Comments on: English majors should learn computer science http://www.intelliot.com/blog/archives/2007/03/31/english-majors-should-learn-computer-science/ Thoughts, opinions and fascinating discoveries by Elliot, a student at USC Sat, 19 Jul 2008 07:06:16 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Elliot Lee http://www.intelliot.com/blog/archives/2007/03/31/english-majors-should-learn-computer-science/#comment-240099 Elliot Lee Wed, 04 Apr 2007 03:51:44 +0000 http://www.intelliot.com/blog/archives/2007/03/31/english-majors-should-learn-computer-science/#comment-240099 Thanks for the input, TJ. I felt the boldface made things more exciting, since I can get a little bored and miss the point when just reading through paragraphs of plain text without images or diagrams. But I'll avoid it a bit next time :) Thanks for the input, TJ. I felt the boldface made things more exciting, since I can get a little bored and miss the point when just reading through paragraphs of plain text without images or diagrams. But I’ll avoid it a bit next time :)

]]> By: TJ http://www.intelliot.com/blog/archives/2007/03/31/english-majors-should-learn-computer-science/#comment-239871 TJ Mon, 02 Apr 2007 15:42:24 +0000 http://www.intelliot.com/blog/archives/2007/03/31/english-majors-should-learn-computer-science/#comment-239871 This is very ambitious. Many many people are terrified of anything not touchy-feely. You mention a word like "quadratic" or "coordinate system" or even "fraction" and they freak out. Making change is a source of serious confusion for many people. Getting them to learn even the most basic elements of Java or something like that? Forget it. You might be right that they SHOULD but don't think they WILL anytime soon. On a different note, I could do with less boldface. This is very ambitious. Many many people are terrified of anything not touchy-feely. You mention a word like “quadratic” or “coordinate system” or even “fraction” and they freak out. Making change is a source of serious confusion for many people. Getting them to learn even the most basic elements of Java or something like that? Forget it. You might be right that they SHOULD but don’t think they WILL anytime soon.

On a different note, I could do with less boldface.

]]> By: Ryan Rampersad http://www.intelliot.com/blog/archives/2007/03/31/english-majors-should-learn-computer-science/#comment-239727 Ryan Rampersad Sun, 01 Apr 2007 19:53:19 +0000 http://www.intelliot.com/blog/archives/2007/03/31/english-majors-should-learn-computer-science/#comment-239727 I agree with you, but on a different level. I co-teach a computer class with the real computer teacher. He has two classes. Basic and Advanced. When I came to my middle school last year, I was still farther along then the Advanced. Now, when I came to that school, I wasn’t a programmer or anything. I just used Photoshop elements 2 for a few months. I wasn’t anything different then anyone, I read a few books about different things. I think there is a problem with reading a few books, and being far ahead of two years of basic and advanced. Together, that computer teacher and I updated his classes. We teach Flash now, and offer basic Action Script learning. (And in basic, he teaches BASIC.) We teach more Photoshop oriented lessions. I pressured him to do this, although his reasoning was that most of the kids will never use it after this year, unlike lessions with paint. I guess all I can say is that, when I ask someone to do something outside of school, one of the regular students, they can learn it, do it, whatever. But, when you try to teach them something in the class, for a grade, generally, they don’t care. You watch them do it once or twice. But a week later, they have no idea. There are so few people who want to just learn everything they can. I wish there were more. I agree with you, but on a different level.
I co-teach a computer class with the real computer teacher. He has two classes. Basic and Advanced. When I came to my middle school last year, I was still farther along then the Advanced. Now, when I came to that school, I wasn’t a programmer or anything. I just used Photoshop elements 2 for a few months. I wasn’t anything different then anyone, I read a few books about different things. I think there is a problem with reading a few books, and being far ahead of two years of basic and advanced.
Together, that computer teacher and I updated his classes. We teach Flash now, and offer basic Action Script learning. (And in basic, he teaches BASIC.) We teach more Photoshop oriented lessions. I pressured him to do this, although his reasoning was that most of the kids will never use it after this year, unlike lessions with paint.
I guess all I can say is that, when I ask someone to do something outside of school, one of the regular students, they can learn it, do it, whatever. But, when you try to teach them something in the class, for a grade, generally, they don’t care. You watch them do it once or twice. But a week later, they have no idea.
There are so few people who want to just learn everything they can. I wish there were more.

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