Wilkins 1

Kristin Wilkins
Ms. Caruso
UWRT 1103
1 March 2016
Computer Science in Primary Public Education
Computers have become increasingly prevalent in our society. They are integrated into
some public and private school systems due to this prominence. The Oxford English dictionary
defines computer science as the branch of knowledge concerned with the construction,
programming, operation, and use of computers. Computer science courses commonly include
aspects of programming, algorithms, and development of problem-solving skills. The computer
science industry is considered to be growing at an increasingly fast rate, making this the time to
evaluate the impact of computer science in childrens education and in the community. Some
scholars say that computer science courses help develop critical thinking skills for the growing
job market, while others claim that inadequate subject knowledge and lack of resources give
students an insufficient education. By participating in a required computer science course, public
school students would develop critical thinking skills through active learning and would be better
equipped to enter the job market.
Computer science courses can teach anything from programming to the use of wordprocessing applications to working with algorithms. There is debate over what should be taught
under the title of computer science. Many believe that addressing the education of commonlyused programs is crucial, however, others disagree, saying that computer science is not about
explaining programs, but about harnessing the potential of computer technology. Victor Schmidt
and Bert Zwaneyeld state that there has recently been a change from how the computer works

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to what the computer can do (215). Public schools have begun to use applications such as
Microsoft Word. This allows the children to learn not only about the operation of the computer
but also about one of the programs associated with students daily lives. By removing the
explanations of the interior functions of the computer, students are deficient in understanding the
full potential of computers in students lives. If public schools change the curriculum to
concentrate on the understanding of the computer, the community would allow computing to be a
widely known concept. The universality of computer science would give all people an equal
opportunity. This could be used for anything from creating applications to creating a website for
a company. Others have argued that computer science courses are about changing the curriculum
to fit within the available technology and the need that the community is facing (Kwiatkowska &
Syslo 3). Although addressing these programs is important, there are more effective ways for
students to exploit the resources a computer can offer. If students can learn the construction and
operations of the computer, then students can learn applications with greater ease and
comprehension. The definition of computer science holds the key components that need to be
taught, giving students a deeper understanding of how computers work and can be worked.
Despite the conflict, both sides can agree that computer science will become even more relevant
for generations to come.
Computer science has frequently been taught at the collegiate level; however, due to its
recent expansion, many scholars have begun to question where it belongs in the educational
system. When taught at the collegiate level there is even less availability for students pursuing
basic computer science courses. Although some of the lower level classes can be taken as
electives, many of the computer science courses offered at universities are only available to
computer science majors. This, combined with the fact that many courses hold prerequisites,

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gives students minimal time to access computer science courses in college. The earlier that
computer science can become integrated into students schooling, the more ways that childrens
education can be further developed with these increased opportunities. One position claims that
computer science needs to be seen as an essential discipline and on the school curriculum from
early stages (Runciman, 11). Without the early preparation, students can fall too far behind in
their educational progress. Children who begin their computer science instruction in high school
have already lost valuable years of training that they could have attained during elementary and
middle school. The research of Max Lam et al. has revealed that children that begin their
instruction on a subject earlier will most likely have greater cognitive performance than
someone who starts at a later age (68). Children are more adaptable to learning new concepts at
younger ages than later when they are progressing towards adulthood. This flexibility makes the
grasping of difficult concepts easier, while also giving children a solid background on which to
expand their computer science knowledge. Knowing this, schools should implement computer
science into the curriculum as soon as the children have access to a computer in their learning.
Just as age affects the results of students computer science education, what kind of institution
they take these courses at also plays a large role.
Debate over the effects of public versus private school computer science education
continues. J.J. Ryoo et al. stated that people think that computer science should be practiced
outside of the public school system due to its lack of resources (164). Many blame the public
schools minimal budget for the fragmentary education students receive. The less-thanacceptable quality of resources can lead to an unstable computer science background, tainting the
childrens view of computer science. Without covering the vital concepts of computer science in
the proper ways, children have taken a course that will not allow them to expand their

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understanding in the way intended. The lacking budget cannot provide students with the quality
of education they need. On the contrary, private schools have access to more funding. This
allows for them to hire teachers with higher education degrees and offer more courses that give
all students access. The private school education system provides a higher quality of education
that enables students to develop their skills properly. Not all students can attend private schools,
or could pay to attend programs outside of the classroom like this. Because of the limited access,
if comparable computer science courses were to be offered in public schools, the children would
have a greater chance of maintaining the advantage that a computer science education could
provide students who are not normally given these opportunities. Despite the fact that the
educational institution can affect the outcome of students computer science education, other
resources that the budget provides could be flawed. There are many components that can
influence the strength of a students computer science skill set.
On the other hand, scholars also claim that students computer science education can be
harmed by other variables, such as teachers. Teachers are blamed for the inferior computer
science education that few students receive. Many teachers even feel inadequately qualified to
teach computer science in secondary education, according to Elena Blender et al. (520). Teachers
feel that they have attained a lacking computer science education, leading them to believe they
are not fit to be teaching similar classes in elementary or middle schools. If this pattern of
insufficient education is not stopped, there will come a point where the gap between the old
education and new concepts being taught will become too large for teachers to bridge. This could
lead to the elimination of computer science courses from all but secondary schools. Because of
this eminent danger, scholars and teachers alike have agreed that there should be some kind of
licensing program in order to ensure the quality of education. Glenn Snelbecker and Nina Bhote

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completed an experiment testing the effects of retraining elementary school computer science
educators. By retraining, the teachers were put through a few introductory graduate-level courses
at a university. These elementary teachers were compared to secondary-school educators (1).
This retraining program is an example of a licensing program that could be put in place for
primary school computer science teachers. By requiring all educators to master the same
concepts, the curriculum of computer science classes would not suffer because of the teachers
lack of knowledge on the subject matters being taught. Without something with which to assess
teaching qualification, many key aspects of computer science could be left out of courses,
negatively impacting students.
Skills such as critical thinking are developed through a course in the computer science
field. John Clement is a physics teacher at St. Pius X High School in Houston, Texas. During his
research, Clement found that students develop thinking skills from computer science that assist
them in other facets of their lives (357). His students said that it caused them to work harder to
solve computer science-based problems (357). Students taking a computer science course are
taught to look for a solution to a problem in many different ways; there can be many answers to a
question, allowing each student to work through it in their individual way of problem-solving.
Learning computer science contains some aspects that have been compared with learning another
language. Washington State appeared to kick off a new round of policy activity in May 2013,
when Gov. Jay Inslee, a Democrat, signed a measure allowing students to earn a math or science
credit toward graduation by taking a computer science course. (Heitin 12). The effects of
allowing computer science courses to count for other requirements are debated in the field.
Nonetheless, computer science is becoming a more accessible option for students to integrate
into their course load. Still, computer science courses do require a student to be active in their

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learning, making it not as appealing for some less passionate students. Many students are not
fully engaging in the learning experience because they do not desire to work hard. These students
do not desire to fully devote their thinking to focusing on solving one intense problem at a time.
The lack of breaks and the intensity of computer science courses intimidates many away from
pursuing these classes. However, by simply learning by listening and not physically working out
the problems, students are not capable of thoroughly understanding all of the facets of the
computer science field. Working through problems by actively learning allows students to
strengthen their own problem solving skills. These key techniques are vital for students as they
pursue a career after their education.
Elements of computer science are integrated into everyday life and almost any job one
may pursue. Ninety-six percent of working Americans use new communications technologies as
part of their daily life, while sixty-two percent of working Americans use the Internet as an
integral part of their jobs. (Jones 1). These resources include cell phones and computers.
Computers are used to connect many companies and groups from across the world, allowing
communication that many not have existed without this invention. Communication is imperative
in our technology-based community, making knowledge of computer functions an indispensable
trait. Many companies will be looking for this in future employees. It also equips students with a
background in computer science courses to stand out in the job market with the skills they were
taught in these classes. With one million more jobs in this field by 2020, some scholars say there
is no harm in offering computer science to all students (Shueh 43). The computer science
industry is a fast growing job field offering careers in programming and computer information
systems. Students who enjoy a computer science course that they were required to take may
pursue computer science in higher education. These individuals would have an increased

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opportunity of finding a suitable job after college. This differentiation from others not involved
in a computer science course shows that students who are required to take such courses would
have greater security later when pursuing a career.
Public school students would develop critical thinking skills through active learning and
would be better equipped to enter the job market by participating in a required computer science
course. With an appeal for knowledge in this matter, computer science courses have an increase
in demand within the public school system. Many different things are taught under the
classification of computer science. It is debated whether computer science is something that
should be taught in public and/or private schools, as well as what age students should begin
learning it. Computer science courses develop a range of skills such as critical thinking, but the
skills can be inhibited by factors like quality of the resources. Technology has become an integral
part of todays culture. Scholars have claimed that a lack of knowledge and resources hurts
students pursuing computer science, while the other side claims that it gives students critical
thinking skills that are applicable to future endeavors. By developing computer science courses
in public schools around the country, students can develop key skills that can benefit future job
endeavors and the community of that time. With computer science on the rise around the world,
this is the time to address the relevance of this field in the lives of children and future
generations.

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Works Cited
Bender, Elena, Peter Hubwieser, Niclas Schaper, Melanie Margaritis, Marc Berges, Laura
Ohrndorf, Johannes Magenheim, and Sigrid Schubert. "Towards a Competency Model
for Teaching Computer Science." Peabody Journal of Education 90.4 (2015): 519-532.
Web. 25 Feb. 2016
Clement, John M. A Call for Action (Research): Applying Science Education Research to
Computer Science Instruction. Computer Science Education 14.4 (2004): 343364. Web.

25 Feb. 2016.

"Computer Science, n." OED Online. Oxford University Press, September 2015. Web. 25 Feb.
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Heitin, Liana. "Computer Science: Not Just an Elective Anymore." Education Week 33.22
(2014): 1-12. Web. 1 Nov. 2015.
Jones, Sydney and Madden, Mary. Networked Workers. Pew Research Center (24 Sept. 2008).
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Kwiatkowska, Anna Beata and Maciej M. Syslo. The Challenging Face of Informatics
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Lam, Max, Goi Khia Eng, Attilio Rapisarda, Mythily Subramaniam, Michael Kraus, Richard S.
E. Keefe, and Simon Lowes Collinson. "Formulation of the Ageeducation Index:
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Runciman, Brian. The Future of Computer Science in Schools. IT Now 53.6 (2011): 10-11.
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Schmidt, Victor and Zwaneveld, Bert. The Dutch Situation: An Ever Continuing Story
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Shueh, Jason. "Advocacy Groups Push Coding As a Core Curriculum." Education Digest 80.3
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Snelbecker, Glenn E., and Nina P. Bhote. "Elementary Versus Secondary School Teachers
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