Foundations Reflections

September 29, 2023

Learning about Myself and Ego through Core Learning

During the core material of Foundations, I have learned a few different things about myself and my ego. I think most of the learning hasn't actually come from working through the core material or writing down reflections about it. Instead, much of my learning has come from thinking about the core skills and ideas in my own time as I go about life and considering their importance in programming, learning, and life in general. This probably means that a fair chunk of what I have learned from the core material isn't properly documented in this blog or in my sprint reflections.

By participating in the core material of the Foundations course, I have gained a deeper understanding of myself on a fundamental level. This includes a deeper understanding of what I do and don't value, my strengths as a person, and weaknesses that impact me negatively. I have also come to recognize times when I am and aren't emotionally intelligent, and I think I feel just a bit more self-aware in general.

Role of Values, Empathy, and Self-awareness in Learning and Programming

Understanding empathy, values, and self-awareness is important in learning and programming, particularly for the social interaction side of things. A programmer has little use to a company if they aren't able to work in a team, and many of these ideas are important facets to understand when working with people.

What Has Surprised Me the Most About the Core Learning

I think the amount of time I have spent thinking about some of the ideas outlined in the core material and the impact it has had on the way I see myself and my social interactions with other people has been surprising to me. I don't really enjoy the core material of the course a lot, but I'm surprised by how I've still reacted to it as much as I have.

Most Challenging Aspects of the Core Learning

For me, a challenging aspect of the core learning was recognizing how important it is to learn from and apply these ideas. As I've said, I haven't particularly enjoyed the core material, so it's been hard to find a reason why I should put effort into it.

Why I Think Dev Academy Spends Time Focusing on Core Learning

A large proportion of programmers are very talented and smart at what they do. It is clear that it would be hard for students with only 5 months of study to compete with them. Having strong core skills gives us (as Dev Academy students) an edge over other programmers who might not be as strong communicators. Additionally, core skills are important skills to have for learning and life.

Does the Time You Spent Studying Core Learning Here Feel Like a Waste of Time? Should You Have Just Used That Time to Practice Programming Instead? Justify Your Answer.

Personally, despite what I've said previously, I do feel like some of the core learning and reflecting was a bit overdone. I recognize the importance of it, but I don't think it was necessary to have it in the curriculum to such a strong degree. Part of why I say this is because I think that not all of the techniques would work for everyone (meditation, reflection, etc.), and I think more trust can be given to students to learn from the core material and make changes to adapt its ideas in a way that suits them.