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The number of computer science majors in American universities has been falling.
According to the Computing Research Association, the 2007 graduating class included just 8,000 computer science graduates nationwide –a number that indicates some serious ramifications for tech industry recruiters in the coming years.
A shortage of qualified candidates and an extra $10,000 in salaries could easily result in a mass migration southward. The brain drain has never been funny and it could get a lot more frightening - unless Michael F. Buckley, a University at Buffalo computer science lecturer, gets his way. He's leading a national movement to change the way computer science is taught.
Buckley says that current teaching methods are the reason why the slump is happening.
"Too often, undergraduate computer design courses lack social relevance," said Buckley. "They don't help students figure out how it's relevant to society's technology needs, like helping people with a range of disabilities, or establishing a region's safest evacuation plan in case of a natural disaster."
To reverse the trend of falling enrolment, Buckley wants students to learn ‘computing for a cause’. As part of their course work, Buckley's students visit a center for children with disabilities and are asked to design technologies with the goal of improving how the children they meet live and learn.
"Creating practical solutions to socially relevant problems focuses incredible philanthropic and creative energy," said Buckley. "When students work on these projects, they see themselves less as geeks and more as citizens."
The idea of making a difference, of being useful to society does attract people toward certain careers.
"We are pushing socially relevant computing as a means to attract a diverse population of students to computer science," said Buckley. "Students don't know that they can address societal concerns with computer science."
The recruiting industry – and corporate culture - can learn a lot from Buckley's observations now.
Let's assume that being useful to society is important to all potential candidates.
Let's assume that employees have a personal role to play in extending the company's acts of social responsibility into the community.
Let's assume that everyone can see the results of this involvement and that they are positive results.
Those assumptions sound like an environment that any employee would want to be a part of. In fact, they are probably worth a lot more than an extra $10,000 and a move south.
Tags: technology, education, culture, social responsibility, trends
COMPUTING FOR A CAUSE: CREATING THE NEXT GENERATION OF TECH EXPERTS
Want to hear about a scary trend?
The number of computer science majors in American universities has been falling.
According to the Computing Research Association, the 2007 graduating class included just 8,000 computer science graduates nationwide –a number that indicates some serious ramifications for tech industry recruiters in the coming years.
A shortage of qualified candidates and an extra $10,000 in salaries could easily result in a mass migration southward. The brain drain has never been funny and it could get a lot more frightening - unless Michael F. Buckley, a University at Buffalo computer science lecturer, gets his way. He's leading a national movement to change the way computer science is taught.
Buckley says that current teaching methods are the reason why the slump is happening.
"Too often, undergraduate computer design courses lack social relevance," said Buckley. "They don't help students figure out how it's relevant to society's technology needs, like helping people with a range of disabilities, or establishing a region's safest evacuation plan in case of a natural disaster."
To reverse the trend of falling enrolment, Buckley wants students to learn ‘computing for a cause’. As part of their course work, Buckley's students visit a center for children with disabilities and are asked to design technologies with the goal of improving how the children they meet live and learn.
"Creating practical solutions to socially relevant problems focuses incredible philanthropic and creative energy," said Buckley. "When students work on these projects, they see themselves less as geeks and more as citizens."
The idea of making a difference, of being useful to society does attract people toward certain careers.
"We are pushing socially relevant computing as a means to attract a diverse population of students to computer science," said Buckley. "Students don't know that they can address societal concerns with computer science."
The recruiting industry – and corporate culture - can learn a lot from Buckley's observations now.
Let's assume that being useful to society is important to all potential candidates.
Let's assume that employees have a personal role to play in extending the company's acts of social responsibility into the community.
Let's assume that everyone can see the results of this involvement and that they are positive results.
Those assumptions sound like an environment that any employee would want to be a part of. In fact, they are probably worth a lot more than an extra $10,000 and a move south.
Tags: technology, education, culture, social responsibility, trends
