Status: Closed — this petition is no longer accepting signatures.
Final supporters
Thinkful Cohort 46 requests the removal of the Pass/Fail aspect of the Data Structures & Algorithms module Technical Interview. Some information has been given to us from multiple Thinkful employees that cohorts after us are having their curriculum changed to make it a better learning experience. We have also been told by multiple Thinkful employees, and I quote, "The changes were made due to the current model being broken and inefficient".
We have also been told that this subject, a highly complex CS subject, is only scratching the surface of the topic. Yet we are expected to take on a Pass/Fail interview on the subject after two weeks. An interview that could determine our living stipends, the work we have spent the past 14-16 weeks on, and what we do going forward. This interview has been set up to prepare us for a real interview, which we don't argue against and appreciate. But the outcome of a real interview has far fewer ramifications than failing this mock interview.
We do not feel that it is just in the least bit that we have to do something that is considered "inefficient" and had been updated/replaced.
We are requesting a change. We are asking that the interview will not be pass/fail, but rather a practice interview that does not have program ending consequences. We do not request the removal of any other graded assignments in the module, just the removal of a pass/fail on the interview.
More like this
Petition to Change Advanced Legal Writing to Pass/Fail
Scott Klemmer CSE170/Cogs120 Grading Policy Reform
6 Comments
Please keep in mind, none of us are asking to not take the interview. We want the practice, but we want it to be just that, practice. It should not be pass/fail based on the points above.
This content is rushed and I can’t work out drills in groups because my group doesn’t talk. I am at a severe disadvantage for this interview and I don’t believe that is my fault.
Maybe the bigger idea as a company is to think that it isn't ideal to require a full course payment after 60% of progress to students, to then have them take a discontinued, complex, multi-year CS-related mock interview as a pass/fail dynamic, where too many elements could come into place. What would've been the benefit in the first place, in comparison to the other more directly related web dev interviews that were by point-system?
My initial reaction was to ignore this petition, as I thought it may contribute to a character diminishing victim mentality. However, as this petition seeks to preserve the assessment and do away trivial pass/fail assignment, I am more inclined to sign. From my perspective, this content is not taught well. Additionally, I am quite irritated that the service I purchased and the service I received are strikingly different. So much so that I wonder if there has been a breech of contract that has occurred in addition to the breech of trust. As thinkful has made no sign of repentance thus far, I doubt they will do us this small favor. In the end, perhaps it is better if they don't, so we won't be placated by such a simple gesture.
I very much suggest this petition succeed and its movement. It is vital to everyone in this cohort and the next.
Share this petition
Share this petition to help it reach more people.
Your share link
Status: Closed — this petition is no longer accepting signatures.
Final supporters
Thinkful Cohort 46 requests the removal of the Pass/Fail aspect of the Data Structures & Algorithms module Technical Interview. Some information has been given to us from multiple Thinkful employees that cohorts after us are having their curriculum changed to make it a better learning experience. We have also been told by multiple Thinkful employees, and I quote, "The changes were made due to the current model being broken and inefficient".
We have also been told that this subject, a highly complex CS subject, is only scratching the surface of the topic. Yet we are expected to take on a Pass/Fail interview on the subject after two weeks. An interview that could determine our living stipends, the work we have spent the past 14-16 weeks on, and what we do going forward. This interview has been set up to prepare us for a real interview, which we don't argue against and appreciate. But the outcome of a real interview has far fewer ramifications than failing this mock interview.
We do not feel that it is just in the least bit that we have to do something that is considered "inefficient" and had been updated/replaced.
We are requesting a change. We are asking that the interview will not be pass/fail, but rather a practice interview that does not have program ending consequences. We do not request the removal of any other graded assignments in the module, just the removal of a pass/fail on the interview.
6 Comments
As a person who has been programming since I was 12 years old, and has worked on a multitude of projects, I can say with certainty that there are many concepts in this module that are unimportant and counterproductive to the practice of learning to code. My ability to remain in this program should not be contingent on my ability to calculate the Big O notation of a word problem.
Please keep in mind, none of us are asking to not take the interview. We want the practice, but we want it to be just that, practice. It should not be pass/fail based on the points above.
This content is rushed and I can’t work out drills in groups because my group doesn’t talk. I am at a severe disadvantage for this interview and I don’t believe that is my fault.
Maybe the bigger idea as a company is to think that it isn't ideal to require a full course payment after 60% of progress to students, to then have them take a discontinued, complex, multi-year CS-related mock interview as a pass/fail dynamic, where too many elements could come into place. What would've been the benefit in the first place, in comparison to the other more directly related web dev interviews that were by point-system?
My initial reaction was to ignore this petition, as I thought it may contribute to a character diminishing victim mentality. However, as this petition seeks to preserve the assessment and do away trivial pass/fail assignment, I am more inclined to sign. From my perspective, this content is not taught well. Additionally, I am quite irritated that the service I purchased and the service I received are strikingly different. So much so that I wonder if there has been a breech of contract that has occurred in addition to the breech of trust. As thinkful has made no sign of repentance thus far, I doubt they will do us this small favor. In the end, perhaps it is better if they don't, so we won't be placated by such a simple gesture.
I very much suggest this petition succeed and its movement. It is vital to everyone in this cohort and the next.
Share this petition
Share this petition to help it reach more people.
Your share link
Petitions like this
Other petitions you might want to support
Scan to share
Anyone who scans this can sign the petition.
As a person who has been programming since I was 12 years old, and has worked on a multitude of projects, I can say with certainty that there are many concepts in this module that are unimportant and counterproductive to the practice of learning to code. My ability to remain in this program should not be contingent on my ability to calculate the Big O notation of a word problem.