Load system with more credits than manufacturer's spec max classes for optimal performance (A's), input command to pass classes, how long and does the system recover? System should be designed to maximize learning.
In other words, if I take way more credits than I should (based on experimental data from past semesters) for doing well, but only try to pass them instead of doing well in them, will I be able to pass all my classes?
System Design
Consider triaging of class assignments, as described in http://tech.mit.edu/V118/N15/dunn.15c.html.
Research
- http://bobcongdon.net/blog/2005/11/triage/
- Eric lists four questions that need to be answered during triage to decide whether a bug should be fixed or not:
- Severity: When this bug happens, how bad is the impact?
- Frequency: How often does this bug happen?
- Cost: How much effort would be required to fix this bug?
- Risk: What is the risk of fixing this bug?
- The goal is to reach “zero bugs”. This doesn’t mean that the software is defect-free but that all known bugs have been deferred or can be rationalized away in some other way.
- Heck yes! Virtual Zero commencement day, here I come XD
- The Tech, 1998:
A Lesson in Educational Triage: If Others are to Survive, Some Assignments Must Be Left for Dead - http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/library/ac-pdtriage1/
- It's a simple equation -- the task of event monitoring increases in complexity as the volume and number of event sources increases. And poor visualization of events leads to poor problem detection and root cause analysis, which equates to time being lost, bad business practices, and an increased cost in recovery.
Automatic tools:
However, all the advances in issue-tracking and management in the world won't help me actually finish the assignments. I will continue my current non-rigidly-triaged system of assignment tracking and implement a better system over spring break (march 26th to 30th).
Thoughts so far
I'm feeling pretty upbeat. My grades are terrible, but I'm always happy, because I've optimized for learning in a way that is deeply satisfying to me: learn the jargon for and be exposed to a whole lot of classes, don't learn them that well, but know the resources at hand for diving in in the future (e.g. if I ever need it for a project) to learn on my own what I missed. Be able to at least know where I'm lacking knowledge or could be building things in a fundamentally better way, or as I ranted about on facebook, "I am envious of people who are good at math [or theory] and wonder if my engineering solutions are fundamentally crippled or limited in a way I can't even perceive due to my weakness in mathematics [and theory]".
Conclusion
By doing a breadth-first search, I able to say with more confidence whether or not my solution is fundamentally crippled or limited, even if I am not able to immediately design or solve for a better solution. This enables me to recognize my own limitations and call for help appropriately.
appendix: facebook archive
SUDDEN DOUBT. Am I right to be okay with not understanding math? Do theory-capable people have access to joyously verdant plains of insight I'll never catch glimpse of? "Teaching to unsuspecting youngsters the effective use of formal methods is one of the joys of life because it is so extremely rewarding. Within a few months, they find their way in a new world with a justified degree of confidence that is radically novel for them; within a few months, their concept of intellectual culture has acquired a radically novel dimension. "http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~EWD/
I am envious of people who are good at math and wonder if my engineering solutions are fundamentally crippled or limited in a way I can't even perceive due to my weakness in mathematics
and that's what I meant by "theory-envy" (admitting I have it and going out and taking math classes) vs "getting rid of it" (just continuing to build things haphazardly)
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