At IT Sligo, we’ve learned a lot about teaching computing over the decades. One of those things is the way many students have a pre-conceived notion of what computing is and what their possible careers might be. Truth is, computer science is no more about computers than astronomy is about telescopes. For example, more than half the jobs in computing are not with computing companies. Think of Uber, think of AirBnB – they dominate their field renting the time or service of others – and yet, without computing their business model is non-existent.
That’s why we constantly revise and question how we teach and what we teach. We recognise that for many your first exposure to computing will be once you sign up for a course. This decision can be daunting as the choice is confusing.
For this reason, we offer a single common first year across all our computing programmes. You’ll try everything from design thinking, to coding to building hardware. In this way, you can consider another computing programme to switch to.
We’re launching two new programmes this year. SG250 BA (Hons) App Design and User Experience (UX) 4 yr immerses you in the world of designing and building digital products – from mobile apps to web sites, augmented reality to wearables. As Neville Brody put it, “Digital design is like painting, except the paint never dries.”
Design tradecraft
Increasingly, good design is what decides whether an app or device succeeds in the market – good design should be invisible, it should feel ‘natural’, even engaging. In this programme, you’ll learn the tradecraft not just to design good interaction but we’ll also cover the skills needed to build out your design.
2018 also sees the launch of our SG251 BSc (Hons) Computing (Smart Technologies). Smart technologies is often computing that we don’t always see. For example, smart cities already use sensors to monitor traffic flow regulating traffic lights sequences in response. Autonomous cars gather terabytes of data to make rapid decisions about course correction. Farmers use sensors to detect pest or disease problems using drones.
The trees planted at the Freedom Tower in New York have sensors in their roots ‘phoning home’ to tell if they need watering or fertiliser. In 2017, the number of these ‘connected devices’ surpassed the number of ‘us’ and by 2020 there’ll be 20 billion. You’ll help build technological solutions to these kinds of problems.
Both these programmes are mainstream programmes in computing – with immediate industry need. If you thought computing was all screen and keyboard, then come talk to us.
