In early eighties, for students of Electronics and Electrical engineering, it was fascinating to learn and understand the beautiful and intricate ways in which the computers work! One of the leading international journals of electronics had published details of the OSI seven-layer model covering the theoretical concepts of local and wide area networks. Terms like CSMA/CD were born.

The OSI model presented the individual computer as the base unit of computation that could interact with other computers in a local area through the Local Area Network (LAN.) All the computers connected on the LAN could share their resources and use them to take up larger computational projects involving many types of tasks. The Wide Area Network (WAN) would connect more than one LAN or connect two computers geographically away to “talk” to each other over the Ethernet. WAN would involve using the telephone lines whereas the LAN involves connecting computers locally.

The OSI-seven layer model presented the scheme, which would integrate the basic unit of a computer to the highest level of integration to form the World Wide Web (WWW) in which many computers across the globe share data, information, and resources in a seamless and transparent manner. The model provided the basic theoretical framework for design and manufacture of the hardware and software required for revolution in computers and communications. The implications of this technology and the revolution it will unleash were clear right away and research began at a great pace.

We read about the possibilities that internet communication will enable. Readers of such technical articles are excited to see how theoretical research papers lead to realities in a few decades. It seemed that after discovery of the wheel, possibility of interconnection of millions of computers across the globe might be one of the few technological steps, which has revolutionised the world to this extent.

Another very interesting line of research involving computers, which took birth around that time, was the attempt of engineers to develop “Expert systems” and “Artificial intelligence”, which would be able to think like humans and perhaps take up human-like tasks with even a semblance of the cognitive abilities. This field was truly fascinating and many brilliant engineers joined this frontier area in those days!

Talks about the kind of “things” computers might learn to do evoked fears of different kinds in people. One of the fears, which were widely debated and argued amongst the technological intelligentsia, was whether and to what extent computers will replace or displace human beings in different functions. There was talk of how computers with expert systems (which is software) might replace doctors when adequate data is available in the computer. People started dreaming about and talking about human like machines, viz. Robots. Production of films with the theme of the true and bizarre capacities of the computers and the fantastic rockets and space ships controlled by them took shape. It was a period of great enthusiasm, research, and innovations in diverse fields like manufacturing (microprocessors), material sciences, quality assurance, and programming.

To some of us, who are trying to find out how we humans think and understand the essentials of life, this field of research is useful because it provides insights into how our brain works. We were offered another path towards self-enquiry. Our interest in computers strangely was restricted to trace their development from the perspective of how close they are reaching to human capacities.

Rishi Valley School introduces the subject of Computer Education much later than other schools. While deferring introduction of computers, the school makes children relate to nature and environment by the design of appropriate educational processes. This perhaps gives the children a right perspective of computers. Computers cannot mesmerize the children of Rishi Valley School easily. The computer remains a machine to most children.

In some other schools, teachers seriously try to teach children the parts and functions of the computer rapidly so that they can use the machine productively in the nearest future. With this backdrop, I began to grapple with the question of what could be and should be the curriculum of computer education in our school. When it seemed ready to attempt a new curriculum in our school, some of us began to think about the question.

It was clear that the purpose of computer education could not be just to know facts, figures, and names of the parts of a computer. It could not be just to be able to utilise the computer better. We must take the children closer to the functioning of the computer. What happens inside the computer to make it take up complex functions, which humans can take up only after substantial training and study?

In the first brain storming session amongst the Mathematics, Physics, and Computer teachers, we deliberated upon some of the following questions.

• What are computers?
• How do computers function?
• What is role and applications of computers?
• What are the adverse effects of the computers?
• How do we prevent children from being addicted to computer games?
• What are the main components of a computer?
• What is hardware?
• What is software?
• How do hardware and software relate and work together?
• What are the similarities and dissimilarities between computers and humans?

We followed up the brain storming session with several small-group meetings. The Head of our Senior School, who loves Mathematics and a new teacher of Computer Sciences, led the initiative with vigour and innovativeness. We renamed the subject of Computer Education as COMPUTATIONAL SCIENCES and CONCEPTS. We introduced the renamed subject from Classes 4 to 7 while developing curriculum. We began to “teach” while designing the curriculum.

We will explore logic and decision making through logic puzzles and games in these classes. Some of these activities are part of mathematics teaching in our school already. Hence, we assigned the rechristened subject to the Mathematics teacher of the respective class with a couple of additional periods, which were for the subject of Computer Education. The new subject is challenging, interesting, and promising. Our SAIC (Science Activities and Innovation Centre) hosts the classes and extend support as necessary.

The curriculum for the subject of Computational Science and Concepts will include development of computational abilities, logical abilities, mental arithmetic, and history of computers and associated skills in a systematic manner for children to understand the basis on which the machine functions rather than just being able to play games on it.

Introduction of the subject holds promise and we are eagerly working together. We are hopeful the children will enjoy the classes.