Nowadays computers play quite an important role in our lives, and in many ways they rule the world. Thus, I’d like to give a broad background on computer science to those who are not so involved with the use of computers as well as some of the consequences of their use, which in this case, being good ones would make them benefits.
I would also like to point out how useful computers can be when implemented in the teaching-learning processes since we’re then able to benefit from all of the advantages they offer, breaking time and space barriers and also saving and sharing resources. For such purpose, first we need to know the main general issues regarding computers and their use, which is possible thanks to the “Information Technology”.
As a start, computer users should know the basic aspects on what is called “Hardware”, which is no other thing that all the physical devices that integrate the machine itself, like the monitor, computer case, mouse, keyboard, printer and so forth; it is basically all of the components we can see and touch. One other feature computer users should know about is what is called “Software”, and that is the group of programs used in order to set up the system and manipulate information, as well as the applications employed for many other purposes. Hence, the hardware would be something like a car, and the software its energy, what we cannot touch, but undoubtedly makes it work; so the best computer would be useless with poor quality programs and the best programs would be equally worthless installed in a low profile computer, since they must be well integrated, or in other words, compatible.
On the one hand, knowing these two basic things about computers, hardware and software, it is then auspicious to have clear that the field of information technology focused on the development of the hardware and how it works is known under the name of “Computing”. On the other hand, the field of computer science based on the development of the software, every sort of applications for any required function, is known as “Computer Programming”. Now, the combination between computer and computer programming aimed on the setting of systems that are able to interconnect computers so as to share and save resources like the information used by a group of work or a printer assigned to a whole department of a company for instance; that is another field of information technology known as “Networking”.
As the main relevant issues on computers are now a bit clearer, it is propitious to suggest all of their scope should be exploded by the implementing of programs in education, which would lead to what is known as “e-learning”, which consists on the teaching through computers and of course computer programs, and also the Internet. Through e-learning teachers wouldn’t have to worry so much about certain shortcomings we find with regard to education, like time, space, money, resources provided or not by the government or certain political consequences like strikes for example. Therefore, it would be really good and proper to consider and realize all the has been exposed and start thinking of radical ways of improving and developing education beyond what we currently have through the exploding of technology.
