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60% of Computer Science students also do not know how to use a computer. (At least in elite institutes in India). The problem is they learn theory of computati

60% of Computer Science students also do not know how to use a computer. (At least in elite institutes in India). The problem is they learn theory of computation and operating systems and all, but cannot reinstll their OS. And building a wifi driver from source in Linux is just wizardry.

nxc18 10y ago
Are they really learning it then? Memorizing facts without the practical understanding to back that up is pointless, especially nowadays with reference (Google) being instant and cheap. I have not been impressed with the overall grad population in my CS department, which just happens to be dominated by Indian students. I tutor students who passed presumably difficult and comprehensive exams that can't get through the bridge courses, equivalent to the undergrad intro sequence. Yesterday I worked with a student who was incredibly flustered by the prospect of splitting a string in Java, even after I wrote out the functions to look at, how they worked, input and output examples, etc. There's also an annual cheating scandal whereby ~90% of new grad students are caught cheating on the first assignment, and we explain that strike 2 involves losing their scholarships. I can almost have sympathy. Skating through college without any practical understanding and then suddenly being expected to think is probably frustrating. I suspect there is some large structural defect in the educational system causing this situation. My institution probably doesn't attract students from the most elite universities, but you'd expect a higher quality floor for a group passing rigorous testing and, y'know, getting a diploma.
- recursive 10y ago
  Building a wifi driver from source requires memorization of facts. Fundamentals of theoretical computer science doesn't seem that way to me.
- ghoshbishakh 10y ago
  I think the problem is with that people in India and other developing countries get into Computer Science not because they have interest in the machine but only because they want some sort of job. They are very fast learners but do not care to learn how to use computers.

nxc18 10y ago

Are they really learning it then? Memorizing facts without the practical understanding to back that up is pointless, especially nowadays with reference (Google) being instant and cheap. I have not been impressed with the overall grad population in my CS department, which just happens to be dominated by Indian students. I tutor students who passed presumably difficult and comprehensive exams that can't get through the bridge courses, equivalent to the undergrad intro sequence. Yesterday I worked with a student who was incredibly flustered by the prospect of splitting a string in Java, even after I wrote out the functions to look at, how they worked, input and output examples, etc. There's also an annual cheating scandal whereby ~90% of new grad students are caught cheating on the first assignment, and we explain that strike 2 involves losing their scholarships. I can almost have sympathy. Skating through college without any practical understanding and then suddenly being expected to think is probably frustrating. I suspect there is some large structural defect in the educational system causing this situation. My institution probably doesn't attract students from the most elite universities, but you'd expect a higher quality floor for a group passing rigorous testing and, y'know, getting a diploma.

recursive 10y ago
Building a wifi driver from source requires memorization of facts. Fundamentals of theoretical computer science doesn't seem that way to me.
ghoshbishakh 10y ago
I think the problem is with that people in India and other developing countries get into Computer Science not because they have interest in the machine but only because they want some sort of job. They are very fast learners but do not care to learn how to use computers.