Ways to continue learning after Rails Girls

Talk given at a Rails Girls Bangalore(http://railsgirls.com/bangalore) event on 9 March 2019

Transcript

1. Ways to continue learning after Rails Girls Mohnish G Jadwani !1
2. Learning a new language can be challenging and fun The journey of learning a new language can be - thrilling and deeply uncomfortable !2
3. How I started learning Ruby and Elixir? - Learning by Reading !3
4. Posted by a user(who was learning Elixir) on elixirforum.com - This was me !4 A real world connect seemed missing in Learning by Reading
5. How I started learning better? - Learning by Doing !5
6. Why learn this way? ◦ Easier to understand ◦ Easier to see a real world connect ◦ Get to apply multiple language concepts at one time Learning by Doing - Why? !6
7. What my learning goals could be? ◦ Get confident ◦ Make and Track regular progress as a programmer ◦ Learn from other people’s solutions if possible Learning by Doing - What? !7
8. Learning By Doing - How? exercism.io How can Exercism.io help you learn a new language better? !8
9. Source: Exercism’s values as mentioned here: https://exercism.io/values !9 Core Principles that drive people behind exercism.io • Exercism’s value is in the community, the discussion and the learning. • Exercism should be enjoyable, challenging and valuable. • Exercism should feel safe and nurturing. • Exercism focusses on the learning journey, not the destination. Empathy and encouragement are more important than absolute factual correctness. • Exercism should not be limited to being an online tool. It could be used in schools or in places without good internet access.
10. How Exercism works? • Step1: Choose a language to master
 !10 Choose a Programming language you’d want to learn through Exercism
11. How Exercism works?(contd.) • Step2: Complete a coding challenge on your computer • Solve things one step at a time by making each test pass • You’ll get an exposure to Test Driven Development !11
12. How Exercism works(contd.) • Step 3: Upload your solution and review it with a mentor !12 Discussing code is one of the best ways to learn.
13. How Exercism works(contd.) • Step 4: Unlock different concepts and exercises !13 Unlock a core exercise and more side exercises for each core exercise that you solve
14. !14 48 Language Tracks currently supported on Exercism Level up your programming skills with 2,699 exercises across 48 languages on Exercism
15. !15 Get Exercism related support through Gitter You can ask Exercism related support questions through the Gitter platform - https://gitter.im/ exercism/support • Types of questions asked on this platform • Setting up the Exercism CLI • Getting up and running with using Exercism • Other general support questions with using the platform • Stick around/Get Back - Allow the team a few hours to respond to you • Let them know if your problem is resolved - a small thought of follow up goes a long way!
16. Ruby Track on exercism.io !16
17. A snapshot of a mentored solution on Exercism.io !17
18. Mentoring on Exercism !18 ◦ There are Mentors for each language track ◦ It’s recommended mentors solve exercise before mentoring ◦ You learn a lot even as a mentor! ◦ Some people have sought learning by way of mentoring Some of the mentors on the Ruby Track of Exercism
19. Personal Experience of using exercism.io !19 Committing exercises to Github allows me to track history better & also integrate with services like Hound CI
20. We had Fun Solving an Exercism exercise at a BRUG meet up !20 Attendees at a BRUG meetup solving an Exercism kata, details here - http://bit.ly/exercism_brug
21. Learning Elixir through Exercism eventually lead to a conference talk !21 Solving Elixir Exercises on Exercism -> Contribute to Elixir Language -> Conference Talk
22. Testimonials from some Exercism users !22 Testimonials from Exercism users
23. CodeNewbie !23
24. Use CodeNewbie Slack Group to ask tech q’s !24 A user of the CodeNewbie Slack group asking a JS related question on the #javascript slack channel
25. Subscribe to the CodeNewbie Podcast !25 This podcast invites experienced programmers and others to share their journey of getting better
26. Some of the other episodes on the CodeNewbie Podcast !26
27. CodeNewbie Weekly Twitter Chat !27
28. A CodeNewbie Twitter Chat !28
29. Personal Experience - Built a Hangman with CodeNewbie community members !29 Built the game as part of a JS Tuesday group on Code Newbie
30. Trello board used for the Hangman Project !30 Project Management for the Hangman Game was done through Trello
31. Blogged about building the hangman game !31 Blog with more details about the experience: http://bit.ly/codenewbie_jstue_hangman
32. Upcase - A platform to help you move beyond the beginner level !32
33. Different Languages and tools that one can learn through Upcase !33
34. Use the Upcase Forum to ask related questions !34 You can use the Upcase forum to ask questions related to the content on Upcase
35. Upcase Trails - Guided lessons on core topics !35
36. Exercises through Upcase trails introduce concepts !36
37. Useful resources to help you solve an exercise on each trail !37
38. Upcase Videos !38 A more beginner focused video A more beginner focused video
39. !39 A video that helps programmers further up skill themselves Upcase Videos
40. Personal experience of using Upcase • Refactoring and Testing trails helped me get a better job
 
 !40 An Upcase user reflecting how the platform helped him find a Rails job
41. Freecodecamp !41
42. freeCodeCamp curriculum !42 freeCodeCamp curriculum
43. Personal Experience - Learning CSS Flexbox through freecodecamp !43 Learning how CSS Flexbox concepts by doing some hands on exercises through the freecodecamp platform
44. Freecodecamp Forum !44 The platform forum empowers a learner along their journey of getting better
45. Follow the Freecodecamp Blog on Medium !45 You can learn a lot from the regular Freecodecamp blog posts on Medium
46. Freecodecamp has helped people get jobs !46
47. Other programs/events you can be a part of • Talk to Monika who has been a Rails GSoC coach !47
48. Other programs/events you can be a part of !48
49. Takeaways • See what works best for you • The community is supportive and cares • Persistence matters • Stay connected with the community • Use Rails Girls BLR Slack group to keep in touch !49
50. Thank You and Feel Free to Get in touch! Mohnish G Jadwani Twitter @mohnishgj Github boddhisattva Blog medium.com/@mohnishgj Site http://www.mohnishjadwani.com/ Gmail mohnishgj !50