Imagine we are living 200 or so years ago, when reading and writing was the privilege of the elite - bureaucrats, business magnates, and priests - and everyone else received oral education and training sufficient to carry on the tasks and culture of their social class. What was the fate of the individuals who didn't learn to read and write? What were the implications for democracy? Last year, visiting Boston for the BLC Conference, I stood looking up at the inscription on the north side of the Boston Public Library, from 1895: "The commonwealth requires the education of the people as the safeguard of order and liberty". I felt a sense of awe. Yes, this is exactly why I do what I do.
We are in need of a similar sentiment, here at the start of digital age, to promote computer science education to ensure full participation in our democracy. The techno-elite know how to manipulate politics, the legal system, and business for their own advantage, and the rest of us (including many politicians and decision-makers) are ignorant of how we are being used to keep the rich and powerful firmly in place. That is, except for forums like Reddit or Slash-Dot, or technology blogs like BoingBoing, ReadWriteWeb, and others, who pride themselves on their understandings of how computing and computer systems work. These groups successfully stopped the US "Stop Online Piracy Act" in early 2012, because they understood the implications of the legislation for the free and open Internet, freedom of speech, and access to information in general.
Back in Boston, the impression I got from wandering through the streets, museums and graveyards was that the original Boston Tea-partiers weren't above taking the law into their own hands, and they are now greatly admired for their passionate commitment to the same ideals that motivate groups like Anonymous today. Personally, I would rather have decisions made by democratically elected politicians and mainstream lobbyists who have an understanding of the Internet equal to Anonymous, than rely on a vigilante group to protect my rights. Anonymous scares me quite a lot - vigilantism in general frighten me - but the thing about Anonymous is they stand up for ideals like free speech, rational thought, access to information and ideal-based decision-making. And they sure know their stuff when it comes to computer science. Right now, I don't know who else we've got with that combination of ideals and understanding.
Yikes.
Monday, 19 November 2012
Monday, 12 November 2012
Computer Science for Everyone
It's true, 21st century learning is about a lot more than digital technology - it's about creativity, collaboration, critical thinking, and communication, among other things (P21 Framework, What are 21st century skills?, Personalized Learning BC). On the other hand, the impact of digital technology on learning and living in the 21st century is pervasive. Digital media are changing how people work, communicate, play, interact, think and learn. So, it's important not to give digital technology secondary status when we talk about 21st century learning.
The more I learn about how integrated the digital layer is becoming in human life, the more I feel connected to and concerned about the learning needs of my students, both now and in their futures. We have an incredible responsibility to reform education and incorporate digital technology with best practices in pedagogy. More than that, we need to help students grow into citizens who understand, on a deep and critical level, just how our computer-dependent world works.
In order to do this, I have come to believe we need to teach computer systems and computer science to all students, just like we teach math, science, language arts and social studies. By this I mean the logic, mathematics, science, and languages that make computers work. Some educators call this "computational thinking." It isn't "IT" education (which teaches students how to operate the technology); computer science is about understanding how computers work, and the thinking that people do to make computers work.
In my experience, those who understand programming and systems are also those who understand the implications of policies and laws affecting digital communication - including copyright, the collection and responsible sharing of data, freedom of access to information, and protection of privacy. I think there are reasons for this correlation, rooted in the kind of thinking taught in computer science. Understanding how information and communication technology actually works might just be vital to understanding how it can be used to either promote or prevent true democracy.
Many other people have come to the same conclusions. Here in North America and in the UK, organizations have been working for some time on defining computer science as a unique core subject area in K-12 (primary and secondary) schools (Computing at Schools UK Curriculum, CSTA K-12 Standards). I am throwing my hat into that ring. At this point in my career as an educator, I am making a commitment to promote computer science education in all schools, and help educate teachers so that this is done in the deepest and broadest possible way. There is much work to do, and many questions about how to do it, as we move forward within the context of evolving curriculum in a rapidly changing world.
The more I learn about how integrated the digital layer is becoming in human life, the more I feel connected to and concerned about the learning needs of my students, both now and in their futures. We have an incredible responsibility to reform education and incorporate digital technology with best practices in pedagogy. More than that, we need to help students grow into citizens who understand, on a deep and critical level, just how our computer-dependent world works.
In order to do this, I have come to believe we need to teach computer systems and computer science to all students, just like we teach math, science, language arts and social studies. By this I mean the logic, mathematics, science, and languages that make computers work. Some educators call this "computational thinking." It isn't "IT" education (which teaches students how to operate the technology); computer science is about understanding how computers work, and the thinking that people do to make computers work.
In my experience, those who understand programming and systems are also those who understand the implications of policies and laws affecting digital communication - including copyright, the collection and responsible sharing of data, freedom of access to information, and protection of privacy. I think there are reasons for this correlation, rooted in the kind of thinking taught in computer science. Understanding how information and communication technology actually works might just be vital to understanding how it can be used to either promote or prevent true democracy.
Many other people have come to the same conclusions. Here in North America and in the UK, organizations have been working for some time on defining computer science as a unique core subject area in K-12 (primary and secondary) schools (Computing at Schools UK Curriculum, CSTA K-12 Standards). I am throwing my hat into that ring. At this point in my career as an educator, I am making a commitment to promote computer science education in all schools, and help educate teachers so that this is done in the deepest and broadest possible way. There is much work to do, and many questions about how to do it, as we move forward within the context of evolving curriculum in a rapidly changing world.
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