Want to be the Magician or one of the crowd?

Computer Science - isn't that just ICT? Err, no. Common mistake, but no. Very little to do with it. It's far more creative, more innovative, more challenging...more fun.

Is it socks?

Everyone learns how to dress; everyone learns ICT. Dressing starts, first as a child, getting the basics of being able to actually pull on those socks (like learning to point and click in ICT) and then to dress with the current fashions and even to dress cool, or maybe to be the one defining what's cool amongst your friends (like being a power-user of ICT). All vitally important, but it's not the same as being an innovative fashion designer. Learning computer science beyond basic ICT is to aspire to be that fashion designer rather than just the model.

Become the Magician, not the Crowd

Using computers is easy when you've got the basics. But that is not the same as understanding the magic that goes on in the box, knowing how to create new innovative "magic" that never existed before, coming up with ways to do things well that no-one ever thought of before, or even new things to do, understanding people well enough to make a difference. It is about thinking in a different way - a way known as computational thinking.

People often confuse computer science and ICT. They are both about computers after all. But then so is every other subject. Want to be a lawyer? You'd better be good at using computers. Want to be a surgeon, a successful business consultant, an architect, a teacher, a film producer? Likewise.

Maybe instead you want to be a different, special kind of surgeon, architect or producer. Want to be a surgeon who develops new ways of using technology to help people? An architect who designs smart homes? A music producer who breaks new ground with technology? Want to be more than one of the crowd. Want to make a difference? Yes? Then you want to be more than just a user of technology.

You want some computer science skills. You want Computational Thinking Skills.