> Why Microsoft? No go to Service Pack 2 for Windows 7!"
MS does not want to repeat its WinXP "mistake" of customers not upgrading; service packs were sufficient to run legacy software and not retrain employees. XP is a stable enough, functional OS with sufficient features that there is no compelling reason to upgrade. If your future profits depend on customers willingly upgrade,why would you make it easy to NOT upgrade by supplying service packs.
Ironically, the price for XP machine was climbing for the first half of the year. I replaced my child's old WinXP with refurbished machine several months ago because of legacy software and minimal requirements compared to VISTA or Win7.
. . ..
You can't always wait for your ship to come in;
sometimes you just have to row out and get it!
. . . They are telling the power company how much electricity you are using. What business is that of theirs?
. . . but they really shouldn't need to know hour by hour or minute by minute (or even day by day) how much power I'm using.
. . . they don't need to know when I'm doing laundry, when I go to work, when my house is vacant because I'm on vacation, etc.
If one needed an alibi, the minute by minute readings could be corroboration the accused was home puttering around -- it beats using a dog bark (i.e. OJ Simpson)
The company I work for being a huge beuraucratic FI machine that it is has some sort of rules against dealing straight with contractors.
Sounds like you need to expand your horizons beyond just computing and take a look at labor law and recent court decisions. The why has nothing to do with "bureaucracy" but the definition of contractors as "employees without benefits" and true independent contractors.
Yes, what you learn in any CS program is going to be behind the times of whats out there on the cutting edge
As for the value of your CS degree, as with all things you get OUT of it what you PUT into it. The innovative research comes primarily from Research I & Research II universities but access to the research is often limited to graduate students and faculty. The business-smart students and academics take their "cutting edge" research and start their own companies, which is how many of the computing/technology companies were born. Just for starters -- CISCO, YAHOO!, NETSCAPE, SUN MICROSYSTEMS -- even today's INTERNET evolved from the needs of academics.
As for randomly striking out on your own -- it works for some but I suspect most "cutting edge" computer scientist benefited from understanding the underlying theory and work of others so they did not waste their time "re-inventing parts of the wheel" so to speak.
Steve Wozinick (APPLE COMPUTER) founder thought enough of CS degree to return to school and finish his after becoming a multi-millionaire.
1. Think about your own work experiences and the situations that you felt were handle particularly poorly or particularly well and develop scenario questions.
The "answer" is not as important as HOW the potential candidate answers. Confident? Defensive? Inappropriate for you & your collegue's work group culture? Answers too quickly without thinking or asking for further clarification? Cliche answers?
2. Ask what opportunities and challenges the potential applicant sees with the company, product, division and their pespectivive on the work group's efforts, productivity, morale, retention, etc?
Again, pay attention to HOW the candidate answers as well as understanding of the company's business and the role of the employees.
3. As the "subordinate" interviewing the boss, ask how the candidate feels about this.
Look for signs of future competition or conflicts between you personally and the new boss. Will the candidate be a "facilitator" manager helping the team move forward or become more concerned about their "power" to direct the team.
4. Ask the candidate what is the most difficult personnel issue, resource problem, technical issue, the candidate has dealt with in a supervisory and nonsupervisory position. Ask what they would have done differently?
The key here is to gain insight about their problem-solving style and ability to coordinate and work with others. The second part of the questions addresses a candidates ability for self-reflection and learning from successess and mistakes.
5. Ask what are the top ten challenges of managing a highly technical and educated work group.
The intent is to separate those who are promoted for their technical expertise but cannot make or will not learn to make the transition from subject-matter expert/techie to supervisor/manager.
6. Ask how will or does the candidate reconcile knowledge and skill differences between being a manager versus those of the technical workforce. How will the evaluate the compentence of the team as well as the individual contribution to the team effort.
This should provide some insight into how much "creative control" the candidate will give the team and individuals of the work group. It should also provide insight about how the manager will keep "technically abreast" while performing the administrative and supervisory functions of the position.
At the same time, there really is something to interacting with people at a level beyond just being in a physical room with others listening to one of them talk. Learning seems to be reinforced by interacting with others.
Unfortunately, human learning theory is not that simple. Depending on which learning style theory one selects for categorization, there are 3 -5 different styles of learning. The major point is we all do not all learn in the same way and under the same conditions -- particularly regarding subject matter and learning environment.
In fact, success in graduate school is somewhat dependent on being a solitary (as opposed to a social learner). The traditional lecture format so loved in higher education is the most ineffective way to teach (therefore learn) since it is works best for auditory learner and thus wasted on upwards of 90% or more of the typical college audience. Effective instructors, vary their teaching styles to accomodate diverse learning styles.
Online learning is great for social learners and solitary learners depending on how the class is structured. As matter of fact, one of the strengths of the online environment is the opportunity for social interaction which is important to effective human learning -- it just not need be face to face.
"Traditional classroom: Instructor works through some problems during class, talks about theory, etc. . . . Quite the opposite at my college . . . we are encouraged to work together - otherwise it would be near impossible to complete . .."
Your posts and along with others point out what I think the original thread author alludes to is the problem is not with University of Phoenix but with the instructor as with many college instructors whether online or brick and mortar.
There is an "inside joke" among the reformers of higher education that basically goes --
college teaching is the only profession where one can still be rewarded for ignoring the best practices and standards in complete disregard of the research.
Since the late 1980's after Chickering and Gameson published the now classic Seven Best Teaching Principles for Undergraduate Education* after extensive research, there has been a quiet revolution to reform college teaching practices and promote effective teaching practices including eliminating the famous "dancing with the blackboardâ so common in the math and science departments and replace it with pedagogically, effective active learning.
I am finishing an online post-Masters degree (Specialist) in preparation of a doctoral studies both from the University of Missouri and it has been an excellent experience. Of course, it helps that it is offered by the College of Education, a radical departure for me since my previous three degrees are from the Business School. It has taught me a great deal about human learning theory and effective teaching practices on my way to earning a PhD in the sociology of knowledge. I have been teaching college and adult education part-time for almost 20 years and for the most part, I have been doing things right. I just know why now and how to be more effective. As a statistics instructor, I vowed to face my students and talk to them and not the chalkboard the first time I taught in 1984 because I always hated that when I was a student.
My suggestion to anyone including the original thread author is to make sure you complete the student evaluations with specific comments. The best time to improve the course is early in the course. Write the instructor and tell them what you arenâ(TM)t receiving and what you would change. If that doesnâ(TM)t work go to the next level. Instructors do take evaluations seriously but without feedback and specific remarks from students about what to change; they cannot âoetweak the course.â The online classroom really lends itself to provide a rich learning environment but if the students do not tell the instructor he/she is doing a lousy job, how does the instructor know? Since the UofP is in the business to make money, believe me they are going to give your student feedback even more weight then the average institution.
Slashdot Mirror
MS does not want to repeat its WinXP "mistake" of customers not upgrading; service packs were sufficient to run legacy software and not retrain employees. XP is a stable enough, functional OS with sufficient features that there is no compelling reason to upgrade. If your future profits depend on customers willingly upgrade ,why would you make it easy to NOT upgrade by supplying service packs.
Ironically, the price for XP machine was climbing for the first half of the year. I replaced my child's old WinXP with refurbished machine several months ago because of legacy software and minimal requirements compared to VISTA or Win7.
. . . .
You can't always wait for your ship to come in;
sometimes you just have to row out and get it!
. . . They are telling the power company how much electricity you are using. What business is that of theirs?
. . . but they really shouldn't need to know hour by hour or minute by minute (or even day by day) how much power I'm using.
. . . they don't need to know when I'm doing laundry, when I go to work, when my house is vacant because I'm on vacation, etc.
If one needed an alibi, the minute by minute readings could be corroboration the accused was home puttering around -- it beats using a dog bark (i.e. OJ Simpson)
Secondly, you have an agent?
The company I work for being a huge beuraucratic FI machine that it is has some sort of rules against dealing straight with contractors.
Sounds like you need to expand your horizons beyond just computing and take a look at labor law and recent court decisions. The why has nothing to do with "bureaucracy" but the definition of contractors as "employees without benefits" and true independent contractors.
Yes, what you learn in any CS program is going to be behind the times of whats out there on the cutting edgeAs for the value of your CS degree, as with all things you get OUT of it what you PUT into it. The innovative research comes primarily from Research I & Research II universities but access to the research is often limited to graduate students and faculty. The business-smart students and academics take their "cutting edge" research and start their own companies, which is how many of the computing/technology companies were born. Just for starters -- CISCO, YAHOO!, NETSCAPE, SUN MICROSYSTEMS -- even today's INTERNET evolved from the needs of academics.
As for randomly striking out on your own -- it works for some but I suspect most "cutting edge" computer scientist benefited from understanding the underlying theory and work of others so they did not waste their time "re-inventing parts of the wheel" so to speak. Steve Wozinick (APPLE COMPUTER) founder thought enough of CS degree to return to school and finish his after becoming a multi-millionaire.
Cheers!
1. Think about your own work experiences and the situations that you felt were handle particularly poorly or particularly well and develop scenario questions.
The "answer" is not as important as HOW the potential candidate answers. Confident? Defensive? Inappropriate for you & your collegue's work group culture? Answers too quickly without thinking or asking for further clarification? Cliche answers?
2. Ask what opportunities and challenges the potential applicant sees with the company, product, division and their pespectivive on the work group's efforts, productivity, morale, retention, etc?
Again, pay attention to HOW the candidate answers as well as understanding of the company's business and the role of the employees.
3. As the "subordinate" interviewing the boss, ask how the candidate feels about this.
Look for signs of future competition or conflicts between you personally and the new boss. Will the candidate be a "facilitator" manager helping the team move forward or become more concerned about their "power" to direct the team.
4. Ask the candidate what is the most difficult personnel issue, resource problem, technical issue, the candidate has dealt with in a supervisory and nonsupervisory position. Ask what they would have done differently?
The key here is to gain insight about their problem-solving style and ability to coordinate and work with others. The second part of the questions addresses a candidates ability for self-reflection and learning from successess and mistakes.
5. Ask what are the top ten challenges of managing a highly technical and educated work group.
The intent is to separate those who are promoted for their technical expertise but cannot make or will not learn to make the transition from subject-matter expert/techie to supervisor/manager.
6. Ask how will or does the candidate reconcile knowledge and skill differences between being a manager versus those of the technical workforce. How will the evaluate the compentence of the team as well as the individual contribution to the team effort.
This should provide some insight into how much "creative control" the candidate will give the team and individuals of the work group. It should also provide insight about how the manager will keep "technically abreast" while performing the administrative and supervisory functions of the position.
I would suggest taking a look at the following sites for what other online schools (many are brick & mortar divisons) have to offer.
Peterson's E-Learning Programs: http://www.petersons.com/distancelearning/
U.S. New's E-Learning Graduate Programs 2003-2004: http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/elearning/tables/ edu_reg.htm
Educational Technology Web-based & Distance Education / Associations etc.: http://www.btinternet.com/~iberry/html/et.htm#eta
Regards, Robin
.Murphy's Law: There is never enough time to do it right; but there is always time to do it over.
---------
Portfolio: http://www.missouri.edu/~ryh352/portfolio
Homepage: http://www.geocities.com/flatfilsoc/
~ Our Future arrived Yesterday! ~
Unfortunately, human learning theory is not that simple. Depending on which learning style theory one selects for categorization, there are 3 -5 different styles of learning. The major point is we all do not all learn in the same way and under the same conditions -- particularly regarding subject matter and learning environment.
In fact, success in graduate school is somewhat dependent on being a solitary (as opposed to a social learner). The traditional lecture format so loved in higher education is the most ineffective way to teach (therefore learn) since it is works best for auditory learner and thus wasted on upwards of 90% or more of the typical college audience. Effective instructors, vary their teaching styles to accomodate diverse learning styles.
Online learning is great for social learners and solitary learners depending on how the class is structured. As matter of fact, one of the strengths of the online environment is the opportunity for social interaction which is important to effective human learning -- it just not need be face to face.
Regards, RobinMurphy's Law: There is never enough time to do it right; but there is always time to do it over.
---------
Portfolio: http://www.missouri.edu/~ryh352/portfolio
Homepage: http://www.geocities.com/flatfilsoc/
~ Our Future arrived Yesterday! ~
Your posts and along with others point out what I think the original thread author alludes to is the problem is not with University of Phoenix but with the instructor as with many college instructors whether online or brick and mortar.
There is an "inside joke" among the reformers of higher education that basically goes --
Since the late 1980's after Chickering and Gameson published the now classic Seven Best Teaching Principles for Undergraduate Education * after extensive research, there has been a quiet revolution to reform college teaching practices and promote effective teaching practices including eliminating the famous "dancing with the blackboardâ so common in the math and science departments and replace it with pedagogically, effective active learning.
I am finishing an online post-Masters degree (Specialist) in preparation of a doctoral studies both from the University of Missouri and it has been an excellent experience. Of course, it helps that it is offered by the College of Education, a radical departure for me since my previous three degrees are from the Business School. It has taught me a great deal about human learning theory and effective teaching practices on my way to earning a PhD in the sociology of knowledge. I have been teaching college and adult education part-time for almost 20 years and for the most part, I have been doing things right. I just know why now and how to be more effective. As a statistics instructor, I vowed to face my students and talk to them and not the chalkboard the first time I taught in 1984 because I always hated that when I was a student.
My suggestion to anyone including the original thread author is to make sure you complete the student evaluations with specific comments. The best time to improve the course is early in the course. Write the instructor and tell them what you arenâ(TM)t receiving and what you would change. If that doesnâ(TM)t work go to the next level. Instructors do take evaluations seriously but without feedback and specific remarks from students about what to change; they cannot âoetweak the course.â The online classroom really lends itself to provide a rich learning environment but if the students do not tell the instructor he/she is doing a lousy job, how does the instructor know? Since the UofP is in the business to make money, believe me they are going to give your student feedback even more weight then the average institution.
-Regards, Robin
Murphy's Law: There is never enough time to do it right; but there is always time to do it over.
---------
Portfolio: http://www.missouri.edu/~ryh352/portfolio
Homepage: http://www.geocities.com/flatfilsoc/
~ Our Future arrived Yesterday! ~
* NOTES:D evCom/guidebk/teachtip/7princip.htm
Chickering, A.W. and Gamson, Z.F. (1987; Reprint 1991). Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education . http://www.hcc.hawaii.edu/intranet/committees/Fac