Changing Patterns of Computing Disciplines

Written by Dr. M. A. Pasha

25/05/2012
Computing is an interdisciplinary discipline that crosses the boundaries between
mathematics, science, engineering, business and social sciences. It consists of
multiple fields including computer science, computer engineering, information
systems, information technology, and software engineering (ACM/IEEE, 2001).
These fields are inter-related but they are quite different from each other. This
dynamic nature of computing discipline propellled the international community to
devise a model curriculum for computing.
The history of computing curriculum development can be traced back to 1965 when
a preliminary version of the recommendations for Computer Science curriculum was
published by the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM, 1965). Since then
the educators and professionals all over the world are striving to formalize the
fundamental principles that distinguish the goals and methods of computing from
those of other related disciplines.
In early days, the term ‘computer science’ was used as a common notion for
computing discipline. With the passage of time, the nature of basic principles,
methods, techniques and concepts evolves as the discipline evolves, and new
principles replace old ones. Typically there are always strong resistances to change
(Lawrence, 1954); therefore, these new developments were sometimes seriously
questioned by believers in old principles. For example, Hilbert’s principle that
formal mathematical theorems are provable by logical inference was questioned by
Kurt Godel (1931), Alonzo Church & Alan Turing (1936), who argued that logic
cannot completely prove all mathematical theorems. Similarly, many contradictory
views of computing like the mathematical worldview : All computable problems are
function-based and therefore captured by TMs In particular, this view assumes that
all computation is closed. There is no input or output taking place during the
computation; any information needed during the computation is provided at the
outset as part of the input. (Davis, 1958 ) vs the interactive worldview (Goldin &
Wegner, 2008), driving is to take place in a real-world environment, this problem is
not computable within a function-based computational paradigm. the problem of
driving home from work is computable—by a control mechanism, as in an robotic
car, that continuously receives video input of the road and actuates the wheel and
brakes accordingly. This computation, just as that of operating systems, is
interactive, where input and output happen during the computation, not before or
after it. Interactive computation is more expressive than function-based
computation, i.e., it can solve a greater range of problems. , queuing jobs within an
operating system, or document processing .
algorithmic programming(a precise rule (or set of rules) specifying how to solve
some problem) (Knuth 1968; Hopcroft & Ullman, 969 ) vs contemporary (present
or up to date) programming (Rice & Rice 1969) opened up new
horizons(scope/possibility) for computing (Sipser, 2005).
Much efforts have been made to understand this rapidly expanding nature of
computing which include the recommendations of ACM Curriculum Committee on
Computer Science (ACM, 1969; 1977; 1979), IEEE Computer Society Education
Committee/Model Curriculum Subcommittee. (IEEE, 1976), IEEE Computer
Society Educational Activities Board/Model Program Committee (IEEE, 1983),
Report on the ACM Task Force on the Core of Computer Science (Denning , et al. ,
1988).
Prior to the 1990s, many international bodies were producing their own curriculum
recommendations. But, in 1991, ACM and IEEE-CS published a joint curriculum -
Known as Computing Curricula 1991 or CC’91 - for four-year Bachelor’s degree
programs in Computer Science and Computer Engineering (ACM/IEEE-CS, 1991).
At that time Computing was restricted to three disciplines – Computer Engineering,
Computer Science and Information Systems (See fig 1). In 1997, IS ‘97 Model
Curriculum and Guidelines for Undergraduate Degree Programs in Information
Systems (ACM, 1997) was also published.
By the end of the 1990s, global community started realizing that the field of
computing had not only grown rapidly but had also grown in many dimensions.
Different kinds of degree programs were offered by different academic institution
which brought in the problem of degree accreditation(official approval).
Consequently, in 2001, ACM and IEEE-CS joint task force produced Computing
Curricula 2001 (ACM/IEEE, 2001) which further expanded the concept of
Computing into four distinct disciplines - Computer Science (CS), Computer
Engineering (CE), Information Systems (IS) and Software Engineering (SE). In
response to the CC2001 model, the Information Systems, the Software Engineering
and Computer Engineering communities published their own curriculum
recommendation reports (ACM/AIS/AITP, 2002), (ACM/IEEE, 2004a) and
(ACM/IEEE, 2004a) respectively.
The inventions of digital electronics gave birth to ‘digital revolution which brought
digital calculators and computer systems into the access of public domain. These
gadgets not only revolutionized the conventional concepts of calculation, but also
changed the way data was stored, retrieved and controlled. Computers became
essential tools at every level of most organizations, and networked computer systems
became the information backbone of organizations (Kotkin, 2000).
The digital revolution not only affected the way scientists conduct their research but
also accelerate the pace of inventions (Thomson, 2007). High pace innovation in
technologies for communication, computation, interactivity, and delivery of
information introduced invention like ‘the Internet’, ‘the World Wide Web’, ‘email’,
‘bulletin board system’, ‘virtual communities’, ‘E-commerce’ and other online
technologies which brought a paradigm shift in business world - from data
processing to information processing - converting industrial society to an
“information society (Cohen, 2009). Such inventions converted computer
technology into information technology (IT). Benefit of paradigm shift While this
paradigm shift improved productivity, it also created new work place challenges
regarding the development, operation, maintenance, and up gradation of
organizational IT infrastructure (Samuelson, 1995). By the end of the 1990s, it
became clear that the existing computing degree programs were not producing
graduates who had the right mix of knowledge and skills to meet these challenges.
Consequently, colleges and universities developed new degree programs to fill this
crucial void (Denning, 2001); thus information technology was added as an
independent discipline into the computing domain (Burrell, 1997; Lunt, et. al.,
2003a; 2003b; Lunt, et. al., 2004; Lunt, et. al., 2005).
The Computing Curricula 2005 (CC2005) produced by the ACM, AIS and IEEE-CS
Joint Task Force identified the distinctive features of these five distinct but
overlapping disciplines of computing and laid down the key characteristics and skill
set which every graduate in their respective discipline must acquire. These
recommendations help academic institutions to standardize their computing related
degree programs according to the need of the international market. However, the
curriculum development process has not stopped yet. Newly emerging economic
trends, escalating pace of Information Technology (IT) usage, development
outsourcing, and the emergence of knowledge economies have raised new issues.
Recently, the international community has put forward a draft version of Computer
Science Curricula 2013 (ACM, 2012) which has redefines the knowledge units and
provides concrete guidance on curricular structure and development in a variety of
institutional contexts.
Distinctive Characteristics of Computing Discipline
Computing Curricula 2005 (CC2005) produced by the ACM, AIS and IEEE-CS
Joint Task Force identified the distinctive features of these five disciplines are
explined in below pargarps (see figure as well):
Computer Science spans a wide range, from its theoretical and algorithmic
foundations to cutting-edge developments in robotics, computer vision, intelligent
systems, bioinformatics, and other exciting areas. Computer scientists develop new
programming approaches for software development, devise new ways to use
computers and develop effective ways to solve computing problems. While other
disciplines produce graduates with more immediately relevant job-related skills,
computer science offers a comprehensive foundation for research and innovation.
Software Engineering is the discipline of developing and maintaining software
systems that behave reliably and efficiently, are affordable to develop and maintain,
and satisfy all the requirements that customers have defined for them. Software
engineering is different in character from other engineering disciplines due to both
the intangible nature of software and related operations. It seeks to integrate the
principles of mathematics and computer science with the engineering practices
developed for tangible, physical artifacts. Software engineering students learn more
luck about software reliability and maintenance and focus more on developing and
maintaining software techniques. While Computer Science students just acquire
superficial knowledge of these aspects.
Computer Engineering is a discipline that embodies the science and technology of
design, construction, implementation, and maintenance of software and hardware
components of modern computing systems and computer-controlled equipment.
Computer engineering has traditionally been viewed as a combination of both
computer science (CS) and electrical engineering (EE) (CE2004). Its curriculum
focuses on the theories, principles, and practices of traditional electrical engineering
and mathematics and applies them to the problems of designing computers and
computer-based devices. Computer engineering students study the design of digital
hardware systems including communications systems, computers, and devices that
contain computers. They study software development, focusing on software for
digital devices and their interfaces with users and other devices.
Information systems programs make graduates ready to integrate information
technology solutions and business processes to meet the information needs of
businesses and other enterprises, enabling them to achieve their objectives in an
effective, efficient way. Information systems curriculum emphasizes various aspects
of information, and views technology as a tool for generating, processing, and
distributing information. Students of this program learn how computer systems can
help an enterprise in defining and achieving its goals, and the processes that an
enterprise can implement or improve using information technology. They learn both
technical and organizational factors to help organizations to determine how
information and technology-enabled business processes can provide a competitive
advantage.
Information Technology emphasis on the technology itself whereas Information
Systems focuses on the information aspects only. Today, organizations of every kind
are dependent on information technology. IT specialists possess the right
combination of knowledge and practical, hands-on expertise to take care of both an
organization’s information technology infrastructure and the people who use it.