Progress in Programming

06 Apr 2021

E4: Progress in Programming

  1. My programming skills have greatly improved in the following ways: I have developed a greater understanding of programming languages, programming applications, and functions. When I began this class last semester I only possessed a very basic and entry level understanding of HTML and CSS. I did not understand server and client side processing, dynamic web pages, consoles, stylesheets, and the different programming languages that I have learned as a result of ITM 352. Since last semester, I have been working on paying close attention to every line of code and understanding the purpose of each attribute. I have worked on commenting more to help me do so. Last semester, I was not proficient in understanding and implementing different features in my assignments. My assignments were unsuccessful as a result. I think I have progressed much more this semester and my approach to programming has improved. I have had a much better experience with programming this far and I’m excited to continue this semester.
  2. I need to work on the following to improve my programming skills: I think it would benefit me to review some of the screencasts and labs before working on the assignments. I would also like to improve my development of web servers. I feel as if the server I built for Assignment #1 could be improved. I’m very happy that W3Schools exists! It has helped me a lot when I need a quick answer or reference to improve my programming skills.
  3. I can do the WODs without looking at the screencast solutions first. I always try the WODs without looking at the screencast solutions. Then, I identify where I am having trouble and try to finish the WOD as best I can. I watch the screencast solution and then return to attempt the WOD again. After watching the screencast solution, I find that I am usually able to overcome the areas that I had trouble in and complete the WOD within the desired time. The WOD that I had the most difficulty with was Invoice 4 because I had issues with my code from SmartPhoneProducts3 and Invoice 3. This taught me to always resolve any issues with prior assignments before building on them.
  4. The labs have helped me to learn and I am able to complete them with confidence. The labs have really expanded my knowledge of programming and I continue to learn a lot from them. It is helpful to complete them in class with Prof. Port and other students. I am able to watch and interact with the completion of the lab. I find it helpful that many others find themselves stuck on the questions that I am stuck on! It is helpful to remember that the computer is stupid and programming is not as difficult as it seems.
  5. I feel ready to work on the next stage of complexity in programming (building small web applications like Assignment 1). Although Assignment #1 was challenging, it was easier than I expected! I feel as if I am ready to face the remaining assignments. I am aware of the issues that I had with the assignments last semester and I am ready to overcome them and improve my programming skills.
  6. I think the class can be improved to help my learning in the following ways: I think the class is great as it is and I am learning a lot! The only thing that confuses me sometimes are the due dates since they are very dependent on what we complete in class, but I am trying my best to keep track of all of them. I also wish that more time in class was spent on completing the labs rather than stopping and discussing issues which interrupts the process of completing the lab.
  7. These are things that work really well for my learning in this class: The screencasts and lecture recordings are very helpful. If I have difficulty with any part of my assignments or labs I can go back to these resources to reference them. I think the email reminders are great because it can be hard to keep track of everything that is due. I was very happy to find out that we had TAs this semester. Last semester I did not receive any grade feedback until the last couple of weeks of the semester and had no idea how I was doing in the class. It has been very helpful to have grades to reflect on to know what I need to focus on and what skills I could improve. I believe this has improved my experience and success in this class very much.