UDACITY - Intro to Programming Nanodegree v3.0.0 Part-2

The Udacity Intro to Programming Nanodegree was the first course on my measuring device when I set i accustomed be attending to teach myself programming. I had taken Udacity’s CS101 standalone course previously, and I’d had a very positive experience. The Nanodegree was getting consistently positive reviews. The content breadth ANd depth gave the impression to be wonderful for what i accustomed be sorting out in associate introductory program. It looked like the correct match.

The introductory video to the Intro to Programming Nanodegree.

Program outline

This Nanodegree, like all Nanodegrees, may be a curation of Udacity’s best courses organized go into a logical order. My edition of the Intro to Programming Nanodegree was broken into five necessary stages, with a project bookending each stage.

Stage zero (optional): alittle quantity of language (project).

Stage 1: further language and CSS (project).

Stage 2: Python and general programming ideas (strings, variables, loops, etc.) (project).

Stage 3: classes, functions, abstraction, and coping with pre-existing code (project).

Stage 4: Back-end programming, databases, and guide engines (project).

Stage 5: alittle quantity of JavaScript, APIs, formula and parallel computing, finding large programming problems, and responsive net vogue (project).

Instead of hour-long lectures, Udacity breaks their courses down into a bunch of mini-lessons. The overwhelming majority of videos unit of measurement at a lower place five minutes and unit of measurement followed by multiple-choice and code quizzes. comes unit of measurement hierarchic by Udacity’s Project Reviewers.

A video from stage a try of of the Nanodegree.

Note: stages four and 5 were revamped in Gregorian calendar month 2016. In stage 4, you presently learn alittle quantity concerning a la mode college roles (e.g. front-end/back-end/mobile programming, information analysis, and so on), and in stage 5 you're doing a deeper dive into one in each of these roles.

Other note: you will be able to scan the code that generated the above-linked comes throughout this GitHub repository.

Does The Program Accomplish Its Goals?

One of the first videos (this one isn’t on the market to the public) you watch inside the program references four stages of expertise: content, awareness, ability, and fluency. The program aims to urge students to the notice and talent stages.

Here’s a quote from the programme director, Andy Brown, during this video (I’m forward Udacity is okay with American state sharing this paywalled clip throughout this context).

You’re attending to see loads of latest topics and new ideas throughout this Nanodegree. as a results of you’re attending to see such loads of, it means we’re merely not attending to be able to consider exploit fluency. Fluency generally takes a very whereas to amass, in even one issue.

So instead, the goal goes to be to urge to ability inside the foremost very important topics that unit of measurement basic throughout programming. to boot, you’re attending to gain awareness of the numerous topics. Through this mixture of awareness and talent, you’re attending to have the skills to do and do very good things, moreover as a result of the understanding of what you would like to do and do next betting on your own personal goals. 

Prior to enrolling, I knew next to nada concerning programming. i am presently assured that i will be able to really do things with my new ability. i accustomed be to boot created conscious of potential programming ways in which, was given a chance to create your mind up if they interest American state, and was shown but i will be able to approach following them. For me, the Nanodegree accomplished its goals.

Timeline

Udacity says it takes students 100 ninety hours on the typical to end the program. It took American state 189 hours over a try of.5 months, as caterpillar-tracked  by Toggl. you will be able to beyond any doubt complete the program faster than that if you rush through the comes barely bit. I dedicated a decent amount of some time making an attempt to make my comes further aesthetically pleasing than they needed to be to receive a passing grade.

You can take the courses without charge, but you won’t have access to the curated content, the forums, project reviews, one-on-one work, and thus the certificate. Below unit of measurement some thoughts on the utility of these choices.

Curated content: The curated content unbroken the program crisp and was nice to possess, but there is a free workaround.

Forums: I used the forums tons, notably when I saw bugs in my comes. They were generally further useful than StackOverflow forums (and totally different Google-able forums) as a results of students generally gave the impression to run into constant bugs. Udacity instructors were to boot quick on the trigger in responding to posts, generally among a handful of hours.

Project reviews: very useful. Reviews would generally square measure offered in an exceedingly number of hours once project submission. The correction of mistakes and also the support that you {just} just do smart work could be a crucial a section of the coaching technique. Reviewers to boot counsel ways that} during which inside which to spice up your code, albeit it’s “just” rhetorical enhancements.

One-on-one work: I didn’t use the one-on-one work for this Nanodegree, but I possibly will for extra difficult ones.

Certificate: The certificate is sweet to possess, but possibly not that useful.

So, the answer to this question will vary betting on the goals of the scholar.

Upbeat, hospitable Learning setting

The general quality of the program’s instructors is unbelievably noticeable and it's awful. The company’s upbeat, hospitable learning setting may be a serious reason why i am projected with Udacity as my main provide of on-line education.

Intro To Programing Nanodegree Instructors

Three of the Nanodegree’s instructors. From high to bottom: Kunal Chawla, Jessica Uelmen, and Cameron Pittman.

Udacity executive Sebastian Thrun’s trade connections unit of measurement evident moreover. There unit of measurement cameos from Google co-founder Sergey Brin, reddit co-founder Steve Huffman, Google Director of research Peter Norvig, and Junior (Stanford’s self-driving car) — to not forget a anaglyph from Sebastian himself.

What I Didn’t Like

Honestly, not much. The work hours were meh. These were 45–60 minute pre-recorded webcasts diode by a handful of Udacity coaches that occurred a handful of times for each stage of the Nanodegree. there are generally a handful of key insights in each webcast; however, it fully was powerful to envision that components i could safely drop. I everywhere up wasting associate honest amount of some time on things that I didn’t have to be compelled to watch.

Closing Thoughts

This program may be a pleasant match those who acknowledge they could would like to pursue programming, but unit of measurement unsure of that discipline to concentrate on.

One issue to note: this Nanodegree teaches you programming, not subject field. there is a distinction that beginners won't be acutely conscious of before they start the program.

Probably the foremost very important issue you allow this Nanodegree with is that the flexibility to assume style of a somebody. The instructors repeatedly return to the five ways in which of thinking inside the screenshot below.

The terms unit of measurement alittle quantity jargon-y, but all they mean is that you {just} just square measure about to be able to solve problems terribly} very structured and economical manner. This ability is significant in programming, moreover as in numerous areas of life.