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Show HN: Codecademy.com, the easiest way to learn to code

codecademy.com

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Re: Show HN: Codecademy.com, the easiest way to learn to code

#171

Post by Wilya »

dusklight wrote: post #164
aik wrote: post #107

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think it would be more beneficial to the authors if you explained why the tone is arrogant? Also, why do you assume the authors aren't qualified to teach -- why do you immediately assume them to be incompetent by noting the Dunner-Kruger effect (that sounds a bit arrogant to me?)? On the same note, what exactly do you believe makes someone qualified to teach? One more question -- what exactly is wrong with targetin…

It shouldn't be called codecadamey, it should be called javascriptkindergarten. I think it is arrogant because it is claiming to be teaching how to code, when it is not doing anything of the sort. I think it is supremely arrogant to not even mention that it is teaching javascript specifically, making it sound like you could learn how to code in general from the site, when it covers only the most basic of basic topics…

Among all people who know how to program, the fraction of them who know what automatas are isn't so high. And if you restrict yourself to, among those, the fraction that studied Turing machines before any language ? Well, I don't think I know anyone in that case.

Teaching isn't only about choosing the right subjects in the right order. It is also about making people involved in their own learning. Especially at basic levels.

Re: Show HN: Codecademy.com, the easiest way to learn to code

#172

Post by nicki_easy »

tolmasky wrote: post #138

Interesting feedback: I had my gf do it, and she got stuck in the .length portion, because she kept typing: "name".length. This is because the prompt said: Well done! How long is your name? Find out by typing your name in quotes and ending it with .length. For me, that'd be "Ryan".length. Apparently its not clear enough what is code and what isn't. While you and I can tell that the last period belongs to the sentence…

I am no one's girlfriend, and I am stuck on lesson five :P

I think that if this is aimed at beginners it needs to be dumbed down more--I am a reasonably intelligent absolute beginner curious about coding and whether I'm interested in learning some, and in this lesson you have completely lost me; I no longer understand what I am doing or why, and I don't know how to proceed:

Everything we've talked about so far has one value. But what happens when you need to store an ordered list of values? You use a data structure known as an array.

The editor now has an array named numbers with the numbers 1, 4, and 6 (look at how we set the values). To access a particular value, you can use the name of the array and its position, or index (they start with 0). To get the number 4 from the array numbers, you would write numbers[1].

Try writing a line that will set the value of a variable called six to third number in the array.

I feel like there is not enough building on the previous lesson and not enough practice/repetition for me to get a toehold on what I'm doing/learning before moving on to the next thing. Here you have already moved me up to a level of abstraction where I cannot continue the exercise without seeking outside help (from Google, a book, a friend...).

And my hint is: To do this exercise, you have to declare a new variable (using var six =) and set it equal to the value of the array (done with numbers[2]). Remember: array indexes start at 0, not 1.

I'm totally lost. This hint is not helpful to me and there are no more hints. I'm stuck and can't continue within the lesson itself without more hints, exercises or explanation.

Also, I think this is brilliant <3. Keep going.

Re: Show HN: Codecademy.com, the easiest way to learn to code

#174

Post by frobozz »

I don't think you determine a passing result correctly.

I made several attempts as "Lesson 8: Take a While", all fulfilling the brief, and all telling me "Oops, try again".

I wasn't even being particularly perverse on all of them. In fact, when I did try being perverse, I got it to pass even though it technically should have failed.

This is an example of perversely passing:

    var times = 0;
    while (true) {
      print( "hello" );
      if(times >=100) {
          times = 2;
          break;
      }
      times += 1
    };
The brief is "Your turn! Let's make a while loop that prints "hello" twice. It's outlined in the editor."

Re: Show HN: Codecademy.com, the easiest way to learn to code

#175

Post by rglover »

This is great. As a designer, I've wanted to find some sort of learning mechanism that walked me through coding and really explained what each part does. I found TryRuby the other day and loved it. This seems to be in the same vein but Javascript focused (which is awesome because I want to develop a better knowledge of front-end dev). Really enjoy this and hope it sticks around for a bit, I think it will be really helpful.

Re: Show HN: Codecademy.com, the easiest way to learn to code

#177

Post by mkr-hn »

MrKurtHaeusler wrote: post #176

I like it. I am however not the target user. Also it is not that original: http://tryhaskell.org/ http://tryruby.org/ In fact theres already a javascript one: http://tryjavascript.devfu.com/ But it does seem friendlier somehow that the others.

I think what sets this apart is the curriculum format. You can go back through and review lessons. I don't see something like that on the sites you linked.

Re: Show HN: Codecademy.com, the easiest way to learn to code

#179

Post by MrKurtHaeusler »

beefman wrote: post #95
zds wrote: post #2

I've been a longtime member @ HN, but I haven't been a developer. In fact, my only HN submission has been one asking how to learn to code ( http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=820741 ). We decided to solve the problem by making a simple, interactive way to get started with Codecademy. We'd love your feedback. If you're interested in helping us to get more courses up (on any topic!), please send us an email at HN (at)…

Awesome, thanks! I've always thought the use of books to teach programming was a bit ironic, especially for interpreted languages. Back in the early '90s I had a book called Master C, which came with a floppy that ran a similar type of tutorial. http://www.amazon.com/Waite-Groups-Master-Book-Disks/dp/1878... Seems like a long gap between then and now. Also, please let me request a course on Clojure. That would rule!

http://www.try-clojure.org/

Re: Show HN: Codecademy.com, the easiest way to learn to code

#180

Post by MrKurtHaeusler »

mkr-hn wrote: post #177
MrKurtHaeusler wrote: post #176

I like it. I am however not the target user. Also it is not that original: http://tryhaskell.org/ http://tryruby.org/ In fact theres already a javascript one: http://tryjavascript.devfu.com/ But it does seem friendlier somehow that the others.

I think what sets this apart is the curriculum format. You can go back through and review lessons. I don't see something like that on the sites you linked.

Ahh yes very good point.
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