VIJAY GARG
What is Computer Education?
A computer is an electronic machine which can be used to solve a problem or perform a certain function according to the instructions given to it. Today computers are used almost everywhere. Computer education is the process of learning about or teaching about the computers. It includes the basic knowledge of computer system, skills, ideas, and the basic terminologies related to the computer system. It also includes the advantages and disadvantages of computers, the potential of a computer system, how a computer can be used to solve different problems of day to day life or how can a computer be programmed to solve the extreme problem. Computer education has become an integral part of the twenty-first century. It has gained a lot of importance in today’s life. Today, computers are used in almost every field. Therefore, it has become necessary to learn about computers.
Importance of Computer Education in Our Life
Computers help the students to learn about the world and know what is happening in it. It helps them to aim for excellent jobs in the future and succeed in it. The computer has become a standard of education throughout the world. This makes computer education important. Some importance of computer education are:
Computer Education Improves Research Skills: A computer provides the most important tool for research in today’s life that is the internet. The Internet is defined as a network which is formed by connecting different networks. Today the internet can help us with almost anything. Most importantly, the internet helps us in research. Starting from the students studying in school to the scientist working in laboratories, computer, or more precisely the internet, helps everybody in research. The Internet is flooded with abundant information on almost all the topics of which we are aware of. In the summer vacations, students are given some holiday’s homework to research or make projects on the topics they do not know about. For these topics, of which the students do not have any idea, the internet helps them. The Internet can give them a lot of information on the required topic. A scientist can take the help of internet to search the already present discoveries to create a new one. Therefore computers can help a lot in research. So the knowledge about computers is necessary. Everyone should know how to use the computer system and the resources associated with it to improve their own research skills.
Computer Education helps in getting Good Jobs: Today the computer industry is growing at a very fast rate. Computers are needed everywhere. They have become an essential part of each industry. Today almost every work is dependent on computers. So the industries or companies hire those workers which are trained to use computers or have some knowledge as to how to use computers. Computer education should be taught to the students from the very beginning. They should gain a good command in the field of computers. In the whole academic life of the student, they should become so trained in the field of computer education that every company will hire. So we can conclude that for those who aspire for a good job, computer education is a must. The salary package offered to those who have all the knowledge of a computer system is much higher than those who do not have any idea about computers.
Computer Education helps in Enhancing Technology: Today, most of the technology depends on the computer system. From the basic electronic devices to astronomical devices, everything needs a computer. So if someone wants to create a new technology he should have known about the computers. For example, a person wants to create a machine which could be used in medical science. The machine will require some device to formulate the results. This device is a modified version of a computer system. So the person should be able to modify the computer. For this, the person must be educated in the field of computer science. When a person studies computer science, he feels motivated to create new technologies. It fills his mind with new ideas to create some new technology which could be used for the betterment of the society.
Computer Education Increases the Efficiency of a Person: Consider a person who does not have any knowledge of the computer. The person works in the accounts department of some company. The person has to keep track of all the financial records of the company, he needs to maintain the record of all profits and loss of the company from the very beginning. This will require a lot of time, concentration, speed and memory. This is a very difficult task. This task is very tiring for the person as all the records have to be prepared using pen and paper. On the other hand, consider a person who has the knowledge of computer system. He will use the computer to maintain all the accounts of the company. He will take less time to maintain the records as everything used by him will be computerized. He will not require any physical space to store his records which are required by the person who does not know computer. It will require less time. The work done will be fast. Comparing both the cases, the efficiency of the person who knows the computer will be more than that of the person who does not know the computer. Therefore it becomes important to have computer education.
Computer Education helps in Creating a Better Education Environment: Smart classrooms are emerging these days. Every school uses computers to teach their students. It creates a more effective learning and teaching environment. Learning becomes easier with the use of technology. Along with becoming easier, it becomes all the way more fun. To use the facilities available in a smart classroom, computer education is necessary. Every school prefers to employ those teachers who can use computers as a teaching tool. Computers can be used to teach a lot of things. With multimedia available in the computer system, the difficult topics can be easily understood. The information delivered to the students via a computerized is much more easily retained by them than the regular delivery of information. So for imparting proper and effective education to the students, the teachers must possess a fair education about the computer system and their usage.
Computer Education makes Communication Easy:
The world is very large. All our loved ones do not live with us. We all want to communicate with our loved ones who reside in the different parts of the world or country. The communication started with a letter and came till telephones. Letters did not offer effective communication over a very long distance and the communication was only text-based. The telephonic conversation was one step ahead. We could hear the voice of our loved ones. In today’s technology, we can use computers for communication. It provides us with facilities like chatting, calling, video conferencing which has helped a lot in communication. The function of video conferencing or we can say video chat or video calling is being used widely these days. It helps us to see the person we are talking to. It has become very useful for the person who resides very far from their families as they can now communicate with them as they are just sitting in front of them. To use these facilities of communication using the computer, computer education is required. Nowadays, children who reside far from their parents are teaching their parents how to use the computer for the communication so that they can have an easy and cheap communication with them.
Computer Education Connects us to the Online World: Everything today is becoming online. This is just done for our convenience. Today, we do not have to visit a bank for transferring money, nor we have to go to the market to do shopping .it is available to us online as online banking and online shopping. We can fill examination and other kinds of the form online. Now we do not have to run to the theatre or railways station to buy movie tickets and train tickets, we can book them online. We can plan our tours online. We can connect with our friends online. The online world also provides us with entertainment. All this could not be possible without computers. But to use all these facilities, computer education is required. Without a computer, we cannot use such facilities which are specially designed for our convenience.
Conclusion
Computers have occupied a very important place in our lives. We cannot imagine our life without computers. They are being used in each and every field to make work easier. The work is done in an efficient manner and consumes less time. However, computer systems have a few disadvantages also. Computers have no brain. They cannot take a decision on their own. They need human guidance. Computers can affect health. They may affect the eyes of the person using it. Also, the computers which are not in working condition and cannot be repaired accumulate as non-biodegradable waste. Despite these disadvantages, a computer does not lose its importance and created the need for computer education. With the growing uses of the computer, the requirement of computer education is also. With such vas usage of computers system, it has become necessary that each person should have the knowledge to use the computer systems. Now computer education is being taught in schools and colleges. The elderly people are also trying to learn how to use a computer. As the time is passing, technology is increasing. So for our own convenience, it has become important for all of us to gain computer education.
(The writer is Retired Principal and educational columnist)