On 2017-07-29 20:40, Steve Litt wrote:
> On Wed, 26 Jul 2017 20:49:00 -0400
> Robert Marmorstein <robert@???> wrote:
>
>> > >>> My high-school programming class was advertised as teaching
>> > >>> people how to
>> > >>> program in C and do all sorts of low-level stuff. I signed up
>> > >>> thinking I might finally meet a "computer expert" that actually
>> > >>> knew what they were talking about...
>> > >>>
>> > >>> The teacher began by forcing us all to make "hello world"
>> > >>> applications IN JAVA!
>>
>> I teach Computer Science at a small public university. There is a
>> wide variety in the high school preparation of my students. Most of
>> them wind up in Java classes similar to yours, which demotivates them
>> and makes my life harder. Some of them have absolutely excellent
>> classes. It depends a lot on whether the school district can afford
>> to have dedicated computing/technology faculty. My general
>> impression is that large, wealthy school districts are able to devote
>> enough resources to provide I.T. classes, but most (smaller and
>> poorer) school districts can't.
>>
>> That said, I agree completely with you about the importance of a
>> "low-level" understanding of computer systems. You don't have to
>> understand how an engine works to be a race-card driver, but it
>> helps. And if you want to be in the pit crew, you'd better know the
>> difference between a metric wrench and an imperial one. Knowledge of
>> binary, especially, shows up in lots of applications other than
>> "systems-level" coding -- graphics filters, subnet masks, digital
>> signal processing, numerical analysis, bitsets for network flags,
>> lots of places. _______________________________________________
>
> Next question:
>
> Given that instructors in both high school and college vary from the
> guy who has a Gigabit Ethernet connection between his brain and yours,
> and the clown who can't explain what a loop is and how it's used, and
> given the enormous debt incurred by going to college, what is the way
> forward for folks without the money to take courses and hope they get a
> good instructor?
>
> SteveT
>
>

You assume that a teacher is necessary. But anyone who wants to learn
WILL learn if they are motivated. There are geeks who have even skipped
college and made a go of it. If you're in the 'system', the quality of
teachers is always a crapshoot these days and the adventure will put you
in the poorhouse in the process . . .

golinux