The Ithaca Journal - www.theithacajournal.com - Ithaca, NY
I've been away for a while, focusing on finishing my PhD. Anyway, I thought I'd check ACM and see if there are any signs of turnaround in Computer Science education. Well, we have yet another article about the low student enrollments in Computer Science. (Click here.) It seems that some schools have entered into panic mode. Either colleges and universities are going to step out on limbs and try novel and sometimes drastic measures to recruit and retain student enrollments, or you are going to see the quantity (and quality) of available computer science programs in this country fall, continuing in the negative feedback loop that has been progressing for years now.
Faculty, administrative leaders, and other so-called pedagogic gurus can complain all they want about their perception of the decline in the quality of the incoming student. I fail to agree or disagree, as it is a waste of time. Its time to do something about the problem, before its too late.
Shortly, I'm going to be looking for a faculty position in some college or university somewhere in this great nation of ours. I desperately want to find an institution that believes in the value and importance of education, and puts their money where their mouth is. I am so incredibly sick and tired of words without action to back it up. Our educational system and our governmental system -- the two entities in this country that are at the helm of change -- have done anything but implement change, continuing to spew forth words solely for their own political agenda, without any action to back it up. Wake UP!
