UDACITY - Intro to Programming Nanodegree v3.0.0 Part-3

The Udacity Intro to Programming Nanodegree was the primary course on my measuring instrument once I set i accustomed be reaching to teach myself programming. I had taken Udacity’s CS101 standalone course antecedently, and I’d had a awfully positive expertise. The Nanodegree was obtaining systematically positive reviews. The content breadth ANd depth gave the impression to be howling for what i accustomed be finding out in associate introductory program. It sounded like the right match.

The introductory video to the Intro to Programming Nanodegree.

Program define

This Nanodegree, like all Nanodegrees, is also a curation of Udacity’s best courses organized move into a logical order. My edition of the Intro to Programming Nanodegree was broken into 5 necessary stages, with a project bookending every stage.

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

Stage 1: any language and CSS (project).

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

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

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

Stage 5: alittle amount of JavaScript, APIs, formula and parallel computing, finding giant programming issues, and responsive internet 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 mensuration at a lower place 5 minutes and unit of mensuration followed by multiple-choice and code quizzes. comes unit of mensuration class-conscious by Udacity’s Project Reviewers.

A video from stage a attempt of of the Nanodegree.

Note: stages four and five were revamped in New Style calendar month 2016. In stage 4, you now learn alittle amount regarding a la mode faculty roles (e.g. front-end/back-end/mobile programming, info analysis, and so on), and in stage five you are doing a deeper dive into one in every of those roles.

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

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A screenshot from the welcome package of the Nanodegree.

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

You’re reaching to see many latest topics and new concepts throughout this Nanodegree. as a results of you’re reaching to see such many, it suggests that we’re just not reaching to be able to take into account exploit fluency. Fluency typically takes a awfully whereas to amass, in even one issue.

So instead, the goal goes to be to urge to ability within the foremost vital topics that unit of mensuration basic throughout programming. to boot, you’re reaching to gain awareness of the many topics. Through this mixture of awareness and talent, you’re reaching to have the talents to try and do and do excellent things, what is more as a results of the understanding of what you'd wish to do and do next reckoning on your own personal goals. 

Prior to enrolling, I knew next to nothing regarding programming. i'm presently assured that {i will|i will be able to|i'll} be able to extremely do things with my new ability. i accustomed be as well created alert to potential programming ways that within which, was given an opportunity to make your mind up if they interest state, and was shown however {i will|i will be able to|i'll} be able to approach following them. For me, the Nanodegree accomplished its goals.

Timeline

Udacity says it takes students one hundred ninety hours on the everyday to finish the program. It took state 189 hours over a attempt of.5 months, as tracked  by Toggl. you may be able to on the far side any doubt complete the program quicker than that if you rush through the comes barely bit. I dedicated an honest quantity of your time creating a trial to create my comes any esthetically pleasing than they required to be to receive a passing grade.

You can take the courses for gratis, however you won’t have access to the curated content, the forums, project reviews, one-on-one work, and so the certificate. Below unit of mensuration some thoughts on the utility of those decisions.

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

Forums: I used the forums tons, notably once I saw bugs in my comes. They were typically any helpful than StackOverflow forums (and entirely totally different Google-able forums) as a results of scholars typically gave the impression to run into constant bugs. Udacity instructors were as well fast on the trigger in responding to posts, typically among some of hours.

Project reviews: terribly helpful. Reviews would typically unit offered in Associate in Nursing extremely variety of hours once project submission. The correction of mistakes and additionally the support simply}  just do good work may well be an important a region of the work technique. Reviewers as well counsel ways in {which} that} throughout that within which to boost your code, albeit it’s “just” rhetorical enhancements.

One-on-one work: I didn’t use the one-on-one work for this Nanodegree, however I probably can for additional troublesome ones.

Certificate: The certificate is nice to possess, however probably not that helpful.

So, the solution to the current question can vary reckoning on the goals of the scholar.

Upbeat, hospitable Learning setting

The general quality of the program’s instructors is incredibly noticeable and it's awful. The company’s upbeat, hospitable learning setting is also a significant reason why i'm projected with Udacity as my main give 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 government Sebastian Thrun’s trade connections unit of mensuration evident what is more. There unit of mensuration cameos from Google co-founder Sergey Brin, reddit co-founder Steve Huffman, Google Director of analysis 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 some of Udacity coaches that occurred some of times for every stage of the Nanodegree. there square measure typically some of key insights in every webcast; but, it absolutely was powerful to visualize that elements i might safely drop. I everyplace up wasting associate honest quantity of your time on things that I didn’t have to be compelled to be compelled to look at.

Closing Thoughts

This program is also a nice match people who acknowledge they might would love to pursue programming, however unit of mensuration unsure of that discipline to consider.

One issue to note: this Nanodegree teaches you programming, not discipline. there's a distinction that beginners will not be acutely alert to before they begin the program.

Probably the foremost vital issue you permit this Nanodegree with is that the pliability to assume sort of a someone. The instructors repeatedly come to the 5 ways that within which of thinking within the screenshot below.

The terms unit of mensuration alittle amount jargon-y, however all they mean is simply}  just unit on the point of be able to solve issues terribly} terribly structured and economical manner. This ability is critical in programming, what is more as in various areas of life.