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I agree on physics, less on Calc. However, the explanation behind such a program is probably the distinction between vocational training and academic training.
by rocqua 9y ago
I agree on physics, less on Calc.
However, the explanation behind such a program is probably the distinction between vocational training and academic training.
At least, here in the Netherlands, academic CS taught in academic institutions lies on the theoretical side.
In such an academic CS program there are some practical courses.
Stuff on databases, networking and computer architecture. But those are high level, and quite theoretical.
Were they not, there would be a lot of push-back because they are almost considered demeaning.
Meanwhile, with the vocational instituion, things are very practical as far as I know.
Much of those courses are actually building practical software. In large projects aimed at real uses.
Meanwhile, in the academic institutions, you'll have multiple projects that boil down to 'implement gradient descent in MATLAB'.
I've heard it said that even though the academic institution is much harder and prestigious, when it comes to making practical software you are better of taking someone from the vocational instituion.
Or at the very least, if you take someone from the academic institution you'll need to invest more time into training.
There is a bit of tension here where 'really smart people' who want to just become really good at a job are still expected to go to the academic institution for the prestige.
Then, those people get less practical knowledge than they want because they are at an academic institution.
- kuerbel 9y agoIn Germany we have two different kinds of universities, the normal ones and the universities of applied sciences. After spending two semesters at a university (with fairly good grades) I switched to the uni of applied sciences. It was far too theoretical, and I'm not talking about the algorithms and data structures kind of theoretical. More like prove that a nondeterministic fa is not "mightier" / able to compute more than a DFA. That was not what I wanted and I'm quite happy at the uni of applied sciences now, and since most of our profs have an industry background (and a Dr.) we learn a lot of practical things. E.g. Git, build management, agile development, a module about usability and user experience, networks, applied algorithms and data structures, some math (proofs where a side note though) etc On the other hand, some of my fellow students ... Well, one task last semester was to program some really easy program with java, connect to a database with jdbc, do something with the data and write it back. We didn't know about jdbc until then. After a module is finished we have the opportunity to fill out a questionnaire about it and at least half of the class wrote that it was not ok to demand something like this. It boggles the mind.
- rocqua 9y agoWe should have something like that in the Netherlands. We do have 'university' and 'technical university' but I just looked at the curriculum for CS at a technical university and it is similarly theoretical. You really need to go to HBO (höhere Berufsbildung, Higher Professional Education) to get that practical approach. This is sadly considered as plain easier than university. It probably is as well, but that leaves a gap for professional training at a higher level. It sounds like the 'Technische universitat' in Germany nicely fills that gap, or is that still considered as easier than normal university?
- kbwt 9y ago> 'Technische Universität' That's just what the Universities which focus more on STEM as opposed to Literature/Law/Psychology call themselves.