COS Department exam entrance allowance

#25: ObamaSlayingOneByOne - Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:  

 cleary there is a reason you dont have exam entrance............

#25: ObamaSlayingOneByOne - Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:  

 Copied from the site: "Chapter 7 to Chapter 11 of the assembler textbook. " as the scope for ST2. the video lectures only start on chpater 12. comne on man, accept when you make an inaccurate statment.

#27: - Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:  

Was Chapter 4 not a part of the test was it not released a day prior to the test?

This is a petition, not just for one module but for other COS modules.

#28: - Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:  

 So it's fine to lie if it only half a lie?

If a petition is going to be seen as credible it should not to be ladened with inaccuracy, because if it is, then if anyone looks at it they will straight up assume everything is inaccurate. Help your cause don’t dismantle it.

#26: Really - Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:  

 Can we please not make this a cos 284 thing but the whole department in its entirety. This should not be a thing of "since I made it into the exams I'm going to side with the department". Deep down we all know how inconsiderate this department is sometimes. And I do acknowledge that they try hard to make things fair but it's like when they make these solutions of theirs, they don't actually think about students who are marginalised. Why is it that a department that requires university resources more than most other departments on campus is the one being the most inconsiderate? 

So please don't act like this UNISA system that was imposed on us was fair to all, none of us planned for this, especially students without resources, so why must they be punished and have to fail and pay the full university fees when they didn't attend classes for half the semester and have access to the labs because of protests? The department must acknowledge that even if they managed to make us write all our semester tests and tutorials and practicals, that doesn't eliminate the fact that the environment that we were under didn't allow for students to perform at their best. Now if we can't perform at our best, why must the exam entrance remain as if we were all given an opportunity to perform at our best??

#29: - Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:  

 I made a mistake and I acknowledge it, due to misinformation. I was under the impression that the ASM videos were a part of the test where as it was not but that does not take away the fact that Chapter 4(50% of theory) was only uploaded a day prior to the test. One incorrect point does not make the rest of the points invalid. And besides that everything that we have stated in our petition are legitimate issues.

Do you then agree with the fact that, everything that has been done is fair and square in the COS modules, or do you think this semester has been unfair for both the teachers and students and so the students should be met at a half way point in order to compensate them?

And why is the COS department ignoring the call for fair treatment, unlike students from other faculties who are being compensated for the issues that even we have faced?

#30: - Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:  

 +1

I would like to sign but I just don't feel comfortable posting my details online....COS330 has made me aware of some dangerous people out there.

#31: - Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:  

 +1

#2: Concerned CS Student -  

 Going out of their way? lol

They don't even give us indications as to what type of examples we should go through when it comes to application of theory. We're not paying one of the highest fees to guess what kind of examples will be asked. 

COS222 for example... They say we should focus on pplication rather than memorizing facts, yet we never have tutorials to apply anything and see what we really don't understand.

I made it into the exam with a decent mark but if someone wants to attempt to try get a pass mark with a below 40% average be my guest. Hopefully Harambe is with you

#35: A - Re:  

 If studying to you is memorizing examples, you clearly don't understand the concept of application. You need to understand the work thoroughly and be able to use your knowledge to *apply* it to a problem. Quite honestly, 222 has been pathetically easy this semester, especially when compared to previous years. The practicals were basically free exam entrance and then they even gave the opportunity of writing a third test if you failed the first test.

And people complaining about the 284 videos on chapter 4 only coming out the day before the test, if you actually watched the videos you would see that the majority of it's content was the prof saying go read the textbook, which is a wonderful source.

We're here to study and become professionals. If you need to be babied and can't learn something by yourself, good luck in industry. A lot of the things we will be working on in future don't even exist yet, but build on the foundation of things we learn today. How can one become the next Dijkstra with a mentality like some of the people in these comments? Challenge yourselves and never stop learning.

The department is quite unforgiving in many cases, and I agree with this petition. There has not been a single student that I've spoken to that has any shred of hope that our Department has our best interests in mind. It's just frustrating to see other departments make changes that are in favor of the students, and our department does not.

It's ridiculous that the department won't do something so simple as lower the exam entrance, and in many cases possible assignment opportunities were taken away. COS226 reduced the number of class tests from 10 to 8. COS222 reduced the number of practicals by 1.

#38: - Re: Re:  

Let's all take a step back and stop attacking each other.

I understand where you're coming from and I do agree with you, we shouldn't be babied - this is no longer highschool. We need to develop our own skills in terms of how we learn and understand different information. When working in the industry a sense of independence will definitely go a long way.

However I think you're underestimating how important a university program is in aiding this. You may be able to easily learn at home (or another location, perhaps a local library). You may also be very capable of grasping and understanding concepts, without the need for too much help from a teacher or tutor. Perhaps you've relied on YouTube videos and other online tutorials. If this is the case then that is fantastic and you are clearly on the right track.

Unfortunately not everybody is the same. We all learn in different ways, using different methods. Many of us have disruptive homes or no easy access to locations that facilitate learning. There are also many students who do not have easy access to computers and/or an internet connection.

The usual university program allows students to attend lectures and subsequently interact in these lectures to learn and understand more. The marking/practical sessions that we would have in the labs were a huge help in learning how to apply our knowledge. Furthermore it provided many students with a learning environment. A library, computer labs, study centers etc. These are things that many students may take for granted but some students rely on it completely to get by - and that is fully justified because we all pay tuition so that these resources are available.

This has all been taken away as a result of the #FeesMustFall movement which was completely out of our control. Other faculties clearly understand this and that is why they have made so many changes to accomodate their students. There is no doubt that the lecturers and professors have also been put under pressure and that is very unfortunate but the fact remains that countless students have been severely disadvantaged.

This petition is unlikely to change anything and that is truly sad because it no doubt sends the message that our department does not actually care about its students, and are mostly in their postions for other reasons. I'm not saying this is true and I would personally prefer not to believe it, but after speaking to countless CS students this is sadly what seems to be portrayed.

We are all different people from different backgrounds. We all have different resources available to us and we all learn differently. This is not Darwinism, a university should facilitate learning to the best of its ability and in this case I do not believe the CS department has done all that they can to make this possible.

#40: A different perspective - Re: Re: Re:  

 Hear hear!!

#40: A different perspective - Re: Re: Re:  

 Amen to that

So now that we have well over 200 signatures, who now??

#43: -  

 We have emailed the HOD, Dean, Vice-chancellor, all of their PA's and some IT admin staff(So that we could get their attention to this matter); yet, they have decided to simply disregard it and not reply. I have even emailed the Dean and HOD twice and yet there's no reply from their side. The COS department really seems like the most inconsiderate department of Tuks.

The first COS that the students are writing COS284 is on Monday, so if there is no reply until then, we shall ask them, whether those students could write the sick/special exam.

We all have to work on this matter together; so any suggestions on what should be done next would be greatly appreciated.

#44: - Re:  

 Addition to the previous messages:

COS326 is also writing on Monday, 14/11/16. So we shall request the department for a faster reply.

#44: - Re:  

 Can you also send to the src 

Since we were not getting any replies, another email has just been sent to the HOD of COS & Dean of EBIT. The email was also CC'd to the Vice-Chancellor's executive assistant, advisor to the Vice-Chancellor and principal, Executive Director that holds the portfolio of student affairs and the SRC.

#47: - Update 

 +1

#44: - Re:  

 I say contact media establishments showcasing how there's no compensation from one of the faculty that required the university's resources the most that's if they still do not reply...lets see what they do then. Better to do that than repeat this module and pay for it again because of something that happened that was not in our hands