Rants on TARC, Again..

Posted by Jonathan Ng | Filed under Personal

So here we have another rant post on TARC, or more specifically, the School of Arts and Science. You see, last semester (advanced diploma, year 1, which is equivalent to a sophomore year) we took “Object Oriented Analysis and Design”. So yeah, we were exposed to OO basics. Our assignment involved designing a system, any at all. Designing here means, doing the analysis, and specifying how the system works - class diagrams etc.

This semester, we have “Software Engineering Practice”. Weirdly enough, the assignment didn’t require us to use any OO language. Hence, students can use VB6 if they like. Most students in TARC are familiar wit VB6, so it’s highly likely that everyone will be using VB6.

We also have a “Data Structures and Algorithms”. The medium of instruction, is Java. Ok, this subject seems fine. But unfortunately for Computer Science students, there’s no Data Structures. Only for Information Systems Engineering students. Weird eh? My friends taking Computer Science, will take something on Object Oriented instead. However, it’s more like a VB.Net subject.

I just don’t understand why the can’t make it compulsory for students to use a OO language. Courses today (at TARC) already lack focus on low-level logics, or in-depth knowledge of particular topics. And yet, they don’t even make sure students can program well with Java (or .Net).

We also have “Database Systems” this semester. Looks promising at first glance, even ambitious I would say. We have 14 weeks in a semester, and they plan to cover SQL Server and Oracle in our 2 hour a week practicals. We spent last week in “SQL Server practical lab”, practicing SQL. So the next time some TARCian tells you “I got learn SQL Server/Oracle before”, he’s talking crap..

All of these, seem to show the lack of coordination within SAS. It seems like subjects/modules are simply thrown together with little regard of the overall effect.

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Permalink | October 28th, 2006

7 Responses to “Rants on TARC, Again..”

  1. earl-ku Says:
    October 28th, 2006 at 1:16 am

    for one i will tell that whatever you learn in schoollwont be any good for you when u start working …

    what i can say is take your own initiatives … take it upon yourself to learn n that particular subjejct if its not provided in ur school … no use of ranting if there is no solution to it …

    stop being hand fed …

  2. Jinny Says:
    October 28th, 2006 at 2:02 am

    No Data Structures for Comp Sci students?

    That’s a big mistake..

  3. ivan Says:
    October 28th, 2006 at 9:41 am

    welcome to the club. hehe… tarc has lost its standard. i’m a graduate from tarc and there is nothing that i can compliment about it

  4. Jonathan Ng Says:
    October 28th, 2006 at 10:45 am

    Jinny.. our Comp Sci is more like “Adv Dip in Computer Science and Mathematics”.. so Jeffrey has at least 1-2 maths subjects per sem..

    ivan, what course did you take? afaik, SBS in tarc is the only one maintaining it’s standard..

  5. Jeffrey04 Says:
    October 28th, 2006 at 5:21 pm

    er… 2 out of 3 CS courses has no “Data Structure and Algorithm” unit AFAIK
    but since I dun get to learn that in college I think I might just learn it on my own.

    having maths subjects not that bad anyway but the computing subjects really needs a revision. Or they might just as well let us choose what subject to take for each sem.

  6. Regina Says:
    October 28th, 2006 at 7:57 pm

    I’m thinking of writing a letter to sound this to the Head of School. But will this solve the problem?

    Sometimes I’ll think myself being cheated by the title of the course (Computer Science). I expect more….

    Maybe I should follow Jeffrey that I need to learn myself…

  7. Jonathan Ng Says:
    October 28th, 2006 at 8:42 pm

    Well, you need to learn lotsa things yourself in whichever Uni you go to.. just a matter of how much.. in TARC, the amount of self study is like, a LOT. For starters, try finish reading the entire textbook (esp Database Systems), and do your very best in assignments.

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