Agree. I went from knowing and understanding nothing about programming to being able to build a website using the programming languages. I have a deeper understanding of HTML and JavaScript, and during the building process of our website, I could brainstorm different methods of coding certain functionalities of my website just based on the coding knowledge I gained throughout the semester. I can also read a code top-down (such as the code I made for Assignment 1) and be able to explain it. I’ve also greatly improved my debugging skills using console.logs. Lastly, I have a better understanding of server-side vs. client-side.
Agree. For instance, I need to improve my understanding of the order of my code. My code wasn’t working in the beginning because I missed the fact that I should’ve referenced the JS file at the bottom of the HTML so that the variables declared in the HTML can be used in the JS.
Agree. The WODs helped me build a general foundation for programming and greatly helped me put together the website. It wasn’t too time-consuming either, and I learned a lot from filming my work and encouraging myself to memorize the steps I needed to take to finish the code.
Agree. Although it was very time-consuming, I benefited from the content in the labs. However, I wasn’t entirely confident in completing them with the correct answers, but the video walkthroughs helped. For instance, I’d try to attempt the labs on my own for the most part, but having that walkthrough to refer to helped me understand what I was doing so that I wasn’t mindlessly following instructions and typing.
Agree. I spent over 5-7 hours everyday for over a week working on my code for assignment 1 and have developed a significantly deeper understanding of how to code. I’m able to read and understand code a lot easier and brainstorm different ideas, and because of all the time and effort and debugging I put into assignment 1, I feel very ready to work on assignment 2 with the knowledge I’ve gained.
Agree. If possible, we could do check-ups on students with mid-semester feedback forms to make sure they are understanding the course content. That way, if I’m lost or need help, I could convey that through the form.
WODs, readings, and screencasts helped me the most in class. The WODs encouraged me to memorize and understand the code prior to filming so I wasn’t mindlessly typing. The readings, such as those from W3 schools, always helped me understand coding concepts and prepare me for the next lab. Also, screencasts we’re extremely helpful since I could repeat parts I didn’t understand and have difficult parts of the lab explained to me. It made completing labs so much more bearable, especially since it could get confusing.