Should everyone learn anything?

Abstract

In developing a new area of knowledge, one of the most difficult problems is working out a framework in terms of which to define the area. The emerging subject of “computer literacy” is a case in point. What should colleges and universities teach about computers? And to whom? Rather than beginning with such “computer literacy” issues themselves, we start with the more basic question of how educators make any decisions about the appropriate content and audience of higher education. The question of teleology in higher education is examined in terms of four conceptual categories: acculturation economic considerations, social mechanisms, and mental discipline. These four categories offer one plausible framework for crafting rational procedures for deciding what to teach college students about computers.