Things I learned this semester, part 1

I had an interesting semester this term. It wasn't easy, but I learned a lot - more than I bargained for in fact. I'm going to break it out into two posts because I had very different experiences in my two classes.

I'll start with Java programming which was an online class. I'm a believer that online learning can work when done right. I've taken three online classes in this program so far. One was great, two were not. I'm sure it's just a coincidence, but the class that was great was in Moodle, the other two were both in Blackboard - I'm just sayin!

The good experience was a class in Moodle about Online Learning. In that class there was a big emphasis set on discussions and participation at the outset, and I think it set the tone for the rest of the semester. There were a lot of great readings in that course, but what stood out even more were the discussions. I remember my greatest challenge that semester was trying to manage my time, I was spending too much of it in the discussion forums keeping up with, and contributing to, really interesting conversations that were going on. It was a bit all consuming, but in the best possible way.

The other two classes - Java I, and Cognition and Learning - were more solitary classes. There was an attempt to prompt discussion, but it didn't take. My suspicion is that it was due partly to the implementation of the class - directives given in terms of expectations of contribution - and partly due to the discussion forum functionality. In Blackboard it seemed a bit clunky to me, and it was more robust in Moodle.

While I'm a believer in online learning in general, the online class I took this semester was not a good experience for me. I had no prior programming experience and by surveying the student profiles, it seemed that about half of us did and half did not. Interestingly, the class started with about 24 students and by week two we were down to 12. My father who is a computer science professor said a high drop out rate in programming classes is typical. [Insert angst about STEM skills here].

In terms of learning how to program, reading the text book and watching voice thread videos didn't cut it for me. I started looking at youtube to find videos that might help explain these new concepts to me, I went to Barnes and Noble to buy every book I could find - particularly those with "For Dummies" in the title. Ultimately, I turned to my father for tutoring.

This was not the first time I had asked him for extra help. He helped me with math all through school (I always knew he knew more than my teachers) and he gave me all the interesting back stories that they don't tell you in the history books. When I complained that I'd never make it through my Melville course in college, he had me send him the reading assignments, he got the books and we had a weekly book group by phone.  :) 

Interestingly, these weekly tutoring sessions in Java brought me right back to childhood math. The pang of panic when asked a question for which I was expected to have some semblance of a reasonable reply. The deer in the headlights look that I knew was on my face but I couldn't erase. Oh the horror! I tried to breath deeply, tried not to panic. It wasn't easy and it wasn't comfortable. I thought to myself that I should try to embrace the uncomfortable feeling and use it to remember how it feels for my kids and other kids when they feel overly challenged or taxed.

I got through it - but only because of the weekly tutoring sessions. I was left thinking about my other classmates who also didn't have any programming experience and who most likely did not have someone like my dad around to help them. How did they fare? I have to admit that I couldn't help but think - how is it that here, in an educational program, this is the best that can be done to teach programming? Especially in light of how much in need we are to develop these skills, and foster more students to start and complete STEM programs. We have to do better than this.