Position Paper: Programming Can Deepen Understanding Across Disciplines

Computer programs can be used to support learning in various subjects: In

particular, computer simulations can be used to explain science subjects such as

Physics, Chemistry, and Biology (as well as wider subject areas such as Economics,

Geography and Music). Educational simulation programs are often used as a blackbox: Students are given the program to play with and are told about the principles

underlying the simulation, but they are given no opportunity to relate the computer

program to the knowledge being taught. The subject of Computing, in contrast to

ICT, enables students to read, understand and modify program code and

algorithms. These skills can be used, in conjunction with open-source simulations, to

allow students to directly read and understand (and potentially modify) the key parts

of the simulation programs that they are using. We believe that this use of

programming skills can allow for a deeper and more direct understanding of the

subjects under investigation, using Computing to support learning in the same way

that Mathematics supports the learning of subjects such as Physics.