I haven't dug into this, but the one big misgiving I have is that project-based / 'collaboration and hands-on learning' works when it's of the nature of a capstone, after a couple of years' (full-time equivalent) of actually learning stuff and doing small-scale exercises in a (moderately) planned and gradated sequence.
ANU CS has done it well for 20 years, in two stages (the earlier C18 Brian Molinari version, then TechLauncher). I used a similar but less techie approach in the 3rd-year ANU Commerce(IS) unit in Project Management in the '88-'95 era. I'm sure many, many people, in many, many tertiary institutions have done the same, as far back as the fabled Caulfield Inst of Tech. starting in 1965: http://www.rogerclarke.com/SOS/AISHist.html#FYA2 Commercial organisations (e.g. Holberton, but increasingly of course Australian universities) are notoriously bad at enforcing pre-requisites. So the well-prepared will flourish with the Holberton approach. And there will be a lot of inadequately prepared people going in, and coming out way behind the promised standard (despite probably being given a certificate - it's oh-so-easy to hide in such team environments, and attentive supervision and buddy-rating systems can achieve only so much insight into team dynamics). ___________________ > On 26/11/21 2:08 pm, Stephen Loosley wrote: >> ... Tim Biggs November 23, 2021 >> https://www.theage.com.au/technology/holberton-shakes-up-tech-education-with-melbourne-campus-20211122-p59aup.html >> >> >> Silicon Valley’s Holberton School ... Focusing on collaboration and >> hands-on learning rather than lectures or rapid boot camps, the >> project-focused university offers a nine-month full-time course, >> synchronised with its facilities around the world in an online >> environment. ... On 30/11/21 9:03 am, Tom Worthington wrote: > This is an appealing model. I help with ANU's Techaluncher program, > where computing students have to work in a team on a project for a real > client. The emphasis is on people and project skills. For any extra > technical skills the students need, they are pointed to short online > courses. ANU engineering students do a similar program (originally > computing and engineering students were mixed in the same teams). > However, this project towards the end of the students degree, alongside, > and after, conventional courses. https://cs.anu.edu.au/TechLauncher/ > > It is not a new idea, with project based work being traditional for > students of hands on vocations, the creative arts, as well as > architecture. In 2002 I was invited to give a seminar to architecture > students of the German new Bauhaus. The original school opened in 1919 > and showcased an approach of students working on projects. > >> ... students must pass a rigorous entry test ... > > One way such a program can show good results quickly is to be very > selective. However, there are some equity issues with that. > >> There are no formal teachers or instructors, with lessons delivered by >> software and projects led by the students themselves ... > > This requires having *some* staff very skilled in education, technology > and educational technology. It can all go very wrong, very quickly, due > to people issues, amplified by tech glitches. In effect what the > Holberton School have done is replace the tutors, who usually do the > bulk of the teaching. > >> “What we’ve been doing, especially on the TAFE side, has been failing. >> ... > > Traditional VET techniques used at TAFE have student apprentices who > mostly work on the job, and only a few formal classes. However, this > requires employers willing to take on apprentices. Notably the > Australian Public Service has IT apprentices and cadets (the apprentices > attend TAFE, while the cadets attend university). The program has been > running in the APS for decades, under different names. > https://www.digitalprofession.gov.au/digital-apprenticeship-program > > Unfortunately private enterprise employers are less willing to take on > apprentices. It should be noted that traditionally an apprentice had to > pay the master for their training. Holberton School could be seen as a > return to that approach. > > -- Roger Clarke mailto:[email protected] T: +61 2 6288 6916 http://www.xamax.com.au http://www.rogerclarke.com Xamax Consultancy Pty Ltd 78 Sidaway St, Chapman ACT 2611 AUSTRALIA Visiting Professor in the Faculty of Law University of N.S.W. Visiting Professor in Computer Science Australian National University _______________________________________________ Link mailing list [email protected] https://mailman.anu.edu.au/mailman/listinfo/link
