Is it normal that i think computer science should be required curriculum?

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23 Comments

In this day and age, computers are everywhere and we basically spend our entire lives on them. But it seems that only a very select few people understand how they actually work.

And some of those people are hackers and identity thieves. They exploit people's general ignorance about computers to hurt others.

If everyone knew how computers worked on a basic level, then the people who were in charge of designing systems and networks would be much more adept at securing them properly. We wouldn't need to go underground to enlist some "genius hacker" to test the limits of the system. It would just be common sense.

We need to start young so that by the time they grow up, computer science is like second nature. I'm talking all through high school, or middle school even. In time it would become just another accepted science curriculum like Physics or Chemistry.

Voting Results
74% Normal
Based on 34 votes (25 yes)
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Comments ( 23 )
  • green_boogers
    10 years ago

    What state do you live in? A unit on computer security is taught along with keyboard skills in 7-9th grade. Kids know word processor/spreadsheet/basic html editing before they even make it the university.

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    • Anonymous Post Author
      10 years ago

      No doubt these are watered down lessons about how to choose the right password for your email.

      I'm talking about in depth learning on topics like code execution and how memory is read. These are the kinds of things that hackers understand and know how to attack. And not just learning some basic commands for a popular computer language, but understanding how the computer actually interprets that language.

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      • green_boogers
        10 years ago

        I hear ya, but if we spend that much time teaching CPU architecture and machine code programming, 98% of the population will never use it again. That's poor social return on education tax investment.

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        • Anonymous Post Author
          10 years ago

          I'd argue that this knowledge has much more relevance in their everyday lives than chemistry or biology.

          Look how far we've gotten with just such a small number of people being exposed to these things, let alone understanding them. Now imagine if everyone had this knowledge.

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      • Riddler
        10 years ago

        You know Chemistry is not required right? And generally you can exchange Bio 2 for Chemistry. Some pick chem class and some pick Bio 2. Physics is not required either. You need Algebra, Geometry(Optional), Bio, earth science, English, History, Economics, So many years of PE, 2 years of Art, and 2 years of Foreign language. Typing is also a required thing which is taught from age 11.

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      • Riddler
        10 years ago

        I agree but given some one of the schools I went to sometimes teachers simply are not qualified to teach this type of stuff. I once had a computer teacher that would give you multiple instructions very quickly, if you missed a step they would not repeat, if you did not understand the material they would not allow you to ask questions.

        They favoured the kids who were naturally good at computers. If you were behind they would humiliate you in front of the class, tell you how stupid and worthless you were, that you would never make it to a university and assign other students to yell at you and make you look stupid in front of the class.

        So I think first we need to deal with the fact we have so many incompetent teachers before something like this can be implemented.

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        • Teh4HorsMen
          9 years ago

          Solution to asshole teachers: brass knuckles.

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          • Riddler
            9 years ago

            I thought about doing that but with the type of record I doubt the courts would have had sympathy.

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        • Riddler
          10 years ago

          Schools only teach you enough to make a school report or write an essay. They don't really teach you any kind of technical programming, coding, web design skills. I think we need to have a stricter standard on who the schools hire though.

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  • [Old Memory]
    10 years ago

    I don't think anyone should be "required" to do much of anything by the government.

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  • davesumba
    10 years ago

    Umm, I've been taking computer classes since Kindergarten... It was required from K-8, then optional in High School, and once again required at University. Your poll is irrelephant.

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    • disthing
      10 years ago

      What do you call an elephant that doesn't matter?

      Irrelephant!

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  • Anonymous Post Author
    10 years ago

    There seems to be some confusion.

    I'm not talking about how to USE a computer. Any 8 y/o can already do that and it would be a waste of time to teach. Actually any 2 y/o can use an iPad and that seems to be the way things are going.

    I'm not talking about learning a language either (per se), although that would be a component of it I guess.

    I'm talking about boiling all that down to get inside to see what actually makes a computer work. Assembly, code execution, memory, CPU architecture, interfaces - those kinds of topics. Much like when you go through math, you work your way up from arithmetic, to geometry, algebra, calculus, etc, this would be a whole new path of study that takes many courses to cover.

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    • disthing
      10 years ago

      The basics of CPU architecture, assembly and code could certainly be covered at a young(ish) age.

      The easiest way would be to rewrite what children currently learn in Information Technology (or whatever equivalent), which is a mandatory part of most curriculums, so it incorporates the more fundamental aspects of computer science at an earlier stage.

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  • disthing
    10 years ago

    I think things like coding should be taught, and I've heard the UK government is considering teaching HTML and similar functional programming within schools from an early age.

    However, one of the issues raised was that because of the relatively small proportion of people who are able to understand and use advanced IT skills, there aren't many teachers with the knowledge to teach children. Which means there would have to be a big drive to teach teachers first, especially if you wanted it on a national scale in countries with large populations.

    There are quite a few changes to my country's national curriculum I'd make. Basic coding would be one, but also a greater focus on modern history and politics would be another - because the amount of people I know who have the right to vote but no idea what to do with it is worrying. More opportunities to learn languages such as Arabic and Chinese too.

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  • gorillaphant
    10 years ago

    I think they should teach you how to file taxes when you are in high school. That would be useful. Computer science is useful too but if you are curious at all, you will learn how to use your computer while using your computer for other tasks.

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    • Anonymous Post Author
      10 years ago

      It takes me 15 minutes to file my taxes with turbotax. You're setting the bar too low.

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      • gorillaphant
        10 years ago

        It's easy when you only have one or two documents to file. It gets more complicated when you have a dozen or so to manage that include home purchases, children, savings accounts and investments, etc.

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  • kingofcarrotflowers
    10 years ago

    I think most of the schools in my area were, in fact towards the end of high school every room had smart boards and laptops

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  • NurseDiesel
    10 years ago

    The schools in my area have had the kids using computers since elementary school. A lot of them know way more than their parents about how to use the blasted objects and people like my brothers are computer geniuses who mainly learned on their own.

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  • KeddersPrincess
    10 years ago

    It was whenever I was in school.

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  • [Old Memory]
    10 years ago

    That's cool! I honestly have no idea how a computer works, its like freaking magic. I wish I would have been taught.

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  • dom180
    10 years ago

    I agree. Computers are a vital part of how we communicate in today's world, and I certainly wish computing had been a bigger part of my education. We should start kids on computers as young as possible.

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