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What are three ways that the UH ICS program could improve?

If you can think of more than three things, then please limit your response to your top three!

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1. Being in the field of computer science, I feel that the courses should try to be streamlined onto one website/platform. For example, ICS 314 has its own website separate from 311 which are both separate from laulima which the school provides and they all essentially do the same thing. It can get confusing going from website to website trying to remember what is due for what class and when.

2. I agree with others below that more ICS classes should find a way to incorporate more focus requirements. If I am majoring in computer science, I shouldn't need to take a dance class to graduate when it has nothing to do with my field of work I am pursuing. This problem is not necessarily what is wrong with the ICS program, but more a problem with college as a whole.

3. Less late night classes. It is hard to have energy and be focused by the time the night class starts because some other classes are only morning time so it is a cycle of waking up early and going to bed late. 

The ICS program at UH could improve in a couple of ways. It has improved a lot in the recent past or might have just recently solved some of the problems but nevertheless. If the department had a clearer path, or paths depicting what classes should be taken in order to best prepare students for more specific kinds of work, that would greatly help prepare students early on for the harder classes they need to take later.

It might be helpful for some students if the department were to loan out laptops to students on a semester to semester basis, since not everyone who doesn't have a laptop can spend extra time on campus in the computer lab.

It would benefit many students if all of the sections of a class were to fulfill the same requirements, for instance this semester ICS 314 is writing intensive for Phillip Johnson's classes but not for the other teachers sections.

1. It would be nice to build something one might actually use in real life

2. Limited classes. You need to take things you might not be interested in just to get a degree

3. Some professors make the class difficult on purpose, when there could be an easier way to learn the same material.

1) It would have been have nice if the school could organize study groups.

2) The lab classes have to many students per lab assistant. 

3) Some of the syllabus are expensive.

1. It might cost a fair bit of money to acquire a laptop suitable for ICS needs,. 

2. A student will need to put in the quality time and effort outside of class in order to perform adequately. May prove to be a problem for those who have a busy schedule. 

3.  Classes will require different amounts of software, all of which you are responsible to learn.  

1. I noticed that ICS classes are generally held later in the day. This is something I want to change as I work best in the mornings. 

2. There are not many classes in my field of interest of Data Science. I wish we could take a lot more in depth classes into specific predictive modeling techniques, for example, a class only revolving around neural networks. 

3. Another way that the UH ICS program could improve is by working with other departments more formally. For example, working with the business school/math department for formal projects with their students. 

1. By reviving the tantalizing bioinformatics courses that are staring at me from the catalog

2. Making more interdisciplinary courses, for people who want to specialize in more sciencey topics

3. Making python more prevalent in the core classes since its convenient and easy to learn

1. Python, instead of Java for introductory courses. ACM actually published a survey in 2014 that says Python is more popular than Java when it comes to languages for teaching programming.

2. Have large classes for lectures with small lab classes the same way they do it for Physics or Chemistry. In small classes, we can focus on writing programs or implementing what we have learned from the large classes. 

3. Provide career-related internships.

All in all the university of Hawaii provides a diverse and dynamic education environment.

however it is my opinion that if there were anything that could be changed it would include the following.

1. It can be very difficult for students that are required to work to also pursue a computer science degree at U.H.

and even more so to pursue in a 4 year timeframe.

2. certain important courses are only available at inconvenient times.

3. It can be difficult to find parking

  1. Need more specialized degree opportunities, EE has students choose separate tracks that focus on specialized topics (Electro Physics and Systems) and Computer Engineering provides an opportunity for a "Cyber Security Certificate" upon graduation. If ICS could offer similar "tracks" that provided higher level specializations for students perhaps in fields such as Cyber Security, Virtual Reality, Data systems, Hardware etc.
  2. Job fair or harder push for internship opportunities, the college of engineering puts on its own job fair every semester, separate from the main job fair, this allows employers to market to the students of an appropriate major. An ICS job fair with more tech and programming jobs would be an excellent idea and help create more opportunities for students.
  3. x96 projects or capstones, EE/CEE require students to start doing project classes in sophomore year continuing into senior. These project provide valuable experience and give them a good talking point for their resumes as there are a wide range of projects to choose from. Most professors are involved in a lab or perform their own research, and I'm sure they would welcome the help from a student.

1) Lack of internship opportunities compared to schools from the mainland.

2) We are required to take classes that are not even remotely close to our major (language) and most likely will not use. 

3) Some classes are slotted in weird/ inconvenient hours.  

As I am an exchange student for a semester here from the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities (UMN), these three bad things may or may not be related to UHM ICS.

1. Not enough tracks at UHM to let students pursue what they want to learn and to be curious about. (15 tracks at UMN).

2. Constantly looking at our devices to do our homework, work, and other tasks. This leads to poor eye visions in the short & long run.

3. At UMN, you must take several technical courses that require the use of calculus in order to complete your BS of Computer Science, such as psychology, earth science, chemistry, ect. I think it's unnecessary and doesn't relate to our field of computer science at all.

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