Computer Science Education

Let me make my position clear from the start. Coding should not be a requirement in any schooling. However, let me also be clear that I strongly believe coding classes should be available at most (ideally all) schools. Although knowledge of a language like Java or Python is a very powerful tool, it pales in comparison to knowledge of mathematics or English (sorry CS majors!) While math and English are used in every facet of life and in every career and more basic job, computer coding is a specific skill necessary for a relatively small number of jobs. The point of general education at the K-12 level is to prepare students for life as successful human beings, not for life as successful computer coders. Indeed, even though coding and computer science skills can be valuable for all students, they simply won’t be necessary for most students later in life. The current class of computer science majors, 79 people in all, represent just 3.5% of the total Notre Dame Class of 2016. Even more telling is the fact that although the number of devices running computer code increases rapidly every year, the number of people needed to write code will not increase nearly as fast. The demand for software professionals simply will not increase to the point where every child will be encouraged to consider going into computer science or software development.

With all that said, it would be good to see computer science and coding classes available in every high school. As we’ve discovered in other readings, too many disadvantaged students are never even given the opportunity to code. Consequently, the professional ranks of software developers are too heavy with white males and foreign nationals and others descended from East Asia. The key to solving this diversity crisis lies chiefly in giving a wider variety of students experience with coding at the high school level so that they know what they’re getting into before choosing to become computer science majors. Students who are given the opportunity (not forced to, let’s be clear) learn even just a bit of C or Java before college are far more likely to choose coding as a way of life, both in college and afterward. However, students who are given such an opportunity are also much less likely to foolishly choose computer science as a major, only to drop out after a year or two. So, it’s very important to give students the chance to learn some coding at an age where they can cognitively handle it, but are not committed to doing it for the foreseeable future.

Although the readings give some good reasons why computer science classes should be a requirement, the truth is that such a development is not reflective of the reality on the ground. President Obama’s trademark idealism and optimism shine through in his push for widespread (and probably required) computer science education, but such is simply not necessary. Rather, it’s important to make computer science education an option at all high schools, especially ones which serve typically disadvantaged students. Only when students are given the choice to learn some coding before college will they truly be able to understand what might lie ahead within the nation’s computer science departments, and even more importantly, what might lie ahead within the world’s tech companies. Furthermore, once students know what they might be able to make of their lives by choosing to learn code, the diversity crisis within the tech industry will be solved. It’s clear that such a choice has to be given to every student during high school.