Grind in Java/ Maths for advanced programming needed

pragmatist

Hello,

I am urgently looking for a gring in the above subject areas. I need someone who can explain the above suject areas in plain english. Efforts at finding a grind through the school of computing have thus far been unsuccessful.

I know that the Mods frown upon advertising, and if I am in breach of one of your protocols, then I truly apologise, and for this reason I would apreciate if any direct offers were by PM.

I would be very grateful for any concrete suggestions or advice (Contacting the college does not count - Specific names etc would be most appreciated)

Rgds,

P

Attol

What year and what course are you in?

pragmatist

I am in the first year of the post grad in it (GDF). I need a hand with the maths element and java. One someone can explain this area in plain english, I would be more than happy.

OREGATO

pragmatist wrote: »

I am in the first year of the post grad in it (GDF). I need a hand with the maths element and java. One someone can explain this area in plain english, I would be more than happy.

Hi Pragmatist, I'd be able to help you out with the Java if that's any use to you. Also, depending on the maths involved, I may be able to help also

Give me a pm if you'd like.

Will

Sid_Justice

I took that module last year and I can understand why you have a big problem.

Is he teaching the same way as last year?

Online notes on moodle, very few real lectures?

He puts a huge amount of material into the notes, a lot more than he'd get done in a real class. You're wise to go looking for advice early. I'm too busy and probably not good enough to give you a grind on the area but I would suggest the following:

Get the Data structures and Algorithms book. Doesn't really matter which one but the one he recommends is in the library. Read it. In fact wikipedia isn't too bad for understanding.

I think he overstates the maths involved and makes big Oh notation sound a lot more intimidating that it actually is. I'll give the lads I know who did well in his exam last year a buzz about this thread they might be able to give you a dig out.

pragmatist

Sid,

Thank you very much for your post - Nice to hear it from someone else who has been there so to speak. Part of the problem is that I originally trained as a teacher, specialised in the special needs area, so I tend to look at things rather systematically - (Which meant the person in semester 1 was even worse). I have actually managed to arrange a grind, but I really apprciate tyour taking the time to post.

ronaldoshaky

I am a recent graduate of GDF also. A very poor course in my opinion. I scored a bad mark overall. I was in the same situation as yourself, and I remember after the first semester, I spent an entire week just going over the Java in the Java course from semester 1.

That Data Structures and Algorithms book is good for the Big Oh notation. It has the Quick sort algorithms and so on in it, but the following book has some sorting algorithms too.

I recommend the Java for Dummies 2nd Edition reference edition, 9 books in 1. It has info about Sql server, Apache Tomcat amongst other things, which might come in handy for your e-commerce module.

Sid_Justice

For those that entered the GDF with an aim for a job in software development, the Advanced Programming (really Data structures and Algorithms) is probably the most important module. But the course wasn't a Diploma in Software Engineering/programming/development, it was in IT. So I think it was a bit OTT to have a single module cover almost every main data structure,from lists to graphs, and all the principle algorithms - searching, sorting etc. AFAIK, in undergraduate computer science/applications degrees etc. data structures and algorithms are taught in at least 2 modules.

Like don't get me wrong, they are an integral a part of programming and computer science and to be taken seriously as a graduate programmer you should know the DS and algos stuff backwards. But as I said, it wasn't a programming course.

As best I remember, most of the people seemed to score about 15-20% lower in the Advanced Programming Module than the average of the rest. Probably because the volume of information was so high and the teaching wasn't great. One of his explanations for the volume was that "you're all graduates so you should have a bit more capability for learning" or something.

I just thought it was bit of leap in that we went from one module where the extent of what we did was for loops and creating objects and the next one where he didn't teach us any java just told us the theory on DS and algorithms and then expected us to program. In hindsight

import java.util.HashMap;
...
HashMap hashMap = new HashMap();

isn't really that hard but it would have been nice to have been told this and not had to rely on yourself/demonstrator (who was excellent).

CorkFenian

With regard to GDF, I am currently on the course, are there any positives from the course, I am coming in as a graduate and with industry experience, I dont see myself working as a programmer though, (I have friends who are programmers after 4 yr degree) and I cant see how GDF can compete with that, would appreciate any feedback...

With regard to my own intentions, I am doing it to obtain a formal qualification at a university which is generally seen as among the best in Ireland to do IT studies, to complement the certification and industry path..I work between 2nd-3rd level support, depending on the role.

ronaldoshaky

CorkFenian wrote: »

With regard to GDF, I am currently on the course, are there any positives from the course, I am coming in as a graduate and with industry experience, I dont see myself working as a programmer though, (I have friends who are programmers after 4 yr degree) and I cant see how GDF can compete with that, would appreciate any feedback...

With regard to my own intentions, I am doing it to obtain a formal qualification at a university which is generally seen as among the best in Ireland to do IT studies, to complement the certification and industry path..I work between 2nd-3rd level support, depending on the role.

This is exactly the course for someone with an industry background who wants a formal qualification. Not for someone with absolutely no experience and whose degree is in Arts. I would suggest doing an Open University degree and learning either IT or Programming. Not a watered down version of both, which is what GDF is.

Also consider becoming a Sun certified Java Programmer, though the courses are expensive.

CorkFenian

ronaldoshaky wrote: »

This is exactly the course for someone with an industry background who wants a formal qualification. Not for someone with absolutely no experience and whose degree is in Arts. I would suggest doing an Open University degree and learning either IT or Programming. Not a watered down version of both, which is what GDF is.

Also consider becoming a Sun certified Java Programmer, though the courses are expensive.

Thanks for response ronaldoshaky...The course this year has changed , it is now a grade 9, which suits people well should they use it travelling\visa purposes...Grade 9 is on same level as a masters just below phD which is 10.

As said I want to take the formal qualification, but I hope the programming will help me in logical matters and help my scripting skills...I am looking forward to SQL, what did you think of SQL content on the GDF course??

I will echo your point that IMHO there is simply too much range for someone who has never worked in IT before...

ronaldoshaky

CorkFenian wrote: »

Thanks for response ronaldoshaky...The course this year has changed , it is now a grade 9, which suits people well should they use it travelling\visa purposes...Grade 9 is on same level as a masters just below phD which is 10.

As said I want to take the formal qualification, but I hope the programming will help me in logical matters and help my scripting skills...I am looking forward to SQL, what did you think of SQL content on the GDF course??

I will echo your point that IMHO there is simply too much range for someone who has never worked in IT before...

See, if it's an IT qualification, why dont they focus more on IT, than on programming. Thats what I don't understand. Like anyone looking at IT jobs can see a lot of Tech support jobs being advertised and virtually none of the desired skills and knowledge being outlined in these job descriptions are covered in the GDF programme. Courses covering Windows 2003 server, Oracle DB and other more important core areas of knowledge should be covered. If I was running this course I would change the content completely.

Re: SQL. I picked up the basics like running queries and creating tables, pretty easily. I really would've liked to do more JDBC and ODBC, and get more training in J2EE as opposed to J2SE, which is what we were being instructed in. Also, we were being taught on Microsoft Access, which one Lecturer described as a "toy for your PC".

The Java for Dummies reference edition does cover a lot of the JDBC and ODBC actually, which is what helped me pass, not any teaching from the lecturers.

Sid_Justice

Like I agree with Ronaldo to a certain degree but I have some different opinions also. The GDF wasn't designed as a "do this course and you can work in tech support" qualification. If It was designed that way I certainly wouldn't have done it.

I can appreciate the difficulty the course organizers had, the only requirement (which was negotiable) was a 2.1 undergraduate degree. So in some cases, courses were taught from complete base principles which made them for some, really very boring.

Like if you can already program adequately and are reasonable familiar with linux I'm not sure if you would get a whole lot from this course.

CorkFenian

Sid_Justice wrote: »

Like I agree with Ronaldo to a certain degree but I have some different opinions also. The GDF wasn't designed as a "do this course and you can work in tech support" qualification. If It was designed that way I certainly wouldn't have done it.

I can appreciate the difficulty the course organizers had, the only requirement (which was negotiable) was a 2.1 undergraduate degree. So in some cases, courses were taught from complete base principles which made them for some, really very boring.

Like if you can already program adequately and are reasonable familiar with linux I'm not sure if you would get a whole lot from this course.

I agree, also I would say that if people could program adequately, they would generally be working as one and would not necessarily need to do the course...It would be really simple for them....That would be my own view from what I have seen...Tech support can cover a multitude of areas,you shouldn't just associate it with 1st level...What about Storage and virtualisation for example , VM WARE and Citrix are massive for now and especially the future, infrastructure , business planning, consultancy etc there is loads it could cover...I am not too keen on the e commerce module it looks like a complete waste of time..I think there is far too much emphasis on programming in the course..I would be interested to see how many of this years course will be working as programmers in 5 years time...Even with the GDF changing to grade 9 this year..