weaknesses.md

Curriculum Weaknesses

1. Git training / incorporation <-- need to include a simple git reference
2. Bash training / incorporation
3. Functional programming
4. Windows users. This prevented me from using tools like node and such and made teaching bash pretty difficult. It was too late for me to implement this solution, but I think have windows users install cmder would be the best way to go. You would still need to figure out how to use node in there though.
5. Needs a resource on the "Device Mode" in chrome
6. Not enough time to cover the topics from the perspecive of a complete Noob. Before the first day of class, students should have a little understanding of HTML and CSS, even if its just syntax, that would save a lot of time and make class more useful to the students. Similar to the JavaScript material, there isn't enough time to talk about programming / programming languages in general. Maybe have students read a short thing about scripting languages and REPL's or something like that + do some of the Javascript codeacademy track so class can focus on concepts not syntax.
7. Need to include a simple guide on how to deploy to gh-pages
8. First javascript lesson (lesson 6), query selectors are covered before functions OR objects are covered. Causes some confusion. Not sure how to resolve this...could cover functions first then query selectors, or simply not cover query selectors at all, move through the javascript foundation, and then do jquery. But I think its important to demonstrate before that how Javascript can interact with an html page.
9. Not sure the class should even be called MakerPrep. I think it should be something like Intro to JavaScript Web Development and let people do with that as they may. Bill it as a good way to get a taste for things and see if you want to do it, and also covers the foundation you need for the interview.
10. Seems like most people want to pass the technical interview, but thats not how the class is structured. If we wanted people to pass the technical interview, we would just do nothing but teach javascript, never teach HTML/CSS, and not bother with query selectors / ajax and stuff. Difficult balance.
11. Along that same vein, some of the JavaScript learning in the first few lessons is hindered by the fact that students are managing query selectors AND javascript. Difficult to decide what to do with this though because some students kill it and others struggle.
12. I think it needs to be more heavily emphasized that this class moves really quickly. Its not like a community college class that will move pretty slowly. We blow through material and students need to be aware of that. It gives students a taste of what MakerSquarer is like, but its kind of unfair to the students who are not ready for it...
13. Solutions for all the exercises still need to be written
14. Inconsistency between camel case and snake case
15. Students struggled a lot more with understanding functions than they did objects. Functions were handled in a 2 hour lesson which was probably not enough. Make that a three hour lesson (not on a friday, possibly swap objects and functions or just make friday a 3 hour lesson), AND tell all the students to do the codeacademy functions track over the weekend before diving into arrays and functional programming
16. I'm pretty much thoroughly convinced that students need to complete the HTML/CSS and JavaScript codeacademy tracks before attending makerprep. The students who did that took so much more away from the class. I know this is difficult to enforce, but at least a good faith effort but would be better than nothing. On top of that, it would self-select for students who are willing to put in the work to keep up with a class that moves at this pace.
17. A draft email needs to be written to be sent out to students as soon as they enroll. It should HEAVILY encourage them to do as much of the JavaScript and HTML/CSS codeacademy tracks as they can before the first day of class.
18. On the friday of each week, encourage the students to PRACTICE!!!! On Friday of week 1, tell them we're starting JavaScript and they need to do the codeacademy tracks. On Friday of week 2, encourage them to go over the functions, for loops, and array portions of codeacademy again. Eloquent javascript chapter 5 if they have time. Add these to lesson plans.
19. I think the lectures I wrote for the functional programming sections went over really well, but the actual material in the lessons that the students work through is still lacking (I didn't add much to the actual lessons we got from reactor prep). Specifically, I received this feedback: 'I think the functional programming bit of the curriculum could be stronger, and pull more from (and point more toward) ch. 5 of Eloquent JS. It's kind of weird that it's the only part of the curriculum they don't document at all or support with notes--it relies entirely on the lecture you gave. You gave a great lecture, but apparently I took bad notes. Not surprising! I think they should have provided some kind of written explanation and more complex examples to work through as a group or individually (though not as complex as learnRX--somewhere in between the most basic illustrative example we went through in class and learnRX. (Also learnRX is hideous. Would be a worthwhile undertaking to make it nicer looking and more fun to use :). Maybe one day I will! Booyah.)) '
20. Firebase lesson has a lesson plan, but no lesson.