Re: LUG: Schedule for the coming semester - ideas - Tue, 12 Jan 2010 10:13:34 -0500

Subject : Re: LUG: Schedule for the coming semester - ideas

From : "Kyle Bolton" <kabolton@ncsu.[redacted]>

Date : Tue, 12 Jan 2010 10:13:34 -0500

Ideally this is taught. Maybe not to as much as this student needed, but
e115 expects to see students with this level of competency. Yes some
students need more help than others, and Im glad he sought it.

Html when it was introduced, was partly for programming, partly as its a
useful skill to know. No it doesnt replace a proper programming class, but
it does supplement by teaching some basic coding skills. That said, later
programming classes if they arnt teaching these basic concepts, need to
step up as they are suppose to. This all said, I know we are considering
cutting HTML out, and moving it to CSC200.

Since no one answered me I looked into it myself. CSC200 teaches a lot
more on basic computer usage into advanced workings of computers and some
basic programming concepts. I suggest you look into what it teaches before
thinking a lot of stuff e115 is suppose to teach doesnt get covered at
all.

Also, its not just engineers that get e115. We partner with PAMS for
PMS111 (yes theres a joke there with the course name), for material, as
well as often get many education majors. They all are just here for basic
computer useage, not necessarily programming skills.

So to sum up what Im trying to say. I think you guys are thinking e115
should teach programming. It doesnt. CSC116 and CSC112 are suppose to.
E115 is suppose to give them the skills to use the computing environ at
NCSU to be able to program. Yes there are deficiencies that need to be
addressed, and thats more what Id like feed back on. The start of this we
were discussing linux, thats what I want to hear. Not so much on how NCSU
fails to teach programming.

> I'd like to throw in another purpose of E115: basic computer competency.
> I
> know a mechanical engineer that didn't use a computer until high school,
> and
> had very little concept of even how e-mail worked coming to college. The
> guy is quite intelligent in terms of critical thinking skills, he had just
> never been exposed to computers coming from a more rural background. Even
> though a smart guy, he had to go to office hours to get through E115.
> While
> extreme, we need to consider these types of people too. His situation is
> diametrically opposed to many on this list, who I imagine got involved
> with
> Linux and programming back in High School or earlier. Perhaps we need
> another course to teach basic computer skills for those who lack them. A
> more specific E115 might be good, but all Engineering majors have a
> programming requirement IIRC, so basic exposure to programming (perhaps
> instead of HTML) would be beneficial, if only to show the useful things it
> can do and lessen the terror of later courses.
>
>
>
> On Mon, Jan 11, 2010 at 9:51 PM, Alex <akdom2001@gmail.[redacted]> wrote:
>
>> Is that PERL for true? I don't quite get the "1;" as an entire email to
>> the list...
>>
>>
>> On Mon, Jan 11, 2010 at 9:16 PM, <imkilgor@ncsu.[redacted]> wrote:
>>
>>> > A web programming education that leaves students thinking
>>> > that
>>> > 1995 web programming techniques are the correct (or only) way to make
>>> a
>>> > website is not really an education. Between the poor quality of the
>>> > segment
>>> > and my perceived lack of utility of the skill, I suggest cutting it
>>> out
>>> of
>>> > the curriculum.
>>> >
>>> > -Brian
>>> >
>>>
>>> 1;
>>>
>>> --
>>> ik
>>>
>>
>>
>

--
Kyle Bolton
Cisco Certified Networking Associate (CCNA)
E115 Senior Instructor
ITECS EOS HelpDesk Consultant
Electrical And Computer Engineering
North Carolina State University