I still really enjoy the language of my group’s minifesto, which stated, “Coding is a valuable skill utilizing a blank canvas, creating something tangible from the nearly intangible.” I might add that coding is a product of humans and culture, and these aspects may need to be considered when coding. For example, the structure of coding may unintentionally lend itself to excluding certain groups, or making limited binary categories with little room for context.
Currently, I have a pretty good understanding of the syntax of Python in addition to the logic and structure of basic coding, such as if/then statements. My previous exposure to coding involved HTML and a little bit of Java. My experience with java, which occurred in an intro to computer science class, had given me a lot of information that assisted with constructing things like methods, and organizing code. However, my specific understanding of Python, and how to accomplish tasks utilizing it, has definitely improved. I can no undertake basic computational functions, manipulate text, and perform some basic image editing. I’m not sure if it’s enough knowledge to place on a resume, but it’s at least a good start.
The book we used to learn Python was definitely a good resource. I will say that it was a bit frustrating to try bits of code that the author specifically designed to not work, but academically I understand that he was trying to illustrate certain points regarding how the code is structured and how it works its way through problems. A huge resource was my classmates. I learned a lot simply by teaching others and being taught by others. Some basic troubleshooting could be accomplished, in addition to the practical application of creating code during class to help solidify concepts. It was great to hear from peers, and it was great to teach. This helped hold me accountable to staying on top of the material, while also providing an avenue by which to improve. Often in the act of teaching we learn ourselves, and this was a great opportunity by which to do so.
I never did get to my reach goals regarding Text III or Statistics and Visualization. Perhaps if I have spare time during winter break I could explore some of those topics on my own as a way to further my programming knowledge.
