A blog post on the importance of Computer Science in education and the work force.
Last updated - July 25, 2024
A shift is happening in public education. It’s becoming more and more student focused, helping them become agile creators rather than consumers. This shift is necessary for the growth and development of today’s students and tomorrow’s workforce.
Why change?
During the Industrial Revolution, companies grew rapidly and they needed a workforce to fill their factories. They wanted employees who knew how to do specific tasks along the assembly lines. Education was used to teach students specific skill sets that would be useful for these available jobs. This is where the public school system was born.
The traditional classroom in this system looked like rows of desks lined up in front of a blackboard where the teacher gave instructions. Students all learned the same material and were tested on the same thing. This standardization enabled many people to leave school prepared to perform similar tasks.
The school system itself reflected the excitement of the new “assembly line” method that was so popular in that era. Before this, one-room school houses were the norm where students of all ages would gather to learn enough to take care of the farm. With the Industrial Revolution, schools standardized curriculum and grouped students by age. Education allowed these students to leave school and travel anywhere in the country to find work because they had been equipped with the necessary knowledge and schools.
This system worked well overall when it was instituted, allowing students to learn what they needed to find employment and enter the workforce. The path through school and life was simple and clear.
An unknown future
The simple future laid out for people during the Industrial Revolution changed forever with the introduction of home computers in 1974 and the internet in 1983. Technology advanced rapidly and expanded career opportunities as it went.
Because of the rapid changes in tech, the future of today’s students remains largely unknown. In the 1900’s teachers could reliably predict what kind of career their students would have and prepare them for that future. Now, with the rapid changes in technology, teachers are faced with the reality that they are preparing their students to navigate a career that may not even exist yet.
The “assembly-line” style of schooling is no longer able to adequately prepare students for a diverse, mobile, and constantly fluctuating career field.
We need adaptable, creative, and resilient students to be able to confidently enter the constantly evolving workforce...
To read more of CS:Reshaping the Future on the Skill Struck blog, follow this link!