Securing the Future: Expanding the cs4fn (Computer Science for Fun) Project

计算机科学正面临着一场国际危机。由于种种原因，几年来申请大学学习这门学科的学生人数一直在下降。计算机科学家太少，无法满足国家未来的需求。在最近的EPSRC国际评论中，这个问题被挑出来作为英国计算机行业面临的最大风险。对英国经济可能造成的有害影响是巨大的。要克服这一点，需要作出紧迫的、重大的、长期的努力。这个问题的一个关键部分是，许多孩子和老师并不完全理解什么是计算机科学。许多人既没有看到智力上的挑战，也没有看到计算机科学与他们周围世界的相关性，而且在很大程度上没有意识到计算机科学涉及的许多学科。要选择它作为职业，学生不仅需要了解它所涉及的内容，而且还必须充满热情。这种问题不可能在短期内解决，而必须经过长期的综合努力。该提案支持的正在进行的cs4fn项目，以一种特殊的另类风格，将网站、杂志和计算机科学研究的现场表演结合在一起。我们已经证明了cs4fn能激发学生的热情，帮助他们理解。这可以从我们收到的许多学生和老师的积极评价中看出，例如，从访问网站和索取杂志的人数中可以看出。cs4fn也成功地增加了本地大学的申请。cs4fn解决了激励学生选择计算机科学作为学习科目的重要问题，例如展示了学校ICT和计算机科学之间的区别。它还提供了学校和大学学习之间的有效联系，通过有趣的活动介绍大学水平的话题。Cs4fn向读者介绍计算思维的优点。这是计算机科学教育的关键部分，许多人认为这是21世纪的关键智力技能，为学生从事广泛的计算机和非计算机职业做好准备。Cs4fn让读者思考伦理问题和新技术塑造社会的方式。它还提供了一个资源来激发学生对科学和工程的兴趣，帮助他们处理其他学科的类似问题。该提案寻求资金，以继续和扩大cs4fn，以帮助解决这些具有战略意义的国家问题，通过创建一个全国性的营销活动。我们相信，通过提供这种国家资源，整个英国的应用程序的总体水平可以得到提高，就像我们已经在当地取得的成就一样。为了产生广泛而持久的影响，至关重要的是，该项目至少要持续5年，不仅要覆盖连续几年的在校儿童，而且要向这些儿童和向他们提供建议的教师加强信息。这段延长的时间也需要帮助其他大学建立技能，向公众传达计算机科学的兴奋。该项目在5年内的效果将被独立评估，并将与他人分享关于什么有效以及如何有效的经验教训。还将为其持续稳定制定商业计划。

Computer Science is facing an international crisis. For many reasons, the number of students applying to University to study the subject has been dropping for several years. There are too few Computer Scientists to meet the country's future needs. This problem was singled out as the most significant risk to the UK computing industry in the recent EPSRC International Review. The possible harmful impact to the UK economy is great. To overcome this requires urgent and major, long-term effort.A critical part of the problem is that many children and teachers do not fully understand what Computer Science is. Many do not see either the intellectual challenge or the relevance of computer science to the world around them and are largely unaware of the many subjects computer science touches on. To choose it as a career, students need not only to understand what it involves but must also be enthused. This kind of problem cannot be solved in a short project, but only through consolidated effort over a long period.The ongoing cs4fn project, that this proposal supports, combines a website, magazine and live shows on computer science research using a special off-beat style. We have already shown that cs4fn enthuses school children and helps them understand.This can be seen by the many positive comments of students and teachers we have received as well as, for example, from the numbers of people visiting the website and asking for the magazine. cs4fn has also helped successfully increased University applications locally.cs4fn tackles the significant problems in motivating school students to choose computer science as a subject to study, demonstrating for example the difference between school ICT and Computer Science. It also provides an effective link between school and university study, introducing university level topics through fun activities.cs4fn introduces its readers to the virtues of computational thinking. This is a key part of a computer science education, and many have argued it is the key intellectual skill for the 21st century, preparing students for a wide range of computing and non-computing careers. cs4fn makes readers think about ethical issues and the way new technology shapes society. It also provides a resource to excite students about science and engineering more generally, helping to deal with similar issues in other subjects.This proposal seeks funds to both continue and expand cs4fn to help solve these strategically significant national issues by creating a national marketing campaign around it. We believe that by providing this national resource the general level of applications can be improved across the UK just as we have already achieved locally.To have a wide and lasting impact it is vitally important that the project lasts at least 5 years, not only to reach successive years of school children, but also to reinforce the message both to those children and the teachers who advise them. This extended time is also needed to help other Universities build up skills in communicating the excitement of Computer Science to the public.The effect of the project over the 5 years will be independently evaluated and the lessons learned as to what works, and how, will be shared with others. A business plan for its continued stability will also be developed.