Foundation Reflection

18 April 2024

What are three new things you have learnt about yourself and your ego due to the core learning?

-I think the first thing must be I thought I would feel programming really difficult for me once I tried it but it turned out to be not so bad. The second thing would be I didn't know I could sit at the desk and on my laptop for more than 8 hours every day. The third thing is I need to integrate this neuroplasticity and growth mindset into my learning process. When I got frustrated because of the challenging task I would tell myself I feel miserable because I am learning something new. It's part of it.

What are the role of values, empathy, and self-awareness in learning and programming?

-I think these will help us understanding and anticipating the needs, preferences, and frustrations of the end-users.  They will also help us understand, identify, manage and strategically utilise Emotions of myself and others.

What has surprised you the most about the core learning?

-The important concept like emotional intelligence, neuroplasticity and growth mindset are useful for my learning journey. Also, I have been practicing fully listening to others in formal and informal circumstances.

What were the most challenging aspects of the core learning?

-I think the challenging part would be putting everything into practice. It's always hard, not only for core learning, for all the tech or skills we have learned during foundation. It's easy for us to learn from the book, online or even from the tutor. But how you are going to integrate things into practice and how to use this in our daily life is the most challenging part. It requires lots of practice deliberately.

Why do you think we, a programming school, are spending so much time focusing on core learning in a web development Bootcamp course?

-Because we all need to finish the bootcamp course within 17 weeks, that's a lot to learn in such a short time. We need to learn these core concept to make sure we are looking after ourselves and our wellbeing. Also, core learning is teaching us important human skills that we will need at future work place. That requires working with others and communicate with others.

Does the time you spent studying core learning here feel like a waste of time? Should you have just used that time to practise programming instead? Justify your answer.

-Not really. It helped me relax and have a short break from my code. I normally see the core section or reflection as a break or run away from what I got stuck on. It worked for me and I got the chance to distract myself and my brain can rest a bit before I get back to the problem I had.