Comments on: On the Need for a Good Computer Science History Course http://versionthis.com/~npilon/2008/02/28/on-the-need-for-a-good-computer-science-history-course/ An approximation of super-polynomial thinking Fri, 21 Nov 2008 04:50:24 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Nick Pilon http://versionthis.com/~npilon/2008/02/28/on-the-need-for-a-good-computer-science-history-course/#comment-7 Nick Pilon Wed, 02 Apr 2008 15:21:55 +0000 http://versionthis.com/~npilon/2008/02/28/on-the-need-for-a-good-computer-science-history-course/#comment-7 I'm not so sure about that. I think it may depend on how the university in question's organized. The university I graduated from has changed its syllabus several times since I started there. And not only has the selection of required courses changed, but the number of required courses has changed too. I'm also not particularly enamoured with the structure of the first couple years of most CS programs, so I've got no problems with advocating wide-ranging changes to them. I'd be interested in knowing just how fixed the syllabus is at many universities. If it is, as you say, determined entirely by grants rather than educational concerns, that's a very sad state of affairs. I’m not so sure about that. I think it may depend on how the university in question’s organized. The university I graduated from has changed its syllabus several times since I started there. And not only has the selection of required courses changed, but the number of required courses has changed too. I’m also not particularly enamoured with the structure of the first couple years of most CS programs, so I’ve got no problems with advocating wide-ranging changes to them.

I’d be interested in knowing just how fixed the syllabus is at many universities. If it is, as you say, determined entirely by grants rather than educational concerns, that’s a very sad state of affairs.

]]> By: Maros http://versionthis.com/~npilon/2008/02/28/on-the-need-for-a-good-computer-science-history-course/#comment-6 Maros Wed, 02 Apr 2008 12:27:45 +0000 http://versionthis.com/~npilon/2008/02/28/on-the-need-for-a-good-computer-science-history-course/#comment-6 Just a note: Since the required courses are paid from grants, there is typically no chance to include a new one to the syllabus. Not required course must be enough. Just a note:
Since the required courses are paid from grants, there is typically no chance to include a new one to the syllabus. Not required course must be enough.

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