If you're thirsty to learn Java or JavaScript, there are many ways to find water and many people (myself included) ready, willing and able to lead you to it. But no one can make you drink. Here is a path that I strongly recommend you follow if you are taking a computer science course with me:
- Continue to come to class, pay attention, participate, do the exercises, do the homework, turn the homework assignments in on time, and study for quizzes and tests. (If you are not doing some of these things, then start.)
- Do the reading assignments. For example, see the required reading portion of Exercise[15].
- Practice writing and executing code. You can't to speak a foreign language without trying to speak it. You can't learn to play a musical instrument without trying to play one. You can't learn to swim without getting in the water. And you can't learn a programming language without trying to code.
- Don't give up (or beat yourself up) if you don't “get it” at first. Curiously, small children learn to speak languages easier than adults. And some people learn languages more easily than others. No two people are the same, and learning techniques that work great for one person might not work so well for someone else.
- Object-oriented programming concepts and constructs might be especially difficult for some people to understand. Since that's the main focus of both classes at the moment, it's important to understand what resources are available for you to take advantage of:
- Again, read the required text book, which you should have by now. If you don't have your own copy of the textbook, then get one ASAP.
- If you're having trouble following what the author of your text book is saying, then slow down and try again. Keep trying.
- If you're still having trouble following what the author of your text book is saying, then see me. I can lend you another book that might describe concepts in a way that is easier for you to understand.
- Read the blog posts that I publish and follow the hyperlinks in the posts. Pay special attention to the exercises, especially the ones that are assigned. I try to explain important topics in a variety of different ways using different examples.
- Everyone should read the following recent posts, follow the applicable hyperlinks in the posts, read the posts the hyperlinks reference, follow the applicable hyperlinks in those posts, read what those hyperlinks reference, and so on until you feel like you've found the information you're seeking, need to take a break, or want to start practicing what you've learned. I say again, read these posts:
- The last post in the list above includes links to important resources that you should take advantage of if you're struggling to understand JavaScript. Specifically, these resources are:
- If you have done everything listed above and are still struggling, by all means come see me for additional 1:1 help. Regular office hour times are posted on both the CS-A and CS-P pages. We can also make other arrangement if those times are not convenient for you. Just beware that I won't be very sympathetic if you are clearly not doing the things I've recommended above.
