer science education
across the U.S.” the author mentioned a statistic from the Bureau of Labor Statistics that said,
“4.6 million out of 9.2 million STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) jobs
will be in computing by 2020.” The author raised the question of whether or not U.S. workers
will have the skills required to fill those jobs (“Washington”). Right now, the answer to that
question is no. With only nineteen percent of U.S. high school students taking computer science
classes, students will not be prepared for an increase of computer use across all fields
(“Washington”). With U.S. workers lacking the required skills to fill these positions companies
will turn to foreign workers to fill them or move to another country entirely. One report written
by Bijan Mashaw, professor of Computer Information Systems at California, and Kenneth
Pefkaros, professor of Management at California State University, pointed out that IBM is
already reducing their workforce in the United States. They continued to say that this is the norm
for IT businesses and companies will continue to outsource (Mashaw). This is bad for both the
US economy and the future of students in the United States. As a country we need U.S. students
to fill jobs at businesses in the United States in order to help rebuild the economy. While
immigration may not be inherently a bad thing, there is no reason US students shouldn’t be just
as educated in computer science as foreign students.
A large factor for why computer science education is failing in the United States is
teachers being unqualified to teach it. Maria Knobelsdorf, a researcher in the Department of
Computer Science at New York University, and Jan Vahrenhold, professor of computer science
at the University of Münster, Germany, proposed a solution to this problem in their article
“Addressing the Full Range of Students: Challenges in K-12 Computer Science Education.”
They believe that computer science teachers not only need to be educated in computer science
but they also need to focus on teaching all of the parts of computer science instead of just pieces
(Knobelsdorf). What they mean by that is computer science teachers tend to only teach how to
write programs instead of teaching every aspect of computer science. The authors suggested that
people looking to become computer science teachers should take courses in educational science
and the history of science in addition to their core computer science classes (Knobelsdorf).
Knobelsdorf and Vahrenhold used Germany’s requirements for becoming a high school teacher
as an example by saying, “In Germany, for example, prospective high school teachers are
required to complete a three-year BSc program and a two-year MEd program that qualifies them
to teach two subjects.” Additionally, people studying to become a high school teacher must also
complete 18 months of training (Knobelsdorf). This kind of program could be used in the United
States to ensure that teachers are qualified to teach computer science. However, implementing a
program that rigorous could discourage people from becoming computer science teachers.
Knobelsdorf and Vahrenhold acknowledge this problem by pointing out that teachers in
Germany earn a much higher salary than teachers in other parts of the world. This leads to a
shortage of qualified teachers in the United States and other places that have low salaries for
teachers. Consequently, schools hire people who might know a lot about computer science but
are unable to properly teach computer science (Knobelsdorf). The United States needs teachers
that are educated in both computer science and educational sciences before the US can make
computer science mandatory.
One of the main reasons people are opposed to computer science classes becoming
mandatory is they don't think children can handle learning computer science or simply don't need
to. One mom named Wynn A. Rostek wrote to the president of the Association of Computing
Machines Vintonn G. Cerf saying that “forcing them to learn some amount of computer science
would be a mistake.” This was in response to an article written by Cerf titled “Computer Science
Education - Revisited” in which he said, “In many advanced programs, it is a requirement to
have a certain number of credits in science. It is ACM’s position that computer science should
have equal standing.” Cerf believes that computer science education should have the same
priority as any other math or science course in a high school curriculum. That would mean
computer science classes would have to be made mandatory in all public schools. Rostek feels
that forcing students to learn computer science is wrong, but they should be given the
opportunity to learn. Rostek believes that students already have enough material to learn and
don't need to be forced to learn more material. While it is true that students do have a lot of
material to cover it is important for students to learn about computers and Rostek does agree that
the ACM should encourage students to learn about computer science. Maria Knobelsdorf and Jan
Vahrenhold agree that students need to develop the cognitive ability to understand some of the
concepts in computer science. Knobelsdorf and Vahrenhold mention a system created by the
Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) K-12 standards that teaches computer science
using five learning objectives to make them easier to understand. The K-12 standards were
created by the CSTA to help schools establish strong computer science programs (Knobelsdorf).
According to Knobelsdorf and Vahrenhold, the system of teaching computer science as learning
objectives has proven so effective that students are able to learn them with the same level of
understanding as other math and science courses. Additionally, Knobelsdorf and Vahrenhold
presented a study about students taking computer science courses using this method that found,
“Students taking the course even surpassed students in control groups who had taken dedicated
IT courses with respect to digital literacy.” Some computer science professors at the college level
still think that high school computer science classes don’t benefit students when they take
college level classes and even suggest that high school classes hurt their performance in college
(Knobelsdorf). However, the results of the students taking high school computer science classes
using the K-12 standards clearly indicate that they are beneficial (Knobelsdorf). Students may
have trouble learning some of the concepts of computer science but with a system like the K-12
standards presented by the CSTA students can learn computer science without problems.
In conclusion, technology plays a critical role in every part of the average person's life.
From world banks to individual homes computers have become an essential part of society.
People use computers for entertainment now more than ever. Computers have also become an
essential part of businesses around the world and the demand for information technology jobs is
growing every year. Computers have become so vital to the daily operation of the world they
have been incorporated into banking systems and governments. Although funding and struggling
students may become an issue, computer science needs to be more than just an elective.
Computer science needs to be treated like any other science and taught with equal importance.
Students may not major in a computer related field but it is almost certain that whatever field
they choose will use computers in some way. Even if they aren't programming in their
professional environment they could be using databases or making macros for spreadsheets.
Finally, computer science education teaches more than just how to write code, it also teaches
analytical and logical thinking skills. Even though students may have a hard time fitting an
additional course in their schedule, the skills taught in computer science classes are invaluable.
Furthermore, with a system like the K-12 standards set by the Computer Science Teachers
Association students can learn computer science at an easier rate. Given the increased use of
computer science in the modern world students should be required to take some form of
computer science classes in high school.
Works Cited
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(2004): 23-26. Business Source Complete. Web. 28 Apr. 2014.
Cerf, Vinton G. "Computer Science Education- Revisited." Communications Of The ACM 56.8
(2013): 7. Business Source Complete. Web. 28 Apr. 2014.
Knobelsdorf, Maria, and Jan Vahrenhold. "Addressing The Full Range Of Students: Challenges
In K-12 Computer Science Education." Computer 46.9 (2013): 32-37. Academic Search
Complete. Web. 28 Apr. 2014.
Margolis, Jane, Joanna Goode, and David Bernier. "The Need For Computer Science."
Educational Leadership 68.5 (2011): 68-72. Academic Search Complete. Web. 28 Apr.
2014.
Mashaw, Bijan, and Kenneth Pefkaros. "Information Technology: The Evolving Dimension Of
Business." Journal Of International Business & Economics 13.4 (2013): 35-42. Business
Source Complete. Web. 5 Apr. 2014.
Rostek, Wynn A., and Vinton G. Cerf. "Computer Science Not For All." Communications Of
The ACM 56.11 (2013): 8. Business Source Complete. Web. 28 Apr. 2014.
Shein, Esther. "Should Everybody Learn To Code?." Communications Of The ACM 57.2
(2014): 16-18. Business Source Complete. Web. 28 Apr. 2014.
"Washington: Increasing Accessibility to Computer Science Education across the U.S."Nsf.gov.
National Science Foundation, 13 Dec. 2013. Web. 09 Apr. 2014.
Yadav, Aman, and John T. Korb. "Education: Learning To Teach Computer Science: The Need
For A Methods Course." Communications Of The ACM 55.11 (2012): 31-33. Business
Source Complete. Web. 28 Apr. 2014.