Do overs

[pbray]

Back home after the last class and the final exam. I surprised the instructor with autographed copies of my books, and let him know how much I enjoyed the class. When last seen, he was reading DEVLIN'S LUCK while the rest of the students finished up their exams.

In the past few days I've been thinking about what other courses I'd like to take. My degrees are in Computer Science and Management of Information Technology. But given sufficient time and money, if I were to go back to school now, I'd study something completely different.

As a second career I'd probably go for a degree in Library Sciences, specializing in computer-based research. For pure fun, I'd study forensic science, or perhaps languages or history.

What about you? If you could study anything you wanted, what classes would you take?

Comments

[clarkesworld.livejournal.com]

I always thought a Library Sciences degree would make a good companion to my Computer Science degree. I probably should pick up an Educational Technology degree, but I've been in that field since 1989 and find most of the programs useless. Sadly, it would help open doors that nearly 20 years of experience don't.

[pbray.livejournal.com]

Experience, something that can't go in a ticky box and is thus ignored.

That's one of the reasons why I got my MS--there was very little material covered that was new to me, but the degree demonstrated that I was worthy of advancing up the technical ladder.

[clarkesworld.livejournal.com]

I have a problem with pointless work though. If I'm not going to learn something by taking a course or getting a degree, I can't bring myself to do it. I also consider ignoring experience the mark of a bad employer and see no reason to waste my prove something my actions already demonstrate.

It's a small problem. :)

[pbray.livejournal.com]

Yeah, there's also no place for logic. And working in the education field I imagine that things have gotten worse not better since you started, with all the recent legislation and initiatives.

The MIS graduate program involved serious bullshit, but luckily everyone involved knew it was bullshit, so the courses were structured to make the entire process as painfree as possible. Given that I took my classes at an adjunct campus where everyone else was also a full-time professional being sent to school by their employer, we all knew how to do the dance.

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

It most certainly has gotten worse.

[clarkesworld.livejournal.com]

I've been working in private schools and universities the entire time, so a lot of the federal or state stuff has completely passed me by. When I started in my profession, there wasn't a Master's Degree in my field and it was many years before any existed. I can't tell you how many candidates I had for jobs with a extra degrees, huge egos, and complete lack of understanding. Too many programs are focusing on theory and not teaching practice. It's a sure way to die in that field.

Switching to K-12 a few years ago has been interesting. I haven't run into any of the intellectual snobbery I was beginning to see in the universities. That said, I do miss working in a university and will probably go back someday.