The Value of Computation by Carl

The Value of Computation by Carl - August 2015 Scholarship Essay

Computer science is one of the most valuable skills in the modern world, and also one of the least taught relative to its value. One of the most subtle, but also dangerous, trends in many industries is automation. It is often said that increasing industrial automation will be matched by increased demand for new jobs, and this may be true, but most of those new jobs will require computer expertise. Who else will program all those machines that will make up the workforce?

Computer science should be a core part of the American curriculum, holding a place along with English or History. Increasingly, skill with a computer is becoming as useful as being able to write well, or knowing what led to the current state of the world. Touch typing can begin in the early years, as students are learning to write. Basic programmatic logic and scripting could occur in middle-school years, as well as basic overviews of operating system architecture. In high school, more advanced topics such as discrete math and algorithm design can be tackled. These topics are all surely able to be handled by children of those ages.

Most people just see computers as a utility. They boot them up to type an essay on a word processor, maybe search a few youtube videos, and call it a day. Yet, there is so much more to them. And they are overtaking the world.