Engaging in Computer Science

Computer science topics have spread into many science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields as related skills have become a prerequisite for solving technical problems. In fact, by 2029, employment in computer and information technology occupations is projected to grow 11% while creating over half a million new jobs. This has prompted a growing demand for computer science literacy, creating a gap between current education offerings and industry/labor demands. While many educators equate coding and computer science, and while coding is fundamental to many computer science courses, computer science also involves computational thinking, algorithm and program design, and problem-solving processes. Simply stated, computer science and programming are not synonymous. Many current courses focus solely on programming instead of the broader and more transferable concepts and content found within computer science and computation thinking spaces. In fact, there is little agreement of what belongs in pre-collegiate computer science curricula and what does not, making curricula generation difficult for even experienced educators.

Furthermore, rapidly advancing technology has introduced numerous cybersecurity vulnerabilities, underscoring a need for cybersecurity professionals and, by extension, substantial cybersecurity education, a broad topic well situated within the blossoming arena of computer science. Many schools struggle, for a variety of reasons, to offer quality education in these subjects. Outreach opportunities, after school or in the summer, may help to support traditional education efforts, while providing unique experiences for students of all ages. This research study specifically focused on how a cybersecurity outreach program, implemented as three free "open to all" week-long summer camps, impacted students' (aged 10–18 years) content learning and interest in cybersecurity.

In addition to a lack of basic computer science and cybersecurity content knowledge, soft skills which include effective communication, teamwork, and conflict resolution are important for students as future STEM professionals. Information and technology advances have changed how people communicate, socialize, and co-exist and soft-skills are as desirable in working STEM professionals as core technical skills. Currently, many college graduates lack leadership, organizational, communication, and critical thinking skills; however, prior work has shown that, with explicit instruction and guidance, students can understand and apply soft skills. There is an opportunity for university students to engage in outreach events to expand their opportunities in professional skill sets of communication, leadership through mentoring, and gaining confidence in their field of study. There should be a focus on these skill sets in STEM professions such as flexibility, multidisciplinary problem solving, teamwork, conflict resolution, and communication.

With all of these considerations, educators have different ideas of what STEM education should include. Computer science can (and the authors argue should be) integrated into the STEM fields and courses to prepare students in developing solutions to today's interdisciplinary problems (e.g., tracking infectious diseases, modeling animal behavior, investigating water quality, developing new materials). The STEM disciplines can intertwine with each other, strengthening each other as one large field rather than four distinct fields by interacting with real-world, authentic problems and by demonstrating the connections of ideas and skills in all of the disciplines. Although not the focus of this work, utilizing an integrated STEM framework could offer insight into using real world applications, building skill sets, and engaging collaborative teams. Computer science offers a space for these skills focused on real-world problems as well as intelligent solutions to issues facing the STEM community. Previous research has shown the importance of integrating computer science into STEM and that computer science concepts can be taught embedded within traditional STEM lessons in pre-collegiate settings. Students should be able to recall/apply what they have learned to solve real-world problems and utilize problem solving exercises while synthesizing and developing core concepts. These types of skills are enhanced with hands-on student-centered learning that increases conceptual understanding rather than educator-centered lectures which focus on recall. Female students in particular benefit from student-centered learning and hands-on activities. Often, student experiences with integrated STEM subject matter promotes engagement. The outreach camps created, implemented, and studied by authors Burrows and Borowczak in 2018 and 2019 build on this research, capitalizing on computer science integration, teaching students to solve problems in creative ways, and showcasing STEM as one interdisciplinary field where problems span multiple disciplines.

The three outreach camps provided week-long computer science exposure through educator activities focused on effective teaching methods, and student activities full of hands-on labs and real-world applications. This type of outreach experience provides computer science exposure to students who may not have the opportunity to learn effective computer science skills otherwise. Availability of these types of outreach activities gives students the opportunity to start building skills that can be applied daily in evolving science and engineering fields. For example, data scientists are growing in demand as Industry 4.0 advancements require large amounts of data to be analyzed. Additionally, cybersecurity landscapes have evolved to include more complex adversaries which necessitates cybersecurity specialists for system protection. The summer camps described in this article introduced pre-collegiate students, age 10–18, to necessary problem-solving skills required across various fields, and sparked increased interest in continuing with a cybersecurity career trajectory.