There is a rift in the IT field. At a time long ago (before I cared), the IT worker was highly specialized and the technology new. One person could do it all – networking, workstation maintenance, programming. Not one field was so specialized that it took all of the IT workers’ time and concentration. That was then, this is now.
As I read my textbook on data and computer communications I have to ask myself, “how does this help me write the next hot program?”
This:
Network Specialist - © DCI Career Institute
Is not this:
Software Developers - © Jurgen Appelo
I can’t figure out how it does. Do I need to know how data travels over wire? I would like to write mobile apps that communicate to data sources; does that mean I need to know HOW they communicate or can I just assume that what I tell it to do will be what the app does?
Networking has become so big and so important that it takes someone a lifetime of dedication to master. just as programming as become much larger with the introduction of mobile app stores. When entering a college IT program, after the decision is made regarding curriculum focus, there should be no intermingling of the two fields.
In my photography program, I had to take an art class as well as a color-theory class. I don’t know what that did for me in the way of photography. Perhaps I retained the lessons unconsciously and use them without knowing?
I invite anyone to leave a comment to tell me how misguided I am or to agree with me. I will like the people that agree with me.
In every field, or in life, any discipline, requires an understanding of key fundamentals and/or concepts to better understand the whole. In addition, there is also a need to cross-train individuals so that they understand where they fit into the network (pun intended) of the enterprise. For example, reading poetry does not necessarily make you a better reader or writer, and certainly not a poet; however, it does expand your mind to understand that there are different types of literature and that words can be structured in different way, ultimately broadening your horizon and expanding your conceptualization of prose.
I will share two personal examples which highlight my point. First, my field of epidemiology is heavily rooted in statistics, specifically biostatistics. As a practicing epidemiologists, I utilize methods which are built on complex statistics. Now, I don’t need to know how each formula was derived since I am more of a consumer of statistics not necessarily a creator. However, I do need to know the assumptions of each test, the advantages and the limitations. The more I understand how each statistics was derived, the more I understand and conceptualize their use. So while Bayesian algorithms may seem as a difficult topic to understand, the more I do so, the better epidemiologist I am.
Second, as a practicing martial artist holding black belts in Filipino Kali and Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do, and I belt in Gracie Jiu Jitsu, I sometimes hear others in the martial arts world scoff at different arts or certain techniques. I know better. I might think one martial art is superior to all, and in that respect only find the need to study that one art. However, I would be robbing myself of an understanding of the whole of martial arts as well as the history. By study techniques from various martial arts, I become more versed in my own personal art. That way I am able to respond better to different situations; whereas, had I limited myself to one field of study, I would not know what to do.
Ultimately, college does not teach you how to perform your job in the real world. As Lawrence Fishburn said in “Higher Learning”, “The University teaches you how to think.” They are teaching you pieces of the puzzle to make you better in your field. This way, you are ready to learn job-specific tasks once in the real world. If you want to learn how to make Apps, then read a book, watch a YouTube video, or talk to a developer, because they sure aren’t going to teach you something that useful in the classroom; At least not until you are at the PhD level in your field….
Someone in the medical field once told me that Epidemiology is just common sense made difficult.
To compare your reply to my post, you are basically saying that learning to be a master lumberjack will make me a better programmer. That does no compute (pun).
If someone was to sit me down and make me learn machine language and legacy languages, I would be able to agree with you. Unfortunately, I don’t understand how data transmission is in any way an abstraction of programming.
Also, for the record:
I am not COMPLETELY ignoring the networking distraction in my curriculum. I am learning things and doing well in class as with the previous networking and PC architecture classes I have taken. I can do minor tasks and solve some problems but I am in no way an expert nor do I care to be an expert in data communications.