3 Ways to Integrate Computer Science in Other Classes
Computer science (CS) is not simply a school subject or a class; rather, it is a set of skills that teachers can integrate into other academic areas so that students can get a sense of how broadly applicable it is. Topics in computer science are engaging and interactive, and they teach children how to think computationally. This helps children acquire skill sets that are required for a variety of valuable computing jobs.
If you’re new to computer science and computing, let me give you the rundown:
Computer science (CS) is the study that enables the development of computers, which have an impact on every industry.
Computer science covers a variety of topics that can help students prepare for careers in fields such as information ethics, programming, data security, information privacy, cloud computing, and software engineering.
According to Code.org, computing jobs are the leading source of new wages in the United States. Furthermore, data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that occupations related to computer and information technology are growing at a rate that is significantly higher than the average rate of growth for all other occupations. It is anticipated that the sector will add more than 500,000 new jobs by the year 2028.
These eye-catching statistics make a strong case for the necessity of education in computer science. Here are three ways to purposefully incorporate fundamental and essential computer science topics and skills into the upcoming lessons you will be teaching.
1. HOW THE INTERNET WORKS
Robert Kahn, an electrical engineer, and Vinton Cerf, a computer scientist, are credited with developing the communication protocols that make it possible for there to be an internet. Despite the fact that many of us rely heavily on the internet, many of us are unaware of where it originated. To tell you the truth, we don’t really need to, but it’s important that everyone understands how it operates.
Students can learn more about the inner workings of the internet if their teachers have them construct computational artefacts, which are defined as anything that is built by a human using a computer. These artefacts must be accessed via the internet. Students have the ability to create a variety of computational artefacts, some of which include web pages, programmes, images, podcasts, and video presentations. These can all be produced in any class.
Activities from Code.org’s Unplugged Internet Unit and Web Development Unit, both of which can be adapted to work in tandem with this extensive video library, can be used to assist students in gaining a deeper understanding of internet connections and in developing their own personal webpages.
You and your students will find the following collection of good prompts and student questions helpful in getting a CS project off the ground. Driving questions for student projects:
How can we design a programme that will be of use to other people and will be able to be downloaded from the internet?
How exactly does the infrastructure of the internet function, and what steps can we take to ensure that those who do not currently have access can benefit from its continued expansion?
Key student questions:
How do electronic communications like emails, texts, pictures, and videos get sent from one person to another?
How do networks that are independently operated function and communicate, and what are the steps to get into them?
Transmission Control Protocol, also known as TCP, and Internet Protocol, also known as IP, are two protocols that are essential to communication on the internet.
How does information in binary format get transferred across the internet?
Who regulates and controls the internet, and how is it regulated?
2. APP DEVELOPMENT
The abbreviated and commonly used form of the word “application” is “app,” and it is commonly used in reference to both software and computer programmes. Although the majority of us use it to refer to the applications on our smart devices, it actually applies to applications that are designed for any hardware platform.
Tutorials that walk them through each step of the coding process are the most common method for teaching coding to children. Sadly, this approach frequently results in them not fully comprehending fundamental concepts of coding and how apps are developed. It also discourages many of them from continuing their education in computer science.
Teachers can take advantage of the power of the App Lab environment by requiring students to create apps of their own choosing. This helps students who are new to computer science as well as students who have experience with computer science get started creating apps that are relevant to their wants and needs and that can be shared with others.
The following is a list of some examples of information that students can provide to others through the use of apps:
Covid-19 symptom tracker
restaurants that provide service at the customer’s vehicle
Information on the local grocery stores’ hours and locations
Places where people can hold protests without violence
Volunteering opportunities
The App Lab tool is one of my favourites to use because it is adaptable to the different skill levels of my students and helps simplify the process of app development by allowing for rapid prototyping, block- or text-based coding, the creation of interactive features (such as buttons, dropdowns, and the like), and the utilisation of databases. Additionally, it gives them the opportunity to show off their finished products to others.
Code.org has also developed this video playlist that features a variety of other activities that students can participate in for gaming and data collection and analysis (e.g., surveys and ratings or comments). A good number of these can be incorporated as a major student product into a number of the project-based learning library’s projects that have been reviewed and approved by the Buck Institute for Education.
3. USING ALGORITHMS
The field of computer science places a significant emphasis on algorithms due to the fact that they instruct computers how to perform a task by outlining that task in a series of steps. You can see this in action with Google searches and the many functions available on websites. Algorithms are the building blocks that are used by app developers and programmers to create programmes that are efficient and free of bugs.
A fantastic method for instructing children about algorithms is to get them to become more self-aware of the algorithms they use in their day-to-day activities, such as preparing their go-to meal or getting themselves ready for school. The ability to solve problems using computational thinking (CT) is made possible for many students by using this method. The Computer Terminal (CT) competency is required for many of the anticipated computer-related jobs by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Students are given the opportunity to engage in authentic tasks that assist them in applying algorithms, initially through unplugged scenarios and then in digital ones, thanks to the fact that instructional strategies such as project-based learning and blended learning can serve as vehicles for teaching the fundamentals of computer science.
To get children started using algorithms, here are some unplugged lessons and activities that can be incorporated into their projects:
Teaching algorithmic thinking to students in the first grade
Putting together tangrams in a variety of different configurations
Planting seeds
Construction of aeroplanes
When your students’ ability to use algorithms improves, you will be able to incorporate more challenging activities for algorithmic reasoning and programming into their project-based learning modules.
My experiences in computer science have taught me that in order to develop the appropriate expertise, one needs to have patience, determination, knowledge, technological tools, and practical strategies. However, I believe that students will advance more quickly along the path to computer science mastery if they first master the fundamentals and guiding principles that were discussed earlier.
When you incorporate computer science into the academic workflow of your students, you not only improve their opportunities but also create ones that they may not have been aware existed before.