Re: Re: Why are there no good online CS programs?

[email protected] Thu, 4 Aug 2011 21:48:39 +0000 (UTC)
Newsgroups gmane.comp.programming.language-of-the-year
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Gregg,=20



You raise some valid issues about academia vs. practicality. That's why I a=
sked the reason for wanting a CS program.=20



While I don't think the WGU cu riculu m is perfect, the school itself is to=
p notch. It's accredited by a real organization, the same one that accredit=
s schools like Unversty of Utah, BYU, Stanford, etc. Many online schools go=
 a priviate accredidation route, often times by an organization they setup =
just for that purpose. For the record, I have no affiliation with WGU.=20



I have no problem with people just getting the degree for the paper if they=
 have experience to back it up. I know many people that had to drop out of =
college for various reasons and are extremely knowledgable on the techie st=
uff, but need a degree to get the next job. IMO, this is really a failing o=
f the business world when someone with a 25 year old CS degree that's done =
nothing with it is more qualified than someone that has spent 25 years prog=
ramming but has no degree.=20



Craig=20



----- Original Message -----


From: "Gregg Irwin" <[email protected]>=20
To: "jefflcohen" <[email protected]>=20
Sent: Thursday, August 4, 2011 1:41:12 PM=20
Subject: Re: [pragprog] Re: Why are there no good online CS programs?=20

=C2=A0=20




I was going to say the same thing. To Craig's point, there seem to be=20
more specialized options coming on now, because CS is just too=20
generally applied. A recent ACM or IEEE article discussed it, and the=20
notion of who we are and what we do has been debated for decades.=20
Going completely academic or completely vocational are the extremes.=20
I'm reading 'The Design of Design' by Fred Brooks and, like some=20
pattern related thinking, the goal is to distill the constants that=20
can be applied broadly.=20

Anne originally asked about CS degrees, not IT. Maybe the dearth is=20
due to CS being thought of as the road to academia, while most online=20
degrees are--forgive my broad brush--targeted at those who want/need=20
to say they have a degree to help in the job market.=20

--Gregg=20



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      <p><div style="font-family: Arial;font-size: 12pt;color: #000000;"><P>Gregg,</P>
<P>&nbsp;</P>
<P>You raise some valid issues about academia vs. practicality. That's why I asked the reason for wanting a CS program.</P>
<P>&nbsp;</P>
<P>While I don't think the WGU curiculum is perfect, the school itself is top notch. It's accredited by a real organization, the same one that accredits schools like Unversty of Utah, BYU, Stanford, etc. Many online schools go a priviate accredidation route, often times by an organization they setup just for that purpose. For the record, I have no affiliation with WGU.</P>
<P>&nbsp;</P>
<P>I have no problem with people just getting the degree for the paper if they have experience to back it up. I know many people that had to drop out of college for various reasons and are extremely knowledgable on the techie stuff, but need a degree to get the next job. IMO, this is really a failing of the business world when someone with a 25 year old CS degree that's done nothing with it is more qualified than someone that has spent 25 years programming but has no degree.</P>
<P>&nbsp;</P>
<P>Craig<BR><BR></P>
<P>
<HR id="zwchr">
</P>
<P><B>From: </B>"Gregg Irwin" &lt;[email protected]&gt;<BR><B>To: </B>"jefflcohen" &lt;[email protected]&gt;<BR><B>Sent: </B>Thursday, August 4, 2011 1:41:12 PM<BR><B>Subject: </B>Re: [pragprog] Re: Why are there no good online CS programs?<BR><BR>

<SPAN>&nbsp;</SPAN> </P>
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<P>I was going to say the same thing. To Craig's point, there seem to be<BR>more specialized options coming on now, because CS is just too<BR>generally applied. A recent ACM or IEEE article discussed it, and the<BR>notion of who we are and what we do has been debated for decades.<BR>Going completely academic or completely vocational are the extremes.<BR>I'm reading 'The Design of Design' by Fred Brooks and, like some<BR>pattern related thinking, the goal is to distill the constants that<BR>can be applied broadly.<BR><BR>Anne originally asked about CS degrees, not IT. Maybe the dearth is<BR>due to CS being thought of as the road to academia, while most online<BR>degrees are--forgive my broad brush--targeted at those who want/need<BR>to say they have a degree to help in the job market.<BR><B
 R>--Gregg<BR><BR></P></DIV>
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