Colorado Tech Online Faculty
Meet Jason McGoff
School of Information Technology
Teaches BSIT Software Systems Engineering courses
Computers Don't Have to Be Intimidating
Computers and software systems engineering can be scary. Software Systems Instructor Jason McGoff does everything he can in his Colorado Tech Online classrooms to show students that this doesn't have to be the case.
"Lots of people get intimidated by programming and software engineering. Most of the time, the intimidation comes from a lack of confidence. None of this stuff is rocket science though. Most anyone who puts in the effort can master the material."
If anyone should know, it would be McGoff. When he started his own Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, he didn't have much computer experience. "Now I'm doing just fine. Again, if you put in the effort, you can do a good job. I've seen plenty of students who don't have much experience with computers and programming coming into my classes but who end up doing quite well when they put the effort in."
McGoff has taught many of the classes within Colorado Tech Online's BSIT with a concentration in Software Systems Engineering program but most frequently has been teaching Software Design and Object-Oriented Programming II.
When not teaching, he works full-time at a consulting firm on software used on multi-functional Xerox devices. Prior to this consulting job, McGoff was a software engineer for a small firm. In this position, he did everything from act as lead software engineer during the design, implementation and product certification periods for F-16 and Stryker Maintenance Trainer projects to designing and implementing data and voice communication between instructors and students in a classroom setup.
"I didn't start looking into teaching until I had begun to build up some significant and varied experience at work. My job now is challenging, but I was fortunate to first work for a smaller company where I was able to be hands on during most of the software lifecycle."
Now at Colorado Tech Online for over a year, McGoff says, "Teaching is much more fun than writing code, which is what I'm doing at work these days. I've found I really like explaining things to people."
Since he has taught so many Software Systems Engineering and programming classes at Colorado Tech Online, McGoff knows the entire Bachelor of Science in Information Technology with a concentration in Software Systems Engineering program well. "Colorado Tech Online does a really good job of helping set up its software engineering students for job opportunities in the real world. The curriculum is general and touches upon a wide variety of topics. A Bachelor of Science with a concentration in Software Systems Engineering concentration is different from a Computer Science degree because it is a little broader and more practical. Jobs in the real world deal with more than programming and CTU is good about including that extra stuff in its Software Systems Engineering concentration."
McGoff says a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology with a concentration in Software Systems Engineering through Colorado Tech Online is well suited for a variety of entry-level positions. "Systems manager, software engineer, configuration management engineer, software quality assurance, software testing engineer - I tell students a software engineering concentration relates to anything associated with or that produces software. The job possibilities are nearly endless."
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