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In this paper, the author presents an argument for computer science to be taught in English Language Arts (ELA) classes. Rooting his case in the cultural separation of the sciences from the humanities, the author posits that teaching computer science more accurately consists of teaching young people about software. Software, however, is not like traditional technologies. Software is comprised of languages. Framed in a review of recent research in computer science education, literacy and ELA education, and the digital humanities, the author presents illustrations from his research demonstrating what teaching computer science as a language art might look like. In one project, the author works with students to program robots to act out scenes from plays on stage. Called BardBots, the project consists of students analyzing scenes from Shakespeare and then programming robots to perform the scenes on stage. In another example called mixed literary analyses, the author challenges students to use both quantitative and qualitative textual data when writing summative literary analytical essays. Students plot the frequency of keywords on a graph over the course of a play to see what new patters and inquiries about the text emerge. The author concludes with several concrete steps for researchers and practitioners to consider. |
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