A13BethanyHenrikson

A13BethanyHenrikson

To-Do

Please Answer the following Questions: provide a brief rationale for your answer — not just yes/no answers

1. which classes did you take outside of your chosen discipline?
   1. how did you select these classes?
      1. based on interest
      2. based on requirements for your degree program
   2. did would you evaluate the “outside classes”?
      1. a waste of time
      2. okay
      3. an enrichment of your education
      4. if you had a choice: would you take more outside classes?
2. to be a well educated graduate in your respective discipline — what do you consider the most important objectives?
   1. did CU offer classes for you to meet these objectives?
   2. have you pursued these objectives outside of classes (in other settings at CU; outside of CU)?
3. what do you consider the most important impact of new media and human-centered computing on YOUR education?

which classes did you take outside of your chosen discipline?

I started as a math education major, so taking computer science at the beginning was something out of my chosen discipline.

Then I switched to CS and have taken classes pretty much only to fulfill my requirements to graduate.  After switching I didn't have any elective credit left.

I took: Fundamentals of Human Genetics, Beginning Ballet, History of England to 1660, Physics 1, School and Society, Geology 1, Physics 2, Introduction to Theatre, and Spanish 1 before I entered CS.

After entering CS, I took: Spanish 2, Extraterrestrial Life, Humanities for Engineers 1, Introduction to Earth History (used to be Geology 2), Geology Lab 1, and Harry Potter.

I definitely took more non-CS classes in my first two years (as a math major, even though I was planning to switch after my first year) than in my second two years (as a CS major, had a lot of catching up to do).

how did you select these classes? (e.g. based on interest or based on requirements for your degree program)

Mostly as requirements for my degree program.  Physics was to switch into CS.  Geology was for my science sequence.  School and Society was for my education requirements at the time, and Humanities for Engineers 1 was for my writing requirement.  I took Spanish for my MAPS requirements.

I did take some that weren't so specifically required. Genetics was because I was really interested in genetics, but not very good at memorizing all the things you needed to take the general biology classes to get into the regular genetics class.  History of England sounded interesting, as did Extraterrestrial Life.  Harry Potter and Ballet are things that I love so I took them just for fun, luckily Harry Potter fulfilled a humanities credit.

how would you rate the “outside classes”? (e.g. a waste of time or an enrichment of your education)

Some were fun, some were a waste of time.  I feel like I'll never need to know physics.  I wasn't interested in it and it didn't make me any more interested in it.  Some enriched my knowledge like the History of England and Fundamentals of Genetics.  Taking CS as a math major certainly got me going on the right path.  It could have been possible that taking the other classes, like Fundamentals of Genetics, would have taken me on another path, had I found a stronger interest in them.

Mostly, however, I don't remember things from most of my "outside classes" so they seem like quite the waste of time.

if you had a choice: would you take more outside classes?

Next semester I only need 6 hours to graduate, but I'm taking 12 to be full time.  6 of these hours will be spent taking "outside classes."  I hope that they aren't a waste of time, or are at least fun.

to be a well educated graduate in your respective discipline — what do you consider the most important objectives?

Finding the discipline that is right for you is definitely important.  Once you've found it (by probably taking "outside classes"), taking foundation classes to build a good general knowledge about your discipline is a must.  From there, you can take a broad spectrum of classes from different concentrations (or as we use in the CS program, tracks) or you can select a concentration you have found that is right for you.  Once you've found this, taking every class you can that you will use in the future, and that will build a knowledge base about your future career (ex: you're going to be a software engineer?  The track foundation classes are definitely important, like the department overall's foundations). Taking other classes that might somehow relate to your career choice, and classes that you might enjoy are also good things to take to be well educated in your discipline.

did CU offer classes for you to meet these objectives?

In the beginning, yes.  I was on the software engineering track and they offer quite a lot of classes that would fall into this track.  Taking User Interface Design (renamed since) as a core class for the track helped me find what I actually want to do.  When they renamed the DSS track to HCC, I realized that the HCC track was really what I wanted to do.  Now I'm building on that track as much as possible.  Though I would have liked more design-oriented classes.

have you pursued these objectives outside of classes (in other settings at CU; outside of CU)?

Not as much as I should.  I try to go to some events held by the undergraduate committee, but I can't seem to find the time for everything I'd like to do.  Hopefully with less stressful classes in the spring, I will find the time to do more of these things, such as find a job or internship in CS.

hat do you consider the most important impact of new media and human-centered computing on YOUR education?

Realizing that it is where I actually want to be has changed my whole education.  I went from not knowing what to do with my life, to having a much better idea - Design!  This class has taught me about types of design other than UID, and I will explore them further and hopefully find the one that is right for me then find a job in it!