So summer is finally over. I know this because we had our first league game of the season last Saturday (and lost 
) and there are quite a number of confused students walking around the building today. I remember my first day at University. I took a lift in with Donie who was going in to fix the lights in the student union bar (I worked for a sound and lighting company then. There was no room in the van, so I had to lie on a ladder in the back. But now the tables have turned…
And there’s a lot planned for this year. I’m rolling out the method of teaching software engineering that I presented at PPIG 2006. Hopefully I’ll be able to collect some data to support my hypothesis and present that next year. I’ve also got a few new courses such as Real-Time Systems and Client-Server Technologies. I’m planning to roll out the Real-Time Systems course using RT-Linux on ARM (using qemu), which sould be a lot of fun. I’ll be using the hardware/software plaform to underline the theoretical issues of Real Time Systems. This should also form a basis of an Advanced Linux course that we intend to introduce 2007-2008.
Plus I’ve got a lot of research to finish this year. It’s going to be quite an eventful one, though I don’t know if it’ll top getting married. Which reminds me that I should blog more about food. On Friday (our two-month anniversary [yes I know the word means annual]) I made L. a nice meal, starting with spinach and feta cheese in filo parcels, Thai fish curry with Japanese steamed rice for main followed by Tiramasu for desert. It all worked out very well, and it didn’t take too long to do. Once the Tiramasu is in the fridge about 5 hours in advance, everything else only takes about an hour to make. I’ll try to remember to post the recipies tomorrow.
Very good, Besure to have a big think about your questions *before* you start collecting data.
Follow the outline by Computer Science Education (Fincher/Petre)
1. Pose Significant Questions that can be answered empirically
2. Decide what evidence (what type, and how much) will answer your question
3. Design a study that will collect this evidence as inobstrusively as possible.
You know something, reading your plans for the accademic year has yet again reminded me just how far standards have slipped here. An Advanced course in Linux ….. Christ, if we could get a basic one in here we’d be doing well. There’s no way our graduates can compete with the kind of stuff you’re teaching. Full credit to you and the best of luck with it all!