Console me, I’m learning JavaScript

Today was my first day learning JavaScript. Right now I am ‘teaching myself’ using the introduction to JavaScript course on codecademy.com. This website gives you free 7 day access to their courses, after that time you can choose to go ‘pro’ if you like it. I will see how I go for a few days before I choose to commit. Please leave a comment if you have had good (or bad) experiences with Codecademy, and also if you know of any good online JavaScript courses or tutorials that are cheap or free.

I have no background in coding and have an okay-ish knowledge of computers, you know, The Web, using a mouse, mices, clicking, double clicking, the computer screen of course, the keyboard, the bit that goes on the floor down there (Thanks Jen ;-)). In all seriousness though, if I can do this then I feel like any person of average intelligence could give it a shot. I will try and explain myself in layman’s terms as much as possible, and will answer any comments or questions if I am able to.

So far, I am finding the Codecademy course fairly straightforward. It is very user-friendly, with text to the left hand side of the screen to read and take in, and questions to answer after each topic. Each question requires you to input some code into the box in the middle, you then click ‘run’ and your answer will be checked to see if the code worked correctly. If you are correct the question will now have a tick at the side, if you are wrong then some writing will pop up in the middle section asking something along the lines of ‘did you remember to include…?’. Also, you can choose to uncover a hint after each question too, this hint essentially paraphrases the information above it, reminding you of the correct way to input some code. Each time I have attempted to answer the question posed without using the hint unless I absolutely need it, but to be honest if you have read and understood the previous information correctly then you shouldn’t really need the hint (unless you have completely zoned out, in which case I would suggest taking a break!). I like the little questions that give you an opportunity to input code yourself, I am definitely a ‘do-er’ when it comes to learning in the sense that I like to just get stuck in and give things a go in order to learn through trial and error. I can read or listen to instructions for a while, but for me things don’t really sink in until I have actually given it a go, so I’d recommend this course if you are also that way inclined.

I will see how I go with this and check back in towards the end of the week to let you know how I am doing, and if I have decided to take the plunge with the ‘pro’ version.