Why Computer Science?
The importance of computer science cannot be understated, especially today.
As a rapidly growing field, there is an ever increasing demand for computer scientists that the current educational pipeline is not prepared to meet. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for computing-related occupations is expected to grow by 13% by 2030, faster than the average job growth. For software developers, this demand is expected to grow even faster: 22% by 2030. To meet this demand, the US workforce will need a diverse pool of prepared graduates. However, computer science extends well beyond programming and software development, especially in K-12 settings.
Along with computer science comes the idea of computational thinking, which involves solving problems in similar ways to computers, or framing problems in a way that a computer can solve. We exercise computational thinking almost every day, from deciding what route will be most efficient to get to home when we encounter a traffic jam to deciding what to following a recipe from a cookbook. Computational thinking is defined by four main components: abstraction, decomposition, pattern recognition, and algorithm design.
Computer science is so much more than being able to use a computer or a specific suite of software. It is about how to design efficient solutions to problems around us, even if they don't involve the use of a computer. Students who learn computer science don't just use technology, they create it. The extensions to other fields and subject areas are endless.