furuta (10/27/82)
In light of the recent discussion about Drexel University and CMU deciding to require each student to owner of a personal computer, I'd like to bring up a related topic for discussion; namely, the definition of computer literacy. Let me pose the rhetorical questions: What is computer literacy? What should someone be taught in order to be computer literate? I assert that most of the people who promote computer literacy equate it with (simple minded) programming and machine structure. Certainly this seemed to be the case at the University of Oregon, where I spent a part of my youth (Dave Moursund of the U. of O. has long been active in this area). One can convincingly argue that computer programming is not the most important skill for a history major to have. I think, instead, that the most important parts of current computer systems are the tools available on them: the text editors, the document formatters, the mail programs, the database query systems, and so on. These are certainly of use to history majors. CMU seems to be willing to provide these services not only to their students and staff but also to extend the services to the students after they graduate. To me, this seems like an extraordinarily positive administrative decision. It is clearly wrong to promote the notion that computing is an important resource for everyone to know about while simultaneously emphasizing that computing is a scarce resource with only limited access available. I'm not prepared to say whether or not I think that Drexel University and CMU are doing the "right" thing by requiring purchase of these devices. I certainly comprehend and sympathize with the arguments of limited (or non-existant) student budgets and the costs of personal computers. I also recognize that there are many people who would never use such a device if it were given to them. I do think, however, that a certain amount of the arguments being made for and against these plans are being expressed from our natural biases--that of computer programmers and that a number of the negative arguments have been based on an expectation that computing is limited and administered resource. So let me pose the question again, not so rhetorically: What is computing literacy? Is it important to the history major? --Rick (Feel free to globally substitute any area you want for "history" in the body of this message).