Computer Science: An Iraqi Perspective

[Ben]:	Computer Science: An Iraqi Perspective	Discuss This [0 comments so far] View Comments
I'm going to be working with an Iraqi nicknamed "Jason" who immigrated here after serving as a translator for the US Marines. It has been interesting to get a perspective on some things from an Iraqi who lived under Saddam. Jason went to college in Iraq and obtained a degree in law, but unfortunately that education doesn't carry over well to the American legal system. As I was interviewing him to find out if he would be able to help out with some of the basic IT maintenance I've been neglecting, he described a computer class taken while Saddam was in power. The class was entirely based in theory with zero practical experience. According to him, they never once touched a computer, but it wasn't because they didn't have enough. Rather, they sat in front of a lecturer who had several systems (shut down) that he used as props in his lecture. After the US invaded Iraq, a friend of his set up a computer shop and Jason paid his friend to let him help out. When he started acting as a translator, he was ecstatic that they let him use a laptop. I know some people can learn well by simply being shown how to do something, but it shocks me that they could have a computer class taught in pure lecture format when the students were totally deprived of the tools they were learning about. There's only so much that theory can teach you.