Computer importance in Education

Exposing children to computers helps them hone their skills.

Elizabeth Stark, a former Internet and technology lecturer at Yale and Stanford, states that many schools do not prioritize computer education. As of 2013, less than 5 percent of American schools, for example, offer Advanced Placement Computer Studies, which is a decrease of over 45 percent from previous years. 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.

Improves Research

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.

Influence Career Aspirations

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, programming languages and creating data sheets. Students can apply these skills to a range of occupations later in life.

Enhanced Creativity

Computer classes allow students to put their creativity to use. For example, classes can involve assembling and disassembling computer parts, which require students to think about and understand how parts function. Students can transfer their enhanced creativity to other activities in their lives, including memorizing scientific facts, historical information or mathematical formulas. Computer education also reduces the time needed to efficiently learn new material.

Improved Performance

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 major factor in students’ ability to score highly on their standardized assessment tests. Exposing 3- and 4-year-old children to computer education and supporting activities produces developmental gains such as abstraction, intelligence, nonverbal skills and long-term memory.