Changing Patterns of Computing Disciplines

Written by Dr. M. A. Pasha

25/05/2012
Computing is an interdisciplinary discipline that crosses the boundaries between mathematics, science, engineering,
business and social sciences. It consists of multiple fields including computer science, computer engineering,
information systems, information technology, and software engineering (ACM/IEEE, 2001). These fields are inter-
related but they are quite different from each other. This dynamic nature of computing discipline propelled the
international community to devise a model curriculum for computing.

The history of computing curriculum development can be traced back to 1965 when a preliminary version of the
recommendations for Computer Science curriculum was published by the Association for Computing Machinery
(ACM, 1965). Since then the educators and professionals all over the world are striving to formalize the
fundamental principles that distinguish the goals and methods of computing from those of other related disciplines.

In early days, the term ‘computer science’ was used as a common notion for computing discipline. With the passage
of time, the nature of basic principles, methods, techniques and concepts evolves as the discipline evolves, and new
principles replace old ones. Typically there are always strong resistances to change (Lawrence, 1954); therefore,
these new developments were sometimes seriously questioned by believers in old principles. For example, Hilbert’s
principle that formal mathematical theorems are provable by logical inference was questioned by Kurt Godel (1931),
Alonzo Church & Alan Turing (1936), who argued that logic cannot completely prove all mathematical theorems.
Similarly, many contradictory views of computing like the mathematical worldview: All computable problems are
function-based and therefore captured by TMs In particular, this view assumes that all computation is closed. There
is no input or output taking place during the computation; any information needed during the computation is
provided at the outset as part of the input. (Davis, 1958) vs. the interactive worldview (Goldin & Wegner, 2008),
driving is to take place in a real-world environment, this problem is not computable within a function-based
computational paradigm. The problem of driving home from work is computable—by a control mechanism, as in a
robotic car, that continuously receives video input of the road and actuates the wheel and brakes accordingly. This
computation, just as that of operating systems, is interactive, where input and output happen during the computation,
not before or after it. Interactive computation is more expressive than function-based computation, i.e., it can solve a
greater range of problems. , queuing jobs within an operating system, or document processing.

Algorithmic programming (a precise rule (or set of rules) specifying how to solve some problem) (Knuth 1968;
Hopcroft & Ullman, 1969) vs. contemporary (present or up to date) programming (Rice & Rice 1969) opened up
new horizons(scope/possibility) for computing (Sipser, 2005).

Much efforts have been made to understand this rapidly expanding nature of computing which include the
recommendations of ACM Curriculum Committee on Computer Science (ACM, 1969; 1977; 1979), IEEE Computer
Society Education Committee/Model Curriculum Subcommittee. (IEEE, 1976), IEEE Computer Society Educational
Activities Board/Model Program Committee (IEEE, 1983), Report on the ACM Task Force on the Core of
Computer Science (Denning, et al., 1988).

Prior to the 1990s, many international bodies were producing their own curriculum recommendations. But, in 1991,
ACM and IEEE-CS published a joint curriculum - Known as Computing Curricula 1991 or CC’91 - for four-year
Bachelor’s degree programs in Computer Science and Computer Engineering (ACM/IEEE-CS, 1991). At that time
Computing was restricted to three disciplines – Computer Engineering, Computer Science and Information Systems
(See fig 1). In 1997, IS ‘97 Model Curriculum and Guidelines for Undergraduate Degree Programs in Information
Systems (ACM, 1997) was also published.
By the end of the 1990s, global communit y started realizing that the field of computing
had not only grown rapidly but had also grown in many dimensions. Different kinds of degree programs were
offered by different academic institution which brought in the problem of degree accreditation (official approval).
Consequently, in 2001, ACM and IEEE-CS joint task force produced Computing Curricula 2001 (ACM/IEEE,
2001) which further expanded the concept of Computing into four distinct disciplines - Computer Science (CS),
Computer Engineering (CE), Information Systems (IS) and Software Engineering (SE). In response to the CC2001
model, the Information Systems, the Software Engineering and Computer Engineering communities published their
own curriculum recommendation reports (ACM/AIS/AITP, 2002), (ACM/IEEE, 2004a) and (ACM/IEEE, 2004a)
respectively.

The inventions of digital electronics gave birth to ‘digital revolution which brought digital calculators and computer
systems into the access of public domain. These gadgets not only revolutionized the conventional concepts of
calculation, but also changed the way data was stored, retrieved and controlled. Computers became essential tools at
every level of most organizations, and networked computer systems became the information backbone of
organizations (Kotkin, 2000).

The digital revolution not only affected the way scientists conduct their research but also accelerate the pace of
inventions (Thomson, 2007). High pace innovation in technologies for communication, computation, interactivity,
and delivery of information introduced invention like ‘the Internet’, ‘the World Wide Web’, ‘email’, ‘bulletin board
system’, ‘virtual communities’, ‘E-commerce’ and other online technologies which brought a paradigm shift in
business world - from data processing to information processing - converting industrial society to an “information
society (Cohen, 2009). Such inventions converted computer technology into information technology (IT). Benefit of
paradigm shift while this paradigm shift improved productivity, it also created new work place challenges regarding
the development, operation, maintenance, and up gradation of organizational IT infrastructure (Samuelson, 1995).
By the end of the 1990s, it became clear that the existing computing degree programs were not producing graduates
who had the right mix of knowledge and skills to meet these challenges. Consequently, colleges and universities
developed new degree programs to fill this crucial void (Denning, 2001); thus information technology was added as
an independent discipline into the computing domain (Burrell, 1997; Lunt, et. al., 2003a; 2003b; Lunt, et. al., 2004;
Lunt, et. al., 2005).

The Computing Curricula 2005 (CC2005) produced by the ACM, AIS and IEEE-CS Joint Task Force identified the
distinctive features of these five distinct but overlapping disciplines of computing and laid down the key
characteristics and skill set which every graduate in their respective discipline must acquire. These recommendations
help academic institutions to standardize their computing related degree programs according to the need of the
international market. However, the curriculum development process has not stopped yet. Newly emerging economic
trends, escalating pace of Information Technology (IT) usage, development outsourcing, and the emergence of
knowledge economies have raised new issues. Recently, the international community has put forward a draft version
of Computer Science Curricula 2013 (ACM, 2012) which has redefines the knowledge units and provides concrete
guidance on curricular structure and development in a variety of institutional contexts.

Distinctive Characteristics of Computing Discipline

Computing Curricula 2005 (CC2005) produced by the ACM, AIS and IEEE-CS Joint Task Force identified the
distinctive features of these five disciplines are explained in below paragraphs (see figure as well):

Computer Science spans a wide range, from its theoretical and algorithmic foundations to cutting-edge
developments in robotics, computer vision, intelligent systems, bioinformatics, and other exciting areas. Computer
scientists develop new programming approaches for software development, devise new ways to use computers and
develop effective ways to solve computing problems. While other disciplines produce graduates with more
immediately relevant job-related skills, computer science offers a comprehensive foundation for research and
innovation.

Software Engineering is the discipline of developing and maintaining software systems that behave reliably and
efficiently, are affordable to develop and maintain, and satisfy all the requirements that customers have defined for
them. Software engineering is different in character from other engineering disciplines due to both the intangible
nature of software and related operations. It seeks to integrate the principles of mathematics and computer science
with the engineering practices developed for tangible, physical artifacts. Software engineering students learn more
luck about software reliability and maintenance and focus more on developing and maintaining software techniques.
While Computer Science students just acquire superficial knowledge of these aspects.

Computer Engineering is a discipline that embodies the science and technology of design, construction,
implementation, and maintenance of software and hardware components of modern computing systems and
computer-controlled equipment. Computer engineering has traditionally been viewed as a combination of both
computer science (CS) and electrical engineering (EE) (CE2004). Its curriculum focuses on the theories, principles,
and practices of traditional electrical engineering and mathematics and applies them to the problems of designing
computers and computer-based devices. Computer engineering students study the design of digital hardware systems
including communications systems, computers, and devices that contain computers. They study software
development, focusing on software for digital devices and their interfaces with users and other devices.

Information systems programs make graduates ready to integrate information technology solutions and business
processes to meet the information needs of businesses and other enterprises, enabling them to achieve their
objectives in an effective, efficient way. Information systems curriculum emphasizes various aspects of information,
and views technology as a tool for generating, processing, and distributing information. Students of this program
learn how computer systems can help an enterprise in defining and achieving its goals, and the processes that an
enterprise can implement or improve using information technology. They learn both technical and organizational
factors to help organizations to determine how information and technology-enabled business processes can provide a
competitive advantage.

Information Technology emphasis on the technology itself whereas Information Systems focuses on the
information aspects only. Today, organizations of every kind are dependent on information technology. IT
specialists possess the right combination of knowledge and practical, hands-on expertise to take care of both an
organization’s information technology infrastructure and the people who use it.