Starters 🏁
This blog post discusses my experience during the first term of BCIT's Computer Systems Technology program. For those unfamiliar with me, you can refer to my initial post.
British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) 🎓
BCIT is a public polytechnic institute located in Burnaby, British Columbia. Unlike traditional colleges or universities, the British Columbia Institute of Technology emphasizes practical, flexible, and applied education. The instructors here bring direct, hands-on experience from their respective fields.
Computer Systems Technology (CST) program 💻
The CST program at BCIT is among the most challenging and rigorous diploma programs available. This program melds computer systems theory with hands-on experience in software development. For more details about the program, click here.
Courses in Term 1 📚
- COMM 1116 (Business Communications 1)
This is one of the more relaxed courses. It covers writing professional emails, informal reports, and oral presentations. It serves as a prerequisite for COMM 2216 and aids international students in enhancing their English reading and writing skills.
- COMP 1100 (CST Program Fundamentals)
Another laid-back course. It operates on a pass/fail system, requiring students to attend lectures and submit weekly journals. The focus is on introducing essential information and resources for success in the CST Diploma Program.
- COMP 1113 (Applied Mathematics)
This course is manageable with consistent effort. It covers partial discrete mathematics, an introduction to linear equations, and is segmented into: (1) Boolean algebra and logic circuit design; (2) number systems and data representation; and (3) functions, linear equations, vectors, and matrices. Based off this course, I made a web application to assist in learning.
- COMP 1510 (Programming Methods)
This is among the more challenging courses for many CST Term 1 students. It introduces the basics of object-oriented programming in Java (Burnaby campus) or Python (Downtown campus). The course covers programming fundamentals, including design, development, testing, debugging, error-handling, and problem-solving.
- COMP 1537 (Web Development 1)
Some may find this course challenging, while those with prior web development experience might find it more accessible. It delves into both front-end and back-end programming using JavaScript, AJAX, DOM, and JSON.
- COMP 1712 (Business Analysis and System Design)
This was one of the courses I found most challenging. It delves into the methodologies and tools for designing and developing information systems, covering concepts, processes, communication, decision-making, the software development life cycle (SDLC), data and process modeling, entity-relationship diagrams, databases, and more.
- COMP 1800 (Projects 1)
This was one of my favorite courses. It involved group projects to create a small-scale responsive web application, incorporating the UX design process, agile methodology, and software management workflow.
Reflections 🙏
Overall, while Term 1 was demanding, I found it more enjoyable than anticipated. I forged numerous personal and professional connections and learned a tremendous amount in just five months. Beyond the academic growth, the rigorous schedule instilled discipline in my studies and inspired me to plan personal projects for the summer. I'll delve into these in upcoming posts.
Thank you for reading, and stay tuned for future posts! 🤠
Top comments (8)
It would be good if you include this as a series. Do you know how to make a DEV Series?
We will be sitting and watching for your next posts!
Thank you for the pointer! I am still navigating around Dev.to and this is a huge help.
Great! Now I see you are applying it 🤝
Just quick tips for all the links you provide. You could provide them as an embed or CTA links.
The DEV Community uses a markdown editor that supports native Liquid tags and some custom ones. To embed content such as a Tweet or GitHub issue in your post, you can use the complete URL with the embed syntax like this:
As for the Call to Action (CTA) syntax, the DEV editor guide said you can do that with this syntax below. Here's an example in markdown:
DEV
Hello, I am first year student in CST this Sept. I have some struggle with comp 1712 after two classes and 2 labs
Can I ask you whether sth related to return of investment, break even point and methodology appear in mid term and final term
Because in lab 02, we have to analyse the case study to choose the methodology but I have no idea what to do though I have re read the slide , I don't know how to analyse and apply it.
Thank you
Hello! I can try to answer any questions about ROI, break even point, but could you give me more details on the methodology you are currently studying?
I study waterfall, V model, parallel development, throwaway prototyping, system prototyping, RAD approach, agile, scrum.
and my case study for lab is
Suppose that you are an analyst developing a new information system to automate the sales transactions and manage inventory for each retail store in a large chain. The system would be installed at each store and would exchange data with a mainframe computer at the company’s head office. What methodology would you use? Why?
Suppose that you are an analyst developing a new executive information system (EIS) intended to provide key strategic information from existing corporate databases to senior executives to help in their decision making. What methodology would you use? Why?
Suppose that you are an analyst working for a small company to develop an accounting system. What methodology would you use? Why?
I have to give the answer to the suitable methodology for each case and analyse why I choose that. I wonder whether each case has exact answer, or it based on our analysis.
And whether I have to do this in mid term and final term
Before diving into these case studies, I strongly recommend reviewing the course's recommended textbook on methodologies. This will help familiarize you with key concepts. For instance, the RAD approach fundamentally hinges on prototyping and swift feedback, as the term "Rapid" suggests. This suggests that, in the third scenario, the small company should focus on quick development for their system.
It's important to note that there's no "one-size-fits-all" methodology. Context is important, and the specific circumstances of a given scenario can dictate the best approach.
Regarding midterms and finals, the content and focus can vary depending on the instructor and whether you're studying at the Burnaby campus or Downtown. It's always a good practice to check with your instructors beforehand, as they often provide insights into the topics that will be covered in exams.
If you have further questions or need more clarification on any topic, feel free to reach out to me on LinkedIn.
thank you so much for your sharing and advice. I will review the methodologies and check with the profs.
Good night