I have been software professional for 40 years. I have worked in the
semiconducting industry, telecommunication industry, software industry,
and aerospace industry as a software developer, project manager,
software director, and Chief engineer. I have managed small, medium
sized, large and very large project of all types. Beside my work in the
industry, I also work as a lecturer, modeler (Participate in creating
several software models such as the CMM, CMMI, e-CMM etc.), innovator
(several patents), and professor at university. This year marks the
beginning of my retirement from active working in the industry but I
still remain as professor at university.
I believe in learning for life because everyday is a school
day. As you never stop learning and never know everything. The more you
learn, the more you know that you do NOT know much. Today learning is
much easier than few years ago, there are so many books, so many
articles, and so many things on the internet that you can read or
download. As students in technology area, you know that things change
rapidly and there is always something new that you will need to know.
There are new theories, new frameworks, new methods, new programming
languages, and new approaches to solve problem.
When I was student, textbooks were very expensive (they still
are) and I have to share them with others since I can not afford them.
When I became a professor, I wrote textbooks but I found out that the
publishers would sell them at expensive prices that many students could
not afford them, so I stopped. I wrote my lectures using computer, print
them out and gave to students so they can photocopy them as it was much
cheaper. Few years ago, email came then all I have to do was to send
the files to students so they did not have to buy books. Today with the
internet, I place my lectures on website for students. I even videotape
my lectures so students can watch them in case they missed class or want
to review something. Some students told me that they want to lean about
things that are not “pure academic” but broader, more global, more
practical, easier to read, and more fun. As they want something
different so I create this blog to share my view about technology so
students could have a broader view of what is going on in the technology
world. All I want is to enable students to keep studying, and continue
to learn.
As an educator, I constantly think about ways to help students
to make the most out of their learning. I want to help them to be
successful in their careers. I want them become “professional software
developers”. I want to help when they have issues with their works as
they enter the industry. That is why I wrote this blog as I believe our
education journey begins and it is a “shared experience” and not a
learning course. I am excited to be able to be part of that journey for
thousands of students across the globe. We all are students for life who
are excited to share in our experiences.
I believe that education must not be regarded as a “luxury for
a few people” or an event which has only a short time span of ten or
fifteen years in school, but education should be a permanent national
necessity, an inseparable aspect of citizenship, and therefore should be
lifelong. Basically, Education is life, and it should never end.
However, to do well at anything, you will need to learn and to
practice. To become a “Professional” at anything you will need to spend
a lot of time doing it. A student asked me: “How much time should I
spend on my learning?” My answer is: “All your life” as I also continue
to learn by helping you to be better software professionals. That is the
reason why I continue to work on my research, my textbooks, my lectures
and blog to support students on their way to become experts, not just
having degrees from university but true professionals.
As we are learning together you need to know that your life at
the university is precious. It is the best time of your life, so do not
waste it on other trivial things. Take advantage of what technology
offers you, take advantage of what university offers you, take advantage
of what others share with you, take advantage of what this blog offers
you as you are learning. You do NOT become expert at anything in a day,
in a week or in a year but you will become expert day-by-day as everyday
is a school day.
Prof John Vu
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Original source: http://www.hualong-info.com/Blog/JohnVu/2010/March/opening.en.html
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