Essays

IELTS Task 2 Example-Computers and Education(C2)

For centuries, important parts of education have remained, such as reading, writing, and maths. With the advent of computers, some people think that computer skill should be made as a fourth skill to be added to the list. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

You should write at least 250 words.

Over the past few decades, rapid advancements in computer technology have propelled our society forward at high speeds. At the beginning of the 21st century, vital systems for mass transportation and production underwent a technological revolution with newfound advancements made by computers, meanwhile, the field of science, health, and business thrived greatly with an explosion of impressive breakthroughs, all of which the computer played a major part in. It is indisputable that the invention of computers has become a predominant and irreplaceable part of our daily lives ever since, and that the capabilities of the computer have the power to change the future as we know it.

Given its paramount importance and influence, some are of the opinion that computer science should be added as a primary education subject for all alongside reading, writing, and mathematics. However, despite the brilliant prospects it offers, there are certain disadvantages that shed light on the difficulty to make the concept a reality, with some even proving it to be unrealistic.

First of all, most aspects of computer science require a high level of logic, math, and knowledge to learn even at base level. Fundamental subjects, for example, coding and artificial intelligence, are simply incompatible with the education level of children and younger teenagers, and oversimplifying courses in a desperate attempt to achieve the goal risks sacrificing core concepts of the subject. In most cases, introductory courses to computer science don't start until high school or university as a result.

Secondly, computer science as a whole contains incomprehensible amounts of information that spreads out into numerous branches, which is impossible to generalize in one subject. In addition, a few core subjects like software engineering and web design have little in relation compared to each other and sometimes operate on different logical structures, which is a stark contrast to the qualities of other basic education subjects, for example, the straightforwardness and logical clarity of math.

Last but not least, major changes take place constantly in the field of computer science, especially in the early stages of novel breakthroughs. As a result, computer science is highly unpredictable as an educational subject. Newfound creations have the potential to bring widespread impact to the field and completely replace previous creations. The rate at which new technological skills, inventions, and updates spring up can only be compared to those of present ones being rendered obsolete. Anachronisms of past technology – CDs, MP3 players, browsers, and webpages from the 2000s – are littered in past generations as a testament to this phenomenon. In contrast, the fundamental subjects in the education system have experienced little to no change for decades and even centuries, deeply rooted as pillars in the educational system. In the span of decades, it will be near impossible for computer science to remain fixed and for the educational system to catch up since a subject as dynamic and unpredictable as technology itself does not possess such characteristics.

In conclusion, the prevalence and importance of computers make computer science an essential subject to study and an extremely beneficial skill to master. However, there are a number of obstacles that will impediment the idea should it take place. Therefore, with the drawbacks taken into consideration, in my opinion, the notion of making computer science a fundamental education subject remains impractical in today's society.