First off, my suggestion is to talk to the faculty that is on the board. They will be able to give you some feed back. I'm sorry to say it will not happen while you are at your school. These things take a long time. It is a thing called politics that education systems follow all too closely. This goes on in the business world just as well.
A little background on the subject... I started as a student, became a TA (Teacher Assistant), then I became an RA (Research Assistant... hard to believe as an undergrad producing papers.), and after a long battle with one class that was copied right from the grad level course (projects too) I never finished my degree. Everything I learned was from research and personal time. I completely agree with the education ``system'' needing changes. But is not just CS.
The prof's are interested in their research, that is true. But many of them feel that teaching the undergrads is not worth much time. Reseaons: undergrads, as a majority, do not respect the prof, show up on a non-regular basis, and go to college because most other people are. As if college is a motion of life, not a choice. Grad students go on because they like to. The problem is cyclic in this case. To change the prof's is asking them to change how they feel about under-grads when they have every right to feel the way they do.
As for the people at the top. Some of these people do not know the cold war is over.
Targetting particular classes might get you further. At my old college, if so many people complained or their end of semester review from the students was so low... they wouldn't teach the course again. I do not know if this is done at every school.
One might be better off talking to the prof directly as the course is going on or talking with their supervisor. The prof's are no different then you or I, they love seeing a few students after class to talk about the course. To even talk about their research might help. Getting to know them first helps a lot. You will know where they sit on a topic and why it is the way it is. Starting off as the ``good guy'', getting to know the system (in detail) and becoming more friendly with the people in the school will get you further then imaginable. Then politly start asking some questions, but never tell them how you feel or what you think should be changed until they ask it from you.
Wanting to make changes now and wanting to point out the flaw in something doesn't get you very far. Tact and getting in ``good'' with the people pays off. Even when you are looking for a job, you have some one to refer to. This would apply for those heading into grad school.
There is so much that goes into this, a simple post to/. isnt't enough....
If you had experienced the same things your boss(es) had you would know where they are coming from, not ask the question you did and be in a different possition then you are now.
The simple answer is yes, age makes a difference. The detailed answer requires a review of philosophy and psychology on so many topics that would become a debatable term paper with the result being both yes and no, age does and doesn't make a difference relative to the topic being discussed.
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A little background on the subject... I started as a student, became a TA (Teacher Assistant), then I became an RA (Research Assistant... hard to believe as an undergrad producing papers.), and after a long battle with one class that was copied right from the grad level course (projects too) I never finished my degree. Everything I learned was from research and personal time. I completely agree with the education ``system'' needing changes. But is not just CS.
The prof's are interested in their research, that is true. But many of them feel that teaching the undergrads is not worth much time. Reseaons: undergrads, as a majority, do not respect the prof, show up on a non-regular basis, and go to college because most other people are. As if college is a motion of life, not a choice. Grad students go on because they like to. The problem is cyclic in this case. To change the prof's is asking them to change how they feel about under-grads when they have every right to feel the way they do.
As for the people at the top. Some of these people do not know the cold war is over.
Targetting particular classes might get you further. At my old college, if so many people complained or their end of semester review from the students was so low... they wouldn't teach the course again. I do not know if this is done at every school.
One might be better off talking to the prof directly as the course is going on or talking with their supervisor. The prof's are no different then you or I, they love seeing a few students after class to talk about the course. To even talk about their research might help. Getting to know them first helps a lot. You will know where they sit on a topic and why it is the way it is. Starting off as the ``good guy'', getting to know the system (in detail) and becoming more friendly with the people in the school will get you further then imaginable. Then politly start asking some questions, but never tell them how you feel or what you think should be changed until they ask it from you.
Wanting to make changes now and wanting to point out the flaw in something doesn't get you very far. Tact and getting in ``good'' with the people pays off. Even when you are looking for a job, you have some one to refer to. This would apply for those heading into grad school.
There is so much that goes into this, a simple post to /. isnt't enough....
If you had experienced the same things your boss(es) had you would know where they are coming from, not ask the question you did and be in a different possition then you are now.
The simple answer is yes, age makes a difference. The detailed answer requires a review of philosophy and psychology on so many topics that would become a debatable term paper with the result being both yes and no, age does and doesn't make a difference relative to the topic being discussed.