Posts Tagged: school

Community / Computing — 2 Comments
19
Apr 07

ADMU BS Computer Science curriculum

In culmination of another phase of my life, I write this blog post. Feedback had also been submitted to the guidance office of the Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU), and the Department of Information Systems and Computer Science (DISCS). Comments on the presence of Theology and Philosophy classes in the core curriculum of the university has also been posted in the previous blog post.

While nearing the day on which I was to be released in the “real world”, I faced difficulties (which I talked about in a blog post that I later retracted). I reflected on a lot of things, among which is the BS Computer Science curriculum of ADMU that I personally find flawed in a number of ways. I am not aware of efforts by DISCS to address these issues, but in the tradition of evaluating events, I outline my comments:

  1. No required class on statistics. My mom, who incidentally is a mathematics professor at the University of the Philippines, Visayas campus, expressed alarm when she learned that there is no required class on statistics in our curriculum. It is understandable as, in my opinion, statistics is necessary for research in a lot disciplines, most especially in the physical sciences, engineering, management, and social sciences. Even just introduction to statistical analysis should be covered. Statistical analyses can be necessary in non-precise fields involving artificial intelligence, software evaluation and comparison, and computing research.
  2. Elective courses for exploration and not specialization.This is possibly an issue only in my batch. There has not been much introduction on specific careers such as game development, computing research, typography, front-end design, systems and network administration, et cetera. A number from my batch only learned what they want to get into almost by chance through the limited number of elective courses that we are required to take. By the time that most find out what they want to do, they are already about to graduate, and are only very slightly exposed to the career that they choose and are therefore almost not qualified to apply for a job in those areas yet. Students could, of course, learn on their own, but it would be great if there were required classes that could already expose them to a lot of fields early in college so that elective courses could be spent specializing and not just exploring.
  3. Lack of opportunity to specialize. Possibly because of the relatively small incoming flow of BS Computer Science students, there is a limited selection of computer science electives. A number from my batch have expressed having to settle for electives not directly related to the specific areas they want to get into because of the lack of choice.

Still, I am happy and content. Not a bit of regret.

Community — 6 Comments
19
Apr 07

Theology and Philosophy classes; ADMU core curriculum

The curricula for courses in the Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) have been subject to a lot of criticism. Included in the core curriculum are four (4) three-unit Theology classes and another four (4) three-unit Philosophy courses, which a lot of outsiders and parents of students of the university consider to be more than necessary. It is argued that these classes unnecessarily take up resources — time, money, and intellectual effort — at the expense of greater specialization and expertise in the specific fields of study of the students.

I have always been a believer, if not an advocate, of self-learning, so the presence of these classes in the core curriculum of the university has never bothered me in this respect. It worried me at first because imposition of values and beliefs are not uncommon, especially in Catholic schools within the country, but as soon as I experienced one of these classes, I knew that they were potentially classes that I would appreciate. It is notable that a number of people I know start off putting down the mentioned classes, but graduate from the university already regarding these classes as their favourites.

Besides, I like to think that ADMU is faithful to and successful in its mission and vision to imbued its students with “moral and intellectual virtues”, the development of which professors and orientation facilitators emphasize to be known and/or believed to be all that is necessary for complete and comprehensive prosperity. Mentors have talked about wanting us not just to learn, but to learn how to learn. Also, there is something about the education and community that, despite my not being a die-hard Atenean, brings me to trust that other graduates of the university will choose to excel and live full lives.

Computing / Mathematics / Personal — 1 Comment
2
Mar 07

My senior syndrome

Eventually, graduation will come, and I have witnessed candidate after candidate express fear and worry about having to face the quoted “real world”, which will soon be just the regular world for us. I myself have been having new thoughts and feelings associated with recent realizations that there might be lives besides the one I intended to work for that I would actually want to live.

Until a couple of hours ago, those thoughts and feelings I had came with a level of urgency that probably contributed a lot to the mood swings and unnecessary anxiety that I have been having in the past months. I see now, though, that understanding my senior syndrome relieves me a bit.

I find that there are three common types of senior syndromes. The first is caused by anxiety about getting a difficult or a low-paying job, the second is caused by the idea of missing friends, and the third is caused by the pressure of having options that are tempting but the choice of which will have long-term, life-changing effects. What is bothering me right now is the third type.

For as long as I can remember until around June of last year, I was always aware of the kind of career that I wanted to pursue. When I was much younger, I loved mathematics. I thought of getting into pure mathematics, but I eventually found that my interests were more on applied math. Actuarial science intrigued me for a while, but that was very short-lived. Then, the moment I started writing code on my second year in high school, I had a sudden shift in devotion. I felt writing code was what I wanted to do. I loved the logic involved, and there were other reasons why I did not want more in-depth computing. Then I got into computer networks, and I enjoyed learning. I afterwards got exposed to actual systems and network administration, and I have to admit that I found (and still find) them enjoyable, but at that point, I was already writing more meaningful computer applications, and I felt that I wanted to become a programmer. That goal lasted for quite a while, but then last year I got into actual computational science, and all my interest in computing suddenly resurfaced.

In the past, I kept shifting from interest to interest, but I always knew what I wanted to do at that moment in time, at least. Today, I am months (at most) from having a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science degree, and I am an unqualified and a newbie mathematician. There are four paths that I imagine I could take. I could do software development, or get into computing research (although I probably would not be qualified enough for that yet). There is also the option of doing network and systems administration. Lastly, there is option of focusing on mathematics. One might say that my decision would have long-term effects on life, and others would argue that there should be no decision so binding because man is– and should be responsibly –free. However, the issue is not about myself being scared, but me being objectively aware of my possibilities and not knowing where to proceed, plus the need to make a decision as soon as possible.

That sums up my senior syndrome: I do not know where I want to go from here. That sums up my vague future.

Community — 3 Comments
22
Feb 07

Constitutional reform issues

Recently, my life has just been revolving around school, so yeah, I have been studying political science, Catholic theology, philosophy, and mathematics. And I have been enjoying them.

My group in my Political Science 100 (PoS100) class reported and submitted a paper on constitutional reform in the Philippines. Because I appreciate new knowledge and the realizations that came up while I was working on the section that I chose, and because what I wrote might actually help others sort out their thoughts, I am posting my write-up here.

Below gives an overview on two of the major changes proposed by the Consultative Commission more than a year ago. (I am no longer doing a block-quote.)

Continue reading →

Personal — 1 Comment
3
Feb 07

Because Thursday was my day

I had to pull an all-nighter because I (and my mom) promised my thesis professor that I will submit my thesis paper, complete with the results and conclusion, on Thursday at the latest. It was part of the effort to show that I really already had something ready. An hour before I left for my 9:00 AM class, I went to the cafeteria and ate a very light breakfast, just to have food to make up for my lack of sleep. I then went back to my room to finish up the paper for the “completed thesis”, which only uses a three-layer neural network, and start working on important sections of the paper for the final one, which already uses a four-layer neural network.

I practically slept through my first class. Right after class, I headed to Faura Hall and waited for both my thesis adviser and my thesis course professor to be available so that I could give each of them a copy of the completed paper and sections of the updated paper, just to let them know what I was planning to change. My mother was sending me text messages the whole time I waited, and she was extremely supportive. She seemed really happy and proud that I really worked on my thesis, and that makes me happy and proud too.

I then studied for my exam in Philosophy. For those who do not yet know, I enrolled into a Filipino class again this semester because the “trouble I had with the Office of Admission and Aid (OAA)” made me among the last to enlist. I was able to study well enough, I think, because answering the exam was almost a breeze. There are things I am considering though:

  1. Five (5) hours before my exam, it was already a struggle to stay awake.

  2. I have not really been listening in class, and much of my reading was done only that day.
  3. I lacked sleep. My capacity to be coherent and to deal with logic were supposed to be lower, so I could not have been effective studying for and answering my exam.
  4. I lacked sleep. Maybe I was in a state of short-lived euphoria, and just got myself thinking that the essay was great.
  5. I am not great in Filipino. When I read through my essay before finally submitting it, it just seemed like the essay was written better than I am normally capable of writing. Refer to points 3 and 4 to see what I am trying to imply.

Summing up: Kristina + lack of sleep + philosophy + Filipino = ?

Anyway, Lei and I had food delivered when I got back to the dorm. After eating, I went off to a five-hour slumber.

I was productive that day.

← Older Entries