Why do you choose to take this course?

Question

seriously though

Comments

For one, I chose to take this course because I'm majoring in computer science, but I've always been interested in how technology works around us, at a very young age I found out that this all flows through programming and computers. so naturally I wanted to learn more about what programming is. (this could also be why I chose to be a CS major)

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Cool to hear that! Do you have any specific idea what field to focus in Computer Science?

Answer 1

I like watching those test cases in Moodle turn from red to green. Also when I get code to work it's incredibly satisfying. That's why I added a CSC major!

Comments

"when I get code to work it's incredibly satisfying". I totally agree with you! Where do you see yourself when you graduate?

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I'd like to be working in motorsports, using machine learning and other wizardry to help race teams with strategy and car setup.

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hahahha it is very satisfying

Answer 2

I really like this class! I knew I wanted to go into computer science and I wasn't expecting the class to be so fun. I'm happy Dr. S is putting so much effort into making it an enjoyable experience :)))

Comments

I'm curious. What made you want to go into computer science?

Answer 3

I am enjoying learning how to think through problems truly step by step. I underestimated how difficult learning to code would be, but when things work well, it really does feel like you're a wizard doing magic. Sometimes things can be frustrating... but when we lean on each other (via Discord or Lovelace) we all learn so much :)

Comments

Also i'm a senior and just needed credits in general to graduate. I thought this course looked fun and one of the first days of class, Dr S was wearing a minecraft tie so i thought "hey this is pretty cool"

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Yes it is so cool to see Dr S wearing a Minecraft tie! Do you think this class would help you anything with your pursuit of career?

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I think so but maybe more indirectly! I find that my attention-to-detail and problem solving skills are improving. Being able to tackle a problem one step at a time is great

Answer 4

I personally chose this class for three reasons. First was that as an elementary education major I just needed more credits from outside of my major in order to graduate. Second, is that in my science methods class last year we talked about incorporating programing into the elementary classroom and I thought it would be interesting to take a class on it. The last reason is a two for one but they come from the same source. My dad is a computer science teacher at the Illinois Math and Science Academy(Mr. Meyer if anyone may have had him), and he used to work at Fermi Lab as part of the team that programed and ran the particle accelerators there when they were still in operation. Because of this my dad has tried to teach me both Python and C++, while I never got fully invested into either I would say I got to an intermediate level in both languages. So because of my prior experience with programing, I took this course as I thought it might be able to draw my attention and interest in a way that programing hadn't in the past(which it has by the way, I really like the puzzle like way the homeworks are set up); and as the beginning of terms are always the hardest with my classes for my major, I knew that my prior experience would take the pressure off of this course for me for the first few weeks as my other courses settle down.

Comments

I can relate to you on some level because I also had prior experience with programming. Do you think it would be more inspiring and efficient if you learn to program through real-world problems like incorporating technology into the classroom or operating the particle accelerators than just doing the homework and puzzles? I think you are so lucky to have your dad, who has strong experience in the field, teach you about programming!

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I agree that I am really lucky to have my dad and all of his experience in the field. I think that biggest reason that programing didn't initially hold my attention was because of the way my dad first introduced me to it. Being a teacher is a very time consuming job, so what he did was give me all of the resources he used in his classes, mainly textbook and then websites like SoloLearn, and then let me loose to learn on my own as he had a lot of grading to do. So most of my time was just following the instructions in the textbooks or websites without much room for deeper thought or experimentation. But the way that this classes work is set up with us just being given what the input and outputs are and then told to make a code that outputs what it should based on the correct inputs, has given me the freedom I didn't have before, as I said before it makes it a lot more like a puzzle. Also this isn't to insult my dad's teaching skills, as he never actually gave me the homework his classes used as they don't have the great system on Moodle that we have for assignments so he has to go through each students work himself for every assignment, so he didn't give any to me.

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I agree with your opinions on both your dad's teaching method and our class's method. About your dad's method. I think you can utilize the resources since he has the experience, like which resource is more efficient than others, and you can ask him about his previous work like "How can you apply all those Python and C++ to make the particle accelerators run?". About our class's method, I also pretty like the input-output puzzle type because it gives you the freedom to solve the problems in your own way. But what is questioned to me is though good but not as practical and effective as when you apply the knowledge to solve real problems as I mentioned above. You can improve a lot by balancing between 2 sides. I hope you can neatly go through this semester!

Answer 5

I chose to take this class because it is required for the Data analytics minor. From taking the course so far, I would like to give more credit to any computer science major out there because coding is a lot more challenging than I thought it would be. However, I have really been enjoying the class. Although, it is difficult, I think it is even more rewarding when you understand something and are able to make your code work the way it is supposed to!

Comments

Great to hear that! What do you think this class can help you pursue your major?

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I major in accounting and finance, which is quite different from computer science. I do think this class can help me in my future though because it is diversifying my skills and enhancing my computer skills which will be useful to my major in accounting and finance.

Answer 6

I chose to take this course because it aligns with my passion to solving puzzles. I also want to major in CS. It is an incredible feeling to solve problems especially after going through a struggle. I never thought coding was difficult and takes time to understand each detail, but its rewarding once you understand it and solve it. The class is very enjoyable too especially because of how professor teaches it.

Comments

I noticed you are very proactive and doing good in this class. Do you have any specific idea which field to focus on in Computer Science?

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thank you, but yea for now I don't have a specific area that I want to focus on since it's my first time taking the course.

Answer 7

I'm majoring in data analytics, so I had to take this class.

Comments

Do you think computer science can help you do data analytics?

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Definitely! It gives me a better understanding of the underlying functions of how to process and manipulate data.

Answer 8

I am also a data analytics major so I had to take this class. It is really satisfying when you get a code to work right. But also so frustrating when you can't figure out why it isn't.

Answer 9

I am majoring in data analytics and it was a class I needed to take for it

Answer 10

I personally chose this class because my Chemistry advisor suggested to me that it would help a lot. At first I didn't believe him, but the amount of problem solving skills and understanding of logic is super helpful and definitely has benefits in the science world. I also really enjoy puzzles and just about every single problem we do is a puzzle and it's always so much fun to finally get everything to work correctly and give you exactly what you want.

Answer 11

I want to be a GIS Analyst after graduation, and a lot of the positions I was looking at say they want someone with python knowledge (most geoprocessing that occurs in the softwares we use is in python - or I least I think that is why). Also, because I'm interested in a lot of social science things (hence the anthropology major), I never really get to challenge myself in this way. I always doubted my ability in STEM related fields, and I felt that the least I can do before graduation is really take advantage of the liberal arts and try something new. Like some people said, I am finding that once I figure out a problem, I feel so satisfied and proud of myself! Kudos to you all doing this as a major, it's really challenging!

Answer 12

I know that I want to make a huge impact in the world. Which profession I would be using to do so was a question I couldn't answer because I was interested in business and psychology and biomedical engineering and sociology. I know its' a lot but I really like reading about these subjects. I concluded that whatever field I choose, that computer science would help me optimize and widen the impact that I wanted to make.

Answer 13

Because I want to do data analyiss afterward so this is a great language to study before then

Answer 14

My major is computer engineering and I am taking this class because cs is the core of my major. I also really love this class because coding is just as fun as the stress and struggle but I believe the fun outweighs the rest. Also, the professor makes it 100x better! I love the way he teaches and the house cup race is very suspenseful, it keeps me on feet.

Oh and by the way, Gryffindor will win!

Answer 15

I choose to take this course because my major is computer science and this is the intro course for CSC major and its a good refresher!!!

Answer 16

To be honest, this is a required class for my major. but it is greater to step out of your comfort zone to learn something which is not your cup of tea. I am glad that I could know how to use Python and start to explore its application in real life as the technology is dominant in our life.

Answer 17

I have been studying Computer Science from Grade 9 and i am really interested in this field. I actually wanted to go in the area of VFX and Animation but actually got into this firstly as I will be declaring my major as Computer Science this fall and will be learning VFX and animation or graphic design later.