Arizona State University launched the School of Computing and Informatics. The rapidly emerging field of informatics far transcends computer literacy.
“Computer literacy is about knowing how you get a computer to do the things you want it to do,” says Sethuraman “Panch” Panchanathan, the new school’s director.
Informatics literacy is about knowing how to use what computers can do to more efficiently locate, access, manage, store and effectively utilize data. Informaticians also understand how to better interpret, analyze, model and present that data.
ASU President Michael Crow says that the field of biomedical informatics is poised to change the face of health care in the not-too-distant future.
The application of informatics and computing to bioscience will enable physicians and other health care practitioners to replace ‘off-the-shelf’ medical treatments with courses of treatment customized for the individual patient, Crow says.
Informatics literacy is about knowing how to use what computers can do to more efficiently locate, access, manage, store and effectively utilize data. Informaticians also understand how to better interpret, analyze, model and present that data.
Informatics literacy is about assessing the credibility and value of information from the overwhelming amount of resources that are available, and being able effectively to put the information to productive use in whatever field you work.
Panch argues that “information fusion” capabilities will become increasingly essential to economic competitiveness, scientific and medical advancements and even social and cultural progress – not to mention being one of the more significant career skills for the 21st century.
Intel, IBM and Google already are employing not just computer scientists and software engineers but also researchers who have informatics competency.
Informatics literacy is about assessing the credibility and value of information from the overwhelming amount of resources that are available, and being able effectively to put the information to productive use in whatever field you work.
Panch argues that “information fusion” capabilities will become increasingly essential to economic competitiveness, scientific and medical advancements and even social and cultural progress – not to mention being one of the more significant career skills for the 21st century.
Intel, IBM and Google already are employing not just computer scientists and software engineers but also researchers who have informatics competency.
Now, let’s continue developing education informatics so that teachers may replace “off the shelf” lessons with customized instruction for each student. That means using mobile PCs to go beyond one to one instruction and individualized education plans to personalized learning.