Computer Science Bill Receives Positive Testimony, Few Concerns

[TexasTowelie]

The Senate education committee heard testimony on a bill to mandate schools teach computer science. It mandates computer science curriculum in elementary and middle school. It also requires it as an elective in high school, and it earmarks money for teacher training.

Technology companies, interest groups and computer science teachers supported Senate Bill 172 – including Brown County teacher Jacob Koressel.

“It’s more important, now than ever, that we give students the chance to study [computer science],” Koressel says.

But he and others also have concerns: what is the cost to schools, and do rural schools have sufficient internet access?

Read more: https://indianapublicradio.org/news/2018/01/computer-science-bill-receives-positive-testimony-few-concerns/

[Phoenix61]

1. I'm never sure what that means

There weren't computers in my schools because they didn't exist. However, I managed to get a BS in Computer Information Sciences from the University of Florida. All too often what they teach in schools is how to use software programs which is not at all the same as teaching the skills needed to be a programmer. Teaching how to think logically is critical. A strong emphasis on math and physics support that, not figuring out how to use the lastest and greatest version of word/excell/etc.

[TexasTowelie]

2. I agree that teaching the latest software means that the students will be limited to the shelf-life

of the software. I have a BS in math with chemistry as a minor along with some coursework in physics. My occupation was as a statistical analyst in the insurance industry; however, I was the go-to guy for Microsoft software because I was an advanced user in Access, Excel and Word. Those STEM courses place an emphasis on reading and writing technical requirements, data modeling and logic.

Even though the only computer experience that I had as a college student was in BASIC and FORTRAN (I was a 1987 graduate), I went on to write COBOL programs along with the automation of work processes in Microsoft software as systems migrated from mainframe to personal computers. When bugs would create into programs I was able to determine why the programs didn't work and fix the problems while my colleagues didn't have a clue. I even impressed others who had "programmer" included within their job titles with my ability to create flowcharts and finding the data exceptions that was cause programs to fail.

While it is important to learn how to use new software, it is just as important to know the use of Boolean operators, ASCII, create record layouts and import/export data in various file formats. I always shook my head when I met a programmer that said they weren't good math students--how would anyone ever know if their program is correct without testing and analyzing the data?