Questões de Concurso

Text 2 – Computers

(Text adapted from History of Computing. Retrieved from

https://www.cs.utexas.edu/~mitra/csFall2006/cs 303/lectures/history.html)

When you hear the term computers, it’s difficult to imagine different devices from a laptop or a small desktop. Believe it or not, they weren’t always like they are today. They used to be very large and heavy, sometimes as big as an entire room. Some technology professors historically define computers, as “a device that can help with computations”. The word computation involves counting, calculating, adding, subtracting, etc. The modern definition of a computer is a little wider, because in our day and age, computers store, compile, analyze and compute an enormous amount of information. Ancient computers were very interesting. Actually, the first computer may have been located in Great Britain, at Stonehenge. It is a man-made circle of large stones. Citizens used it to measure the weather and forecast the change of seasons. Some specialists say that another ancient computer is the abacus. It was used by the early Romans, Greeks, and Egyptians to count and calculate. Even though they are no longer in use, certainly, these early devices are fascinating. Computers are embedded in our history and some people say that we are completely dependent of them. No matter the complexity of the task, easy or difficult, some people can’t do anything without them. Do you contest or share this opinion?

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What is Engineering Mind-set thinking?

Engineering Mind-set Thinking is a way of thinking that combines the problem solving/design process with the life-skills that fosters dealing with others as in a team. It provides the culture, measurements, feedback, planning skills, tools and values of engineering without the high level knowledge of math and science (Content Knowledge). Mastering this way of thinking is important for all students, regardless of their career objectives.

You can integrate Engineering mind-set thinking into an existing curriculum by including project-based, experiential focus on all social skills that connect people & society to create a better design and problem-solving solution. It's the culture & tools for thinking. Away of thinking for an entire organization.

The process is not only about solving problems but also about interfacing with people and the community to communicate background information about the problem. In the business world this means having empathy with your customer. The mindset is breaking the problem into manageable chucks to better understand the problem, taking a system view (inputs & outputs) of the problem and seeing the right issues are addressed for the needs of the community. It's being a leader of your learning environment and taking ownership and responsibility of the project. Engineering mindset also means seeing problems as opportunities and the fun in solving those problems.

Adapted from: https://cdn.websiteeditor.net/06ca7b6b3119475dafa9b75f534f6827/files/uploaded/ Engineering-Mind-set-summary-13.pdf Accessed on April 5, 2021.