Re: Why are there no good online CS programs?

"jefflcohen" <[email protected]> Thu, 04 Aug 2011 18:47:03 -0000
Newsgroups	gmane.comp.programming.language-of-the-year
Message-ID	<[email protected]>
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Hi Anne,

I think this is an excellent topic and worthy of some discussion.

I think there aren't very good online degree programs in the US in general,=
 let alone in CS.  Yes, there are many online institutions that spend a lot=
 of money on their marketing efforts.  But I think they jury is still out o=
n the quality of that education.

Some universities (Stanford and MIT come to mind) already make a large amou=
nt of their courses available for free online via iTunes U.  You can't earn=
 a degree that way, but it's another avenue for folks who want to learn mat=
erial without having to travel or even pay tuition.

But back to the online thing - although there are many resources online (eb=
ooks, screencasts, tutorials) I believe that there is no better way to lear=
n than from an instructor in person.  Instead of proving online materials, =
I provide onsite training to corporations several times a year, and this fa=
ll I'll be part of Code Academy (codeacademy.org).  I just think it's a muc=
h better educational experience.=20=20

Workplaces are becoming remote, but the set of problems that must be solved=
 to allow employees to work remotely is not comparable to the challenge of =
providing a rich learning experience comparable to what you get in a real s=
chool.  I hope that one day we'll get there, but I don't think anyone's fig=
ured it out just yet.

Thoughts?

Jeff
codeacademy.org
purpleworkshops.com
jeffcohenonline.com



--- In [email protected], "Anne" <ompeag@...> wrote:
>
> A few days ago, I posted a request for referrals to 'good online CS progr=
ams' that a young associate of mine might be able to use to get a bachelor'=
s degree.
>=20
> The silence was deafening.  But not exactly surprising.  I've never heard=
 of such a program, that's why I was asking the question.
>=20
> So, here's new question:  Why are there no good online CS programs?=20=20
>=20
> You can get degrees in business, management, IT, and any number of 'acade=
mic' disciplines online.  And at least the first three of those fields are =
heavy into personal interaction when/if you actually get a job in them.
>=20
> So why are there not a dozen good programming/CS degrees available online=
?  So many of us work remotely.  Distributed teams are becoming the norm, n=
ot the exception.  So much of the work is of the 'problem set' variety that=
 both assignment and submission of homework seems born for an online format=
.
>=20
> What am I missing?
>=20
> ag
>



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      <p>Hi Anne,<br>
<br>
I think this is an excellent topic and worthy of some discussion.<br>
<br>
I think there aren't very good online degree programs in the US in general, let alone in CS.  Yes, there are many online institutions that spend a lot of money on their marketing efforts.  But I think they jury is still out on the quality of that education.<br>
<br>
Some universities (Stanford and MIT come to mind) already make a large amount of their courses available for free online via iTunes U.  You can't earn a degree that way, but it's another avenue for folks who want to learn material without having to travel or even pay tuition.<br>
<br>
But back to the online thing - although there are many resources online (ebooks, screencasts, tutorials) I believe that there is no better way to learn than from an instructor in person.  Instead of proving online materials, I provide onsite training to corporations several times a year, and this fall I'll be part of Code Academy (codeacademy.org).  I just think it's a much better educational experience.  <br>
<br>
Workplaces are becoming remote, but the set of problems that must be solved to allow employees to work remotely is not comparable to the challenge of providing a rich learning experience comparable to what you get in a real school.  I hope that one day we'll get there, but I don't think anyone's figured it out just yet.<br>
<br>
Thoughts?<br>
<br>
Jeff<br>
codeacademy.org<br>
purpleworkshops.com<br>
jeffcohenonline.com<br>
<br>
--- In <a href="mailto:pragprog%40yahoogroups.com">[email protected]</a>, &quot;Anne&quot; &lt;ompeag@...&gt; wrote:<br>
&gt;<br>
&gt; A few days ago, I posted a request for referrals to 'good online CS programs' that a young associate of mine might be able to use to get a bachelor's degree.<br>
&gt; <br>
&gt; The silence was deafening.  But not exactly surprising.  I've never heard of such a program, that's why I was asking the question.<br>
&gt; <br>
&gt; So, here's new question:  Why are there no good online CS programs?  <br>
&gt; <br>
&gt; You can get degrees in business, management, IT, and any number of 'academic' disciplines online.  And at least the first three of those fields are heavy into personal interaction when/if you actually get a job in them.<br>
&gt; <br>
&gt; So why are there not a dozen good programming/CS degrees available online?  So many of us work remotely.  Distributed teams are becoming the norm, not the exception.  So much of the work is of the 'problem set' variety that both assignment and submission of homework seems born for an online format.<br>
&gt; <br>
&gt; What am I missing?<br>
&gt; <br>
&gt; ag<br>
&gt;<br>
<br>
</p>

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