Encyclopedia of Computer Science and Technology

computer science 109PC World. Available online. URL: http://www.pcworld.com.Accessed June 24, 2007.Plunkett’s Info Tech, Computers & Software Industry. Availableonline. URL: http://www.plunkettresearch.com/Industries/InfoTechComputersSoftware/tabid/152/Default.aspx. Accessed June 24, 2007.Yost, Jeffrey R. The Computer Industry. Westport, Conn.: GreenwoodPress, 2005.ZDNet. Available online. URL: http://www.zdnet.com/. AccessedJune 24, 2007.computer literacyAs computers became integral to business, industry, trades,and professions, educators and parents became increasinglyconcerned that young people acquire a basic understandingof computers and master the related skills. Theterm computer literacy suggested that computer skills werenow as important as the traditional skills of reading, writing,and arithmetic. However, there has been disagreementabout the emphasis for a computer literacy curriculum.Some educators, such as Seymour Papert, computer scientistand inventor of the Logo language, believe that studentscan and should understand the concepts underlyingcomputing, and be able to write and appreciate a variety ofcomputer programs (see logo). By gaining an understandingof what computers can (and cannot) do, students willbe able to think critically about how to appropriately usethe machines, rather than simply mastering route skills.Indeed, by gaining a good grasp of general principles, thestudent should be able to easily master specific skills.An opposing view emphasizes the practical skills thatmost people (who will not become programmers) will needin everyday life and work. This sort of curriculum focuseson learning how to identify the parts of a computer andtheir functions, how to run popular applications suchas word processors, spreadsheets, and databases, how toconnect to the Internet and use its services, and so on.Computer literacy can also be broadened to include understandingthe impact that computers are having on dailylife and social issues that arise from computer use (such assecurity, privacy, and inequality).Today computer literacy is an important part of everyelementary and high school curriculum. Most students inmiddle-class or higher income brackets now have access tocomputers at home, and many thus gain considerable computerliteracy outside of school. In addition, adult educationand vocational schools often emphasize computer skills asa route to employment or career advancement. People alsohave the opportunity to learn on their own through booksand videos.The approach to computer literacy will vary with thebackground and resources of a given community. For example,programs for young people in developed countries cantake advantage of the fact that many young people alreadyhave considerable experience with using computers, includingrelated devices such as game consoles and music/videoplayers. On the other hand, a program targeted at a poor orminority community must cope with the likelihood thatmany members of the community have had little opportunityto interact with computers (see digital divide). Programsfor poor and developing countries may have to focusfirst on providing the basic infrastructure, as in the OneLaptop Per Child Program.Further ReadingGookin, Dan. PCs for Dummies. 10th ed. New York: Wiley, 2005.Jan’s Illustrated Computer Literacy 101. Available online. URL:http://www.jegsworks.com/Lessons/index.html. Accessed June24, 2007.Parsons, June, and Dan Oja. Practical Computer Literacy and Skills.Boston: Thomson Course Technology, 2004.White, Ron. How Computers Work. 8th ed. Indianapolis: Que,2005.computer scienceMost generally, computer science is the study of methodsfor organizing and processing data in computers. The fundamentalquestions of concern to computer scientists rangefrom foundations of theory to strategies for practical implementation.Fundamental Theory• What problems are susceptible to solving through anautomated procedure? (See computability and complexity.)• Given that a problem is solvable, can it be solvedwithout too much expenditure of time or computingresources?• Can a step-by-step procedure be devised for solvinga given problem? (See algorithm.) How do differentprocedures (such as for sorting data) compare in efficiencyand reliability? (See sorting and searching.)• What methods of organizing data are most useful?(See data structures.) What are the advantages anddrawbacks of particular forms of organization? (Seearray, list processing, and queue.)• Which structures are best for representing the dataneeded for a given application? What is the best wayto relate data to the procedures needed to manipulateit? (See encapsulation, class, and procedures andfunctions.)The Tools of Computing• How can programs be structured so they are easier toread and maintain? (See structured programmingand object-oriented programming.)• Can programmers keep up with growth of operatingsystems and application programs that have millionsof lines of code? (See software engineering andquality assurance, software.)• How can multiple simultaneous tasks (or even multipleprocessors) be coordinated to bring greatercomputing power to bear on problems? (See multitaskingand multiprocessing.)