Importance of Computer Education to Students

An Information Technology and Innovation Foundation study found that the amount of high schools that include computer science in their curriculum are not proportional with the amount of jobs that exist in that field. As of 2016, 18 percent of American schools, for example, offer Advanced Placement Computer Studies. The AP Computer Studies classes that do exist are primarily concerned with teaching coding and general use while avoiding other, more marketable topics. Computer education enhances technological progress, which is a major determinant of the future of the American economy, and can be an asset in improving students' overall learning ability.

Computer education improves students’ research skills by encouraging them to look for information on the Internet. It enables them to research various topics by seeking relevant books that could be digitally available online. The Internet also contains search options, which expose students to diverse ways of obtaining information. Thanks to the speedy nature of the Internet, students can research their desired topics within minutes.

Incorporating computer education in schools can inspire students to undertake careers in technology and enhance their understanding of how computer technology impacts people’s daily lives. The knowledge acquired in elementary and high school may increase their interest in computer-related fields during their college education. Furthermore, computer education provides students with a grounding in computer-related software and activities, such as using office suite programs, coding in programming languages and creating data sheets. Students can apply these skills to a range of occupations later in life.

Computer classes allow students to put their creativity to use. Coding is essentially like learning a new language. And students can use that language to realize their own designs. Computer science classes give students the building blocks through which they make their own programs and to figure out how to make existing ones better. Teachers can make individual work a core part of their computer science lesson plan, which encourages problem solving and independent thought.

Computer education may influence student performance by enabling them to become more involved with their school work. Computers can potentially enhance students mathematical thinking, and improve scores in problem solving and critical thinking tasks. Computer education also plays a role in students’ ability to score highly in some standardized tests. A study by the College Board discovered that students who took AP Computer Science had better scores on AP Calculus and AP Statistics than students who didn't.