I’m on the JavaScript portion of the Front End Development Certification and while I’m able to complete the lessons fine, I have no idea what the things I’m learning can be used to do. I had the same problem with the jQuery section. I know that these things will maybe be made clear once I get to the next project, but I think that including just one short, one-sentence example per lesson on how developers actually use the function being learned would help cement the lessons in my memory.
For example, I’m on the JavaScript arrays section right now. I can do the lessons fine and I understand the finished result that I’m seeing after I’ve done the coding work, but I have no idea how developers are using/would use arrays. It’s making me feel like the lesson starts slipping away from me soon after I’ve completed it.
With HTML and CSS I didn’t have this issue, but that’s because it’s pretty clear what each of those lessons are used for. Any thoughts on this? It could just be an issue with my personal learning of the material, I don’t know.
1 Like
You have the right idea actually… when you get to the projects, thats when you put what you are learning now (what the elements are) together with the practical side (what they actually do). Like with your array example, when youre in a project and need to keep a list of related information together for your code to refer back to, thats when the array will make perfect sense.
Honestly, I had the very same problem you did starting out… I first took the JS path on Pluralsight, where I learned all these bits and pieces and I was literally like, okay but I still dont know javascript…just these little snippets of code I cant do anything with! Then I found FCC …loved the course layout, but ran into the same thing… What does it all mean!!! So I took a small break and took the Javascript course on CodeAcademy. It really is not much at all, only took me 2 days to complete it, but it teaches you by right off making a small project.
And thats when it hit me…all those little bits and pieces of code were Javascript, but now I knew how they fit together… but even if I hadnt done that, by the time I made it to my first project here I would see then the same thing. Once you actually use it, it all kinda snaps into place. A description of what of pieces do doesnt compare to actually using it, but it is very important to know what the snippets are… so I guess…be patient, once you start building, thats when it will all come together, but its a lot of info to learn at all once, so step by step… I hope that helps?
1 Like
I can sort of answer your question but only because I just realized it this weekend. (I’m still in the Javascript section of the FCC curriculum myself.)
I wanted to make a program that would play random songs from a list of songs. I knew how to randomize a value with the Math.floor(Math.random()) that I learned here. And I knew I had to make the list of songs an Array. Then it was just a matter of using math.random to target the array and pull out one of the songs,…then…well figuring out how to make the program open a tab and insert the value of the array into the url destination of the tab took a bunch of reading and extra book work to figure out,…but because of FCC I kind of felt like I had all the building blocks I needed (the functions) I just had to figure out how to get them to work together.
…then once it was working I was pretty excited. But then when I imported it all into the browser,…google broke it. So I spent hours reading their API (because FCC has taught me it’s not all about the classes/lessons here, you have to read and study on your own)…so then after reading the google API I figured out why and how they broke my program (security reasons) and I was able to figure out how to rewrite it and make it all work within their browser.
I actually just posted about this project in the ‘project feedback’ section of this forum.
But it’s pretty much all due to FCC and just being tenacious and enjoying coding and figuring out how things work and why.
But anyway you were talking about arrays and why they’d be useful. They’re useful because it’s like a file cabinet full of information. Then you have to use functions to target and pull out the specific data you want to use,…then use other functions to do something with the values you’ve extracted.
…at least so far that’s how it seems to me. I’m pretty far from an expert. I’m just a camper like you trying to figure it all out as I go.
2 Likes
Ah, okay. That was a great explanation of arrays! I understand them now.
I get that FCC is designed to give people the tools and force them to figure out how to use the tools. That’s a good learning strategy, and maybe the one-sentence examples would undermine this strategy.
I think my frustrations are rooted in my own issues learning the material. I don’t pick this stuff up as fast as I would like and I thought that more explanation would help, but maybe that isn’t what’s best for me or other campers.
Thank you! That is helpful. I’m glad to hear that other campers are having/had the same issues I’m having.
Maybe extra explanation or examples aren’t what I need. I just need to do the work and create my own examples, plus read up on JavaScript from other sources.
Similar to you Jeremy, I feel the same way with the JavaScript module(I just finished a few days ago). I am reviewing the more challenging exercises again. It is impossible to retain all concepts from these lessons initally but like all things practice, practice and practice will get us to where we want to be. 
1 Like