5 Comments

Comment by  David Freitas on Friday, June 22, 2007 6:02:00 PM

Hay,

As a full-time honours student at Stellenbosch University I can deliver some comments on what is a low participation of South Africans in GSOC.

Some factors:

* Students at our universities usually have holiday from middle June to middle July. Which makes most think that there isn't enough time to take part in GSOC which expects about a 3month USA vacation in the middle of year.
After coming straight out of classes you want a break before the next semester.
Our long holiday is in the summer months of Nov - Jan. Maybe Google can have a "session" during that time?

* There are many talented individuals in our university which could easily make top contributions to any project they choose.

Honours students - have no time for it - there is a year project which has to be done in the holiday.
Undergraduates - See point 1.
Postgraduates - they have the best possibility of participating if they manage their time well that year.

Cheers,

David

Comment by  Charl van Niekerk on Friday, June 22, 2007 6:28:00 PM

Hi David,

I honestly do not agree. I am an undergraduate and do not have any kind of holiday during this time of year. Yet I am taking part and doing it.

It's all about willpower. Impossible is nothing.

Regards,
Charl

Comment by  defZA on Saturday, June 30, 2007 10:52:00 PM

Hay Charl,

I refrained from saying it in my original post, but UNISA doesn't count.
A degree that you do from home in your own time just isn't the same (time wise). You manage your own time and therefore what I said doesn't really apply to that situation.

Indeed it is possible to do a GSOC project in the winter holidays if you are willing to. Lots of people don't know about it though.
I would have done it if I knew about it in my undergraduate years and I wasn't working part time already.

Google should compile a list of email addresses of all the CS departments of Universities in countries where they want more participants and then email them to tell them to inform their students about the GSOC.


Cheers,


David

Comment by  Charl van Niekerk on Sunday, July 01, 2007 6:11:00 PM

Hi David,

I am still left unpersuaded. UNISA does count indeed. I am doing a full third year (8 subjects even). The work load is more-or-less the same as other universities as far as I know and the GSoC you can do in our own time as well. In other words, you can attend classes as necessary.

I don't believe it's Google's responsibility to inform everybody of this. I think the opportunity they provide is excellent and it's left up to university staff and students individually to participate. It's really weird to me that there's not more participants, but if you ask me, this is also the students' own fault. How did I find out about it? I already knew the first year they were running it (2005) thanks to blogging. I also blogged about it this year. If you ask me, people should start reading blogs more. :)

Regards,
Charl

Comment by  def on Sunday, August 19, 2007 8:23:00 PM

As I mentioned before, Google needs to get more information on our universities if they want more participants.

That's exactly why they are visiting our university (Stellenbosch) on Tuesday.

And they are coming to ask some of these questions: (Maybe they read what I said? :)

------------------
Understanding the various departments / degree programs offered pertaining to ICT
- (e.g. Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Informatics? Multiple programs?)
- What is the curriculum for each of these departments?
- Is the curriculum standard or is it customizable for each student?
- Are there different specializations or tracks of study within these courses?
- Would it be possible for us to obtain an actual course list?

• Student Statistics
- demographics
a. What is the ratio of male to female students university-wide?
b. By ICT department...
c. What is the general age of most incoming students?
d. How would you characterize the ethnic diversity of your university?
e. What is the total number of students enrolled in each of the aforementioned ICT

departments?
f. Where do most of your students come from? (both in terms of which high schools and regionally within the country)
g. What is the percentage of international students? From which countries do they hail?
h. What is the ratio of incoming students from urban vs rural areas?
- matriculation
i. What is the graduation rate? (both university-wide and for each of the ICT departments)
j. What do students do after graduation?
k. Who are considered the favorite employers among the ICT student body?
l. What is the employment rate among graduating students?
m. What percentage of students go on for additional education?
n. What percentage of graduating students stay in the field of ICT / engineering?

• Academic Calendar
- when do classes begin?
- when are exams held?
- when do students graduate?
-----------


Cheers,

David
http://defza.com

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