Computer science preparation for secondary school teachers

Computers have now become an extremely important factor in society. It is thus important that education about computers, their use, and the role they are playing in the development and functioning of society be undertaken as soon as feasible in the educational process. A logical place for this undertaking is in the secondary school or perhaps even at the junior high school level. Computers can serve the secondary teacher as an instructional tool for problem formulation and problem solution as well as for learning scientific ideas. Computers can help provide motivation for much of the work in mathematics, as well as in science and business. They can also provide the necessary tool to promote and carry out the applied and practical side of subjects, which is receiving far more realistic attention today. They thus can help the teacher combat the all too prevalent notion that mathematics and sometimes science are too theoretical. Since a well trained teacher with appropriate computer science education is the key to this educational problem, primary attention will be given to the teacher training problem. Another reason for this emphasis is that not enough is being done in our colleges currently. It is hoped that this presentation will call attention to this need and help motivate educators to further action to solve the problem in the teacher training area, which in turn will take care of the problem in the secondary school itself.