Kohen Immelt
Mrs Eicher
College Comp II
31 January, 2018
Computer Science Isn’t Taught

The possibilities that are faced when dealing with computers are endless. The sheer number of jobs that are being created in the field of computer science is outstanding, and its not trending to stop anytime soon. With many tracks in the field concerning computer science, it brings a diversity to the job, meaning you have many options. So, how come nobody is joining stem programs and the amount of programmers graduating decreasing? In Tasneem Raja’s statistical paper, Is Coding the New Literacy?, Tasneem points to the lack of participation by schools to get students more involved into stem programs, by identifying statistical issues that have been long
She says “simple software solutions could save lives, and they were cheap and quick to build,” (Raaj, Mother Jones). Introducing a team of programmers that find their way in the midst of a snowstorm in boston. The group of developers ended up creating an app where people could “rent” an fire-hydrant. Consequently, that person would dig out the hydrant from snow, saving firefighter valuable time, in exchange for money by that city. This example shows the pure value that programmers have in everyday situations. This example also isn't just the extent of what computer science can accomplish. Examples include online learning tools, datings apps, medical databases, websites, the list is endless. However, sadly, not to many people even know how apps are made, they think they are just generated or are made by magic. I could list a handful of people who don't know “how computers talk” at any given moment, all the while, anyone has the ability to change the world with the endless possibilities of programming. I myself have been learning how to code, and even with only 3 years of basic understanding I am able to create such creative programs. Currently, for example, me and a group of students are involved in creating an online learning game for kids who want to get a very basic understanding of code. By creating a easy and interactive
She says, “cities that have hosted Code for America teams will tell you, the greatest contribution the young programmers bring isn’t the software they write. It’s the way they think,” (Raja, Mother Jones). This shows that when discussing the teaching methods of say an AP comp-sci class, not only does its curriculum potentially bring the ability to create a program, but also a unique understanding of thinking logically. Unfortunately, Tasneem then goes on to say that the current model of teaching is more focused on the programming end of the class, and less about how you can use this type of thinking in all fields of life. In fact “The only serious computing class available to many students is AP computer science and it’s not very popular. Part of the problem is that the course is primarily focused on Java programming,” (Wagstaff, TIME). This implies that not only is the education methods for coding are limited, they are also mocked and laughed at. I'm sure that there are some educational values out of a beginners computer science class, however, the author also goes on to explain the curriculum as being focused on Microsoft Word and Microsoft Powerpoint along with the history of computers. Obviously the class teaches less about the understanding of making computers talk and comes off more as a history lesson of useless knowledge that they could have look up on the