How Computer Science Helps Students in Schools - Essay Example

? How Computer Science Helps in Schools Computer Science as a of study is uniquely important in its own way. However, it has not been fully adopted in many schools. Bentley (24) defines it as a study of transfer, transformation and storage of information, and encompasses both theories and practice. Its theoretical aspect involves the study of algorithms, which includes their design, application and efficiency, while the practical aspect involves implementing them as computer software and hardware, an algorithm being simply a sequence of performing a task or solving problems. This sequence must be unambiguous and detailed. It is practiced by engineers, scientists and mathematicians. Through engineering, the building of hardware and software is achieved, while reason and logic are provided through mathematics. It has a strong connection to other specialties like software systems, computer architecture, software engineering, graphics and even artificial intelligence. As such, each of these specialties, having been drawn from Computer Science would mainly focus on particular challenges, and the application and understanding of basically all aspects of Computer Science. Research by the Sheehy shows that only about 21,000 high schools out of about 42,000 public and private high schools in America offered Advanced Placement test in Computer Science in 2011, a 25 per cent drop in the last 5 years. Only 9 states allow Computer Science as a satisfaction to core science or math requirements. Computer Science is considered as a math or science in 41 states. Some of the most influential people in the world like Bill Gates and Steve Jobs all had one thing in common; they all learned Computer Science in high school. The scholar notes that thousands of jobs require a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, while many others like engineering and math fields require some computer science knowledge, thus the need to equip students with computer skills. This paper evaluates how Computer Science would help students in schools. Understanding the world Computer Science has become a sort of a window through which students see the world. Learning how to use computers provides appropriate ways to study important aspects in school as is practiced around the world. Thus, computers have become necessary companions to students in various fields to understand the world around them. As Bentley puts it, “computers are our invisible helpers” (5). Science students use computer-based equipment to make the required observations and to determine the needed facts. For instance, Biologists use it to determine the genetics of given samples. Chemists use it to determine the concentration of chemicals in various samples. Thus, Computer Science provides the capability for students to understand their academic world. Secondly, Computer Science provides the capability of interacting with other students and peers around the world. The Internet gives computers the ability of being tools of communication across the world. Online versions of print publications are always available on the Internet because of the capabilities provided by Computer Science (Straubhaar, LaRose, and Davenport 263). A huge amount of information is stored on the Internet and is always available to the user. An online version of a newspaper will contain a blog section, where readers can contribute their views by leaving their comments, additional links to other sites with related news, multimedia extensions, online forums, and even audio and video files. Academically, they could access information on the advancements in research studies so as to determine the existing knowledge gap. Thus way, students would be able to carry out relevant research studies that would greatly contribute to the existing body of knowledge. Students could use this capability to interact with people from various parts of the world and get to understand what happens in other parts of the world, be it academic or otherwise. Of importance with regards to Computer Science is also in making careers choices among students. Large companies have corporate websites through which interested students could get information about the company, services and products offered. The print version of this information fails to reach a wider coverage as compared to the online version. Government information and procedures are also published online, and those students interested in government information in making career choices have easy access. Through e-government, it is now possible, as the writer puts it, “to find information about everything, from where the fish are biting to how to file for unemployment” (Straubhaar, LaRose, and Daventport 264). One can now make several transactions and applications with government agencies are completed online, saving a lot of valuable time and reducing overcrowding in government offices. This can provide students with a database of information on various organizations in which the students could find interest in working or government agencies that could assist in securing appropriate employment. Throughout the world, job opportunities have been created through Computer Science technology. It is now possible to work for an employer based half way across the world, from the comfort of your house. Bentley (31) notes that industries centered on Computer Science solutions are the fastest growing, and is no wonder that some of the world’s wealthiest people are in the computer business. Computer literacy could allow students to secure part-time jobs as they continue with their education, without greatly influencing their academic schedule. This way, students would be able to finance their education better. In future, Computer Science technology will be much faster, cheaper and more impressive than anything imaginable now. Most scientific disciplines handle a huge amount of data, not only during experimental subjects like chemistry, biology or physics but also sociology, economics and medicine. The amount of data to be handled keeps rising, and as such a well-structured way of handling it, in terms of saving it and efficient algorithms for processing, searching and communicating are needed. Mittermeir and Kalas observe that extracting data and the subsequent knowledge in natural and scientific disciplines through measurements, experiments and assessments requires “a huge amount of computer work” (24). If a student is not conversant with the development of specific and efficient algorithms for the tasks, they have to ask a computer scientist to do it for them, wasting a lot of valuable time in the process. Solving digital problems In Computer Science, algorithms, defined by Schneider and Gersting as “a collection of operations” that are “clear and unambiguous,” are used to execute instructions (12). In medicine schools, medical imaging has grown a great deal, through advances in communication and digital advances. Cox observes that using Computer Science capabilities, medical students have been able to develop a human genome that could provide the public with information on genetic composition. This could, in the future, have a big boost on preventive medicine and cut the cost of health care. Treatment of heart diseases has improved, in the last decade reducing related deaths by 40 percent because of advancements in cardiovascular treatment procedure by students studying technological approaches in the field. Student surgeons, just as practicing surgeons, use robotic techniques controlled by computers to make small incisions that is easier and faster to heal, as opposed to large incisions. Optical procedures like alignment are now faster and easier through the use of holograms that are computer generated. Multiple simultaneous images are created to perform the alignment. As Cox puts it, some of the advances opened up “possibilities beyond what doctors thought was possible years ago”. In hospitals, computer systems could be used to monitor internship students as they carry out various practices on patients, hence easier and more efficient supervision. Computer Science has solved the problem of distance and information availability. The Internet in particular enables students access information on institutions located far from them by searching for information from the Internet. Just as the police executives appreciate the “working knowledge of what this technology can do for their agencies,” students have also used the Internet as their own police to determine the credibility of various institutions and the courses they offer (Schultz). This way, they are better able to plan for their higher education. They choose credible institutions that support their ambitions. Even interviews with these institutions could be done through computers which provide the video call capabilities, thus saving on the cost that would previously be incurred by the candidates. Through Computer Science, students find it simpler to understand various concepts that can now be explained graphically using computers. Computers provide the 3-dimensionsl capability which illuminates objects in three dimensions such that students get a real picture of the subject of discussion. This way, understanding becomes simpler for students. Centuries ago one had to use traditional methods to communicate with loved ones. Today, people can talk in real time with people half-way across the world, through the advancement of digital technology (Straubhaar, LaRose, and Davenport 400). Students are able to use this capability to study entire courses through the Internet and those enrolled in school derive information needed to complete their papers from online libraries, through search engines like Google. They are then sent to their lecturers through e-mail, using their student accounts. Entire lectures are recorded through developed applications and even notes are taken by students and stored for future reference. Students unwind after a day of hard work through the social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, listen to music on iPods and watch and download music videos on Youtube, and even vote for their favorite contestants on American Idol. Straubhaar, LaRose, and Davenport describe thinking like a computer scientist as a fundamental skill, just as writing, arithmetic and reading, and regarded as a “language every student should learn and acquire” (389). Information Storage and Retrieval This is important, especially for students who are constantly doing research in their various disciplines of study. Some forms of data storage include the magnetic disk drive, which is considered a secondary storage device. This includes hard drives, found within the computer and disks that carry information and can be moved between computers. Data storage on a disk is done in files, which is a way of data organization on electronic medium. “The read/write heads of magnetic disk can be sent directly to the specific location on the disk where the desired information is stored” for retrieval (Dale and Lewis 14). Data stored on a disk can be used by the student for future reference and can also be easily shared amongst the students. All files are classified as either binary, meaning it requires interpretation of the bits in the data on the file, or text files, meaning the bytes of data are organized as characters from the Unicode character sets. Most files contain information of specific types, whether they are in binary or text format, for instance a Java program, an MP3 video clip or a JPEG image. Others contain files that have been created by other applications, like the Microsoft Word document. Other forms of storage includes flash memory sticks, capable of holding hundreds of gigabytes of data, CDs, DVDs, hard drives and storage online storage devices that are capable of accessing huge amounts of data. Students should learn basic systems of operation, regarding files. These include creating a file, opening, deleting, closing, reading and writing data, copying and even renaming a file among others. Information retrieval uses a software program that manages and stores information, mostly on textual documents. It involves information need, access, search and retrieval. Students and other users are assisted to find the information they need, by getting information on the location and existence of documents possibly containing the information desired (Goker and Davies 2). An information retrieval system has got 3 processes to support: the user’s information need representation, the content of the documents’ representation and the comparison of both representations. The uniform resource locators, URLs, which are “the jumbles of letters, “slashes,” and “dots” that indicate the network address of content stored on Web servers” play a critical role in retrieving of information stored in the Internet (Straubhaar, LaRose and Davenport 264). This is available whenever and wherever there is availability of Internet access. The indexing process, is the process of representing the documents, and usually takes place offline, as the end user is not involved directly. The actual storage of the document may be included in the indexing process, but documents are mostly partly stored, for example only the abstract and the title, and may be information about the documents actual location (Goker and Davies 3). The user’s need for information is represented by a process known as the query formulation process. This process may denote the dialogue that is completely interactive between the user and the system, and may help the user to understand his or her need for information, leading to a suitable query. The matching process is the comparison of the document representations against the query. Hopefully, as the writers put it, ranked retrieval will put “the relevant documents towards the top of the ranked list” (Goker and Davies 2), minimizing the time spent reading through the documents by the user. Conclusion Computer Science as a discipline involves theory and practice, and cuts across other discipline like software engineering and programming. Students who strategically place themselves to leverage on the capabilities of Computer Science stand greater chances of benefitting from simpler ways of understanding the world both academically and otherwise. Using the digital capabilities, students find easier ways of communicating with their peers and teachers. They can store their information in hard drives or online and retrieve them when needed. Additionally, they could retrieve other information from online stores and thus promote easier and quicker access to information. Therefore, Computer Science is a study that makes learning among students more comfortable. Works Cited Bentley, J, P. Digitized: The Science of Computers and How It Shapes Our World. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2012. Web. 18 Nov. 2013. Berry, M and Chris Leach. “Computing Or ICT: Which Would Serve Pupils Better?” The Guardian, 12 Aug. 2013. Web. 13 Nov. 2013. < http://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/teacher-blog/2013/aug/12/computing-ict-curriculum-teaching-debate> Cox, L. “The Top 10 Medical Advances of the Decade”. Medpage Today, 17 Dec. 2009. Web. 13 Nov. 2013. Dale, B. N and John Lewis. Computer Science Illuminated. 5th ed. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning, 2013. Web. 18 Nov. 2013. Goker, A., and John Davis. Information Retrieval: Searching In The 21st Century. West Sussex, United Kingdom: John Wiley & Sons, 2009. Web. 18 Nov. 2013. Kalas, I., and Roland Mittermeir. Informatics in Schools, Contributing To 21st Century Education. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer, 2011. Web. 18 Nov. 2013. Schneider, M, G and Judith Gersting. Invitation to Computer Science. 6th ed. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning, 2013. Web. 18 Nov. 2013. Schultz, D. P. “The Future is Here: Technology in Police Departments”. The Police Chief 75.6 (2008). June 2008. Web. 13 Nov. 2013. Sheehy, K. “High Schools Not Meeting STEM Demand”. U.S News and World Report. 1 Oct. 2012. Web. 13 Nov. 2013. Straubhaar, J., L. Robert, and Davenport L. Media Now 2012 Update: Understanding Media, Culture and Technology. 7th ed. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning, 2013. Web. 18 Nov. 2013. Read More