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What Is Computer Science - Why Teach CS - (One-Pager)

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What Is Computer Science - Why Teach CS - (One-Pager)

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awongp
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What is Computer Science?

We hear the term computer science (CS) all the time, but there is great confusion about what exactly CS is.

Put simply, CS is the science behind computing. In other words, computer science is learning how to use
the power of computers to solve big problems (Code.org).

The Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) defines CS in a slightly more technical way: the study of
computers and algorithmic processes, their principles, their designs, their applications, and their impact on society.

Jane Margolis and her colleagues (2008) describe the context and evolution of CS as a discipline of study:

An algorithm, in simple terms, can be understood as a list of well defined instructions for accomplishing a
task. Within the context of computer science, algorithms take the form of computer programs, and are
essentially the language with which we tell computers what we want them to do and how they should do it.
Therefore, in lay language, one could say that there is a problem-solving process at the
foundation of computer science. The complexity and analytic thinking involved in this process is
valuable to know within as well as across an increasing number of professions.

A “users’ guide” for Stanford University computer science majors describes how computer science is a
remarkably young field, yet a revolutionary one: It was just over fifty years ago that the first electronic
computers were developed, and there was no recognition at the time of computer science as a field of study
separate from electrical engineering or mathematics. Over time, as computers became increasingly
powerful and were applied to more and more tasks, people began to realize that the task of programming
those computers to solve problems was an extremely difficult problem requiring theories and practice
unlike those used in existing fields. Computer science—the science of solving problems with the aid of a
computer—became a new discipline in its own right.

It is important to note that computer science is NOT:


● basic computer skills or technology literacy
● using Word, PowerPoint, Google Docs & Drive
● creating with PhotoShop, Illustrator, etc.
● keyboarding and using a mouse
● SmarterBalanced (SBAC) skills

While these technology usage skills are unarguably important for students to learn,
these skills must be taught and reinforced by all teachers in all subject areas and
cannot be adequately taught in a discrete setting. It is important to clarify that these
tech literacy skills will not be explicitly taught in SFUSD’s computer science courses.

Computer science is also not coding. It is not just about building computers or writing computer programs
(we call this programming, or coding). In fact, computer science is no more about building computers and developing
software than astronomy is about building telescopes, biology is about building microscopes, and music is about
building instruments. It is about how we use such tools, and what we find out when we do. The solution of many
computer science problems may not even require the use of computers -- just pencil and paper. As a matter of fact,
problems in computer science have been tackled decades before computers were even built. CS does involve
coding, but it also involves much, much, much more. (adapted from Boston University)
Why Should We Teach CS to All Students?

1) It aligns to Vision 2025.


Our graduate profile in Vision 2025 states that all San Francisco public school graduates must learn how to “navigate
and engage in a 21st century global society,” and explicitly calls out computer science as one critical element.

2) There are tremendous job opportunities.


Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) jobs currently
comprise the fastest growing job sector, and two-thirds of these jobs involve
computing (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2013). The Association for Computing
Machinery (ACM) projects the creation of an additional 150,000 computing
jobs annually through 2020. If the trend continues in which fewer than 40,000
American students receive bachelor’s degrees in computer science each year,
about 70% of these 1.4 million new computing jobs will go unfilled by 2020,
creating a large opportunity gap (Wingfield, 2012; Code.org, 2013). About 10%
of this growth will be in the state of California, where computing job
opportunities are growing at 4.1 times the state average (Page, 2015).

3) CS is relevant to all industries.


Regardless of a student’s ultimate
occupation, CS will be critical to
developing a clear understanding of
the principles and practices of the
technologies that underlie our
computing-intensive world. Since our
students will live in a world that is even
more heavily influenced by computing, we must introduce them to structured problem solving and computational
thinking prior to entering college or the workforce. In the 21st century, everyone must have a basic understanding
of the underlying algorithms of computer-based conveniences, from electronic voting to online shopping.

4) CS teaches important transferable skills.


Computer science teaches transferable skills that are critical for all students; these include creative problem solving
and innovative thinking. CS requires students to work cooperatively, consider the context of the situation, and
balance the robustness, user-friendliness, maintainability, and correctness of computer solutions to real-world
issues. CS supports and links to other sciences. It is not simply one more discipline to learn; rather, it is a
methodology that enables the study of and innovation in other disciplines.

5) It is an issue of equity.
Currently, women, African Americans, and Latinos are vastly underrepresented in the
computer science workforce. In 2013, African Americans and Latinos comprised only
14% of all computer programmers, while women comprised only 23% (Bureau of
Labor Statistics, 2013). The racial disparity is even greater at some tech giants like
Google, Twitter, Facebook, Yahoo!, and LinkedIn, where only 5-6% of the workers are
underrepresented people of color (Weise & Guynn, 2014). Unfortunately, the
students currently accessing SFUSD’s CS courses mirror the computing workforce
(TechSF & Office of Economic Workforce Development, 2014; College Board, 2014).

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