Computer science made top priority in schools
On Sept. 27, 2016, Gov. Jerry Brown signed Assembly Bill (AB) 2329, a bill creating a three-year process planning to make computer science education a top priority in California. The bill will bring computer science curricula to public schools in the state, fixing the issue that only a quarter of California high schools offer computer science courses.
AB 2329 will help students gain more knowledge of developing the analytical and coding skills to power our economy. It will also help satisfy the high demand of tens of thousands of jobs available in the information technology (IT) field, one of the fastest-growing job sectors in California. Also, computer science education is vital in careers unrelated to computer science such as medicine. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (USBLS), proficiency in computer science fields such as software development, cyber-security and IT is a critical component in more than 180 different types of job industries. The USBLS concluded that there will be about 531,000 job openings for new computer and mathematics-related jobs in the United States by 2024.
Advanced Placement (AP) Computer Science teacher Hassan Twiet has been teaching computer science for 10 years. Twiet favors this bill because he thinks that people are currently surrounded by devices that require programming – from computers to refrigerators – and it is necessary for people to learn about these devices.
“Computer science is a course [for] which you have to bring [in] skills and information from outside of the classroom,” Twiet said. “It teaches people how to work with others, how to share and [how to] work as a team. Computer science is a real-world experience in a classroom.”
The AP Computer Science Principles course is geared towards educating students on the social aspect of computing, technological innovation and coding. Sophomore Justin Kim, currently taking this class, supports AB 2329. Kim thinks the course will gain popularity over time as people begin to realize the opportunities available in the field of computer science.
“I feel that many students miss out on taking this course,” Kim said. “I think that it is unfair that only some schools have computer science courses available.”
Senior Denise Yokoyama also takes AP Computer Science Principles and thinks that exposing students to computer science at a young age is pivotal, considering this generation is growing up in the midst of a technological revolution. She believes that understanding the roots of technological innovation and being able to use it to one’s advantage is valuable.
“Everything is becoming digital and having [computer science] knowledge is very profitable in the workplace,” Yokoyama said. “Beyond code, being able to use a computer efficiently and utilizing the Internet is important in any career. Having coding knowledge and an understanding of the Internet will follow me into whatever profession I choose.”\
Graphic Credit: Connor Tumelty
