Since 2011, I have always thought to myself "should I try to code" and time and time again, I have always tried to code. It's with much displeasure to say that I haven't got far with it. Infact I still have issues with CSS. That's not to say if I look at HTML, CSS and Javascript, I don't know what I'm reading. I can but not very well. I feel that I've retained some of the understanding but I'll explain why I've always felt disheartened.
I'm one of those people that needs to absolutely understand what I'm looking at. I'm a slow learner also. It doesn't help that I need to absolutely understand something in it's entirety whilst being a slow reader. . Sometimes I can grasp something quickly and sometimes I can't.
Now I think the reason I get disheartened is because of all of the combination together and also a bit of pride. Funny how pride can bring a person down so quickly but I'll explain. If I'm reading a tutorial or watching one, I expect that if I read or watch one tutorial which explained in it's entirety the subject, I should be able to grasp what I was taught. If other people can, why can't I? This kinda hits me hard. I was having the feeling that when people watched a crash course or did certain things, they were catching on a lot quicker than me and I was always dumb founded to think "why am I struggling so much" and that annoyed the bag out of me.
In the same time, whilst other people can grasp what they are doing a lot faster, I think there's something different in that. Anyone can use a hammer but knowing exactly what you can do with the hammer is what I'm looking at. So I feel I am actually on the same ball game thinking about it now. That being said, I'm not happy unless I am absolutely certain of what I can do with what I learnt and how to apply it, whilst retaining what I learnt.
A lot more that's for sure. Instead of thinking that one method of learning or material is good enough, I'm looking to use many different types of people. I thankfully have books for all things HTML, CSS, Javascript and jQery. I plan to read different books by different people to retain and get another aspect of understanding the same content. The books might take on the same subject differently which might allow for different things to learn. In other words, I'm looking at this from a lot of different angles.
I'm looking up a lot of free videos which are available online. Again going through the same subjects but going along with the video, writing the code and hearing what each teacher has to say. I understand that by getting a small project and doing things yourself, you'll get somewhere, but I do want to start somewhere which doesn't mean I have to relearn something.
It is very possible for me to use W3C School's CSS framework but I'm unsure if it takes into account the CSS Grid system which I have only learnt about today. I could easily make a site but what's the point when something else better comes. I guess it's practise but I'd rather practise on the basis that what I'm going to use, at least will be used for a while. Again though, an argument could be pushed onto me where I'm using jQery to learn. The difference is this is a tech that can be used and get me a job. I'm not planning to learn everything within jQery. Just enough to use it.
So by reading, listening and watching the content by multiple people, whilst I might not grasp something that quickly, I'm sure when I do grasp it, I'm going to know a lot more because of the amount of hours. How I see is, it takes a long time for me to get understanding something but when I do, I absolutely understand it without flaky understanding but exactly what I need to know. So the hours aren't being wasted because I'm not behind. That being said, when I start in something, I have to keep going with it now because with this logic, if I don't keep on the path of learning, I've essentially wasted a lot of time because I can't piece together all that I've learnt.
The temptation to believe that what I'm doing is a waste of time but sometimes I do grasp things quickly and can put it altogether.
Lastly I do aim to add interactive learning. Codecademy seems to do this very well though I can understand some of the issues presented to it. That's just life I guess.
Putting this together, reading, listening, watching and typing, the retention of the things that I learnt is bound to stick because I'm using so many different ways to learn. The long term retention from actually using what I learnt in every day usage. In other words, I feel my short term memory is a timer problem so by using only one method of learning, I can actually forget what I was learning. I have to go through it all over again but as stated, I don't think using one source of learning is going to cut it for me.
My take on learning is I'm going to use all the resources which are available. I have books which I can read, audio lectures to listen to, videos to watch and then I can do it myself. With so many ways to see the same subjects and perspectives, I think this way of learning is going to be the most effective.
Yes I will make my own site, apps and such. I just don't like having to Google for near everything to make something work. If you're making a house, you wouldn't Google everything as you go along. You'd have a firm understanding of some of the basics, a foundation to go on. I want that foundation for myself.
I have a computer. I have access to all public knowledge available. I feel there is little reason for myself to keep failing other than my pride and addiction to gaming. Even with these short comings, there's too many ways to cater to this. When gaming, I have a second screen. I can glance and listen to lectures. I have problems sleeping so I read to sleep. If I'm working around the house, headphones in and passively listen. I won't capture everything but when I come back to the same subject via the other methods of learning, I'll have a better understanding of what's going on. In the same time, with passive learning, if you've already went over something, it's far easier to "hear" what's being said as you already comprehend it and it's just reinforcing what you've heard.
There is absolutely no excuse for someone not to be able to learn. Unless you're 45 and you have trouble getting onto the Internet, whilst this is a short sighted statement, I don't think anyone can have a problem of learning. You can use the Rasp Pi 3 to access the net. You can read, listen, watch and interact. All it takes is £30 for the screen, fine someone wanting to throw away a keyboard, mouse and small screen and you've got it. It's a Wifi connection also so you might be lucky to access a hotspot. If not, download the content from a source which has the Internet. IPFS holds a lot of book content. Download the audio and video files. Use the library to learn via interactive means or if you don't have that, download the interactive learning kits. The Rasp Pi 3 does come with interactive learning material.
In my position however, I want to prove slowly using a blog in the future, my development. I have great friends looking to help me. Too many people are routing for me. Not a lot of my friends outside of my close circle know of Steem therefore I'm happy to post here but I couldn't post the same thing on Facebook or Twitter. Too many people expect me to know this stuff already but here, I feel I'm happy to share this with others.
In the end of the day, the sun will rise and I'll always have time somewhere to be doing something. What am I going to be doing right after reading this. Headphones in, listen to Traversy Media guides. After that, I'll Youtube/DTube other selections.
I think it can be hard, extremely hard to learn something but with enough time and determination, like a muscle in your body, give it time and it will improve.
