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Sloan the DEV Moderator for The DEV Team

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10 1

#DEVDiscuss: Google or Grad School?

Hey Devs, happy Friday 🦥💚

As always, it's been an eventful week in the tech industry. We've got a lot to talk about! And today I want to discuss...whether it's true that Google Isn't Grad School.

Google Isn’t Grad School - The Atlantic

Having so much information at our fingertips is useful but seductive, easily fooling us into thinking we know more than we do.

favicon theatlantic.com

Ok, ok — obviously Google isn't Grad School. But this op ed in The Atlantic got me thinking: when it comes to leveling up your skills in the tech industry, is it nearly as good? And where do online courses fit in?

Share your thoughts in the comments and let's discuss!


Want to submit a question for discussion, or even ask for advice? Visit Sloan's Inbox! You can choose to remain anonymous.


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Top comments (6)

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inovak profile image
Ivan Novak

Interesting article - touches on the idea that because superficial questions can be answered so easily people can miscontstrue that superficiality for expertise. Unfortunate.

As for the discussion question:

Google-fu, searching stack overflow, and now using Chat GPT all represent tools in the kit that facilitate exploratory thinking. These are skills that can be shaped & sharpened to be used effectively... and can also be misused through ignorance or malice.

These are not to be considered a substitute for knowledge but they can absolutely help guide learners to subjects for further study. They can help define what to learn.

The explorer at this point must take the next step and actually do the learning. This would involve courses, books, even structured higher learning. Self-study can get you extremely far these days, especially when paired with a more experienced mentor to ask hard questions and keep you accountable.

No, google is no substitute, but a tool in the kit.

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manchicken profile image
Mike Stemle • Edited

Do you mean using google or working at google?

Using google is absolutely no substitute for life experience at all. Working at google would be valuable life experience that I would accept as being just as valuable as education.

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jasicarose75 profile image
jasicarose75 • Edited

These are completely different areas of development. I would never go to higher education again. It was enough for me that I used the assignment help service all the time; I found help here for the university. Now, instead of 4 years of education, I would rather devote them to courses. In 4 years I could easily become the best programmer, for example.

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sheilasql profile image
Sheila Sicilia

That looks like a useful site, but it doesn't list their prices. How much does it cost?

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sheilasql profile image
Sheila Sicilia

If Google were grad school, then the time I spend searching for answers for various medical symptoms should make me an M.D.! 🤣

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peakdev118 profile image
PeakDev

Hi.
I want to work with you.
If you want to work with me, please send me message on gmail.
senior.dev950102@gmail.com

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