What is wrong with Microsoft Student Partners (MSP)?
In light of the recent discussion about studying at our universities and what I recently watched from the side of the Microsoft Student Partners (MSP) program, I decided to write this topic. The essence of the program is as follows: the company selects the most active students, and they become representatives of Microsoft in their university. Activity is required to confirm each semester. Its list includes student user groups, organization of contests (Microsoft provides prizes), webcast recording, etc. After graduation from the program (and it coincides with the completion of studies at the university, but as prompted by kultishev , it can be extended for a period of postgraduate study) each student receives a diploma and a chance for an interview at Microsoft without a prior telephone interview.
For any of the listed activities you need what? That's right, tools and knowledge (about the experience you can not even mention). The first is OK - free versions exist for almost any product of the company, DreamSpark exists, MSDN Academic Alliance program for universities and, in addition, they promised to give MSDN Subscriptions to the Live Meeting dedicated to joining MSP. We turn to the second - there are already obvious problems. Where to get them, for example, a second-year student? The answer is obvious: read books, sit on forums, read a few Russian-language blogs. If a student is good with English (which is extremely rare, before, at least somehow English-speaking MSDN tempered), then repeat the latter. Knowledge gained, time to be active. Suppose that a student chose a webcast (although the program requires at least 3 different activities). What to talk about in the webcast? Naturally, that learned. At best, the activity will be at level 100 (the higher the number, the higher the level of training of students). Who will watch this podcast? Newbies Those. in fact, yesterday's beginner teaches other beginners! Is it correct? Hardly. It’s good if the story turned out to be in the spirit of modern technologies, but from personal experience I can say that I receive once a month a forum question about .Net Remoting , a technology that Microsoft buried in the context of asked questions three years ago. Further it is clear, the student receives criticism and responds to it. Someone notes mistakes and tries to do better, someone thinks that this is not his and rushes to another area, but someone leaves the program ...
Where to run and what to do? In my opinion, the foundation for a student’s self-study is possible only in the long term. Yes, when he stuffs cones and goes, roughly speaking, to level 200, then he can tell something for level 100 and be a worthy representative of the company. Many may argue that what I described in the previous paragraph is that way up. Yes, this is so, but it is thorny and thorny with the difficulties described, so I will think about the alternative. As you know, nothing is more conducive to obtaining knowledge and experience as a real project. It is clear that in this regard, the student has three paths - his own project, open source and work somewhere part time. The easiest way is, of course, your project, but they are rarely completed or they solve actual problems. Getting into the open source project is problematic due to lack of knowledge. Part-time work is good if you don’t get into accounting, but into a normal project as a tester or handyman programmer. On the other hand, it would be great if Microsoft would organize MSP into groups and let them work on some common project under the guidance of professional trainers. It is clear that they will not write a new revolutionary product, but it’s quite a general educational project for children.
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Maybe we will go down to the ground? Yes, coaches need to pay, but students are difficult to organize, and a lot of reasons (they are real projects). Then so - we take into account the merits of MVP coaching (as a payload) or make a new status, specifically for this purpose! For example, I was very surprised when this year we started distributing the Microsoft Contributor Award . I'm sure Microsoft will come up with what to call it, but my version of MMY is Microsoft Master Yoda!
PS: In the comments I beg you to refrain from negatives towards Microsoft and to speak on the merits. Thank.
For any of the listed activities you need what? That's right, tools and knowledge (about the experience you can not even mention). The first is OK - free versions exist for almost any product of the company, DreamSpark exists, MSDN Academic Alliance program for universities and, in addition, they promised to give MSDN Subscriptions to the Live Meeting dedicated to joining MSP. We turn to the second - there are already obvious problems. Where to get them, for example, a second-year student? The answer is obvious: read books, sit on forums, read a few Russian-language blogs. If a student is good with English (which is extremely rare, before, at least somehow English-speaking MSDN tempered), then repeat the latter. Knowledge gained, time to be active. Suppose that a student chose a webcast (although the program requires at least 3 different activities). What to talk about in the webcast? Naturally, that learned. At best, the activity will be at level 100 (the higher the number, the higher the level of training of students). Who will watch this podcast? Newbies Those. in fact, yesterday's beginner teaches other beginners! Is it correct? Hardly. It’s good if the story turned out to be in the spirit of modern technologies, but from personal experience I can say that I receive once a month a forum question about .Net Remoting , a technology that Microsoft buried in the context of asked questions three years ago. Further it is clear, the student receives criticism and responds to it. Someone notes mistakes and tries to do better, someone thinks that this is not his and rushes to another area, but someone leaves the program ...
Where to run and what to do? In my opinion, the foundation for a student’s self-study is possible only in the long term. Yes, when he stuffs cones and goes, roughly speaking, to level 200, then he can tell something for level 100 and be a worthy representative of the company. Many may argue that what I described in the previous paragraph is that way up. Yes, this is so, but it is thorny and thorny with the difficulties described, so I will think about the alternative. As you know, nothing is more conducive to obtaining knowledge and experience as a real project. It is clear that in this regard, the student has three paths - his own project, open source and work somewhere part time. The easiest way is, of course, your project, but they are rarely completed or they solve actual problems. Getting into the open source project is problematic due to lack of knowledge. Part-time work is good if you don’t get into accounting, but into a normal project as a tester or handyman programmer. On the other hand, it would be great if Microsoft would organize MSP into groups and let them work on some common project under the guidance of professional trainers. It is clear that they will not write a new revolutionary product, but it’s quite a general educational project for children.
')
Maybe we will go down to the ground? Yes, coaches need to pay, but students are difficult to organize, and a lot of reasons (they are real projects). Then so - we take into account the merits of MVP coaching (as a payload) or make a new status, specifically for this purpose! For example, I was very surprised when this year we started distributing the Microsoft Contributor Award . I'm sure Microsoft will come up with what to call it, but my version of MMY is Microsoft Master Yoda!
PS: In the comments I beg you to refrain from negatives towards Microsoft and to speak on the merits. Thank.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/118913/
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